The World Is Still Not Destitute of Angels

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 14 November 2023 Rahmanullah Gurbaz, a 22-year-old cricketer, showed piety and compassion by donating to and making the impoverished pavement dwellers a bit happier, a rare act of piety and a heartening sign of the fact that the world is still not destitute of angels. … Ye sahi nahin ke main tanha hi jashn manaoon Kisi ke chehre pe hansi laaoon, kisi ke ashk ponchh aaoon Nashtar 'Nishapuri' (It's unfair to celebrate a festival all by myself / Let me bring a smile to a face and wipe out tears from the eyes) … In a heart-warming display of compassion ahead of Diwali, Afghan cricketer Rahmanullah Gurbaz, known for his powerful batting skills, has garnered widespread praise for his selfless act of kindness on the streets of Ahmedabad. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor lauded the cricketer's kind gesture as "far greater than any century he might score." That a 22-year-old young man is so full of compassion for the poor is a rare quality. Yes, his act is far greater than a century or a double century. In these times of publicity and paparazzi, when celebrities invite a battery of media persons and call a press conference before donating a few bucks, this young man chose an unearthly hour (3 am) to donate and make the lives of impoverished pavement dwellers a bit happier. This underlines his piety, compassion and thoughtfulness, quite a rare trait for a person so young. That he didn't limit his act of compassion to a specific community is all the more laudable. He understood the spirit and significance not just of Jashn-e-Charaghaan (Festival of lamps) but of all festivals. This makes his gesture doubly heart-warming. This is the true spirit of festivity which a young man understood and imbibed so well and which remains elusive to people double and triple his age. Those brainless people who burst crackers and added to the already existing noise and pollution must learn a lesson from Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Any festival enhances the bond and bonhomie. We all must take a cue from this gentleman cricketer that an act of piety and compassion must never be publicised and played to the gallery. It must be a private act sans a smidgen of fanfare. May Gurbaz score many tons in the days to come and win the hearts of all and sundry with his cricket and compassion? The world is still not destitute of angels and that's a heartening sign. … ---------- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. ------ URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-human-rights/world-still-destitute-angels/d/131108 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism