Jean P Sasson - [Princess 02] by Princess Sultana's Daughters (pdf)

Author:Princess Sultana's Daughters (pdf) [Daughters, Princess Sultana's]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Do ye build a landmark

on every high place

to amuse yourselves?

And, do ye get for yourselves

fine buildings in the hope of living therein forever?

and when ye exert your strong hand

do ye do it like men of absolute power?

Now fear God and obey me And follow not the bidding

of those who are extravagant, and make mischief in the land, and mend not their ways.

My knees shaking, I had listened in horror as Amani stressed the Saudi royal family's similarity to the ostentatious sinners in the verse of the Koran.

"Look around you! Witness the wealth of the home from which I speak! A palace fit for a god could be no finer! Are we not disregarding the very words of God in embracing the opulence of costly indulgence that no human eyes are fit to see?"

Amani's voice went soft, as if she were speaking in a whisper, but I had closed my eyes and leaned closer, listening with great care. I could barely hear Amani's words. "Each of us must banish extravagance from our lives. I will set the first example. The jewels I have received from the wealth of my family name, I will give to the poor. If you believe in the God of Mohammed, you too must follow my example."

I did not hear the audience's response to their leader's outlandish demand, for at that moment, my eldest daughter, Maha, had made my unwelcome presence known.

Now, remembering Amani's promise to divest herself of her jewels, I pushed myself from the bed and hurried to my daughter's bedroom. There, I opened the safe she shared with her sister and removed a large quantity of expensive necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings, locking those items into the safe in Kareem's office. I had taken Maha's jewelry along with Amani's, for who knew what offense Amani might commit in her state of religious upheaval.

I knew that the total value of Amani's jewelry alone was well into the millions of dollars, and it had been given to her by those who loved her and desired economic security for her future. I promised myself that if Amani genuinely wanted to provide for the poor, then money would be given to her for that purpose.

Feeling depressed and unappreciated for our generosity, I remembered the millions of riyals Kareem and I had quietly donated over the years to the poor of the world. In addition to the required zakah liability, the percentage of our annual income not needed for our daily living expenses, Kareem and I contribute an extra 15 percent of our income for purposes of education and medical care to various Muslim countries less fortunate than Saudi Arabia. Never have we forgotten the words of the Prophet: "If you give alms openly, that is well, but if you give them to the needy in private, it is even better for you, and will atone for some of your bad deeds. Allah is aware of all you do."

Thinking of the funds we had provided to build medical clinics,

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.