Srinagar Man Uses Father's Hajj Savings To Feed Poor Amid Coronavirus

His father's savings for the Hajj pilgrimage could not have been better used.

For the last one month in Srinagar, Basharat Rafiq has been helping the people worst-hit by the coronavirus lockdown - those with little or no income struggling to get food.

Before his death last year, Mr Rafiq's father had saved around Rs 4 lakh to undertake the holy pilgrimage to Mecca.

Mr Rafiq says he saw people struggling for food during the pandemic and decided to spend the money to help them.

"I thought there can't be better use of my fathers savings for Hajj than this," said Basharat Rafiq.

Mr Rafiq said he felt like performing a "real Hajj" for his father by providing food to poor in these times.

"There could not have been a better occasion. As I spent money on them, I am getting blessing of these people," he said.

Besides reaching out to stranded migrant labourers, Mr Rafiq says there are around 400 families in the area who need help.

He is joined by good Samaritans who bring food items and vegetables to his home at Athwajan in Srinagar to help the needy.

"He is helping us, there are good people around in the neighbourhood who come to our help. He (Basharat) told us that we should not worry for anything," said a group labourers from Bihar.

"People are coming with food, some are bringing rice, some daal and poptators. Some people are coming with edible oil and other stuff," said a labourer.

Mr Rafiq also appealed to aspiring Hajj pilgrims to donate money and help needy so that "this challenge can be turned into an opportunity".

"Those who were planning to undertake Hajj pilgrimage this year can use this in this cause," he said.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it's unlikely if Hajj pilgrimage will be allowed this year. Saudi Arabia has already cancelled Umrah pilgrimage in the wake of coronavirus crisis.