“May Allah bless Hhugs and see it strive as an organisation, and may all the volunteers who get involved be blessed with all the happiness in the world – Ameen.
This is a statement to promote the value that Hhugs has had for me and my family. My brother was arrested as a suspected terrorist in 2004 and our lives have never been the same. He was 24 when he was taken away and is still awaiting trial – 2 years later. He has suffered mental illness and has obsessive compulsive disorder – which means he doesn’t think he’s clean enough to pray. He has also made numerous attempts on his own life as he has struggled to come to terms with the situation he finds himself in. Alhamdulillah he is doing much better now but still has very difficult days.
As you can imagine this has taken its toll on my family and we have found it very difficult to cope in the community as well as in the neighbourhood. We are often looked down at and the Muslim community has done very little to support us in these very difficult times – they often don’t know what to say and are scared themselves. I can actually count the number of people who have been our pillars of strength and hope on one hand (may Allah bless them all with the happiness in the world in this life and the next). I can also say that we have had more support from the non Muslim community – believe it or not! Why are we in this state?
Our reason for writing this statement is to tell you about how helpful Hhugs has been in helping us to deal with our day to day lives. Our parents have both suffered ill health since my brothers were arrested and my mother has recently undergone heart surgery. I met Babar Ahmad’s sister on a prison visit and was telling her about my mother when she said, “Why don’t you get in touch with Hhugs?”. She made the relevant phone call and I received a call a few days later from a lovely sister at Hhugs- may Allah bless them both always!
She asked me about our situation and said that she would be able to get some food dropped off or someone could clean the house. I felt a little awkward at first but her love and understanding was so obvious on the phone I couldn’t say no.
Alhamdulillah we now receive a meal from volunteers who deliver the food for my mother and father to eat during the week. We cannot thank these volunteers enough. They really have made a difference in my family’s life and it brings me to tears of joy when I realise that there is a Muslim group of people who genuinely want to help with no hangups or judgement. The have also offered to help in other ways, but Alhamdulillah we are able to cope.
I find it very difficult to believe that it has taken the events of the past 3-4 years for an organisation like this to be setup. But, Alhamdullilah, we count our blessings in knowing that there are fellow brothers and sisters out there that are non-judgemental, fearless of what’s happening in the political climate, have enormous hearts and are practicing the TRUE and REAL meaning of Islam.
I would like to ask anyone out there who has the ability and desire to volunteer their services in any way to get in touch with Hhugs, for those who are financially able, to support them financially and for those who are going through the political system and are currently going through Allah’s test to ask Hhugs for help – they are exactly what they say on the tin! They have been sent like angels from allah and I would ask you all to keep them and us in your prayers, as well as those brothers who are innocently incarcerated and the families who have been affected.”
The sister of a detainee