“Allah knows best, I may not have been alive today without it.” – With his wife stranded, and his bank account closed Yasin didn’t have anyone to turn to.

PART TWO

Embraced by HHUGS

There was no one to reach out to, and I was very isolated. I was so far away from any community. I was living nearly two miles away from the nearest halal butchers, gym, and mosque that I was approved to go to.

I was assigned a mentor that helped me find work. I was not being supported in finding a place to live, and so both my mentor and support worker also told me I should speak to HHUGS about my situation.

I called HHUGS up and explained what was going on. I told them I needed a place to stay, and that there was nowhere to live in my area. I explained that I had no local connections and the impact it was having.  They were very supportive and open to helping me with my rent.

When I couldn’t open a bank account, or when I didn’t have any money, they swiftly began to support me. Without HHUGS’ support, I would have found it very difficult.

I wouldn’t have been able to pay the service charge for the home I was living in and would have been made homeless. They gave me food vouchers, which helped when I didn’t have anything to eat. Allah knows best, I may not have been alive today without it.

I got married but I’ve also faced difficulty in visiting my wife abroad. I’ve been open with the officers and notified them as they asked, but they still have stopped me and have tried to take away my passport.

Having the HHUGS food vouchers has also helped, as I can then send some of my own money to support my wife whilst she’s stranded in a different country without me. It helps me plan to have some sort of life, and a future. Because of HHUGS, I’m able to take care of myself and my family.

Saved from starvation

The support from HHUGS in Ramadhan meant a lot. They gifted me a very nice oud, bakhour, books and a cake.  It came at a time when I needed it. It made me cry, Alhamdulillah. I was so grateful, I had to make sujood ash-shukr.

Even though I felt isolated, I was reminded that there are people that care. I felt reconnected to the community that I felt isolated and cut off from for a long time.

I was invited to a HHUGS Eid party and I enjoyed it. It was great as I didn’t have to sit at home, and I could speak to anyone as it was a safe space. It gave me the sense of community which I was previously deprived of.

That’s why I believe the work of HHUGS is important. I don’t think most people are aware of how people from all walks of life are impacted by counter-terrorism legislation, and how damaging it can be.

My wife was taken aback by the extent of the difficulties, even with simple things, like opening a bank account; or that I need to notify the authorities if I want to use a bike which has an electronic attachment to to start it.

People aren’t aware of the extent of the long-term implications, and how your personal space is invaded. They’re surprised that this sort of thing can happen right here in the UK. There isn’t another organisation like HHUGS that provide the service they do.

I would literally have been on the streets starving, had it not been for HHUGS – and I can imagine that happening to a lot of other people in similar situations. HHUGS can help raise awareness for those who’ve been impacted.

Needed now more now than ever

With what’s going on between Palestine and Israel, people are attending legitimate protests, are being arrested. People should support HHUGS as they never know when their actions may fall under the legislation or be impacted by it themselves.

Individuals who are going through these hardships are still part of a community. They are still your brother and sister in Islam, and deserve to be helped.  For these people, there is nothing after Allah (swt) to fall back on.

I’d recommend HHUGS to anyone in the same situation as I was in. They should reach out as soon as possible rather than suffering alone, and thinking that there’s no one out there that can help, or that no one’s interesting in supporting them.

It’s crucial that you maintain a sense of community, as there are people out there who are making du’a for you. As the Prophet (saw) said, “The believer is a mirror to his faithful brother. He protects him against loss and defends him behind his back.”

I couldn’t open a back account, I was denied access to my wife, and harassed weekly by the police. I was unable to have any quality of life, and this continues to happen to people every day, and just gets worse.

If we don’t talk about what’s happening, it carries on. There’s no one to speak up on your behalf and it gets worse.  That’s why it’s so important to speak up and listen, because this can help change things for yourself and others.