Indian-Origin Philanthropist Named South African Of The Year

Indian-beginning philanthropist and founding father of catastrophe alleviation group ‘Gift Of The Givers’, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman has received the celebrated South African of the Year Award run through the Daily Maverick newspaper.

South Africans throughout the board voted for Sooliman, placing Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo in 2d place. Zondo heads the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, which investigates fraud and corruption withinside the public sector, along with country organs.

Dr Sooliman, in his popularity speech on the Al Quds Mosque in Cape Town on Friday, known as on Muslims international to interact in being concerned for all groups to extrade Islamophobic perceptions.

Dr Sooliman started ‘Gift Of The Givers’ after his spiritual mentor in Turkey requested him to accomplish that in 1994.

Since then, the charitable and alleviation employer has undertaken alleviation paintings in extra than forty four nations after herbal failures including earthquakes in addition to helping humans in war-torn nations.

Besides the Middle East, Eastern Europe and many nations in Africa, ‘Gift Of The Givers’ groups have additionally assisted in the course of herbal failures in India and Pakistan.

Relying nearly totally on donations and the obligatory ‘zakat’ tax paid through Muslims, ‘Gift Of The Givers’ has furnished nearly four billion rand (USD 260 million) really well worth of resource to drought-troubled areas, starting from cell hospitals, meals hampers, and digging boreholes.

The health practitioner recalled how his spiritual chief in Turkey had advised him to set up the employer ‘Waqful Waqifin’, which interprets to ‘present of the givers’ from Arabic.

“My son, the Sheikh stated, you may serve all humans, of all religions, of all races; all colours, all cultures; all classes, of any geographical places and of any political affiliation, however you may serve them unconditionally. You will assume not anything in return, now no longer even a thank you,” recalled Dr Sooliman, who practises medicine.

“When we cross into a place to do our paintings, we do not examine their perception systems. Whether they’re Hindu, Muslim or Christians, anything they will be, we do not visit be judgemental approximately anyone,” he stated.

“This award got here through South Africans who had voted throughout cultures, throughout religions, throughout individuals who do now no longer have any religion too, however they all had been inclined to vote for me,” Dr Sooliman stated this symbolised that humans of their souls, help goodness.

Dr Sooliman is recognized across the world for his works, prevailing ratings of awards and accolades over the decades, lauded through South African and overseas heads of country for his employer‘s help in the course of instances of crises.

Dr Sooliman has additionally acquired National Orders, South Africa’s maximum civilian honour, and in advance this yr become named Social Justice Champion through the University of Stellenbosch in Western Cape province.

Dr Sooliman stated if all Muslims believed in those standards of being concerned for his or her fellow citizens, it might cross an extended manner closer to removing the scourge of Islamophobia and perceptions that Islam helps terrorisms.

Dr Sooliman denounced establishments which have a tendency to help alleviation efforts handiest in Muslim nations.

“We should not say Palestinians handiest; Syrians handiest; Iraq handiest; Afghanistan handiest; like different cultures do not exist. We visit each location to look the identical pain, trouble and tension that we have. When you carry ease to that, they’ll by no means neglect about you and that Muslims delivered goodness,” he stated.

Dr Sooliman used the instance of a mosque in Cape Town the usage of its centers at hand out Christmas parcels to the needy on behalf of the Gift of the Givers.
“There could not be a higher instance of constructing relations,” he stated in conclusion.