Edhi the angel

LAHORE: The kindest soul on Earth, a man with only one religion — humanity — whose only mission in life was to serve suffering human beings, irrespective of their caste, creed or religion, and a fakir, as he termed himself, recognised all over the world, was Abdul Sattar Edhi. Even when he was seriously sick, he turned down the offer to receive medical treatment abroad and preferred to remain in his own country — a country where all the elites and ruling classes receive medical treatment abroad, even for minor ailments, using taxpayers’ money. He never used a single penny from the Edhi Foundation for personal use; will our ruling class ever learn a lesson from his example? Edhi’s name will always shine in the history of mankind whereas those enjoying the luxuries of the West will fade away.

I had the honour of meeting Edhi sahib once and that day is undoubtedly the most memorable day of my life. Shaking hands with him was a privilege; the hands which had picked up countless dead bodies, the hands which had picked up dead bodies from sea, from railway tracks, and from manholes and gutters. Those hands were soft like silk and strong like iron. I kissed those hands, much to Edhi Sahib’s displeasure; I wanted to touch his toes but was not allowed by him. I can’t forget his eyes, that were full of love, determination and humanity.

Edhi Sahib, you will remain alive in the hearts and souls of millions all over the globe. Your coffin should have been wrapped in the UNO flag as you had no nationality. You were free from man-made boundaries. In the words of Edhi Sahib, in his biography, A Mirror to the Blind, “We could not reduce suffering unless we rose above our own senses.” Edhi sahib accepted every challenge and established an example of charity, the parallel of which is difficult to find.

 

Aamir Aqil

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2016.

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