Salaam and Greetings of Peace:
Our dear Sufi Sister Miriam, of the Pearls of Irag blog, is starting a book drive to bring English language books to Iraqi Kurdistan. It is a truly worthy cause, and if anyone can provide some books, it will be a blessing. Here are her words:
“As far as Iraq, my region, I am working with Kurdistan Save the Children and encouraging support to this successful organization. I am sponsoring a sweet little girl who lost her father to a landmine and having a book drive for English books for the Youth Centers in Kurdistan and for the street children in 2 special homes in Baghdad. http://www.ksc-kcf.com/ I am also looking into working with an American Muslim organization who are helping in the south of Iraq…The other book drive is for the University of Sulaimaniya, again for English books (text books and American fiction classics, any books for research) at the university level. An American University student group is helping me with this and I am open to additional partners. After Thanksgiving I hope to ship many books, inshallah, dependent on a helping partner over there. Otherwise, money will need to be raised for cargo and accompanying courier, but Allah will provide either way”
Below are guidelines for the book drive and an email address to contact her if you can donate to it:
Guidelines for Kurdistan Save the Children and
University Book Drive
When selecting your donation of books for Iraq Kurdistan, a moderate but still a traditional society, think as a family valued parent, especially for the children’s and youth books. Comparative religious books and those dealing with interfaith dialogue are acceptable, but as a mostly Muslim region, sensitivity and respect to the Islamic faith and orthodox Christianity (the Assyrian and Chaldeans) is requested. Religious peacebuilding and dialogue books are welcome.
Children’s Books (age appropriate 8 years ++)
Fictional and non-fictional (non religious)
New books for children from birth to age 5 are always needed. Board books for babies and toddlers (the ones with the sturdy cardboard pages)
Picture books are great for the sponsored children
Arts and Crafts books, coloring books are valued also
Youth books (age appropriate 14++)
American classics especially
Youth oriented fiction
Nonfiction (appropriate for age level up to 18 years old)
Art and Music books, computer books, multi media including film/documentary production
Vocational Learning books, especially website design
University books (age appropriate 18++ years)
Text Books
Fictional Books especially American English Literature (specifically requested)
Research books and material
Vocational Learning books, especially website design
Agricultural and business development
Sufi, moderate comparative religious and cross-cultural books
Conflict reconciliation, dialogue and peacebuilding (specifically requested)
First Shipment Date (tentative): October 25, 2006
Second Shipment Date (tentative): December 6, 2006
Contact Information:
Miriam Sabirah Ashki
May Allah bless her for her courage and good works on behalf of us all.
Ya Haqq!
Darvish 
wonderful work!
may Allah be with her for this heart warming effort. Amen.
God willing i will repost the issue for more attention in “Inspirations and Creative Thoughts”
Thank you brother Sadiq: May all who read this repost it so the word spreads in a good cause. I am giving ten copies of Master of the Jinn, and other books I have also, inshallah. Bless all who chance upon this and are moved to help.
Ya Haqq!
Just saw your comment on Cuckoo’s Call brother. What can I say? I simply wish I could meet you soon. Inshallah, it shall happen! May sweet fragrance and melody surround you always my friend, rama
Salamaat,
i wrote her but haven’t received a response. I had a couple of books I wanted to give away, have put in box, and then i read this post. It was serendipity at work. But waiting for her response…kheir inshaallah thank you for posting this.
Assalaam Alaikum br. Irving,
Thanks for this worthy post!
Helping towards education is “Al-sadaqa al-jariya” which is one of three things that benefit a humanbeing even after he parts with this life.
According to Prophet Muhammad(SAW), Al-Sadaqa al-jariya is an act of charity whose benefits continue after a person passes away. Many, many Muslims have made vast amounts of charitable contributions over 14 centuries out of a belief in the divine reward of al-Sadaqa al-jariya: e.g. water fountains for pedestrians, contributing to educational projects and places of heath care…etc.
I have some books I will surely donate and also pass on this word to my friends, inshaAllah.
May Allah(SWT) bless this sister for her efforts towards such a noble cause. Ameen.
Jazaak Allah Khair
Salaam Alaikum Dear Brothers and Sisters:
May Allah bless you all for your kindness and generosity to this worthy cause. It will help a great deal if all who can spread the word about the book drive.
Ya Haqq!
I will circulate this around and also cross-post this on my blog.
Keep on spreading gems of love and wisdom; and the stream of ‘sadqa-i-jariya’ as noted by SF.
Alhamdillallah what a great project. i am going to copy and paste this on the baton rouge muslim group.
wassalam
Thank You
That’s a great thing to achieve. I congratulate whoever participates in this project. However, as a Kurdish woman from east district of Turkey I must say Kurdish people are not the only ones who are in need of charity and compassion. There are many people from various ethnicities who are just as needy on the mentioned area. I believe, as a Muslim, a more encompassing manner should be applied towards these kind of charities and those kind of charities must be devoted to anyone who is in need regardless of their ethnicity, religion, gender etc. Otherwise, those kind of discriminations -though unintentional- not only could very easily harm the delicate balance of the region but also makes the contributors take an attitude outside the encompassing nature of Islam.
With kind regards,