MUSLIMS in Oxford raised almost £5,000 yesterday to help victims of the floods in Pakistan.

On the third day of Ramadan, appeals for money were made at mosques around Oxford before and after their afternoon prayers.

Collection buckets were positioned around the Madinah Mosque in Stanley Road, the Bangladesh Mosque in Cowley Road and the Central Oxford Mosque in Manzil Way.

Saj Malik, county councillor for East Oxford and city councillor for Cowley Marsh, was at the Madinah Mosque yesterday and said the response had been excellent.

He said: “People at the Stanley Road Mosque donated £4,000 on Friday alone, and the Bangladesh Mosque raised around £600.”

This is in addition to the £2,000 already raised since an appeal began the previous Friday.

Mr Malik said the money would be sent out as soon as possible to Oxford-based businessman Shaquat Quershi, who is one of a team of volunteers in Pakistan.

He said: “We are not going to hold on to the money to see how much we raise, we are sending it out as early as Monday.

“People in Pakistan need this money now.”

Riaz Ahmed, chairman of Madinah Mosque, said he was proud of how much people from Oxford’s Muslim population had donated.

He said: “I am always worried about exhausting the generosity of our community, as there always seems to be a cause to donate money to.

“But they continue to give what they can and I am proud of them all.”

Mr Ahmed explained many Muslims in Oxford will have had family affected by the flooding, bringing home the reality of the disaster.

He said: “About 80 per cent of the worshippers at this mosque are originally from Pakistan.

“And because Pakistan is a dry country, communities all tend to settle around water so I would say most people here, including myself and Saj Malik, have relatives who are directly affected.”

The floods, which struck the country last week, have killed at least 1,600 people and displaced more than 14 million.

And the UN warned on Thursday that the monsoon season could last for at least another month, extending the flooding to parts of the country not yet affected.

Mr Ahmed said: “I am not saying relief agencies are not doing a good job, but I think it is satisfying for the people of our community to know their money is going straight to members from their own mosque who are out there helping.

“This is the month of Ramadan, so it is the month of giving and I thank everyone from all three mosques in Oxford for their generosity.”

rpope@oxfordmail.co.uk

  • To donate money, email Mr Malik at sajjad.malik@oxfordshire.gov.uk