“What do you want to be, when you grow up?” Dadi Jan asked me, tapping away at her keyboard. (She loves to read, research and write stuff).
“Uh! … rich!” I answered casually focusing on my video game.
“Oh! Just like that politician, who looted all the country’s wealth and invested in Europe? Or like that movie star, who has millions of fans but doesn’t care too much about what Allah (swt) thinks of him?”
“Dadi! Now you are going to extremes! Of course, not! I don’t want to be like either of them.”
Dadi dramatically heaved a sigh of relief and closed her laptop turning to me. That meant trouble. I tried to look more occupied with my game.
“You know, we do have to pay a price for becoming rich.” Dadi sat down next to me trying to follow my game.
“Uhuh!” I just nodded.
“Did you know that Abdul Sattar Edhi travelled through Iran, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and many other countries of Europe to become rich? Dadi suddenly asked.
“Really?” I stopped gaming and turned to Dadi.
“Yes. In 1956, he collected a few clothes, a blanket, some food, some cash and his passport in a bag and boarded a bus for his journey. People saw him as a poor traveler and handed him small change. Edhi Sahib saved it all and returned to Pakistan to form his first dispensary (a small clinic).”
“I guess they had no visa issues back then. I only think of travelling the world to see Disneyland or buying stuff.” I admitted feeling a bit uneasy.
“I know, I guess we all do, except for the ones, who have a smart heart. Rich at heart! Abdul Sattar Edhi was like that since birth.” Dadi commented.
“Tell me more!” I was intrigued.
“Well, Edhi Sahib was born in 1928 in a Memon family of traders in Gujrat (India). His family led a very simple life. They slept on cotton filled mattresses laid on the floor. Early in the morning, being the eldest, Edhi would help his mother by taking down the pots and pans from the top of a cupboard and in the evening, once they were washed, he stacked them away. Among the pots, there was one that was never needed. Secretly, Abdul Sattar began to put his savings into it as a child.”
“What did he do with the money?” I was curious.
“Edhi’s parents taught him well. Their first lesson was generosity and sharing. As a child, when his mother gave Edhi Sahib 2 paisas, she would ask him to spend one paisa on himself and give the other to a needy.
Once a boy’s mother fell ill and he could not bring lunch from home to school. Edhi gave half of his guava to his classmate and also bought some gram (Chana) with the other paisa. So he spent more on others than on himself.
At another time, Edhi was passing by some place. A few unkind boys were teasing a poor ailing man. Edhi told them to stop. The boys left the old man and instead started beating Edhi. Wounded Edhi escaped home and narrated the story to his mother. She was proud of her son’s bravery and bandaged his wounds. Next, she gave Edhi some food to serve the old man in the street. When the old man finished the food, he prayed to Allah (swt): ‘Insha’Allah, your name will be known far and wide one day.’”
“Wow! That’s how he became so famous! And brought honour to Pakistan, too.”
“Yes. And he was just like any other child. Edhi was also mischievous and played pranks on others but never hurt anyone. He loved to imitate animal sounds and even showed others circus tricks. And most of all, he had a great sense of humour.
His father travelled a lot. Whenever he would return home, he shaved Edhi’s head and everyone called him ‘roti’ because of his bald head.”
“That’s funny! I would never want to be called that!”
“At school, he was a class monitor. He learnt English and passed his exams with good marks. Edhi read about other famous personalities such as Marx, Lenin, Abu Dhar Ghaffari (rta), Islamic history, even Russian literature.”
“Who could tell that a simple man like him knew so much?” I wondered, remembering Abdul Sattar Edhi in his usual grey Kurta Shalwar and cap.
Dadi continued dazzled: “And that’s not all! He asked himself a question at the age of 14 years: ‘Why am I here in this world? What is the purpose of my existence? Why is there so much pain in this world? Our kings build beautiful buildings for themselves but what about the poor? I will sell matches by the roadside and earn money to build a hospital for the poor and disabled.’”
“Did he share his thoughts with others?” I asked hesitantly.
“Yes he did. And most kids and people made fun of him. But that did not stop him, did it? Once he heard Quaid-e-Azam speak in India: ‘Come to Pakistan. Bring your businesses there. You will prosper and Pakistan will prosper, too.’ Edhi and his family arrived in Pakistan, and their first home was a room they rented in Jodia Bazaar. Edhi’s father advised him that if you want to learn a trade, start from the bottom. Edhi obeyed his dad and bought pencils, match boxes and small towels to sell by the wayside. Whatever he earned, he saved part of it for his dispensary that he wanted to set up.”
“Another piece of advice that he took from his father was to never have a partner in business, especially if you are an honest man. If your partner doesn’t have the same Imaan and values, he could bring dishonour to you.”
Dadi got up and left. I thought of all that this old man left behind. Edhi centres in different cities of Pakistan for poor and homeless children and old folks, animal centres for stray and wounded animals, Edhi ambulance service (largest in the world) including ambulances, helicopters and planes, a cancer research centre, adoption facility to place orphans in respectable families, etc.
Abdul Sattar Edhi lived his dream! “My work is for all of Allah’s (swt) creatures, people as well as animals. I treat everyone equally – Muslim or non-Muslim, rich or poor, Pakistani or non-Pakistani. Follow these principles in life and, Insha’Allah, you will be successful: simplicity, honesty, hard work and punctuality.” Golden advice from the richest man with a smart heart.
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