Service before self

Every human being is born for a purpose. Regardless of how different each individual's purpose in life may be, each strives to attain goodness. For some, spirituality is the path to that goodness. And they try to share that understanding with as many they meet.

Niche of Truth is a forum of this kind. Set up in Abu Dhabi in 1997, it has now grown to a total of 175 members. All are dedicated to the common cause of spreading the word of god as revealed through the Holy Qur'an. Copies of religious literature are brought to the UAE from India and Saudi Arabia. Translations (from Arabic to English and Malayalam) are also available.

Audio and video recordings of sermons are received from the Islamic Information Centre, Dubai. All such resources are maintained at the office of Niche of Truth. Religious seminars and inter faith dialogues are conducted in English, Arabic and Malayalam at the premises of Niche of Truth and at other secular organisations.

In keeping with the tenets of Islamic culture, Niche of Truth promotes awareness on respect for and care of women and children. It teaches its members about the unique position and responsibility women take on as wives, mothers and sisters. Niche of Truth believes that such teachings are relevant to all people. Every week, special classes on religion, health and science are conducted for women.

Education, social aid, relief and development of youth are also promoted. Once a month, public speaking classes are conducted for the youth. Topics vary from IT to debatable subjects like science and religion. Medical awareness is spread through periodic campaigns.

Starting this year, Niche of Truth is giving away awards to top rank holders of the SSLC and CBSE board examinations in the UAE. Plans towards supporting higher education of deserving students are being charted and they should be implemented next year.

Requests have come from various charity and relief work organisations in India. These are sorted on merit and the office-bearers ensure their worthiness. The projects they support are overseen by known people, thus assuring charity donors of the credit worthiness of these projects.

Niche of Truth supports the Mercy General Cancer Pain and Palliative Care Clinic in Kerala, India, which attends to terminally-ill patients. An appended pharmacy provides free medication as well. Doctors who work at this centre have their regular practice at other medical institutions and therefore work for the cancer centre for free. Members of Niche of Truth say that it is only when one gets involved in such activity and makes it a part of one's life can one become truly selfless. Social work throws the dark side of life in our faces and forces us to look at one section of mankind which knows nothing but pain and suffering.

Niche of Truth is not a white-collar forum. Its members range from those who sit in high offices in Abu Dhabi to those who live on daily wages. It thus tries to live the principle of the 'universal brotherhood of man', emphatically stated in the Holy Qur'an. More information on Niche of Truth can be got from T.P. Saeed on 050-6170163.