Men of all religion consider that helping the poor is equal to serving the Almighty. We all have the love to do what we can to our fellow human beings. Some of us tell ourselves that when we become strong financially, we’ll help the poor but very often a portion of us fail to fulfill that assurance.
This man, Kazi Mannan, is originally from a village in Pakistan. It was too rural and lacked electricity or plumbing. He studied in his motherland and endured the pangs of poverty at an early age. His dream was to break free from the chains of poverty and start a restaurant. One of his biggest desires was to help the needy when he becomes economically sound.
He left his family in Pakistan and came to America when he was 25 years old. With perseverance and passion, he managed to save enough money and buy a restaurant in 2013 but he had his initial losses before becoming a successful hotelier.
On his first day of being the owner of Sakina Halal Grill Restaurant, (a restaurant he named after his late mom), he invited the homeless to his restaurant and feed them for free. “They sat down in the dining room and said, ‘Are you sure you’re not going to charge us?’ They ate and kept asking that same question. They thought that I was tricking them, but I told them, ‘This is your place to eat. As long as I own it, this is your place.’ So now they can dine-in or takeout for free.
Today, I have so many homeless friends. I have phone numbers and get texts from them all of the time … That’s what I want. I want them to see me as their friend. And, I want others to see them as human beings.”
From the start of his ownership till now he serves free food to those homeless people who enter his restaurant. Kazi Mannan says he has received this generous nature from his mom. “We were broke. But, if we had a guest visit, she would make tea and welcome them into our home. She gave everything of herself. I’m trying to teach that to my family too.”
Kazi says “Just the act of giving a smile to someone can be a blessing. Just think about what food has the power to do. When I feed the poor, God blesses me “