sami yusuf in darfur 3

Islamic Relief Leads Peace Mission to Darfur


An Islamic Relief led peace mission to Darfur has recently returned with stories of suffering, but also of hope that a difference could be made.

Nasheed star Sami Yusuf and BBC London journalist, Asad Ahmad were part of this mission to witness first hand the problems in that troubled part of the world.

Jehangir Malik, UK Manager of Islamic Relief said: “The situation is becoming difficult and we are under pressure to pull out, but these people need our help and our generous donors from the UK want us to help.”

Sami Yusuf's Message

After returning from Darfur, Sami Yusuf has written his own personal message about his experiences. It is as follows:

Visiting Sudan was indeed a humbling experience. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit areas affected by poverty and conflict and witnessed first hand the great work being undertaken by Islamic Relief in Darfur - truly 'a worldwide leader in alleviating poverty.'

This was my first field visit - and definitely not my last. I have always been passionate about the humanitarian crises afflicting our globe. As an artist, I am keen to use my music not only for the purposes of sheer entertainment but also to bring about awareness about the humanitarian plight of many who are less fortunate than us. At the same time I strive to promote a message of hope for a better and brighter future for all.

In Darfur - I saw the poverty. I saw the destitution of the people, the orphans. I saw grief, agony and pain - people in desperate need. It is all very well seeing it on the news but nothing can compare to being there and witnessing it with your own eyes. It is like torture.

Yet despite the horrendous conditions many live in, I did not see despair and hopelessness. The Sudanese are a dignified people. When I asked Sheikh Mohammed - a village elder - what message he had for the global community, he replied: 'I pray we all live in peace and that conflicts all over the world are solved.'

BBC Article

Asad Ahmad, a journalist for the BBC, has written an article about his experiences, and has also created some video reports; all of which you can read and view by clicking on the following link:

Click here

Catastrophic Disaster

These people cannot be ignored because as Asad says in his article: “The people of Darfur according to the UN haven’t suffered genocide, but there’s a general agreement that they are experiencing a catastrophic disaster.”