Winter Crisis: Millions of Displaced and Refugees Fight for Survival

As winter’s chill approaches, a heartbreaking cry echoes across the Ummah. Over 150 million will stand on the brink of unimaginable suffering without adequate warmth or sustenance. Their lives hang in the balance, each day a greater struggle than the last. For many, the winter months are a battle for survival, with the constant threat of deadly illnesses like hypothermia around the corner. There is a dire need for emergency winter relief for refugees and the displaced to help them through this winter.

The challenges displaced and refugee populations face during the winter months are immense. Their cramped, make-shift shelters offer no refuge from the sub-zero temperatures, posing an endless danger to their health and wellbeing.

Access to clean water and nutritious food is a major challenge, considered a luxury in many forgotten parts of the world. Many displaced communities lack basic sanitation facilities, making it difficult to obtain safe drinking water. Food shortages and rising prices add to the misery as well as war and conflict, leaving many families unable to survive.

Children, the elderly and the sick are most vulnerable to the harsh winter conditions. Their bodies are less equipped to withstand the cold, lacking the means to protect themselves. Children are unable to attend school, their future and education frozen like the ground they sleep on. The day-to-day struggles for the elderly bring more pain, and most of those who are sick rarely make it through the winter.

As Muslims, it is our sacred duty to support our brothers and sisters in their time of need. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “The believers, in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy, are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever” –[Sahih Bukhari]. Can we not feel the fever of the Ummah suffering?

Islam greatly emphasises helping those in need, especially during times of hardship. Allah ﷻ says in the Quran, “And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive” –[76:8]. This verse reminds us of the importance of selflessness and generosity, particularly in times of difficulty. Our actions have a ripple effect. By providing winter relief for refugees and the displaced, we are strengthening the Ummah as a whole.

This winter, as we enjoy the warmth of our homes and the love of our families, don’t forget those who have no home, no family. Please, do anything you can this winter to help those who need it. Whether you make sincere dua, volunteer, or support One Ummah’s Winter Campaign, you can do your part to offer hope and cold weather relief to those who are struggling to survive.

The Prophet ﷺ said, “None of you [truly] believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself” [Sahih Bukhari]. Do we not love warmth, food, and safety for ourselves? Then, let us strive to provide the same for our suffering brothers and sisters.