Muslim Nashid artists from across the country perform at 'Night Of Hope' fundraiser in Dewsbury in aid of Pakistan flood victims
It was a night of culture, friendship, serenity and hope - along with soothing melodies - as a large audience turned out to enjoy a star-studded “Nashid” concert at the “Courts” banqueting suite in Dewsbury.
Organised by the charity SKT Welfare, the sellout “Night Of Hope” fundraiser saw famous celebrity Muslim Nashid artists arriving from across the country to perform at the illuminated Dewsbury town centre venue.
Local families sat in the brightly lit chandelier hall throughout the concert listening to their rhythmic poetry praising Prophet Mohammad's character.
Known in Muslim culture as “Nashids”, they can be sung in any language. Yet the lyrics in Arabic, Urdu, Persian and English are usually the most popular.
Many Nashid artists have the skills to quickly “switch” their lyrical vocabulary within seconds from one language to another when performing live on stage.
Tambourines are sometimes played in the background. Yet the “Nashids” can also be sung without any musical instruments. The majority of performers rely solely on their own vocal cords.
Entry to the Dewsbury concert venue was by tickets ordered online. All proceeds raised during the evening were donated to the SKT Welfare's “Homes For Widows In Pakistan” scheme.
The charity's latest project is to build new homes for lone widows who have lost everything during this year's summer floods in Pakistan. The recent monsoon flooding has devastated large parts of the country's rural Punjab province where whole areas are still without electricity.
The disaster displaced hundreds of thousands of people who were forced to flee from the floodwaters towards higher ground. A large majority of the population, especially elderly widows, with no family members to support them, are still living in makeshift tents.
SKT Welfare, whose initials stand for “Spreading Kindness Together” is a registered global charity working across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The charity has volunteers at the moment providing humanitarian aid and emergency food parcels in more than 15 different countries.
The charity also organises local fundraisers and sponsorship events from its regional SKT Welfare West Yorkshire office, based next to the Darul Quran Madrassah School on Huddersfield Road in Ravensthorpe.
Speaking to the Reporter Series, the SKT Welfare CEO, Asif Hussain, said: “Our funds are raised from the grassroots through regular community led charitable initiatives such as sponsored car washes, mountain climbing treks or long-distance bicycle rides, plus much more.
“We have a 100 per cent donations ethos and all the money is spent on the worthiest causes. Every single penny from your generous donations counts, and our frontline volunteers out on the ground always ensure help is given directly to those who need it the most, especially the ones suffering from the impact of natural disasters, famine or war.
“The most recent monsoon floods to hit Pakistan during August and September were unprecedented in their scope, leaving behind a trail of destruction in most of the country's rural regions.
“The fragile local infrastructure in many areas was destroyed along with hundreds of thousands of clay huts and small houses. So, the charity's aim is to help improve people's quality of life where there is despair.
“The recent 'Night Of Hope' concert was organised to give at least some hope to those who don't have any at this moment in time. The concert was another successful fundraiser initiative organised by our SKT Welfare charity - this time in aid of some of the most vulnerable suffering in Pakistan.”