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Mohammad Rafi is known for his unmatched voice and amazing singing. But he was not only a brilliant singer but also a good-natured person. Examples of his generosity are given even today. Be it helping the needy or donating at religious places, Rafi Saheb was always at the forefront.
incident of rejection of donations to the mosque
Once Rafi Saheb donated Rs 5,000 for the old Palasia Masjid of Indore. But the surprising thing was that the mosque committee rejected this donation.
Donation was described as ‘nefarious’
Rafi Saheb was deeply shocked to know the reason for this rejection. His daughter-in-law Yasmin Khalid Rafi has mentioned this incident in her book “Mohammad Rafi: My Abba”.
The mosque committee believed that the income earned from singing was not ‘justified’ according to Islam. Therefore it is not right to use it for a mosque. Because of this, Rafi’s earnings were termed as ‘impure’.
Rafi Sahab’s befitting reply
Rafi, who was usually calm and composed, became emotional over the incident. He said,
“Allah has given me this skill, which I have honed through hard work and honesty. Still my earnings are impure? If this is the message of Islam, then only Allah knows best whose earning is legitimate and whose is not.”
This incident shows the true feelings of Rafi Sahab and his strong personality.
Proof of generosity: Help to every needy
inspiration from fakir
An incident from Rafi Sahab’s childhood decided the direction of his life. A fakir used to sing Sufi poems in the streets of Lahore. Inspired by that, Rafi decided to dedicate his life to music.
Yasmin has written in her book that Rafi always kept a box of coins and notes in his car. Whenever his vehicle stopped at a traffic signal, he would give money to beggars.
broke the piggy bank and gave all the money
In his childhood, when Rafi was only 10 years old, a fakir asked him for help. Without thinking, he broke his clay piggy bank and gave all the money in it to him. Although he was scolded for this, this habit remained with him throughout his life.
Donation of Rs 100 due to emotions
Rafi’s son Shahid Rafi shared an anecdote. Once, Rafi was dropping his son at school on his way to the studio. On the way, a beggar begged while singing a song. The lyrics of the song were:
“First money and then God, Babu, keep giving donations, keep giving.”
This song was sung by Rafi for the film ‘Miss Mary’ (1957). This effort of the beggar touched Rafi’s heart, and he gave him a 100 rupee note.
Rafi’s charity and dedication to righteousness
Humanity had great importance in Rafi Sahab’s life. He believed that help has no religion. He always helped the needy and donated generously to religious places.