Volunteer activities
One of the key work principles of CIGIR is voluntary activities. Volunteering means a healthy development of society and is essential for a community to build on solid foundations. The trend in the community towards consumerism while increasing people’s interest to earn more, it also leads to the deterioration of moral values in society and a nation not rooted in its moral values is doomed to depression.
On the other hand, voluntary activity is based on the principle of giving without expecting anything in return. Happiness, contrary to the conventional view that it lies in earning more and enjoying a comfortable life, it is rather a feeling that is gained by being useful. Helping, sharing, loving, selflessness cleanses the soul of the human being and keeps one away from all the negatives that cause anarchy, chaos, anger, and hatred.
In modern psychology, a voluntary activity can be evaluated as a manner of altruism. Altruistic lifestyle is putting others’ wishes and desires before one’s own. In the religious context, this notion is regarded as a ‘Muhsin’ way of life. ‘Muhsin’ is understood as ‘the most beautiful’. ‘Al-Muhsin’ is also one of the Creator’s names. In the Quran, the essence of doing good is explained to be pro bono, where one expects nothing in return to his giving. “We wish not from you reward or gratitude” [76:9] should be the response of a person with a good deed to the one thanking him. An altruist, however, continues this further to call others to this ‘beauty’.
An altruist or a volunteer uses his skills and knowledge to benefit others without expecting anything in return. CIGIR endeavours to support orphans and their families to meet their domestic and personal needs and so wide scope of opportunities are available from professionals to housewives to contribute to a great cause. Extensive volunteering is an indication of the development of moral values in society.