Imtiaz shares the divine origins of the Gift of the Givers, saying, “My spiritual teacher looked me in the eye and in fluent Turkish said, ‘My son, I’m not asking you – I’m instructing you – form an organisation. The name will be Waqful Waqifin (Arabic for Gift of the Givers). It will serve all people, of all races, religions, colours, cultures, and classes, of any geographical location and of any political affiliation. You will serve them unconditionally and you will not expect anything in return. This is an instruction for you for the rest of your life’.”
Gift of the Givers is now the largest disaster response agency of African origin on the African continent. The organisation provides disaster intervention resources such as blankets, food, medicine, and tents. In addition to that, Gift of the Givers has a dedicated volunteer team who can assist no matter where a disaster may strike.
“We have our operations running in South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, and Palestine,” explains Imtiaz’s son, Muhammad Sooliman, who has been inspired by his father’s work and continues the legacy of selfless service. He shares, “I grew up in this organisation so I’ve seen my father’s dream and what he’s been trying to do. Growing up around that, I’ve just always known I wanted to be a part of it.”