Abdul Sattar Edhi: Encyclopedia II - Abdul Sattar Edhi - Modern Legacy

Abdul Sattar Edhi - Modern Legacy

Today not just in Pakistan, but in the Muslim world, Abdul Sattar Edhi has earned a reputation as being one of the most selfless and honorable human beings today. Despite his fame and reputation he continues to lead a simple life, he wears traditional Pakistani Shalwar Kameez, of which he only owns one or two, and he owns one pair of slippers, of which he has supposedly worn for the last twenty years. This is despite the fact the Edhi Foundation has a $10 million budget, out of which he takes nothing for himself. His son Faisal once stated that when the Foundation was setting up in Afghanistan, local staff had purchased chairs for guests and the press when a new center was being opened, when Edhi arrived he was furious because the money that was spent on the chairs could have been used to help people, that night he slept on the clinic floor with the ambulance drivers.

Today Edhi Foundation continues to grow. Edhi, looking to the future has stated that he aims to build a hospital every 500km in Pakistan. Although he is given the title Maulana out of respect, he himself dislikes the title, has he has never been to a religious school and he is not an Islamic cleric. Recently he was given a PhD and is now officially a doctor, and prefers to be referred to as what he actually is, and not what he is perceived to be. He is also famous for being very shy about his popularity and when people personally praise him for his work. He also refuses to accept donations from governments or formal religious organisations, because according to him they set 'conditions'. Both General Zia-ul-Haq and the Italian government sent him generous donations, which he sent back.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, as of 1997, Edhi Foundation's ambulance service, is the largest volunteer ambulance service in the world, he also personally holds the world record for having gone the longest time working without having taken a holiday. As of when the record was set, he still has not taken a day off work.

In 2000, he was awarded the International Balzan Prize for Humanity, Peace and Brotherhood.

On March 26, 2005 Abdul Sattar Edhi was presented with Life Time Achievement Award by World Memon Organisation (WMO).

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Modern Legacy", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki