Samanthapettai, Jan 16 (ANI): Rage and fury has gripped this tsunami-hit tiny Hindu village in India's southern Tamil Nadu after a group of Christian missionaries allegedly refused them aid for not agreeing to follow their religion.

Samanthapettai, near the temple town of Madurai, faced near devastation on the December 26 when massive tidal waves wiped it clean of homes and lives.

Most of the 200 people here are homeless or displaced , battling to rebuild lives and locating lost family members besides facing risks of epidemic,disease and trauma.

Jubilant at seeing the relief trucks loaded with food, clothes and the much-needed medicines the villagers, many of who have not had a square meal in days, were shocked when the nuns asked them to convert before distributing biscuits and water.

Heated arguments broke out as the locals forcibly tried to stop the relief trucks from leaving. The missionaries, who rushed into their cars on seeing television reporters and the cameras refusing to comment on the incident and managed to leave the village.

Disappointed and shocked into disbelief the hapless villagers still await aid.

"Many NGOs (volunteer groups) are extending help to us but there in our village the NGO, which was till now helping us is now asking us to follow the Christian religion. We are staunch followers of Hindu religion and refused their request. And after that these people with their aid materials are leaving the village without distributing that to us," Rajni Kumar, a villager said.

Hi Trouble,

This is not nor will be the first time that a christian missionary refuse food or water to those who refuse to follow their path.
As a child, my father worked in the Sudan for a an Egyptian Copt school- yes, a christian based school ( the Egyptian government that sustained these schools by the way, not the church )in a city named Atbara .
Like many families we had a house servant who did not speak Arabic, Gomaa never came to work on Sundays- he told us that if he did attend the church they will hurt him, and stop giving him food, clothes.

Perhaps this was one reason my mother changed her faith? Allah knows.

I also heard plenty of such stories often happen in Africa where people are in deep need of help.

Can we give those afflicted people a portion of our zakah money even if they are non-Muslims? How about giving them charity?
Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Thank you. The receivers of Zakah money are clearly mentioned in the Qur'an. Among them, the poor and needy people. Looking at the situation of those people who are afflicted, one can conclude that the Muslims among them fall under the category of needy people.

In this regard, those Muslims deserve to receive a portion of Zakah. As for non-Muslims, they might deserve donation or any other form of assistance but not Zakah.