The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not hurt (trouble) his neighbor. And I advise you to take care of the women, for they are created from a rib and the most crooked portion of the rib is its upper part; if you try to straighten it, it will break, and if you leave it, it will remain crooked, so I urge you to take care of the women." [Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.114 Narrated by Abu Huraira (ra)]

This hadith is impressed upon our hearts as we bear witness from afar to what is happening in Afghanistan as U.S. troops withdraw from the country after nearly two decades of war and the Taliban takes control. At this crucial juncture, we are not here to offer analysis of what’s happening or opinions on the political machinations at work. We are thinking of the Afghan population, especially the women and girls, and want to share ways we can possibly help right from where we are.

We’ve put together this list (which is incomplete; we want to add more to this list from what you suggest to us and other things we learn about) of places you can donate and also gain information about what is happening in Afghanistan at this time. We have also heard that there are also lawyers around the country working to grant political asylum to Afghans. Click here to learn more and please share in the comments below if you know of any lawyers working to help Afghan refugees (or other reputable places to donate).

1. Muslim Aid USA has an emergency ongoing appeal for Afghanistan, in which their team is working with partners on the ground to provide warm meals, soap and hygiene kits to IDPs in the Kabul and Kunar provinces. You can donate here.

2. Islamic Relief USA also has an emergency campaign for Afghanistan. According to its campaign literature, the organization has “ ... served in Afghanistan for more than 20 years, and continues to prioritize those in dire need in Afghanistan today. ... we are also working with our teams in IR Afghanistan to see how the IRUSA donor community can be of more assistance to support the families facing displacement, violence, hunger, and more.” IRUSA doesn’t write at this time how they will exactly help right now, but that they will provide more information soon. You can donate here.

3. Women for Afghan Women is a grassroots organization that "works to help Afghan women and girls exercise their rights to pursue their individual potential to self-determination, and to representation in all areas of life – political, social, cultural, and economic." They assist disenfranchised Afghan women both in Afghanistan and the U.S. You can learn more and donate here.

4. This gofundme campaign is raising money for relief efforts for displaced Afghans and is organized by Khyber Khan out of San Francisco, California. According to the campaign, “We have word from Sarayi Shamali Camp in Kabul that mothers don’t have milk to feed their children. They are in desperate need [of] baby formula and bottles. The tragic stories are endless. … “We are launching an immediate fundraiser to provide cash in hand relieffor internally displaced Afghans during this humanitarian crisis. Our decision to make our fundraiser cash in hand is because other fundraisers have aimed towards providing food, tents, bedding etc. With cash, people can purchase exactly what they need.” You can donate here.

5. LIRS Connect (Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service) is seeking to help Afghans by supporting special immigrant visa holders who are being evacuated to the United States. They are focused in various regions of the U.S., and their website states, “If you are able to volunteer your time to help with services like airport pick-ups, apartment set-ups, or bringing a meal, please sign-up using the button that represents your region or sign-up for the general stand-by list. If you are not situated in a geographic area where they are working, you can also donate.

1. The Afghan is an Instagram account offering loads of information and news about Afghanistan and what’s happening on the ground. Here is a recent post that explains what is happening. This post goes into detail about how Afghan women are being affected by the drastic impact of ongoing war in their country.

2. This “explainer” from Al Jazeera talks through what has happened so far in Afghanistan in the past several days and what we know so far.

Please join us in praying for Afghanistan and its people. May Allah (S) protect the oppressed and innocent and grant them safety, sustenance and ease in their time of strife and need. Ameen.