Southseattleemerald.com: “MUSLIM COMMUNITY’S DAY OF DIGNITY PROVIDES SUPPLIES TO SEATTLE’S UNSHELTERED”
The following is an excerpt from an article posted in the Southseattleemerald.com in Nov 2017:
“By 7 a.m. Saturday, twenty people were already waiting outside Belltown’s Millionair Club Charity, zigzagging down the street and trying to shield themselves from the rain. Two and a half hours later, as the doors opened at 9:30, the line wrapped around the block. Volunteers passed out Top Pot doughnuts and hot coffee, and they laughed and joked with those in line.
“I’ve lived in Seattle my whole life, but this is my first time here,” participant Theaellis Hall said. “I saw people lining up and came over to see what was going on. I really appreciate the warm clothes, since winters in Seattle are so damn cold.”
Hall was one of an estimated 300 people who attended Islamic Relief’s annual Day of Dignity event (hosted in partnership with the Muslim Community Resource Center). For a couple hours on Saturday morning, the event helped people who are homeless, or from low income households, gain access to meals, winter coats, hygiene kits, and health screenings.
“I love this event,” event organizer Nisreen El-Saadoun, from the Muslim Community Resource Center said. “We get to team up with people from all around the Seattle area, and people from all across the city come together to participate. In addition to providing these services to people who need it most it’s a great way to show what Islam is all about and the Muslim community is really like.”
When the program started in 2006, it was called “Humanitarian Day,” but the name was changed to “Day of Dignity” after organizers collaborated with the national organization Islamic Relief and hosted the Seattle event in conjunction with similar events occurring around the country. The gathering creates the opportunity for people from diverse communities across the city to provide supplies and services to members of the community who need them most.
“It’s one day a year for us to come out here and give back to people who don’t have access to services like these,” volunteer Faisal Zahoor said. “I’m lucky to have a bed and warm food every night, and not everyone is that fortunate.”
In addition to providing necessary services to the participants, the day is also an opportunity to highlight work being done by the Muslim community in Seattle and to challenge misconceptions about the religion.
One of Islam’s five pillars, summarized in the hadith from Gabriel, is Zakat. Zakat means charity or taking care of and giving to the poor. Several of the volunteers spoke about how their religion drives them to be at this event and what giving back to their community means to them.
“I’ve been doing this since 2007,” volunteer Omar Abdulalim said. “I bring my kids now; I want them to learn that life isn’t all about you. People get such false ideas about Muslims, but the Quran teaches us to love and give charity, and that’s what this event is all about. ”
Day of Dignity provides, at least during this one moment each year, relief from the hardships impoverished populations experience on a regular basis.
“This is Islam,” Abdulalim said.”
Read the full post on Southseattleemerald.com
