Alhamdulillah, one of the things that really attracted me to Islam and the Muslim community, was the generosity of spirit and material kindness towards the poor — that’s not to say it doesn’t exist in other traditions, indeed Christians, for example, are known for their work with the poor and needy. But when I began learning about Islam, I met Muslims, many of whom were not wealthy, who would think nothing of pulling out the money in their pocket and giving it in charity. Shaykh Nuh, God love him, writes of this in his biography, where he recounts a time in Egypt when a little old lady thought he was poor (given his disheveled state at the time) and pressed a coin into his hand. He was so startled he dropped the coin, and she scurried away.

So when I read about Muslims who give to others from their heart, it reminds me of the attitude and actions of our blessed Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, who said: “Save yourself from hell-fire even by giving half a date-fruit in charity” and the companions, may God be pleased with them: “Whenever God’s Apostle, peace be upon him, ordered us to give in charity, we used to go to the market and work as porters and get a mudd [a special measure of grain] and then give it in charity.”

Recently, two very special Muslim women I know, Dakhylina and Brynna, organised to collect money for some local school kids who came from refugee backgrounds. School shoes are items that to be honest, most of us don’t give much thought to most of the time, but they are a real luxury for refugee kids. Therefore, I was so excited to hear they had raised $1200 to buy shoes, and it had hit the local newspapers. This story kinda hits home for me, as my mother has often recounted to us of her own childhood where she and her brothers and sisters didn’t have enough money to buy proper school shoes. Masha’Allah , may the Beloved reward Dakhylina and Brynna and all those involved in the project, and may these beautiful little souls have a bright future!

(From the local Dandenong Independent newspaper)

NOBLE Park English Language School pupils have been ”clunking” around in their new shoes.

The school’s health and wellbeing officer Dakhylina Madkhul said many of her pupils, particularly from refugee families, had inappropriate footwear or shoes in poor condition.

She and her friend Brynna Rafferty-Brown came up with the idea of fundraising to buy shoes.

Last month, they raised close to $1000.

”It’s not that the shoes many wear are second-hand, but they are still
wearing them when they are broken, tattered and long past their expiry
dates,” Ms Madkhul said.

”For many of the children selected to be the lucky recipients, it’s the first
time they have ever worn a pair of new shoes bought just for them.

”Our students spent much time admiring how the new shiny black
shoes looked on their feet.”

But she said others had taken a little while getting used to their new footwear, and were still ”clunking around”.

Ms Rafferty-Brown said she hoped the children would now have healthier feet.