Did you buy groceries today? Did you have enough for fruits and vegetables? Do you buy them often enough to know the names of the vegetables you bought?
As children played in the bounce house, stalls were set up with cooked food by the Muslim Social Services Agency, next to Masjid Al Haqq in Baltimore City for the Muslim Day of Giving and Dua. This was a vision of Imam Hassan Amin.
"We have to start building bridges and closing the gaps between American Muslims and our fellow non-Muslim Americans. The May 14, 2016 Muslim National Day of Giving and Du'a event may be what America needs in order to help foster respect, peace and better understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims," stated Imam Hassan A. Amin.
ICNA Relief volunteers handed out backpack for school children and canned goods. While Why Islam?, a dawah organization, handed out dawah literature on Islam.
Karim Amin ushered passerbys to the event, welcoming them to the help themselves.
Across the street, Zakat Foundation of America had a fresh fruits and vegetable stall. Squash, lettuce, zucchini, sweet potatoes and parsnips in boxes were set out for neighbors of Masjid ul Haqq to carry home. "Vegetables are so expensive, I can't afford to buy them," said a neighbors as she filled her bag. She usually shops at the local Save-a-Lot, a few blocks down but fresh vegetables are out of her budget.
"I have never seen such a variety of vegetables," said another as they looked into some of the boxes of exotic vegetables that the vendor has sent in the shipmentócilantro, Thai Okra, Chinese eggplants, yellow wax beans." "Isn't it sad that I don't even know what this vegetable is called? Many asked the volunteers for recipes for the healthy ways to cooks the vegetables.
As the adhan was called from the masjid, a Muslim police officer made dua and Imam Hassan Amin translated the adhan for all those who attended.
"Recently, I had a sister come to MSSA needing a job, help with around $9,000.00 in medical bills, needed help with eviction prevention, food and other expenses. MSSA was able to assist her with some of her immediate needs, but we had to refer her to other (non Muslims) agencies that could afford to assist her with her long term and ongoing needs. We thank Allah for the existence and aid that these agencies can afford to provide to all in need. But, it so pained me as a Muslim and Imam that I had to refer her outside of the Muslim community, for the basic help that she needed, inshaAllah." relates Imam Amin.
If you would like to help Muslim Social Services conduct more such days of giving visit them on www.muslimsocialservicesagency.org
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