Muslim volunteers in the DC area smile as they prepare to serve food to the homeless.Photos courtesy of Irfan Aziz
As the month of Ramadan slowly swings in, so does the time for giving in charity. On Sunday July 15th 2012 eight Muslim volunteers decided to donate and serve dinner to the Central Union Mission homeless shelter in Washington D.C. The dinner was a joint effort with Muslims from Ibn Taymiyyah, PGMA, and ISB. This shelter visit is part of many the volunteers have done and wish to continue doing.
5 trays of baked chicken, 4 trays of rice pilaf, 200 pieces of pita bread, 3 trays of salad, and plenty of chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies for desert. That was the gracious menu the Muslims offered the homeless shelter on Sunday. Some shelter patrons joked, “we are happy to see you, but much happier to see the delicious food.” The shelter does not usually allow seconds, but because the supply was so plentiful, everyone in the shelter was able to receive seconds and even thirds. But surely something like this would be very expensive?
The organizers of this event explained that money wasn’t a problem because all the food was donated and cooked by volunteers. One family, who asked to remain anonymous, was gracious enough to prepare the entire dinner. In a previous visit, RJ’s Café volunteered to cook the food. The event e is run completely by volunteers donating their time to prepare for, organize, and work at these visits. Even though the visits take about a week’s preparation, the volunteers always enjoy them.
“For me, I feel it is an obligation as a Muslim to help the less fortunate.” Said Irfan Aziz, a volunteer of the shelter visits, “The various Quranic verses and Ahadith enjoining charity are what resonated and drove us to volunteer.” Aziz explained how in the past he had worked with many organizations such as the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut and Monday Night Mission. He said these organizations would make an effort to do regular shelter visits and to serve food to the homeless. Aziz called the experiences, “gratifying and humbling.” When he moved to into the area he decided to organize a way for the Muslim community to get the same experiences.
Patrons of the Central Union Mission shelter gratefully enjoy the food donated by the Muslim community.
The shelter that the volunteers donated to, Central Union Mission, is a Christian faith based organization that seeks to rehabilitate the needy through spiritual means. Their current program serves homeless men, underprivileged women, children, seniors, veterans and the growing Hispanic community. It is one of the oldest and most successful social service agencies in Washington D.C. But where is the Muslim equivalent of this?
Aziz explained how the Muslim community is very behind in this area. Bashar, a volunteer at the event, explained how it was disheartening to see how the Muslim community wasn’t doing it’s job to help needy people like the shelter was. Bashar explained, “We have a lot to do to catch up in those places.” Aziz hopes to continue regularly visiting and donating food at Central Union Mission, but he also hopes to one day open a Muslim homeless shelter.
The volunteers were able to serve over 125 people at the visit and everyone was able to eat to their heart’s content. Aziz believes that visits like these always, “remind one of the many luxuries they possess but may take for granted.” Yusuf, another volunteer, expressed how it felt good to give back to the community, and he also learned how he had many advantages in life others didn’t. Yusuf explained how this was also a great form of dawah because the shelter saw that Muslims were the ones giving food. Yusuf said it was dawah even though “we didn’t even have to say a word.” Aziz says that these visits help clear up the augmented image of Muslims in America.
All the volunteers at the dinner service enjoyed the experience and those at the shelter were very appreciative. The Muslim volunteers left with many of the shelter patrons asking, “When will you guys be back?” If you are interested in volunteering you’re time or making food for the next shelter visit, you can contact Irfan Aziz at irfanmaziz@gmail.com, or call at 347-401-8546.
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