Muslims and The Good Samaritans

As part of my work, I recently visited the local branch of the charity the Samritan’s.  The plan was to visit, find out more about what they do, and get to know the volunteers.  The volunteers took the time to explain what they did and tell me about the training required to run their services.  Then they took me on a tour of their offices.

The two volunteers were two of the nicest people I have ever met.  I had not expected the amount of training and work that goes into volunteering for the Samaritans and how much they do.

It made me think about what I contribute to my community and to society.  I remember a talk once by a Muslim scholar and he posed the question: If all of the Muslims left your country, would the people of that country notice?  Would they be sad?  He explained it was our role to serve others, to benefit others and to show so much kindness and compassion that if we left tomorrow people would miss us.  This little piece of nasiha, or advice, has always stayed in my mind.

Someone at work recently asked staff how many of us volunteer, I felt a little embarrassed at not putting my hand up.  But then I got to thinking of all of the other sisters in my community who don’t formally volunteer but serve in so many other ways:

My Aunty who used to send meals to her English neighbour who was having treatment for Cancer

My neigbour who teaches children Quran and then donates the fees to charity

My lovely friend Z who used to visit her elderly neighbour and carried on visiting her when she moved into a nursing home

The sisters who cook for the masjid, send meals to new mothers who don’t have any family here and send food to neighbours

Shutterbug Sister who will take any opportunity to give directions or find some small deed that will help others

My mum, who sent meals to a newly widowed neighbour and sent us sisters one by one to sit with her so she wouldn’t be alone

So many other instances, the advice givers, the form fillers, the interpreters for people who don’t have the confidence to talk to housing or benefit agencies.

I hope that those small deeds are what we are remembered for.  I hope they are enough to define us and not the negative rhetoric that abounds around us right now.

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