The True American Muslim: Putting Faith Into Action

These days, it’s all about the “Muzlemz” in the media. A car blew up. Oh, let’s blame the Muslims. A tree fell. Oh, let’s blame the Muslims. A cat got stuck in the tree before it fell. Oh, a Muslim probably put it up there. A plate of hummus disappeared. Wait, that’s definitely a Muslim. Orrrrr a white dude who really likes his pita chips and hummus?

It doesn’t matter how many times you try to prove that things are not really what they seem and that many of these events are in direct correlation with someone’s political agenda. None of that matters. Here’s what matters though: Muslims are community leaders when it comes to doing good. Here are 4 cases where Muslims took lead in fighting evil with good.

San Bernardino Shooting: American Muslims Raise More Than $100,000 for Victims

Directly preceding the tragic San Bernardino Shootings, a collective of American Muslim leaders and groups united to raise funds for the victims’ families. Muslim United For San Bernardino made national headlines, surpassing the initial $50,000 goal and raised over $215,515. All proceeds helped with the immediate, short-term needs of the grieving families. A number of American mosques, imams, community leaders and groups joined the effort in fighting evil with good.

We wish to respond to evil with good, as our faith instructs us, and send a powerful message of compassion through action. Our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: “Have mercy to those on earth, and the One in the Heavens (God) will have mercy upon you.” And the Quran teaches to “Repel evil by that which is better” (41:34).

Muslims Raised Over $100,000 To Help Rebuild Black Churches In The South

In the days following the shooting of nine people inside Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, a string of church fires at black worship centers in the South raised alarm on social media. Muslim organizations joined forces to launch the “Respond With Love” campaign on July 2, stating on their fundraising page that “ALL houses of worship are sanctuaries, a place where all should feel safe.”

The campaign closed on July 18 with a total of $100,470 surpassing the initial $10,000 goal. The Respond With Love team was leaning towards donating the money to the larger “Rebuild The Churches Fund,” which was organized by the Episcopal Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis, Missouri and had already raised $200,000 to help rebuild burnt churches.

Muslim Led Non-Profits Take Lead And Change Contaminated Water Pipes in Flint

Members of Michigan’s Muslim community have been working together and in collaboration with other organizations to help the residents of Flint, Michigan, during the Flint water crisis. After a long wait for clean water, the Flint Islamic Center led efforts with other non-profit groups in collecting funds to replace contaminated water lead pipes with copper ones. Due to a shortage of funds, the city of Flint had planned to start digging up lead service lines only in part of the city. A contractor was paid by non-profit groups to begin work on the city’s north side.

In another campaign, the Michigan Muslim Community Council, in coordination with the The MADE Institute and the Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village, partnered with Life for Relief and Development, Islamic Relief USA, local Flint nonprofits, including Bottles for Babies, the Grand Blanc Muslim Youth Association and others to purchase clean water and distribute them to local residents. The “Clean Water for Flint Michigan” successfully raised $54,017. Organizations joined forces to deliver over 200,000 bottles of water to Flint residents.

Muslims Lend a Helping Hand After Rowlett (TX) Tornado

On a similar note, Muslims lent a helping hand after the recent tornado in Rowlett, Texas. Islamic Relief USA partnered with the Red Cross to aid in cleaning up after the devastating 13-mile tornado hit the cities of Garland and Rowlett on December 26, 2015 destroying houses and leaving many with nowhere to go. Fifty to sixty Islamic Relief USA volunteers showed up to form an assembly line of clean up and to distributed gift cards to families. During other disasters, Islamic Relief focuses on helping the Red Cross with assessments, run shelters and case work.