Why Giving To The One Love Table Is A Unique Choice?

 Why Giving To The One Love Table Is A Unique Choice?

Written by Habeeb Alli and Edited by Juliane Martin

Because feeding people is always rewarding in all religious denominations.

Well that was the easy one liner.

But there are so many causes and people operating food banks are numerous especially during Covid.

Well to think of it being part of a family of people of all backgrounds that are informed by faith and love

and dignity is itself very ambitious given the times we live in.

Whenever we find such a community based upon these eternal values of the Golden Rule we must be

able to jump at it with our hearts, dollars and time!

When we started out One Love Gala it was because the then government of the day did not want the

continuation of Chaplaincy services for inmates locked up in federal prisons across Canada. They were

about to sever the important work diversity chaplains perform inside and outside prisons.

I was inspired by Bob Marley’s’ song One Love, One Heart to start advocating for this service by

highlighting the work Chaplains do to reintegrate inmates successfully into society..

Food insecurity is a rising concern in Canada during the Pandemic and around the world. No one is safe.

There is only One God and His Religion Is to take care of humanity.

I have been working with many Muslim organisations and participating in many Interfaith initiatives and

saw during my time at providing food hampers in Toronto to families affected during the Pandemic that

all walks of life were involved. The Hindu Pundit giving donations, the Rabbi picking up food at the drive

by, the Pastor delivering food hampers to the elderly and the Imam opening the mosque doors for

persons of all backgrounds to receive the Mercy of God through human servants.

Now that I have had the opportunity to do the food hampers differently, again the One Love song has

inspired me to have the fabric of Interfaith and Multiculturalism sew itself into this beautiful dress with

our amazing Christian Chaplain Julianne Martin as Director and the humanitarian Muslim leader Sadro

Usman leading the operations whilst the Hindu community activist Rajmini Ram renders her continued

support and the Jewish voice for the voiceless Orev Katz prods us on- the family of One Love is woven

from the threads of far and wide of volunteers, clients and donors of varied ethnicity, race, religion,

sexual orientation, nationality and languages because the human dignity of one is the dignity of all. We

are all the Children of Adam!

As in the case of Father Abraham he was the patriarch to all, he loved all and opened his dinner table for

all and as such when you give to the One Love Table you give to all- without judgment or need to prove

you are worthy- you are doing the work of the Prophets when you let people enter your space freely as

Rumi said: Come As You Are!

Thank you!

Megwich!

Merci

Lailatul Qadr and Mothers’ Day - Twin Sisters of Mercy

 

Lailatul Qadr and Mothers’ Day - Twin Sisters of Mercy

 

May 4^th 2021

 

by: Habeeb Alli

 

It's been a whirlwind of events during this Pandemic.

 

It's Ramadan and Muslims are going crazy about the search for the Night that equals a thousand months of worship. And rightly so, it's also that time of the year when we buy flowers and send gifts to our mothers. Mother's Day – both days falling on May 8^th and 9th, respectively.

 

I wonder if there is a connection between the Night of Power and Mothers' Day?

 

For this, I thought there is a silver lining like the vaccine during the Pandemic.

 

For the reader of this, the Night of Power in the Surah "Qadr" Quran Chapter 97 Verses 1-5 is the moment that God decrees one's life for the rest of the year and it is believed to be on the 27^th night of Ramadan. However, it can be any time in the year or any one of the 10 last nights of Ramadan.   When people, who were eager to get rich in the game of spirituality, complained to the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, (On Whom Be Peace) that their years are shortened compared to those who lived for centuries before, in response, the Chapter Qadr was revealed. It is an auspicious night of prayers called the Night of Determination, or the Night of Power which is equivalent to one thousand months (which is equivalent to 80 years) of blessings.

 

It seems to me that the Mother of the Believers, Aisha, may (God be pleased with her), actually questioned her husband, the Holy Prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, what should be her prayers if she finds out it is indeed the Night! Our Prophet, opined that appealing for God's kindness and forgiveness was most crucial. "Oh God, You Are Forgiving and Kind, You Love to Forgive, so kindly forgive me!" is the refrain that is uttered all around the globe on this special night.

 

Now if that wasn't an appeal to the motherly instincts of compassion, forgiveness and love, then what is? God chose the Mother of the Believers, the young and passionate Lady Aisha, may God be pleased with her, to reveal this priceless gem of worship, embraced by billions throughout the centuries.

 

When we celebrate and honor our mothers every day and with a grand remembrance on Mothers' Day, we are instinctively responding to their kindness, generosity and unconditional love for their children. This is their right upon us, so beautifully articulated by the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, that Paradise lies "at the feet of Thy mother!"

 

So, this weekend, when you are praying for forgiveness on Lailatul Qadr and buying flowers for your beautiful Mom, or saying a prayer for her, alive or deceased, remember that mercy is the common denominator here. God's mercy demonstrated in a mother's love - something further demonstrated by your continued support of the Table of Mercy Foodbank this Ramadan which has served hundreds of mothers and families and prayed with them during this Pandemic. The Twin Sisters of Mercy seems to descend on us this weekend. Let's take the opportunity to be part of the mercy this year!