Haleh Banani – Interview with Aisha Waheed – Founder of Maruf Dallas

			Empathy
		

			empathy empathy
		

			bump, bump, bump,
		

			bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump,
		

			bump, bump, bump, bump.
		

			salaam aleikum. We're here with Ayesha Wahid Mashallah your friend, founder of my room, I'm not able
to hear you. Oh, she's not able to hear. Okay. Let's see, we're gonna get this fixed in sha Allah.
		

			For those of you tuning in, I'm not sure if you could hear me or not, please indicate if you are
having any problem. Hello, are you able to hear me? I can hear you. I can hear you can hear me.
Okay. As we are going to fix it, there's an error. That's
		

			okay. Let's see in sha Allah subud
		

			we're going we're going to get to it and some love.
		

			stem. The mic is on, we're going to see what's happening in sha Allah. You still can't hear me?
		

			No.
		

			Okay, so inshallah we will be getting this fix for those of you who are tuning in, stay tuned,
because we've got amazing information to share with you with the founder of my roof organization.
		

			We're gonna get to, you know, it's always tricky. It's always tricky when we have the technical
issues, and we do appreciate your patience, this is going to be well worth the, you know, your your
weight and your patience inshallah. So how are we doing with the sound?
		

			We are working on it. Okay. Still no sound we got to do some sign language.
		

			All right. Yeah. It was going fine. Let me see if people can hear us. Oh, they can hear us out. All
right. The problem is,
		

			others can hear us but you can hear.
		

			We're not gonna be able to have a conversation.
		

			But is that?
		

			Okay? So let me I'm going to text you I said and see. Thank you so much, all of you for being so
patient with this. All right, I'm not ready. Okay.
		

			So they can hear both of us.
		

			Is there an issue on your side?
		

			Oh, we were able to hear you a little bit earlier. And inshallah This is going to be well worth it.
I appreciate. I can't she can't hear me. Okay.
		

			Let's see.
		

			They can hear both of you. Yeah.
		

			But it's just a matter of both of you. So it's basically Okay, so nothing wrong. It's Hursley.
Something is wrong with your speaker. Okay, I'm gonna type I'll type call her on the phone. Okay,
here.
		

			All right. Thank you so much, everyone for being so patient. I'm gonna call you and you can hear me
okay. Can you hear me now?
		

			Okay, perfect. All right. So Salaam Alaikum and welcome. We have the founder of Mad rules Dallas
organization, I show why he was a dear friend and the Mashallah we're so excited to have you on. So
now Michael.
		

			Okay. All right. Now I need to be able to.
		

			Alright, so I think we have it now. So please tell us a little bit about the organization about
Madras Dallas, because we have partnered with you in this Ramadan mindful Ramadan. We want to raise
awareness and raise funds for this amazing organization that you have. Could you tell us a little
bit about it?
		

			Yeah, so first of all, I think
		

			for most, giving me the opportunity and money,
		

			ability to work to serve Him. So I take a look at all the opportunities that are enabled.
		

			To bring on bringing awareness.
		

			But I
		

			Mashallah. So 15 years of just serving the community and 10 years of Dallas, my narrow have and
you've been serving the refugees, could you tell us the demographics of the people that you're
helping, and that way everyone knows, I know that you have like this transparency, the policy of
being very transparent and, and I love that about your organization.
		

			Better, you have to
		

			kind of understand what
		

			we're actually very thankful that they're able to come
		

			to
		

			United States, and we're able to, we're able to help them.
		

			The speaker on the audio, now know, when
		

			a majority of the refugees that have been coming into the United States, especially in Dallas, this
is a hub of refugees where
		

			majority, a certain percentage have arrived in Dallas, Texas, much.
		

			Approximately, how many do you have like on your date database? Okay, so when I deal with refugees
that are coming in, mainly they're from Syria, Iraq, parts of Africa, Burma, in Korea,
		

			you know, different camps, there may be a different nationality, but coming from a different camp
from a different country. So as we're speaking of refugees, that's kind of where the overlay of
diversity of the people that are arriving, okay?
		

			It takes in close to 10,000 plus people in our database, Allah, Ma sha, Allah, that's the whole
process of my rule is that it's not a matter of, you know, just going head and giving, it's a matter
of knowing them one on one, and make sure that they're comfortable when they arrived here that they
have someone to lean on to, right and plus, on their financial, from their educational level, from
budgeting, from language skills, from employment, from driving skills from making sure the children
have, they have the adequacy of what the schools provide for the children. So it's like, if you kind
of given like, it's kind of like you have a brother or sister of your own family coming from another
		

			country and then settling them in Mashallah. So from A to Z, you cover everything as far as housing,
food, education, getting a driver's license, so you help with in every area, and something else.
Michelle, I think that's that's amazing how you're not just addressing, let's say, feeding them.
It's not just one aspect, you take them on, like you said, like your actual brother and sister. And
this is why like, in on the mindful Ramadan, we're calling it it's like the unser project, where
just like, you know, the people from Makkah came, and they just adopted them as family. So I think
that this is, is a beautiful cause and 100% of the donations of what work, you know, what is being
		

			donated, it's going straight to Maduro for this cause. And, and, and Alhamdulillah. Tell us about
that in sha Allah.
		

			Oh, basically, you know, I believe in transparency, right. And I, if you get 510 1500 10,000 5000
it's not, it's almost a thought up. But as soon as for each of us have what we could give right?
Now, my my aspect of that is that if I'm going to use $100 on the family,
		

			I will have to gauge that $100 of where that $100 is really going to take them right.
		

			In the four months ago, he settlement we have a process of each month where we make sure they reach
sustainability. Taking mine I don't give, we don't we don't give them money in their hands and say
here's $100 and you spend the way you want to it really isn't. That's not the process at all. If
they have rental issues and they lost their job and they're not working certain amount of hours. Our
process is basically looking
		

			had all their financials, meaning their bank statements, their check stubs. Well, how many hours?
Are they working? Are they working enough hours? Do they need a second job to supplement? Do they
the spouse to supplement them? So it's not a matter of the $500 in theory, though, because they're
gonna be stuck into that same rut, right? Yeah. So you're regulating, you're regulating everything
you're gauging you're directing. Because obviously, there was some possibly whether it was
mismanagement or being in a very misfortunate situation, you are helping them to be to have a
sustainable income, which is so critical. That is incredible. Mashallah, I want to ask you also
		

			about the there's some homeless Muslims as well, here in Dallas.
		

			Yes. So I'll tell you how my roof, really, the overall of maruf is people who are displaced. So the
category of refugees hit models, right, because there people have displaced, but then we have people
who are homeless, who are also displaced. And I, honestly, the last four years, I didn't realize
that I was going to do a thought type project of working with homeless people. Because if the
process actually really applies to them, as well, so we have something down really well. And let's
try to apply it towards the homeless people. And when I went, and I actually worked in shelters in
homeless shelters, like, from, by like four to five hours, shelters, I was amazed on how many Muslim
		

			homeless people we had. I was in the notion that I was gonna go and help non Muslims. But I was
completely shocked that going forward, I have been working with only Muslim homeless people now.
		

			It's a big, it's a big meat that is arising in our community, because the poverty level is so lower,
I mean, the poverty level is just falling below and below, right. And some people have a lot of,
they weren't doing successfully well, and they don't know where to come, because they're not a
refugee, right fall for cracks, and they don't know where to speak up. Now, when you're getting a
certain percentage of Zakat here and there. It's not, it's not sustainable, it's not sustainable.
Can you share with us one of the stories a personal story of one of the homeless Muslims that you
have encountered just just to bring it just to bring it home just for us to really feel what it's
		

			like, because sometimes we just see it as just some numbers, some statistics, but I really would
like for our viewers to realize the stories behind these individuals.
		

			So my main thing is that when they some of the times they I get a random phone call and say, there's
a brother in the parking lot, or there's a sister here, or can you just talk to them, and but the
way my roof works is not to hold off. It's an immediate response, my emergency response, it's an
immediate response. So I'll give you an example. There was a brother who just came up to me on one
fine, cold day and came into our office. And somehow he called on a Sunday afternoon, and I just
told him, I told you, he didn't say he was homeless. He just said, I need some help. I said want to
come in Monday morning, when the situation that I saw him and he was shivering. And I said, Okay,
		

			can you take me? I was shocked when he said, I'm living underneath a bridge right now. And I said,
This is my first homeless person that I actually have a huge success story with. And immediately we
got in the car, and I said, I really want to see where you are at. You know, I mean, I have to
verify exactly what this thing behind what
		

			we drove. And we found him under our 635 Bridge.
		

			He has a little tent, she's hidden in the woods. And in some way really, like it was just, I can't
even imagine like, if you don't, you can't even see that he's over there. And I said, Why are you
hiding? Why aren't you in a pack? And he said, Well, because I get robbed.
		

			Every night whatever I earn.
		

			me as a little tip. He had a urien little
		

			container where he he hasn't showered for days and basically, it was just really hard to see
		

			See, this brother was been living like this for five to six months, while five months of living in a
tent, afraid that he's gonna be robbed. And not showering. That is horrific. And this is in Dallas,
Texas. And this is and so what we did was we immediately took them off from the chance that you need
to say bye Kia can't take your belongings, we situated them an apartment, we have to mentally work
with him, like from a mental perspective, from a physical perspective, from a spiritual perspective,
		

			is just the financially financially I wasn't so worried about because I knew I was gonna get it from
the apartment, getting him a car getting my driving license, because there's no credit. He has
really bad backlogs. So once we got him with sustainability, we established him he said he knows how
to paint he, he's back in Bosnia, he did lots of work like tile work and so on. So we started him a
painting company.
		

			He is on his feet. He was he, I mean, he does so much work around the community painting and that's
how he is supporting him. sama, that's an amazing story. So from homeless being in a tent, to now
being an intern, independent entrepreneurs so much Allah, it's beautiful to hear stories like this,
and there are many, many more who need this kind of assistance. And I know that you work nonstop,
you're just tirelessly doing this throughout the year. And I know that during Ramadan, it's it's so
much more on you more effort, and you're feeding how many people on a daily basis, Mashallah, how
many refugees and homeless people? Yeah, so it's homeless refugees and people who are under poverty
		

			level, right?
		

			That you and I probably in the community, what kind of note that they're, they're not going to be
able to help the porch. So feeding wise, we feed close to each day, we're on Saturdays, we have a
grand barn just this last Saturday, I'm sure you'll share some videos. But we had the 300 and muscle
mass
		

			or a new star
		

			box worth $150 worth of groceries.
		

			The whole reasoning behind Ramadan is each day we're serving close to 100 people and we serve by
physically handing it to them to their homes, because these are people who are not able to make it
to our ethos. These are people who are disabled, and we don't want to trouble them. They know
they're not able to come right beside them. So we physically go and make sure just like the answer
		

			I was mentioned, yes, I believe physically working in the work of Allah. That's amazing. That's
amazing. So 100 families are being fed a day 300 cars, but that means you know, their each family
has probably four or five. So that's incredible the work that you're doing and all of you sisters
and brothers watching you can be a part of this, you can share in the reward Mashallah you're doing
the hard work, the volunteers are doing the hard work, and maybe not everyone can come in and join
the effort physically. But we can all donate to this cause and every penny is going to go directly
to the individuals who are in need of it. And you can put the link I'm sure that link is on and you
		

			can make the donation any amount. And to thank you for the donation, we're going to give you
lifetime access to all these amazing lectures that we have on mindful Ramadan with all these amazing
speakers and female scholars. And there's a beautiful workbook that goes along with it with the
quotes and actionable items. We want to just say thank you for joining this effort. Because when you
donate it's like the the rewards are multiply. And you get it back I wanted to share a story there
was there was an opportunity for someone who was very much in need that I gave, it was about
probably $150 that they needed. I gave it at, let's say nine o'clock at 10am. I was given it likes
		

			upon Allah 2700 came in to me very unexpectedly. And it was like Subhan Allah when Allah says he
multiplies what you give, and when you have that you're happy and you have that conviction that
charity giving in charity doesn't decrease in your wealth, it actually increases it so when you do
it with that intention of helping someone a brother and
		

			Sister and also your your wealth is multiplied and you're protected from calamities because we're
all fearful of calamities that could happen, right? We see so much happening. So what have you
witnessed as far as like the bad cat that comes the blessings that comes with the lineup work that
you're doing? Mashallah.
		

			So I feel like this is the best gift that Allah subhanaw taala has given me in my life, my Salah.
The reason why is that because you are able to see miracles that happen throughout the day,
throughout the years that I had,
		

			when you're helping you're able, and I wanted to let the viewers know is that unless one of the Lord
knows what our knee is, and what we get towards, right. And it's amazing how that means that you
have major intention of giving how the Buttercup I'm already able to see it when you're helping
others like some some donors will take, can you just make the word that this is the knee I'm giving
it. And it's amazing that how I'm able, I'm the middle person able to see how it's benefiting the
donor and benefiting and then need, right and it's just so many miracles happen in that process.
		

			That's why I really believe that prophets Allah is
		

			an act of charity, the act of giving, it's cleanses our soul, it cleanses our needs, it cleanses our
hardship. And just like everyone else is watching, I am in that same boat. Yeah, I'm in the boat
where
		

			I want I'm looking for the opportunity where my deeds are multiplied. Yeah, it's like trying to get
all the tokens. Yes.
		

			Yes, yes, you know what I call it, I call it the edger jackpot.
		

			You can hit the edger jackpot. Because, you know, if I donate and we have a goal is $100,000
inshallah, during this month, because we have live lessons every day with mindful Ramadan. And every
day, we are hoping that you will take part in this and right now we are at $14,269.78. And Mashallah
we know that we can reach this target. And I know that you are going to put this to get such good
use with getting these people on their feet, feeding the families, keeping their dignity, because
that is one of the hardest things when someone faces this challenge of losing losing their home, not
having anywhere to turn to not having job, and what do you do in this situation, and to know that
		

			you are here, this organization, and you are going to keep the dignity of the Muslims, and you are
going to help anyone who is in a very desperate situation, it's just phenomenal. And I'm so happy
and proud and honored to be a part of this.
		

			So I'm thankful and thank you, thank you. And I'm thankful to Allah subhanaw taala as well, you
know, it's not, you know, when you lost one of the lessons, you're not able to miskeen will just not
come to you, right, you identify who the mosquito will be. So that's a big job on our part, to
ensure that we're, and it's amazing that people who are too shy to ask for help, that you have to
seek them out. And you have to make sure that they're being
		

			you know, the love that. That's the Why make every day that I love. Let me find the people who I
need to help guide me make me the robot that we can go out and help each person and that's where the
miracle happens. You with so many people, it's not us, it's Allah, Allah where the doors being
added, connecting you with so many people that you and I wouldn't even think about during that day,
month or the year that these people have been going through this.
		

			It's the divine intervention when you make the DA and you have the sincere intention. It's like I
see those miracles on a daily basis as well and i i love the work you're doing May Allah reward you.
Tell us a little bit of your experience. I know you came on to mindful Ramadan last year share with
us what was your experience with that? So amazing was that I think last year was your first year
mindful Ramadan, you launched it last year correct.
		

			The Bible Ramadan as well. So when I joined what I basically during the day had joined in and I I
was so moved by all the speakers that were speaking at that time because you know, when you when you
need to learn something from the speakers or situations that we
		

			Men are going through taking mine we as well. People who help we are also tested for almost one on
Allah. Allah tells us people who he lost the most. And at times you need that strength
		

			and you need something that you are probably also facing in your life and you know you're good at
one thing but you don't know how to handle the other part of it and so I really found a great
intervention when I was last year in the mindful Ramadan and there was so many speakers who moved my
heart
		

			throughout definitely your words always inspire me but
		

			Ford staff whole program and you know putting putting our dean and make in the FIBA and making us
believe that we have to leave it to Allah subhanaw taala and that he's the best of all planners and
being confirmed and you know, we're going to be tested so we have to push through the test Yeah, and
it just it that's what I did to me and
		

			last year was a very difficult year for me and
		

			some of the times I had to I wasn't questioning the faith but I was just okay how do I how do I push
through this or how do I push through this this other feeling but it only bring strength here right
when you
		

			find avenues of how to heal yourself so that's what it's done and I won't ever forget it what it did
for me last year masala I'm so happy that it was a source of comfort and inspiration for you and
those of you who are watching and you can be a part of it as well it's a mindful Ramadan and it's a
free program all Ramadan and if you want to you know take part and support this amazing cause of
supporting our refugees our Muslim homeless community in Dallas we will give you you know daily
updates about what is happening on you know on the ground what is the masala feeding the feeding
them on a daily basis the weekend activity so, just a cola Hayden I said thank you so much for
		

			coming on today. I know you have a lot going on.
		

			May Allah give you strength upon strength and good health. And may Allah bless your family and May
Allah remove all the calamities, all the trials and give you and each family member good health and
cure the ill and cure the sicknesses in all of our families in sha Allah and and really reward you
for the exemplary work that you're doing Mashallah We're so proud of you. And and it's exciting to
do this, I can't wait for us to reach the school and help 1000s and 1000s of the people in our
community in sha Allah.
		

			It was Thank you so much. And that's exactly it's not the it's not the money part so much but the
money is an asset as well and it's when you see that it just gives you the drive of how many more
people are going to help us preparing us also allows Naveen navigating us through where to seek help
and because we're he needs our hands and legs to do this work. So he's navigating us through first
and the most important thing one of the dogs I made at the Kappa is y'all law us me and your
service. And when I note that the I just saw so many doors open up and so you just you just comply
Allah uses us and inshallah that lots of hair comes from it. All of you tuning in please be a part
		

			of a mindful Ramadan join us on a daily basis to be inspired because it's all about taking our
worship and transforming our character and part of having a good character and emulating the Prophet
sallallahu Sallam is being charitable during the month of Ramadan and throughout the year just to
beautify our character because he did come to complete our character so inshallah together we can be
on this journey Thank you so much. I said it was wonderful talking with you and I look forward to
all of those you know all the stars and everything that is going on Michelle law shall learn Shall
		

			I have your own mana so I make the water from the last one I thought that make me use of this
service and let me die from the service. So in sha Allah you have me 100% is like a lie we need to
healthy and alive and you have so much muscle Allah that you're contributing and really may Allah
put more people such as yourself with this level of integrity and this level of Mashallah dedication
throughout the year. So thank you so much. And thank you everyone for tuning in. You get to see what
all of this
		

			why there's such excitement for this. For this project much love we're going to give you daily
updates just like a love hate on your thoughts. Thank you so much strongly, highly cost to lie
baetica to