Preserving human life is a rewardable action in Islam.

Allah says in the Qur’an, “And whoever saves one (soul) – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” Quran 5:32

As more refugees and migrants try to escape conflicts and search for a better life, many European countries increase their restrictive measures, closing the safe route to seek asylum, thus leaving thousands struggling for their lives in the Mediterranean Sea.

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To bring the refugee crisis closer to our audience, we speak with two British Muslims who work with refugees, one in France, and the other at home in the UK.

The two different experiences show two very different ways that British Muslims can contribute to providing much-needed help.

Farah Khan: On the French Border

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“I had seen news footage of the refugees’ plight and had followed on social media the volunteering work that contact was doing in Dunkirk, France. I couldn’t believe that people (like you and I) were suffering like this and I wanted to help,” Khan told AboutIslam.

“So I got in touch to offer my support and went out on my first visit to the Dunkirk refugee camp with a volunteer team from Help4RefugeeChildren. 

“The organization’s focus was to provide stimulating creative play workshops for refugee children and to deliver aid in the form of food and clothes. As a teacher, I was particularly invested in the creative play workshops and contributed to the planning for these.”

Four years on, Khan still recalls her first experience with refugees when she visited the refugee camp in Grant-Synthe.

Driving to the forest, volunteers played with refugee children whose giggles filled the air during activities such as face painting, canvass painting, face mask making, and blowing bubbles.

“I began to notice the signs of malnourishment, isolation, displacement, emotional and physical trauma in the children,” Khan said.

“Such signs that, as a teacher, I have not seen in the students I have taught over the years. I found a deep sadness within me and wished I could take the children away from this forest, to somewhere safe.”

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