MUSCOY, Calif. – Eighteen years after opening their doors for the first time, a group of Muslim doctors continue to offer free medical health care in their Alshifa Clinic in Muscoy, California, serving all patients, regardless of their faith or race.
“Our religion tells us to take care of humanity,” Dr. Talat Khan told KABC.
“This is an underserved community, mostly Hispanic and African-American population here – very poor people.”
The clinic first opened 18 years ago. Over the past years, Muslim doctors were not paid a penny for their service to the local community.
It costs the clinic $25,000 a year to keep the doors open, and only a small amount comes from the government.
Khan said about $100,000 comes from the Muslim community.
Donations are the not the only requirement to keep the doors of Alshifa clinic open.
The clinic needs optomologists, dermatologists and preferably female gynocologists.
The doctors said it’s not about religion at the clinic, but rather helping the community.
“I’m Christian and it’s just amazing. They have a lot of love. That’s the main thing. That’s what binds all of us no matter what your nationality is – is the love,” patient Lynn Macy said.
Alshifa is not the only place where Muslim doctors provide free medical help for poor Americans.
In January 2012, a group of Muslim doctors volunteered to open the Rahma Health Clinic to provide free medical services for poor residents in New York’s Syracuse city.
Earlier in 2011, a free clinic was established by the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America to provide dental, ophthalmologic, pediatric and pain-management services on Sundays at the Balal Mosque on St. Louis University’s campus.
Another clinic was opened by the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis, in partnership with Volunteers in Medicine in October.