Sometimes, the smallest acts of kindness plant the seeds of profound transformation.
While on a routine errand, iERA coordinator Juma Twalibu visited a local shop in Tanzania to purchase a simple box of chalk for use in Islamic teaching sessions.
The shopkeeper, a non-Muslim man, greeted him warmly and inquired about the purpose of the chalk. When Juma explained it would be used to educate new Muslims and teach about the fundamentals of Islam, something shifted in the man’s demeanor.
Struck by the purpose behind the request, the shopkeeper responded with unexpected generosity: he reduced the price from TZS 1,500 to just TZS 500. “I want to contribute in my own way,” he said sincerely. Though not a Muslim himself, his heart was touched by the idea of knowledge being shared in the name of God.
Recognizing his openness, Juma thanked him and offered a small but meaningful gift: a collection of pamphlets introducing Islam, focusing on the Oneness of God (Tawheed) and the role of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as the Final Messenger. Rather than brush off the gesture, the shopkeeper received the material with genuine interest.
He not only asked for further contact details but also offered his own, expressing a desire to learn more—on his own terms, and at his own pace.
“I’ll read through all of these carefully,” he promised, his tone reflective. “And I’ll reach out after I do. I want to understand more about your teaching programs.”
That simple encounter—sparked by the purchase of chalk—became a powerful moment of dawah. Not through debate or preaching, but through character, sincerity, and shared human connection.
In that small shop, with the exchange of a box of chalk and a few words of goodwill, a man’s curiosity about Islam was awakened. Perhaps it was not just a transaction, but the beginning of a spiritual journey.
May Allah guide him and open his heart to the truth, and may we always remember that every conversation, no matter how ordinary, holds the potential to change a life.
