🕌 Midnight from the masjid: I’m praying for Gaza—and asking you to act tonight.

A thorough guide: what giving does, why it matters, and how to choose your lane.

As-Salaam-Alaikum my sisters and brothers,

It’s midnight here at the masjid as we pray during the sacred 27th night of Ramadan.

For my Muslim family: these final nights of Ramadan are when many of us press hardest in worship, reflection, and mercy. Some of us stay in the masjid for long stretches in a practice called i‘tikāf—setting the world aside to seek Allah.

For my non-Muslim family: in plain English, this is the time of year when Muslims try to strip life down to what matters most—God, gratitude, discipline, and generosity.

And right now, the thing weighing on my heart is Gaza.

Not as a headline.
Not as a debate.
As families. As children. As human beings who have to eat, heal, and survive while the world argues.

So tonight I’m going to ask you for something direct, and I’m going to make it simple to follow.

There are two ways to help Gaza right now. Please choose one (or both) and act immediately:

Option A: Fund warm Iftar meals for families in Gaza (immediate impact)
support the people of Gaza this Ramadan

Option B: Sponsor a newly orphaned child in Gaza (long-term stability for a child)
support orphans with Shaun

Let me explain both options plainly, for everyone.

Why meals matter

Families in Gaza don’t need a one-time wave of compassion. They need consistency. Iftar is not symbolic—it’s the moment a fasting family finally eats. And in Gaza, that moment can be filled with dignity… or with nothing.

When you donate for Iftar meals, you’re funding something immediate: food purchased, cooked, and provided so families can break the fast with something warm. The sun will set again tomorrow. And the next day. And the next day. Meals keep that rhythm from turning into humiliation.

Donate for meals here:
support the people of Gaza this Ramadan

Why orphan sponsorship matters

A newly orphaned child doesn’t just need dinner tonight. They need stability for the long road—someone to stand with them in a way that doesn’t disappear when the news cycle changes.

When you sponsor an orphan, you’re doing something deeper than a one-night gift: you’re saying to a child who lost their parents, “You are not alone. We will carry you.”

Sponsor an orphan here:
support orphans with Shaun

If you don’t know which to choose

Here’s the simplest decision tool:

• Meals = “feed a family tonight.”

• Orphans = “carry a child long-term.”

Meals again: support the people of Gaza this Ramadan
Orphans again: support orphans with Shaun

For my Muslim family—and for everyone reading

Ramadan is built around disciplined empathy: we choose hunger to remember people who don’t get to choose it. And the final nights are when Muslims believe mercy multiplies.

That’s why you’ll hear Muslims talk about these nights like they’re precious. Because they are. It’s not just spiritual language—it’s a reminder that life can change fast, and we shouldn’t delay good when we can do it now.

So tonight, I’m not asking you to feel bad.

I’m asking you to act.

A few things I always keep crystal clear

• Donations are tax-deductible where applicable (you’ll receive a receipt through the platform/charity).

• This giving is Zakat-eligible / Zakat-verified.

• And I want to be absolutely clear: I do not receive a percentage or a single penny from either campaign— I take $0.

The easiest way to help right now

If you can give, pick a number and go. Even small gifts matter when thousands move together.

If you already gave, thank you. The next most powerful thing you can do is multiply it.

Please forward this email to three people and say:
“Pick one—meals or orphans—and do it tonight.”

Meals link: support the people of Gaza this Ramadan
Orphans link: support orphans with Shaun

Family, I’m going back into prayer after I send this. And I will be praying for every donor and supporter tonight—Muslim and non-Muslim—because this work is love in motion.

Thank you for standing with Gaza.

Love and appreciate each of you.
Your friend and brother,
Shaun