On Sunday May 3rd, The IISC participated in the 48th Annual City of Calgary Pathway and River Cleanup. We were assigned to the Saddleridge/Taradale Green area which is just off 68th st and 64 Ave NE. We had around 50 volunteers gather about 500lbs of garbage collectively for close to three hours. The total clean up across the city of Calgary covered about 200KM of pathways and river banks, and had over 2800 people registered as volunteers. As Muslims we have a responsibility towards our planet and community, and if we cannot benefit them then the very least we can do is to try to remove the harm. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him said), “Every small bone of everyone has upon it a charitable act for everyday upon which the sun rises. Bringing about justice between two is an act of charity. Helping a man get on his mount, lifting him onto it or helping him put his belongings onto it, is a charitable act. A good word is a charitable act. Every step you take toward the prayer is a charitable act. And removing a harmful thing from the path is a charitable act.” (Recorded in al-Bukhari and Muslim). The city of Calgary website states: "The purpose of the Pathway and River Cleanup is to remove litter that has accumulated over the winter months along our pathways and river banks, but the event is about more than just picking up garbage. It’s about working together to keep our parks, pathways and shared spaces free of materials that could harm us, our environment and our city’s wildlife. It is also about sustainability, knowing our efforts today in keeping Calgary litter free will have a lasting effect on the health of our environment and the vibrancy of our city for many years to come."
If you would like to be a part of this initiative next year or a part of any of the other activities of the IISC please send an email to navaid@iisc.ca and we will contact you for our next event, insha Allah.