Excerpt:
For 25-year-old Kaltuma Sharif, it’s simply a matter of giving back. But if spending part of a beautiful Saturday afternoon handing out food to the homeless and needy helps shine a positive light on her Muslim faith, that’s OK, too.
“I think it’s important, to go out from your everyday work, school, and take the time to give back to your community,” said Sharif, who took time off from her studies at Yale to come to Baltimore for a convention this weekend sponsored by the Islamic Circle of North America and the Muslim American Society. Running through Sunday at the convention center, the annual gathering brought together some 20,000 Muslims for talks, workshops and other discussions aimed at sharing their faith and creating a forum to air their concerns.