HDay 2026: The Legacy of Those Who've Paved the Way

26 years ago, pioneer Imam Sadiq Saafir - founder of ILM Foundation and co-founder of Masjid Ibadullah, Common Ground Muslim, and the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California - birthed the idea of Humanitarian Day (HDAY), a day of faith-turned-action during the month of Ramadan dedicated to serving the greater Los Angeles community, while prioritizing the needy and those who are often overlooked.

Since the first HDAY in 2001 - a monumental event spearheaded by the Muslim communities of Los Angeles, where thousands of unhoused residents on Skid Row were provided meals - HDAY has since annually continued this day of service, expanding its services to essential resources and care packages, health support, and community care, embodying their mission of ‘Converting One Day into A Life Mission.’

“Humanitarian Day was founded after the bombing of the World Trade Center, when Muslims were being accused of doing the bombing on 9/11. At this time, many Muslims were scared, and so we had a meeting asking, “What could we do to counter this?” Imam Sadiq Saafir says. “As I was thinking, we realized we could feed the people, and at the time, many people thought we were crazy, but we started doing so that the people could understand we are part of them, not enemies.”

“When we come down here to Skid Row, we give to the people who are in need, knowing that we are the ones who are blessed for being able to give to them,” Imam Saafir finishes. 

In Los Angeles County alone, there are over 75,000 unhoused individuals, including over 45,000 in the city of Los Angeles. Since ILM Foundation’s founding in 1991, HDAY has expanded to include over 20 community faith partners to expand their services to continuously assist the growing needs of the unhoused population in Skid Row. 

“The original mission always centered around uniting the faith community during Ramadan to provide basic necessities and health screening to those less fortunate,” says visionary Naim Shah Jr., ILM Foundation Co-Founder, Director & Board Member. “The vision was to provide a platform on the streets of Los Angeles where the faith community can engage with each other while serving humanity. After 26 years, the vision remains the same.” 

“Even before Humanitarian Day,” Naim Shah Jr continues, “ILM Foundation and Dawah 2000, founded by Naim Shah Sr., were deeply embedded in grassroots services visible on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles, where they regularly provided food and care to unhoused residents.” 

“Their earliest initiatives were two impactful Skid Row Ramadan Feedings, which served as an early blueprint for something much bigger that we’re honored to continue today,” Naim Shah Jr. finishes. “Ultimately, it is our faith that drives us to work with others for good causes, as Allah says in the Qur’an, ‘Help one another in righteousness and piety (5:2).’”

As HDAY continues to combat the overlooking and underserving of Los Angeles’s unhoused population, Co-Founder & Board Chairman Hanifi Shakur shares powerful words of wisdom, encouraging us to increase in our reflection and gratitude to Allah. 

“One of the important aspects of Humanitarian Day is that it should remind us that we are able to eat when our fast is over, but we are serving people who are always in that predicament,” says Hanifi Shakur, Co-Founder & Board Chairman. “That should give us a reminder how we should be grateful to Allah that we have the blessing of being able to break our fast and eat when the sun goes, we're able to turn on the heater at home when it’s cold, and turn on the air conditioner when its hot, but there are people down here who don’t have that opportunity, and many of us are a check away from being residents on these streets”

“So when we serve the people, we try to serve them with dignity and respect with a smile to make them feel good about themselves, because this might be the only day for weeks that they can feel good about themselves,”

Umar Hakim-Dey, may Allah have Mercy on Him, was the executive director of ILM Foundation for ten years (2012 – 2022) and affiliated with the foundation for nearly 17 years. Under his leadership Humanitarian Day continued to grow impacting the community state-wide. We pray that our collective efforts serve as a source of continuous charity (Sadaq Jariyah) on his behalf and us all.  Shakur finishes in prayer asking, “May Allah accept all of our efforts”.