Aisha’s Heartstrings, a crochet project for the community founded by Sister Farida Chowdhury, has been making its rounds between our students at Al-Huda School.
The project was started as an act of Sadaqah Jariyah for our beloved Sister Aisha Elahi (May Allah have mercy on her) due to her love of crochet.
Sister Aisha was among the small group of youth who began what would later become Dar-us- Salaam. She served many crucial roles at Dar-us- Salaam over the last 30 years, and served as a Vice-Principal at Al-Huda School for about 20 years. Allah tested her with a cancer diagnosis in Ramadan of 2023, and took her back earlier this year in Ramadan 2025.
At Al-Huda School, students have been busy crocheting baby blankets, chemo caps, and warm accessories as an act of love to spread Sister Aisha’s legacy of compassion to those in need, one stitch at a time.
One student, Maryam Cason in 11th Grade, shared what joining Aisha’s Heartstrings meant to her: “I’ve been crocheting for a while now. Sister Aisha taught me how to crochet herself, Alhamdulillah. I decided to participate because I wanted to show my appreciation to her, especially for her taking time out of her busy workdays to take me to her office and teach me how to crochet — and to have patience with me.
“I remember when my mom used to stay late at school working and grading papers. One day I was just roaming around the hallways, and Sister Aisha came out of nowhere and said, ‘Cason, come here.’ I went to her office, and she pulled out a spool of yarn and a crochet hook. She told me, ‘I want you to watch what I’m doing, and then I want you to try it.’
“So I watched her, and I was fascinated. I was eager to try it, but the first couple of times I failed. I got very frustrated and said, ‘Okay, maybe this isn’t for me.’ I kept complaining. And she said, ‘Maryam, be quiet. Take one deep breath.’
“Then she said, “Every time you pull yarn through a loop, that resembles a moment of patience.’ At first, it didn’t make sense to me. But as the years went by, every time I crocheted — even when I had unfinished projects because I was frustrated about one little mess up — I would remember what she told me, ‘Every time you pull the hook through a loop, it represents patience.’
“If I didn’t understand something, she’d take time out of her day to send me a video tutorial or explain it again. Encouraging the continuation of Aisha’s Heartstrings is something I believe she would have wanted.
“It means a lot to me that so many people are participating in it, and I want people to understand something — both the ones who are making these items and the ones receiving them: Whether it’s a blanket, a pair of gloves, mittens, a hat, or socks — every item represents patience. It represents dedication. It represents commitment.
“For anyone who wants to participate but doesn’t know how to crochet: don’t let that stop you. Try your best. If you know someone who can crochet, come and ask. Showing your willingness to help is also sadaqah jariyah — continuous charity — because you’re doing it for the right reasons.
“Whenever you see something crocheted, think of patience. Try to instill that in your heart. Patience is the best way forward. If we don’t have patience in our hearts, a lot of things will be hard for us.”
Interested in joining Aisha’s Heartstrings and continuing the legacy? Request a free yarn kit from us, crochet your items, and return them to us to distribute on your behalf! Get started by emailing aishasheartsrings@gmail.com — we provide the yarn, and you provide the heart!
May Allah have mercy on Sister Aisha Elahi and allow the legacy of Aisha’s Heartstrings to weigh heavily on her scale of good deeds and to be a means of elevating her status, Ameen.
Thank you to all who participate! May Allah accept this effort from all of us too.
