Excerpts from the Quran decorated the embroideries and paintings at Saturday night's art auction sponsored by local nonprofit group Radiant Hands Inc.
Speakers and guests at the fourth annual event, which was held at the Gainesville Women's Club, emphasized the need to strengthen ties between Islam and other religions.
Radiant Hands was founded in 2005 and reaches out to families of all religions, particularly single-mother families that need advice, friendship or money.
It relies on fundraisers like the art auction as well as donations in order to help the families. A crowd of about 90 watched as seven pieces were sold in the live auction and about 15 were sold during the silent auction. About $10,000 was raised at the event.
Jeb Beich, who bought one of the pieces in the live auction, said he attends every year. He said his mom raised him growing up, so the organization's mission hits close to home.
The auction included a speech from Shahina Siddiqui, the president of the Islamic Social Services Association, who made an 18-hour trip from Canada to attend the event.
Siddiqui said maintaining true faith extends beyond religious rituals to include helping others.
She also referred to the boundaries she has faced during her 20 years working in the community.
"When I step out into public, I have three strikes against me," she said. "First, I am a woman. Second, I am a visible minority. Third, I'm a Muslim."
Siddiqui said members of the audience needed to face up to the boundaries imposed by these roles.
Nora Zaki, a UF freshman, said the negative view that some people have of Islam only encourages her to work harder to teach them about her faith.
She said she liked Siddiqui's speech because it illustrated that all people, regardless of their religion, have a role to play in helping others.
Shola Akinyode, an Ocala physical therapist, said Siddiqui's speech also emphasized the need for unity among different faiths.
Akinyode mentioned the "Islam is of the devil" T-shirts worn at Gainesville schools and questioned how people of different religions will find the time to worship if they are constantly at war with each other.
"We just have to have that big heart of tolerance," Akinyode said.
