COMMUTER SHOWS KINDNESS TO MUSLIM ON TRAIN

London, 19 Muharram 1437/1 November 2015 (MINA) – A commuter’s show of kindness by sitting next to Muslim woman ostracized on a packed train for wearing a full-face niqab has gone viral, getting huge praise for his kind move.

“Now everyone who knows me can fully support I joke about pretty much anything and everything, I do not offend intentionally and I would never make someone uncomfortable on purpose ,” Dante Jamie Coyne wrote on a post on Facebook, On Islam quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The incident occurred last Monday when Coyne, 25-year-old tech support engineer from Surrey, entered a busy train in Woking, England.

He was surprised to find an entire section of seats empty as one of the seats was occupied by a girl wearing a Niqab (veil), and seemingly, no one wanted to sit beside her.

“I jump on a busy train this morning and everyone made it beyond obvious they would not sit in this section of 6 seats, I loudly announced “I’ll sit here then” and took my seat,” he wrote on the Facebook post which went viral, receiving over 44,000 likes and 4,300 shares so far.

“We said nothing the entire journey but as she got off train she nodded at me and heard a very quiet “thank you”,” he added.

Many commentators, especially Muslim women, wrote on Coyne’s wall, expressing gratitude towards him for standing up for women who wear the hijab.

“I couldn’t help but cry. I know the feeling way all too well,” one wrote. Another woman said she also receives similar treatment when she wears her hijab.

Another posted, “Thank you for making someone’s day a little easier.”

Overwhelmed by the reaction, Coyne said, “I did nothing but be a respectful human being and hope in time I see others do this more often.” (T/P006/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)