Small Spaces, Big Barakah

Assalaamualaikum,

As the store manager of Zikkies in Coburg, one of my favourite parts of running the store is creating our window displays. Especially our Ramadan windows. Over time, these windows have come to represent something much bigger than a display.

It’s something I think about throughout the year. Usually the idea begins with just one item I come across, maybe a piece of fabric, a lantern or something small that sparks inspiration. From there, I slowly gather pieces over the months until Ramadan approaches and everything finally comes together in the window. Seeing it take shape is honestly one of my favourite parts of what I do at Zikkies.

When the Ramadan windows go up, they stay on display for about two weeks before the official release day. Over time, this has created a real sense of anticipation. People wait for the moment the doors open.

This year was especially memorable. We even had a line forming outside the store an hour before opening, which I honestly couldn’t believe. 

It’s easy to think of Zikkies as just a thrift store, but it has taken me over five years of running it to really understand why it exists.

The Ramadan windows might seem like a small thing, but they shift the feeling of the space. People walking past slow down, stop to look through the window and many end up stepping inside.

We captured that moment in a short reel. People pausing outside, conversations unfolding inside the store and the mix of people who walk through our doors. Watching the video again and again made me reflect.

What stands out most to me isn’t just the shop itself, but everything that happens around it; the conversations, the stories people share and the small connections that form inside the space. Over time, Zikkies has quietly become a place where people connect, where culture shows up in everyday ways, and where the values of generosity and giving that Islam teaches and that NZF stands for are experienced in a very real way.

I’ve also come to see the barakah in this space. How something as simple as a thrift store can become a place of generosity, connection and care for one another.

It often reminds me of the hadith where the Prophet ﷺ taught that when a person passes away, their deeds continue through ongoing charity. I hope Zikkies can become part of a legacy we build together. Something that continues to benefit people long after us.

Zikkies was never meant to be just a shop. It was always about purpose.

Over time, I’ve realised it has quietly become more than a shop. In many ways, it’s a service people needed. We’ve had people travel from far away just to donate, because where you give matters.

Sometimes I think about it like this: Islamic schools exist to nurture people who grow up connected to mosques and their faith. Zikkies does something similar, but in an outward way.

It creates a space where people who might never step into a mosque can still experience Islam without pressure or explanation but simply through everyday interactions. Through kindness, generosity and the way people treat one another.

That’s why I believe spaces like Zikkies matter, even beyond Muslim heavy areas. If we want to build real bridges, we have to meet people where they already are.

Not long ago, I received an email from a sister in Brisbane who follows Zikkies online. She wrote:

“I follow the Zikkies Thrift store on social media, love the concept and am an avid thrifter myself so was wondering if we could connect with regard to a possible opportunity for the same concept in Brisbane?”

The idea that something happening in a small shop in Coburg could resonate with someone in another city was deeply moving. It made me realise that what we’re building at Zikkies might be bigger than we first imagined.

Because at its heart, Zikkies isn’t just about thrift. It’s about creating spaces where generosity feels natural, where people feel welcome and where community can grow in simple, everyday ways. 

If something like that can inspire someone hundreds of kilometres away, it makes you realise that this kind of space is something people are looking for.

Zikkies is the first Muslim thrift store of its kind, but more importantly, it’s a service our community needs. A space we are building together for the future of our community. 

And honestly, I feel like we are only just getting started.

I have so many ideas about how this space can continue to grow and serve people. Sometimes it feels like a mind map constantly building in my head. But this isn’t meant to be my legacy alone. It’s something I hope many people will be part of building.

Community work is slow, and sometimes difficult, but it’s forever.

Watch the reel we created around our Ramadan windows. It captures a small glimpse of what Zikkies is really about.

And if it resonates with you, please share it with your family and friends, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. It tells a special story about this space and the people who pass through it. 

What began as a small thrift store has quietly grown into something deeper. Zikkies has become a space where generosity feels natural, where conversations happen easily and where people from different walks of life meet in ways they might not anywhere else. If there is barakah in this work, and I truly believe there is, it’s because this space belongs to all of us.

Together, we’re building something that will hopefully continue to serve our community today and for the generations that come after us.

May you all have a blessed Ramadan and may Allah SWT make your ibadah heavy on your scale of good deeds. Please keep us in your duas.

Wassalam,

Nabila