A heart-wrenching video of a 20-year-old Indian woman, cradling her newborn baby as she sought refuge in a surau in Alor Setar, has touched thousands on social media.

Posted by @shownbotak on TikTok, the video shows how the committee members of Surau Madrasatul Huda opened their doors and hearts to the frightened young mother who had nowhere else to go.

That night, the surau was more than just a place of worship. It became a safe haven for her.

“I’m scared… please don’t chase me away.”

According to Harian Metro, the woman had shown up behind the surau secretary’s house, anxious and trembling, with her baby wrapped in a yellow towel and a plastic bag in hand. When approached, she whispered a desperate plea,

“I’m scared… please don’t chase me away.”

Shamsul Anuar Aziz, the man behind the viral video and a member of the surau committee, described the experience as deeply humbling.

He had just finished his Maghrib prayers that Saturday night, around 8.35 p.m., when he saw the woman walking slowly past the surau. Something about her fragile demeanor struck him. The way she looked around, uncertain and vulnerable, like someone running from fear.

Moments later, his cousin called to say that a woman was hiding nearby. When Shamsul and several congregation members found her crouched behind a car in the dark, she looked ready to flee. But when he gently called out to her, her voice broke through the night: “Please don’t chase me away.”

A young mother in crisis, with nowhere to go

Once she was safely inside the surau, she slowly began to open up. The woman, a single mother, had been living with a friend nearby. Unfortunately, her friend’s family was also struggling financially, resulting into them wandering the streets. With her husband in prison, she can’t help but feel lonely and scared, fearing for bother her and her baby’s safety.

She had no money. No diapers. No safe place to sleep.

Sympathizing with her encounter, the surau members rallied together without hesitation, helping her settle in at the surau for the night. They also bought her some diapers and milk so she could feed and take care of her baby.

A train ticket to hope

As she regained her strength, the woman told Shamsul that she has a brother in Penang. Without wasting time, he helped her get in touch with him. That same night, the surau committee members pooled their resources and bought her a train ticket to Penang. They also made sure that she and her child were safely on board before leaving.

It’s not about race or religion, it’s about being human.

“This is the first time something like this has ever happened at our surau,” Shamsul shared.

“But we’re just grateful we were there when she needed someone. It doesn’t matter what race or religion she is. What mattered was that she and her baby were safe.”

In a world often divided by lines of difference, this small surau in Kedah reminded everyone what compassion truly looks like, showcasing the essence of what it’s like to be kind to one another.