Salamun alaykum,
Living 15 days under the rubble:
Rescuers have pulled a teenage girl out of the rubble of a school in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, 15 days after a major earthquake, that registered as 7.0 on the Richter scale, devastated the city on 12th January. Buildings, streets and essential facilities have been wrecked. Government estimates that one million Haitians have been displaced from their homes in the wrecked capital and more than 200,000 persons killed. The trauma being suffered by the survivors including orphans and displaced persons will be a great impact on the society.
It is with great sorrow and sadness we follow the events taking place in Haiti. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims of the massive earthquake. During these moments of anguish our hearts bleed for the suffering and pains of our brothers and sisters in humanity —Muslims and non-Muslims—who are victims of the earthquakes. Let us continue doing fervent prayers to Allah SWT is to alleviate their suffering and remove their pains.
Relief efforts :
The United Nations, Governments and NGOs around the world have been involved in mobilising humanitarian aid for the survivors.
Do we as muslims need to be concerned ? Of course, yes
We muslims, as people of faith, must realize that at this moment Allah SWT is not only testing the people of Haiti, but is also testing all of us. During such times of disaster /crisis Allah SWT is testing the faith, helpfulness, generosity, sacrifice of His servants. As the Stewards (Khalifa) of Allah SWT on Earth, we have a role to play to alleviate the calamity of the afflicted persons. At the end of the day we cannot turn a blind eye to their plight.
Islam teaches people to cooperate with one another in goodness and to help alleviate the calamities that afflict their brothers and sisters in humanity with all sorts of assistance and consolation. There should not be any sense of lack of concern, because we are all descendants of Prophet Adam and part of one huge family - the mankind.
Our holy Prophet Muhamad s.a.w.w. has put emphasis on charity and helping the needy people. Let us ponder over the following ahadith:
- Those who show compassion to others, compassion will be shown to them by the All Compassionate
- Show compassion to those in the Earth and He in the heavens will show compassion to you.
- In the benevolence/charity offered to every living creature, there is a reward.
- Allah does not cease to assist his slave, so long as His slave does not cease to assist his brother.
Let us hasten to help the afflicted in all areas of the world through all possible means including remembering them in our prayers. For a small deed of charity may save ones life (.….and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Suratun Nisa 5:32 )
Wa ma tawfiqi illa billah
With salaams and duas
Fazle Abbas Datoo
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Resident Alim
Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat
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Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat. Al Mahdi, Wickham Road, Fareham, Hampshire . PO17 5BU. Reg. Charity Number: 1010076. Tel: 01329 832537. Fax: 02392-529766
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.: Jamaat Web Site: www.almahdi.org.uk:
Project Web Site: www.almahdi.org.uk/almahdiproject
Member of the Council of European Jamaats
Member of Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board
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Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat. Al Mahdi, Wickham Road, Fareham, Hampshire . PO17 5BU. Reg. Charity Number: 1010076. Tel: 01329 832537. Fax: 02392-529766
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.: Jamaat Web Site: www.almahdi.org.uk: Project Web Site: www.almahdi.org.uk/almahdiproject
Member of the Council of European Jamaats
Member of Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board