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Earthquake Brings Hindus And Muslims Together
WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (IslamOnline) - Sometimes acts of kindness make a mighty unbelievable difference. Touched by the Muslims' efforts to provide help to the Hindu victims of Gujarat, Hindus in India decided to pay back.
Indian Hindus cleaned and scoured the recently abandoned Shahi Masjid and invited Muslims to offer Salah (prayer) in it. The masjid (mosque), located in the communally sensitive Khadia area of Ahmedabad, was, until recently, off-limits for Muslims.
Amjad Ali Rajput, Rajpur ward chief of the BJP's minority cell told the media, "the good Samaritan job done by Muslims in providing all possible help to their Hindu brethren had an impact, and the Hindus of the locality on Sunday washed and cleaned the mosque before inviting us to offer prayers.''
He added that, since then, Muslims have been offering the five-time daily prayer in the Masjid without fear.
A large number of Muslim youth have been camping at the V.S. hospital providing help to those wounded in the earthquke by donating blood , food, medicines and emotional support.
Around 35 of them have given blood numerous times in order to avoid any shortage at the hospital where the victims are mainly Hindu.
Thursday, ABC News showed a devout Hindu in Anjar, with a vermillion mark on his forehead, touching the feet of a Turkish rescue team and declaring them "gods". The Nightline correspondent commented that in a country where a few years ago a Hindu would not even tolerate a Muslim sitting beside him, this was simply unbelievable.
A growing number of Muslim relief agencies from around the world have also pitched in for the relief effort. The London-based Muslim Aid organization has now increased its aid to £100,000 to be used directly by partner organizations operating in Gujarat, such as MESCO, Bharuch Hospital and Anjuman-E-Imadul Muslimeen.
Muslim Aid has pledged to send more dedicated teams of doctors, medical equipment, tents, blankets, food and water to help the survivors.
Iqbal Sacranie, Muslim Aid's chairman, said, "It looks as if it may take years for Gujarat to recover from the after effects of the devastating earthquake. Muslim Aid will continue to monitor the situation and we will do our utmost to bring succor and comfort to the bereaved, sick, homeless and hungry."
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