Seawater lies on both sides of a railroad track that was destroyed by tsunamis in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu

CAIRO, January 2 (IslamOnline.net) – In a sign of unity in time of crisis, an Indian mosque became the main helper for thousands of Hindus and Christians hard-hit by the underwater quake-triggered killer tsunami.

‘‘We came to know when people came running to the masjid, minutes after it happened. We decided to do what we could do,’’ Mohammed Younus, president of the United Islamic Jamaat, was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.

In a matter of few minutes, at least 3000 Muslims deserted their homes and businesses to flocked to the beach to assist in the heartbreaking drive.

They raced to carry the wounded to hospitals using all possible means, including vans, cars, two-wheeler vehicles and cycles.

The Jamaat people were able, all on their own, to provide milk for a few hundred babies, and food for over 3,000 survivors while about 3,000 Muslims were serving over 10,000 Hindus and Christians in makeshift camps in local schools.

Hundreds of homeless Hindus and Christians were welcomed to stay at the mosque and more others were housed at Jamaat’s school and office building.

The Muslim group turned huge community kitchens, which were used for frequent community feasts, into relief kitchens and hired at least 24 cooks working round the clock to feed for some 9,000 survivors.

According to the report, there were no Muslim causalities in Cuddalore because they prefer trading and not fishing like most Hindus and Christians.

Lauded

The hand of assistance extended by the Muslims was held in high esteem by the local officials.

‘‘They have been doing wonderful work, I was with them the whole last night,’’ said District Collector Gagandeep Singh Bedi.

He plans to raise the highly-appreciated efforts with the federal government once relief and rescue work is over.

In other devastated villages Muslims and the local administration joined hands in catering for the survivors.

While the officials provided only rice and milk, the Jamaat footed the bills for vegetables and everything else.

‘‘It’s all God’s will. Inshallah [God willing], they will all begin life well in a few weeks,’’ said Younus who defied sleep for days to help fellow Indians.

‘‘We will continue to raise money to feed them for as long as they need. They are welcome to be with us as long as they want.”