 |
|
 |
Helping Disaster Victims |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Why Should I Help? |
||
|
|
||
|
Why Does Allah Allow Calamities Such as These to Happen? |
||
|
By
Jeewan Chanicka |
04/01/2005 |
|
Qur’an
: And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of
wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the steadfast who say, when
a misfortune striketh them: Lo! we are Allah's and Lo! unto Him we are
returning. Such are they on whom are blessings from their Lord, and mercy. Such
are the rightly guided. (Al-Baqarah 2: 155-157) Why
Does Allah Allow Calamities Such as These to Happen? We
will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own selves, until it
becomes manifest to them that this (the Qur’an) is the truth. Is it not
sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things. 1.
To remind His servants of their obligations and duties towards Him – Ibn Al
Qayim said that sometimes Allah allows the earth to breathe and this is a sign
for believers to make tawbah. Umar ibn Abd al Aziz used to encourage people to
give charity after earthquakes. 2.
Remind believers of associating nothing with Him 3.
To enjoin right and
forbid evil 4.
To test our belief, patience, and steadfastness 5.
To test others, to see their actions and reactions to the suffering of humanity
– Mercy is the stamp of this Ummah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was sent
as a mercy to all mankind and Muslims are a mercy to this world. We help all who
are in need of help regardless of their faith or any other superficial
differences. “Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.”
(Bukhari and Muslim). The characteristic of mercy is only stripped away from
those who are condemned. In
a very moving Hadith Qudsi (Divine Hadith) the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Allah
will say, ‘O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not.’ He shall
say, ‘O my Lord, how could I feed you and you are the Lord of the Worlds?’
And Allah will say, ‘Did you not know that My servant so-and-so was in need of
food and you did not feed him? Did you not know that if you had fed him, you
would have found that to have been for Me?’ ‘O
son of Adam, I asked you for water and you did not give Me to drink.’ The man
shall say, ‘O my Lord, how could I give You water, when You are the Lord of
the Worlds?’ Allah will say, ‘My servant so-and-so asked you for water and
you did not give him to drink water. Did you not know that if you had given him
to drink, you would have found that to have been for What
can we do? 1.
Tawbah – remember Allah much, make Tawbah and give up sins. At night, sit and
reflect on our lives and the bounties Allah has given us. 2. Du`aa'
– Do not underestimate the power of Du`aa'. Du`aa' can avert calamities and is
a shield of the believer. 3. Call
to action: What can I do? Why did Allah give me life at this time? Expend
of your own effort and energy – Give money to the Red
Cross/Red Crescent; Canadian Relief Foundation, ICNA Relief, IRFAN among many
others. 4.
Call on others to donate, individuals and governments – wealth in the Muslim
world is enough to bring aid to those suffering. Giving Zakat, writing/calling
MP’s asking for 5.
Volunteering time and effort in those organizations sending aid. 6.
Take the lessons from your own life – ignore petty differences. When people
were dying, it did not claim only one “type” or “group” of Muslims or
peoples. Work together on what we agree and excuse each other on what we
disagree. 7.
Live your life for Allah, remembering that every soul will taste of death and
one minute we can be on this earth and another moment, we can be gone. Allah
knows best May
Allah include us amongst the foremost, who are ressurected in His shade, receive
our book in the right, cross the sirat faster than the speed of light and be
united with our beloved Prophet, residing in the eternal presence of our
Merciful Lord ~ Ameen |
||
|
|
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|