Turkey - Syria Earthquake’s Impact In North London (Turkish London)
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
The lady behind the counter in my local Turkish supermarket, said some relatives in Turkey were fine while others were affected by the earthquake.
North London has one of the largest Turkish and Kurdish communities in the UK so there are many Turkish and Kurdish shops, restaurants, barbers and businesses around me.
Some have lost relatives in Hatay province and cities like Osmaniye and Gaziantep.
The Syria connection
Bilal Abdul Kareem in northern Syria tweeted a picture of his home. Holes and cracks left by the earthquake means the house is now too dangerous to live in.
Him and others have been broadcasting images of locals digging for survivors despite lack of equipment. Very little aid is reaching them from outside and a few days in, no rescue teams had come from outside. HasbunAllah wa niamal wakeel
Message for our ummah in Turkey and Syria
Sheikh Ata Bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah wrote a message to our ummah in Turkey and Syria.
He starts by offering condolences to the martyrs of the earthquakes that afflicted both Turkey and Syria and asks Allah (swt) to record them, with Him, as martyrs of the Aakhira (Hereafter), confirming the agreed upon hadith, on the authority of Abu Hurairah (ra), that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said,
«الشُّهَدَاءُ خَمْسَةٌ الْمَطْعُونُ وَالْمَبْطُونُ وَالْغَرِقُ وَصَاحِبُ الْهَدْمِ وَالشَّهِيدُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ»
“... The martyrs are of five kinds: the one who dies of plague, one who dies of stomach disease, one who drowns, one who dies under debris, and one who dies in the way of Allah Almighty.” [Bukhari and Muslim]. The crushed means the one who dies under the rubble of demolition.
The rest of his message follows:
We pray to Allah, the Blessed and Most High, to grant a speedy recovery to the wounded and the afflicted, such that it is a speedy and complete recovery, that leaves no trace of injury or disease behind.
We ask Allah (swt) that those who survived the calamity, go on to live a good life, spending it in obedience to Allah (swt) and in obedience to His Messenger (ﷺ), from the bounty and grace of Allah.
The calamity of this earthquake revealed that Islam is constant in the depths of Muslims. When they were rescuing their brothers from under the rubble, the Muslims chanted takbeer. The takbeer did not cease upon their tongues, particularly when they were saving an infant, whose mother had given birth to her, and then died under the rubble, in Gaziantep, in Afrin District ... or while they were trying to get a woman out from under the demolished building in Jindires, the woman asked for her head to be covered, before being taken out, so that her hair will not be exposed... or when the one who called out from under the rubble in the city of Kahramanmaraş to get him out, first asked for water for wudu (ablution) before Salah, so that he does not miss the time of prayer... And during all of that, the takbeer resounded, Allahu Akbar... Allahu Akbar... Allahu Akbar.
The believer is not like other people, for he knows that the Decree (Qadaa’) of Allah (swt) is final and he knows the Decree came to pass because of a wisdom that Allah (swt) Alone knows. Therefore, the believer is patient with what afflicts him, seeking the Pleasure (Ridwaan) of his Lord (swt), as the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, narrated by Suhaib (ra),
«عَجَباً لِأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لِأَحَدٍ إِلَّا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْراً لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْراً لَهُ»
Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his and this is not the case with anyone else except in the case of a believer for if he has an occasion to feel delight, he thanks (Allah), thus there is a good for him in it, and if he gets into trouble and shows resignation (and endures it patiently), there is a good for him in it.” [Muslim]
Calamities appear and fall upon Muslim countries. No country of ours is devoid of afflictions: earthquakes and floods, drought and barrenness, wars and fighting, poverty and hunger... Although the known natural disasters are within the domain of divine Decree (Qadaa’), taking the necessary precautions and proper care for Muslims, without negligence, is obligatory for the state that takes care of their affairs. If the Muslims had a Khilafah (Caliphate) State, it would unify them and their affairs. It would console them in their misfortunes. It would lift their burdens and take care of their affairs. It would take their hands to all that is good. It would have discharged its duty, with no need for the aid of other than the Muslims.
May Allah (swt) have mercy on our dead. May Allah (swt) heal our wounded. May Allah (swt) be the Guardian of the survivors of this calamity. We conclude with that which we began with... Allah (swt) said,
(الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ * أُولَئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ)
Who, when faced with a disaster, say, “Surely to Allah we belong, and to Him we will all return.” They are the ones who will receive Allah’s blessings and mercy. And it is they who are rightly guided.” [TMQ Surah 2:156-157]. Surely, to Allah we belong, and to Him we will all return.
Your brother,
Ata Bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah
18 Rajab 1444 AH - 9 February 2023 CE.
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Love and salams,
Taji
🧔 What have I been up to?
Made several videos. Please watch and share.
Youtube shorts
1) $200bn but NOT for #Turkey #Syria earthquake victims
2) Earthquake in #Turkey & #Syria: One Ummah
A livestream from a Turkish part of north London
3) Earthquake in #Turkey & #Syria: How can Muslims help?.
📖 Ayah and Hadith
وَلَا يَصُدُّنَّكَ عَنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أُنزِلَتْ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَٱدْعُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ۖ
وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
“Do not let them turn you away from the revelations of Allah after they have been sent down to you. Rather, invite ˹all˺ to ˹the Way of˺ your Lord, and never be one of the polytheists.” [Al-Qasas 28:87]
Quote of the Week
“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.”
― Albert Einstein
❤ My Favourite Things
Article – How to Get Ahead of 99% of People in the Next 6 Months
Eve Arnold outlines 6 principles which are worth thinking about as we seek to improve in whatever we are doing, inshaAllah.
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