The Earth Quake and Tsunami of December 26 2004

The Earth Quake and Tsunami of December 26 2004

My Dear Friends
What can I say to you in your anguish as you feel the grief you felt when you saw the grief of those who were hit by quake and tsunami? What can I say to you who stayed and watched the tv, inspite of seeing images of grief and more grief?

Yesterday at noon I went pass KFC which is the end shop in my block of shophouses where my clinic is located. It was full of people having a family feast in the last few days of the school holidays. It was a happy crowd, oblivious of the tragedy that happened and is still unfolding a few hundres miles away. This was how they must have been I thought, happy holidaying families on the beach, oblivious of the killer waves travelling towards them at great speed, reaching them before they had time to flee, people hit by wave upon wave, dashed against rocks, sent spinning and sprawling and drowning...

When there is a disaster of this magnitude, one of the first things I do is pray. Pray for the well being of the souls who were suddenly sent to their bodiless state, in great shock with great suddenness and I pray for those left behind, who were still alive but had suffered losses..loss of family members, loss of belongings , maimed and injured I pray for their peace of mind, I pray for their fortitude , I pray for their patience and I pray for those in a position to go and help them to do so . I make sure I send money at least since I could not take off and see the victims due to my job commitments. I send out e-mail to as many lists as I can here and overseas asking for them to send funds to those in need and I take the time to count my blessings.

It is as if I then look at the comforts I have with new eyes and as I walk on this ground, in this peaceful orderly place that I am in with the people shopping laughing and going about their business in great ease, as if it is a great privilege . a great blessing which I have to be grateful for and have to prostrate myself and thank God for it again and again and again.

Why are there natural disasters of this magnitude? Why does the earth suddenly shift and rumble and send the sea raging mad washing everything it smashes against , sending carefully made dwellings and infrastructure tumbling down , totally destroyed?

Renewal I thought, a renewal! God's view is not my view . I see what my limited vision sees, God sees and knows beyond my limited vision. What is destroyed will rebuild and regenerate. Ya Muhyi, Ya Muid. Oh Life giver, Oh Regenerator ! Thy holy names comfort me!

I remember a hadith of the Prophet where distraught parents of drowned children asked the Prophet to pray that their lifeless children be brought back to life. The Prophet did pray but then he told the parents, that the children were in a more beautiful place and were very happy where they were and did not want to come back.
Many of the people who died were among the poorest of the poor. They lived from hand to mouth , with very little comforts.

Were they now in a better place, happier , more at peace, in bliss? I pray so!
As for the victims who are left behind and suffering various losses. We who are not the victims are here for them. We are God's representative on this earth and all those who are suffering are our responsibility, we who have the power to help in one way or another.

Use your power, be it the power of the word, the power of your money and worldly goods, or the power of your hands lips and tongues to give aid , to comfort, to console , to rebuild