"And indeed, We sent Moses with Our signs: Bring out your people from the depths of darkness into light. Remind them of the Days of God:" (Surah Ibrahim, 14: 5).
Less than a year back, at the beginning of the present Islamic year AH 1439, Imam Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius made a Divinely-inspired Sermon, cautioning the peoples everywhere about the impending calamities that are about to strike around the world, including the Indian Ocean region. In that Friday Sermon of 29 September 2017, Hadhrat Saheb (atba) specifically cautioned against the dangers from looming calamities such as devastating floods in our times:
Less than a year back, at the beginning of the present Islamic year AH 1439, Imam Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius made a Divinely-inspired Sermon, cautioning the peoples everywhere about the impending calamities that are about to strike around the world, including the Indian Ocean region. In that Friday Sermon of 29 September 2017, Hadhrat Saheb (atba) specifically cautioned against the dangers from looming calamities such as devastating floods in our times:
“Today
is the 8th of Muharram of the year 1439 AH… I ask you to listen to
all that I am telling you. From this Muharram 1439 AH to the next
Muharram 1440 AH - believe me brothers and sisters - there are a lot
of happenings/ events/ catastrophes which shall occur: earthquakes,
floods, lots of people shall lose their lives, atrocious crimes,
wars/ fights (nations against nations), blood of innocents shall be
shed...
I ask you to take this into consideration and start counting
- from the 1st Muharram of this New Year 1439 AH till its end. Write
down all that which shall happen throughout the world and even small
islands and even all that which is found in the Indian Ocean (and its
vicinity) shall not be spared from divine punishment, in the form of
earthquakes, floods, great wars which shall be very difficult to
stop.
Believe
in what I am saying. O Muslims and Humanity at large. Take
precautions and stock your food- buy, keep, preserve….”
Speaking
against the backdrop of the deluge in Mauritius earlier this year,
Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) further repeated the Divine reminder:
“O all of you, you are not safe. No country in the world
will be spared, even you who live on the islands. No divinity of your
imagination can help you. I see with the eye of my Lord (Allah) many
terrifying things that will seize this world....O humanity,
the decrees of God will be inevitably executed, and you will see the
coming days as the days of Noah...” (Friday Sermon of 26 January
2018---08 Jamad'ul Awwal 1439 AH).
The
Kerala Floods
Nature's
fury in the form of torrential rains has engulfed most
parts of Kerala this week. The
land
and its people
are
in profound pain, perplexed by the sudden hardships enveloping them.
The magnitude of the
disruption of everyday life in
the
otherwise
scenic Indian
State is
mind-numbing.
As
one scribbles down this note, the “God’s
own country” (as
Kerala
is
known),
is
battling one of the worst floods in all of its modern history.
With the India Meteorological Department predicting heavy rains for the next two days as well, the ground situation is being viewed as extremely grave. With heavy rainfalls in the catchment areas of major reservoirs across the State and the opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, lives of people in downstream areas have been severely affected, for areas and villages where floods had never occurred are witnessing inundation.
Heavy
water-logging has disrupted the road, rail traffic across the State,
and even flight operations at the Kochi airport will remain suspended
for the next 10 days. With telecommunication lines down, and electricity transmission cut off, thousands of flood victims remain
marooned in their own residences/places without access to essential
help. The death toll in the ongoing rain-and flood-related incidents (including landslips) has already crossed
150, with more than 2,23,000 people shifted to over 1550 relief camps
across the State. Rescue operators fear that due to the heavy inflow of water, the death toll would go up.
With the India Meteorological Department predicting heavy rains for the next two days as well, the ground situation is being viewed as extremely grave. With heavy rainfalls in the catchment areas of major reservoirs across the State and the opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, lives of people in downstream areas have been severely affected, for areas and villages where floods had never occurred are witnessing inundation.
Heavy
water-logging has disrupted the road, rail traffic across the State,
and even flight operations at the Kochi airport will remain suspended
for the next 10 days. With telecommunication lines down, and electricity transmission cut off, thousands of flood victims remain
marooned in their own residences/places without access to essential
help. The death toll in the ongoing rain-and flood-related incidents (including landslips) has already crossed
150, with more than 2,23,000 people shifted to over 1550 relief camps
across the State. Rescue operators fear that due to the heavy inflow of water, the death toll would go up.
Humanitarian
Relief
Against
the backdrop of this unprecedented crisis, the Government of Kerala
is coordinating rescue and relief operations on a colossal scale.
With the national disaster relief agency and the Armed Forces
actively participating along with the civil soceity organizations and
other individual humanitarians in the flood-related assistance works,
the crisis is also proving to be an occasion to unravel the
essential humanity, decency and solidarity of our people.
The
Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Kerala stands in solidarity with all people
affected by this great calamity. In view of the ongoing flood
situation, Mukarram Amir R. Jamaluddin Saheb of Mathra recently
conveyed the South Kerala Jamaat's readiness to provide shelter, food
and medicines required for anyone coping with issues of dislocation
during this point of time. The local administrative officials of the
‘Panchayat’, where the Noor’ul Islam Masjid is located, has
lauded and appreciated the humanitarian initiative of the Mukarram
Amir Saheb and has agreed to revert to us in case of any relief
requirement in the area. In a recent message, the Amir Saheb has also
invited everyone who has a problem now to avail the facilities
available at the Noor'ul Islam Masjid, Mathra.
Prayers
for Kerala
Many
brothers from Kerala had recently written to Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba), informing him about the grim flood scenario in the State,
seeking his fervent prayers for respite to the land and its people.
Hadhrat Saheb (atba) wrote to one of them in this context:
“May
Allah have mercy on the people of Kerala and the land as a whole and
save its people from atrocious calamities. It is very sad that lots
of people have lost their lives, but like I have already said
previously in my sermons, that which Allah shall do, is to warn the
people so that they may return to Allah, Insha-Allah. These
calamities are touching lots of countries such as Indonesia etc. May
Allah have mercy on these people
and
may they reform their lives to comply with Allah’s commandments and
return back to Tawheed. Insha-Allah”.
Also, in the Friday Sermon of 17 August 2018 Hadhrat Saheb (atba) spoke about the Kerala situation:
"And I pray for all those who, one way or another have been touched with calamities: earthquakes, floods, landslides and accidents of all kinds. As a Messenger of Allah, it was my duty to inform you that these calamities would continue to increase, and would not stop until people changed the course of their lives for the better, and they become aware of Allah’s unicity and work to restore balance in their own lives, in their environment and in society and the world at large.
It is unfortunate what happened in southern India, in Kerala where heavy showers since the first week of August 2018 have caused terrible floods, and these downpours and floods have been the most intense since roughly a hundred years, more precisely since 1924. To date, there have been more than a hundred deaths. We pray that Allah pour His mercy upon humanity and His servants in Kerala, my dear disciples, and help them in these difficult times and help them to help their fellow human beings with great consideration and respect, in the spirit of unity and service to humanity for the sake of Allah. Insha-Allah, Ameen".