Its a devestation of a biblical scale. Its definitely a heartbreaking story to see the devestation āmother natureā can do to a community. So I have been talking to my Pakistani friend about what is happening there and his views on it. I myself should feel somewhat saddened by the situation for my forefathers are also from Pakistan. The letters found in my grandmotherās collection showed the longing feeling my great grandfather had of going back to his home-country which then was still called India. Although Iāve only spent a mere 2 weeks of my life there, I do feel a sense of responsibility towards it because of my roots.
Its the 9th day of Ramadan tomorrow. In these 9 days the country has been flooding, whilst most of them would be fasting, a lot of them would have the extra dimension of hardship seeing their close ones pass away helplessly - this reminds of the power Allah has. Iāve been reading the Quran daily and reading stories of civilisations being destroyed by earthquakes, hail storms and other natural disasters. Traditionally, punishment on mankind has been in the form of natural catastrophe. Indeed, this flood on Pakistan is a catastrophe not seen before. Iām not doubting the mechanism in which it occured, a change in climate and the monsoon pattern has caused the perfect storm of a century. However, following suicide bombings on prominent Sunni shrines in Lahore and the infiltration of extreme elements mixed with secular Americanism into the core of Pakistani politics, its not hard to see why one would interpret this as a divine punishment.
Iām not suggesting this is the truth, but its one interpretation some of us take. The mercy in which it has taken place is probably the fact that its Ramadan. Theologically speaking if you die in the month of Ramadan its a good month to die because you are promised paradise. Of course we will all be judged on our own sins and merits, and the only certainty of life is death. I just pray that hardship is alleviated from the survivors, and I urge all of you to donate generously for we are all lucky enough to be living in the comfort of our homes without some horrendous trials and tribulations of life.
Lets also not forget there are also floods in North Western China, which is also a great inhabitant of Muslim communities. With thousands killed in landslides and millions homeless, its another Catastrophe in the making. There are also plights in the drought and war-battered Niger and also the catastrophe of Haiti not long ago. But perhaps for most of us, the stock market has a higher priorityā¦its sad to see the state the world is in.