Day 15: Flood Them with Your Mercy - Please!

“O you who believe! Bow down prostrate yourselves and adore your Lord; and do good; that you may prosper.” (Qur'an 22 verse 77

This month presents us with an opportunity to bow down to Allah’s Will, show our love and obeisance of Him and engage in good deeds. These –Faith, Worship and Deeds - lead to prosperity in this life and in the life-hereafter. The deeds are not directed at your persons, there are selfless actions from you towards other people.

The biggest calamity yet this year is the current flood destroying lives and livelihood in Pakistan. This flood has brought deaths to thousands of lives. It has caused vicissitude to the status of thousands. It is changing the landscape of hundreds of communities, destroyed thousands of farms and homes. It has displaced millions of people rendering them homeless, defenceless and distraught. If this is the worst of calamities today, offering them a flood load of your good deeds is the greatest good you can do today, outside your immediate scope of responsibility and concern, that is.

Ramadan is a month of mercy and we Muslims must prove this to be true. And we are doing this already. The British public (including a sizeable number of Muslim populace) has already raised over £30 millions. A local mosque in Oxfordshire where I prayed Asr yesterday has raised over £16,500. And this is happening all over the world. If you have not donated, now is the time to do it. Remember while you break your fast with sumptuous meals, those affected by the flood, may not be fasting and those who are, will be doing so with even more difficulty than it used to be.

Our Creator says, “Those who give alms (donations), both men and women, they lend unto Allah a goodly loan, it will be doubled for them, and theirs will be a rich reward.” (Qur'an 57 verse 18) In essence, do it for your own benefit if not for the sake of the humanity we see suffering the cold and diseased caring flood.

Don’t know about you, buy the video clips of the flood humbles me. I marvel at those who see all these and do not FEEL the need to give even a widow’s mite. They probably lack humanity as they do not see humanity in the flood victims. “… their hearts were hardened and the devil made all that they used to do seem fair unto them!” Qur'an 6 verse 43.

Please for the sake of Allah and the sake of the Day of Judgement, let us this Ramadan throw open the flood gate of benevolence as our beloved Prophet used to do. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) “…was the most generous of the men; and he was the most generous during the month of Ramadan when Jibril visited him every night and recited the Qur'an to him. During this period, the generosity of Messenger of Allah waxed faster than the rain bearing wind.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

This act may count in our benefit on the Day of Judgement like we read in the hadith below on the importance of care and concern for those in difficult situations. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "A person (from amongst the people who lived before you) was called to account by Allah on the Day of Resurrection. No good deeds were found in his credit except that he being a rich man had (financial) dealings with people and had commanded his servants to show leniency to those who were in straitened circumstances. Upon this Allah, the Exalted, and Majestic said: `I am more entitled to this attribute, so waive (his faults)’.'' (Muslim)

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK.