Tom Facchine – Alternating Calamities

			This past week the Muslim ummah has been afflicted with two major disasters. We've seen the
earthquake that has afflicted Morocco, causing 1000s to be killed, and many, many, many more injured
and displaced. We've seen the torrential rains and the subsequent flooding of Libya which has
already crossed 10,000 deaths.
		

			Allah azza wa jal decrees that these things happen from time to time. And here's an opportunity for
us to remember why these things happen in the first place. Why does Allah will this type of calamity
upon us people who are people of faith, people who are people of Tawheed. And despite what we do, we
find that trouble and trial and tribulation is a part of our lives, a part of our lives that we can
never completely be free from. And so we have to reckon with ourselves and reckon with our ideas of
who Allah subhanaw taala is, and reckon with our assumptions about what we're here and what we can
expect from this dunya for the very short amount of time that we're here, Allah subhanaw taala is
		

			our king. He one of his noble and beautiful names is the most wise and so we take it on faith that
absolutely everything Allah subhanaw taala does has wisdom behind it, even if it's extremely
difficult for us to accept or to recognize. So we're going to begin by teasing out what are some of
the consequences or what are some of the wisdoms behind even such a cataclysmic and painful events
such as the events that have happened recently? Allah subhanaw taala tells us in the Quran, that one
of the aspects of wisdom behind these things happening is to collect from amongst our ranks,
martyrs, shahada, Allah azza wa jal he says he says come car home Takata masala coma car home Misu
		

			will tell Kelly a Yamanaka widow have been a nurse while Ayane hola hola the ANA Avenue wire tuck
them in come Shuhada wala hula headbutt body mean, if you are touched by some sort of harm or wound,
then you should know that your enemies also are afflicted by something similar to it. And these days
these types of afflictions we make them cycle we make them rotates, everybody takes turns we
alternate them among the people so that why so that Allah Subhana Allah Tada may make it clear those
who believe and seconds that he might take from among you martyrs and Allah Subhana Allah does not
like those who do wrong. Now this ayah was revealed in the context of the head and the context of
		

			war. But they are the mat they have a saying Allegra be removed the left lobby also sub that ALLAH
SubhanA wa Tada words things in a general way that they have more applications than the specific
situation that they were responding to. And so in this ayah, Allah subhanaw taala is talking about a
situation but the words that he uses are general enough to be applied to these other sorts of
natural disasters as well. Allah azza wa jal wants to take from us martyrs and the messenger
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he told us that our idea of who is a martyr or who is a shahid might be
a little too narrow compared to that concept with ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada. We think of a martyr, we
		

			think of Ushahidi, we only think of warfare, we only think of jihad feasable Allah, but there are
other types of martyrdom the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he said a shahada oh come soon.
And metal Rune walmartone. While he was Sahiba Haddam was shahidul feasable Allah, the Prophet
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he said, there are five types of martyrs. One, someone who dies during
a plague to someone who dies from a disease of the stomach. Three, somebody who drowns for someone
who dies under rubble. And five, someone who has killed while fighting in the way of Allah. Notice
that two of those very, very clearly and explicitly cover the Muslims who have passed away in these
		

			past few weeks, both in Morocco and in Libya. Those who die under the rubble from an earthquake and
those who are drowned in the water. Allah subhanaw taala wants us to have the correct understanding.
We feel grief, and many of us are personally afflicted maybe we have family over there that have had
things happen to them.
		

			members of our family that we have lost. But we have to understand in the grand scheme of things, if
they were right with Allah subhanaw taala, that this is not really a loss, that this is a tremendous
gain. Allah azza wa jal says about the martyrs well as a Kulu, Lima, new photography, Sabine Allah
He and Watson Bella own Well, I can that Sharon don't say about those who are killed in the way of
Allah that they are truly dead. No, in fact, they are alive with their Lord receiving provision.
		

			So that is one aspect of wisdom that Allah subhanaw taala actually was good for the people that he
took away, we see it, we cry, we experience grief and sorrow. But Allah subhanaw taala took these
people back to himself, and we have reason to expect a good end for them. One of another piece of
wisdom behind these things happening to us is that those who remain on earth we recognize the value
of life. And we don't take it for granted. Like maybe we had been doing before. And the value of
life particularly, we're not just talking about the number of days that we have on this earth. We're
not talking about how long that Allah allows us to live. But we focus on what is truly important in
		

			our time here. And what is truly important is what we have put forth for our afterlife. Allah
subhanaw taala has concealed the time of our death from every single one of us. May Allah forbid at
my other loss, some of us could die on the way home from the football. Some of us could die
tomorrow, some of us could die next week or next month or decades from now we have no way of
knowing. And Allah is at Hakeem. He did this with wisdom. He did this with mercy so that we would
stay ready so that we would focus on preparing ourselves for that inevitable moments. We know that
it's coming even if we don't know when, but we have to be ready for it.
		

			The Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam, he gave us many instructions for how we should orientate
ourselves in our lives, how we should live our lives so that we don't lose sight of this fact that
the main reason that we're here is to be taken away and to eventually meet our Lord a call out a
pseudo loss of Allahu alayhi wa sallam Lisa Lavina. On Catholic Hill out of Wallachia, Lena Lena
neffs wealth, true wealth richness is not and having many possessions but true wealth is being
content with yourself. A prophet sallallahu alayhi wa salam was concerned that we would spend too
much time chasing the dunya chasing the cars, chasing the jobs chasing the money, your money is
		

			going to come. Your house is going to come your job is already secured Allah subhanaw taala already
decided it already wrote it out. And there's nothing that you're going to do that's going to change
that. And so what should be your focus and your hemma? What should keep you up at night? What should
occupy your thoughts is that moment when you're going to meet your Lord, preparing for the
afterlife? The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam he also said at dunya Melero Anatolian mela oh no
and mafi Hi, Nicola wamalwa Allah, the messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam he said the world with
all that is contained is cursed melon rune
		

			it's cursed the world and everything in it is cursed accepts the remembrance of Allah subhana wa
Tada and that which pleases Allah.
		

			What's the main obstacle in our way from living rites from preparing for that moment of departure
and separation and meaning ALLAH, it's hope dunya is loving the earth too much getting distracted in
these things that we enjoy, which is why the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also said you
shekou And there are a coma obem come at UCLA, Allah Lucas Casati her pain Yara sola Amin Killa Tina
call Allah lucky Nicoma of author and co author is sale tunes our L muhabba. Two min kolu we are the
Wycombe income where you will there will be a call will be common one.
		

			The prophets of Allah Allah He was salam, he told us he said, there's gonna come a day when your
enemies summon those around you to gather and attack you. Just like there are people that are called
to gather around a dish and eat off of that dish, except they're going to be eating you. So the
Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, somebody asked, How could it be possible? Will it because
we're very few in number at that time? He said, No, you're going to be so numerous. You're going to
be more numerous than the bubbles in the sea than the foam of the sea. But Allah will take the fear
of you out of your enemy's hearts and we'll put in
		

			to your hearts when somebody said he had us with Allah min Wang he says yeah oh messenger of Allah
What is this thing and when that Allah puts in our hearts that's going to cause us to be weak and
overrun by our enemies of Allah rasool Allah He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam Herbert dunya Bokhara.
Here to note, he said la salatu salam love of this world, and detesting or disliking death.
		

			These things brothers and sisters are meant to get us closer to Allah subhanaw taala. They're meant
to be a wake up call the dead have already met their maker, they're already taken care of the ones
who need more mercy at this point as us, we should hope for an ending like the ending of murders,
but we're still here. And we're still acting and we're still breathing and we're still living and
everything we do, the angels are writing down good, bad, good, bad. We are the ones that need the
mercy. And so this is a wake up call on a reminder to me and to you to straighten up, to straighten
up and to get busy. Here. Meanwhile, America and Etsy calm as Allah says in the Quran, work for your
		

			station in the afterlife.
		

			Now, don't get us wrong. When we talk about the wisdom behind these things. We are not saying to
just simply offer as the non Muslims say thoughts and prayers, thoughts and prayers are sort of a
something people make fun of these days. Because people use it in a way to prevent action from being
taken. We're not saying to not take action. No, we have to take action and facts when things happen
like this. This is a test in a different way. Not only is it a wake up call for everybody who
survives and is living, but it is an opportunity to express our solidarity with the Ummah and to
display our love of the Muslim ummah, the Ummah of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa salam, and it's an
		

			opportunity to purchase our Jana, through what we give through what we help. We want forgiveness
from Allah subhanaw taala. Some of us stay up at night begging for it. And yet these opportunities
come and they come and they come. And sometimes we're on the couch and we're just channel surfer. We
need to pay attention to these opportunities. Some of the brothers and I'm sure the sisters as well
have passed. The government of Morocco has an official bank account just like what happened with
Tokyo when Tokyo had the earthquake recently, there is an official bank account that you can donate
money to, to help in this effort, the exchange rate between America and Morocco mashallah Baraka,
		

			Allah, even just a little bit, will go a long, long way. So we encourage everybody, the opportunity
is for you. The opportunity is for you to purchase your afterlife that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi
wa sallam said that those who believe there should be a router from Gaza, that they strengthen one
another and he lays his fingers together like this. And he also sets it Allahu alayhi wa sallam that
the believers are like parts of the body. When one part of the body becomes sick, the rest responds
with fever. And so if we want to be the owner of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, we have to
live up to that we have to feel we have to feel with our brothers and our sisters, wherever they
		

			are. Akuto cola was Sophia Allah Hello, welcome Marissa in Muslim Minami colada let's talk through
in the whole of the whole Rohit.
		

			Al Hamdulillah He Allah if Sonny was shook Allahu Allah tofi If he wasn't in Ernie, well, Sharon
ilaha illallah wa Akhtar, hula Lika Lima Nisha Annie, are shadow and unabIe on our side and then
Mohammed Abdullah Sudha who had died in Atlantis Allahu alayhi. Wa early he was heavy he was when he
was suddenly moved to Sleeman kathira.
		

			As much as we are expected and demanded and commanded to have solidarity with the global Muslim
Ummah,
		

			every single one of us has to understand that our responsibility is even more so for our local
Ummah, that the people that are closest to you have the most right to you, to your talents, to your
time to your skills, to your energy to your money, yes to your money. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi
wa salam when he was explaining the rights of the neighbor, rather when the angel Jibreel alayhi
salam was explaining the rights of the of the neighbor to the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa
sallam he said that Gibreel kept on going and going and going on and on until he got out. He stood
out to a Sadam thought that he was going to make the neighbor inherits from him just like your kin,
		

			just like your blood relatives just like your son or your daughter. Then this is the type of write
that is upon you from your neighbors. And when it comes to helping our neighbors one of the ways
specifically one of the best ways to help them is by
		

			Providing food that making sure everybody has enough to eat. We find this over and over again and
the Quran Allah azza wa jal talks about the people of paradise. And sorrows are insane. He says,
What's one of the characteristics of the people? Well, you put him on a hook behind the skin, where
your team as well as hero, they give food in spite of their love for it to the needy and the orphan
and the and the captive. Notice that in spite of their love for it, Allah is not asking you to not
love food. Allah is not asking you to wants to give everything that you're going to give, but he's
still expecting that you give.
		

			Notice the intention, what did they say next? How are we going to be rewarded for this in nama?
Another amo commonly what your Hila LAN or Edo mean, come on. What should Cora they say the people
of paradise who used to feed other people, we fear we feed you only for the countenance of Allah
subhanaw taala only for Allah. We don't want anything for you. No reward, no award, no recognition,
no gratitude in a half a minute Robin Alm and Agusan Campari era, certainly We fear from our Lord a
day that will be severe and distressful. So what will Allah subhanaw taala do for such people, for
people who take care of others needs who feed them, who makes sure that they don't go hungry for
		

			work or home? Shelter radical young, well, that brought home number 10 was surah. Allah will protect
them from the evil of that Day and give them radiance and happiness and the prophets Allah Allahu
alayhi wa sallam said, ladies and be more men and men better Shavon which era who era jumpy here we
are.
		

			The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam he said, a movement a believer is not somebody who can sleep
at night full his stomach is full. And his neighbor next to him is hungry and he knows it.
		

			And Allah azza wa jal, he described the believers in the Quran
		

			what are the notes about what or doubt or what a man may accompany him? You have gone on Hazara
Healy What are you actually doing a fee so don't worry him Hajah me now Oh, two, we'll throw another
unforeseen
		

			what? Oh, can I be him Kasasa what may you cause your NFC eco homomorphic on
		

			those people that sounded Medina before they were the migrants came to them. They loved those from
Mecca who migrated to them. And they do not find anything within their hearts, meaning they don't
find any opposition. They're not stingy for what they gave to the immigrants, but they actually
preferred them to themselves. The people who came from Mecca, the mahadji rune, the people of the
unsalted Medina actually prefer them over their own selves.
		

			Even though they themselves were in need. They were not like us. They did not have food in the
fridge. They did not have rent paid, they did not have investments. They did not have stocks. They
did not have summer homes, they did not have other assets. And yet they prefer to them to
themselves, even though they were in need, they needed it more than the others. And yet they gave
		

			and whoever is protected from the stinginess of his own soul.
		

			It is those who will be the successful
		

			feeding other people is beyond even just the OMA. It is something general for all mankind and one of
the most effective techniques of Dawa the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam the very first thing
that they heard him say in Medina Optative and Salaam and the others who came to him one of the
first things he they heard him say, Oh, I've heard the rough man. Well, hopefully Madame what I've
just said I'm touchable agenda Tammy said. They said worship the Most Merciful and feed the people
food and spread salaam if you do these things, you will enter Jannah easily, you will enter Jannah
and peace.
		

			It's been a while since we had a kitchen here. And here at the masjid.
		

			We have people in our community that are hungry. We have people in our community that are food
insecure, they don't know where their next meal is coming from. And even beyond the Muslim
community. There are many people that require this type of help in Ukraine, especially here in
Cornhill. We are attempting to, in addition to the other fundraisers for Morocco and Libya, we are
attempting to raise money to build a kitchen in the basement. We've already raised 15,000 through
the YouTube channel Hamdulillah. We have to raise another 15,000 here locally insha Allah Tala so
that we can build the capacity and the ability to get this edge so that we can build the capacity to
		

			do this good deed. Think about how much happens, how much higher how much good happens over food
when we're able to invite people in and sit people down and provide a fresh meal and hear their
problems and find out what assistance they need. Well, we're not a
		

			able to do that. If we don't have a kitchen, we can't prepare things for ourselves. So this is
something that we're striving for Inshallah, we need to Inshallah, in the next two weeks, raise
$15,000 so that we can have an operational kitchen, we can start receiving quarterback, he has an
oath, he says we can start receiving, we don't even have refrigerators downstairs, we can start
receiving donations, we can start pairing them with the people in need. And Insha Allah, Allah will
help this deen and Allah will help us to achieve it. There is one family in the area that said that
if we're able to raise even just 10 that they would provide the other five. So we have two weeks to
		

			raise $10,000 In sha Allah and then we will meet our goal, Inshallah, to Allah to be able to have a
full kitchen where we're able to have meals and help people and obtain this great reward that Allah
subhanaw taala talked so much about