Praise is due to Allāh, Lord of the worlds, may the blessings and peace be upon our master Muḥammad, the last of prophets, on his family, and all his companions.

The Secretariat General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, on behalf of the Ummah, its scholars and peoples, expresses its deep sorrow and concern over the devastating earthquake that has shaken some Asian countries, mainly Pakistan, Afghanistan and India. It has affected areas where life is difficult and the threat of disease and epidemics is imminent.

The Secretariat General calls on all Muslims in all parts of the world, governments and individuals, to rush to alleviate the pain and hardship of their Muslim brothers affected by the earthquake by sending humanitarian aid. It urges them to multiply donations for the campaigns launched through the designated committees in every region and city. It urges them to show kindness in this blessed month so that Allah the Almighty may forgive the donors and bless them. It reminds them that the reward for good deeds is multiplied in this blessed month.

The Prophet – PBUH – used to be more generous in this month; he used to say: “The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim, he does not cause him any harm; whoever runs in the interest of his brother, Allaah will secure his interest; whoever relieves a Muslim of a hardship, Allaah will relieve his hardship on the day of resurrection; whoever hides the faults of a Muslim, Allaah will hide his faults on the day of resurrection. “This is a statement that is unanimously recognized as authentic.

Allah has commanded us to give from the money given to us, and He has threatened us if we do not. Allah said, “Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend from what He has given you. Those of you who believe and spend (for the cause of Allah) will have a great reward; and He said: “And whatever you spend, He replaces it, and He is the best of givers” [You are called to spend in the way of Allah. Some of you are stingy. But whoever is stingy, is stingy to his own detriment. Allah is the Self-sufficient, while you are the needy. And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people than you, and they will not be like you.]

We must respond to the call of our Lord, and give charities to please Him, and thank for Allah’s bounties by doing our fair share, among which is the relief of the souls of the believers.

Allah will help His servant as long as he helps his brother or sister. The Messenger of Allah said, “The believers are like a building, they hold each other”, and he intertwined them between his fingers. And he said, “The example of the believers in their love and mercy for each other is like the example of a body, if one limb of the body feels pain, the whole body suffers from insomnia and fever.”

He said – PBUH – “Beware of fire, even if it is only half a date” and he said “Alms absolve sin as water extinguishes fire” and he said “Whoever gives the gift of a date that he has earned legally, and Allah accepts only the lawful, Allah will receive it from His right hand and then make it fruitful for its giver until it becomes like a mountain, like one of you when you fatten your horse. “

This is a beautiful and happy initiative, launched by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud – may Allah preserve him – who, moved by the hardships that have befallen his Muslim brothers in Asia, ordered the establishment of commissions throughout the Kingdom to help those affected by the earthquakes. May Allah reward him, multiply his reward, and make him a supporter for the truth. We wish these commissions success, by the grace of Allah, for their objectives are noble and consist of working for the salvation of souls from death, for mutual aid to overcome this ordeal, thanks to the generosity of people who seek divine retribution and reward.

We implore Allah to shower the dead with His great mercy, to grant them a home in His vast paradise, to grant a speedy recovery to the wounded, to dispel their difficulties, to reward the donors generously for the sake of Allah, and to perpetuate the sources of welfare for Muslims.

And may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.

Dr. Mohamed Habibi Belkhoja

SG of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy.