Katrina...Time to step up!

Assalaamu 'Alaikum wa Rahmatullaah

Where:has the disaster happened?
I am sure many of us have heard about Hurricane Katrina over in the Louisiana/Alabama/Mississippi area.


What:is the situation of the people there?
Here's an eyewitness acount from one of the sisters in Louisiana

"Subhanallah the hurricane has
left 80% of New Orleans destroyed, and it is now one
big disease infested swamp. I was at a resturant
yesterday, and a woman was placing a to-go order... in
the middle of her order she burst out in tears,"I'm
sorry, it's just my house is under water, and it's all
destroyed.. and I don't know what to do" We all were
quiet not knowing how to comfort her. she finished her
order and the waiters got back to work, but i sat
there talking with her and I was like "so you found
out for sure?" and she nods, starting to cry again."
All day i've been watching the news trying to see my
house, i just wanted to see my house!!" she called her
neighbor who stayed behind, and he said that it was
under water. "I grabbed a couple of pictures of my
grandkids and with the clothes on my back left, and i
just want to go home and get anything I can salvage..
and now i have no job.. I was a real estate agent..
what type of real-estate is there now?" La howla wala
qowita Illah billah. I didnt know how to comfort her,
because no matter what I would say, it wouldn;t make a
difference. I just told her to thank God her family
was ok, and that there was relief efforts to help her
compensate for the damage. and then told her to call
me if she needed any more help.

subhanallah this is the story with 1 million people as
of now. Muslim and Non-Muslim alike. I just related
this incident to give you a glimpse of how much things
have changed and how unreal this is to me. The people
havent yet grasped it yet, thinking that this is just
a bad bad dream.. and that they will go back home soon
and everything will be normal. but it isnt.. not for a
couple of years."

Durbah is known for its great love and comapssion for the needy, insha Allaah lets keep this reputation going fi sabeel illaah.

When:are we going to help?
Insha Allaah lets start a drive for the victims of the Hurricane. Lets show our brothers and sisters down in Louisiana the Durbah Generosity.


Why:are we going to help?
Because Allaah says:
“O you who believe! Spend of that with which We have provided for you, before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. And it is the disbelievers who are the Zaalimoon (wrongdoers)”[al-Baqarah 2:254]

-and-

"Believe in Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and spend of that whereof He has made you trustees. And such of you as believe and spend (in Allaah’s way), theirs will be a great reward”[[al-Hadeed 57:7]

And Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu 'anhu narrated that the Prophet sallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: :
“There is no day on which the people get up but two angels come down and one of them says, ‘O Allaah, give in compensation to the one who spends (in charity),’ and the other says, ‘O Allaah, destroy the one who withholds.’”Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1374; Muslim, 1010

-and-

“Allaah said: ‘Spend, O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you.’” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5073; Muslim, 993


How:we are going to help...
For now, insha Allaah ICNA Reilief as well as Islamic Relief already have efforts to help out monetarily.


Insha Allaah I will be trying to get in contact with those in charge to assist in the organization of an effort to help with the donations of clothes, etc. If anyone can help out please email me at <amrattia@gmail.com> so that we can get the help to the needy there as soon as possible.

"May Allaah open the hearts, minds, and pockets of the Muslims to give in His sake...Ameen"

S@!@@MZ

Originally Posted by Amr ibn Muhammed Gharib

How:we are going to help...
For now, insha Allaah ICNA Reilief as well as Islamic Relief already have efforts to help out monetarily.

"May Allaah open the hearts, minds, and pockets of the Muslims to give in His sake...Ameen"

Ameen

Islamic Relief is looking for volunteers to go out into their own Muslim communities and help raise funds. Here's what you can do to help insha'Allah:
************

Volunteers Needed for Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort

As-salamu `alaykum,

Over 1 million people have been displaced from Hurricane Katrina. They are in desperate need of food, medical supplies and temporary shelter. We need our volunteers to mobilize immediately to do the following:


1. Book a Jumu`ah khutbah for an Islamic Relief representative at your local masjid.

2. Ask your masjid when Islamic Relief can give a presentation.

3. Distribute fliers in your community including masjids and various organizations.

4. Ask your family and friends to donate to Islamic Relief through personal solicitation and e-mails.


Your efforts are vital in helping to save the victims of Hurricane Katrina. If you can help in any of the ways mentioned, please contact us as soon as possible at:

May Mineissi
(888) 479-4968
may@irw.org

Do not delay. Take action now. Jazakum Allahu khayran.

Islamic Relief
1919 W Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 91506

(888) 479-4968
http://www.irw.org/
info@irw.org

Tax ID#: 95-4453134

Asalaamu `alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu,

Alhamdu lillah, I'm so happy to see you didn't wait for me to get back on the forums to help our brothers and sisters in need.

I've been working with Sr. Shirien (a sister from Louisiana who we've been working with to put together a strong bid to bring AlMaghrib to the Bayou in the future inshaa' Allah), and AlMaghrib (Br. Daanish - Ameer Qabeelat Mubeen; Br. Irtiza - AlMaghrib USA Manager) on plans to help. I've also been in contact with the NJ rep for Islamic Relief. He's currently at the ISNA Conference in Chicago. I will be speaking with him when he returns to develop a sound action plan in NJ inshaa' Allah. Many masajid used this past jummuah to collect funds and will be working with Islamic Relief and ICNA Relief.

Once I hear back from the Islamic Relief brother in the coming days, I'll post on this thread. Jazaakum Allahu khayr Br. Amr and Sr. Fatima for getting the ball rolling.

In the meantime, I want everyone from Durbah to start working with their MSAs and masajid on collecting money. This is what they need most right now. We will be working with Islamic Relief to get those much-needed funds where they are needed most inshaa' Allah.

P.S. -- Islamic Relief now has an office in NJ, so it will help facilitate our efforts such as this from now on inshaa' Allah

[Shirien]

Jazakum Allahu khairun guys, just want to emphasize that it's never too late, these people will not be able to go back into new orleans for a couple of months.. so inshallah i pray that you all dont forget... many times people do a fund raiser once, and then go on with their everyday lives forgetting about what happened..

so If you all dont do it this week, or next week, or even the week after that.. dont think it's too late and that the help is no longer needed. They will need it for as long as they have no home to go to.

May Allah give us all patients in these difficult times.Ameen.

[Shirien]

Subahallah, I just got back from the Islamic Center, and I spent a good bit of time trying to organize the supplies people sent in. Alhamdulillah people have been very generous, and we are running out of space for the supplies.

If your community has already collected supplies than barak Allah feekom, send over what you have. if not than inshallah focus on raising Money and finding these people homes and jobs. bi'ithnillah.
Jazakum Allahu kahairun

(i'll post this also in the other threads inshallah)

[Abdul Majeed]

if their is an islamic relief and a ICNA relief, then y dont we have a durbah relief,

Inshallah.

Assalaamu Alaykum,
I just came across this website for volunteers, in case anyone wants to volunteer and have speciality that they are askng for: https://volunteer.ccrf.hhs.gov/

Also, I was wondering if ICNA relief or Islamic relief is requiring any medical personnel or(whether they would let Medical students do something?).

May Allaah help all those that have suffered in the hurricane, ameen.

[Shirien]

Sister Sabiqoon, Subhanallah i'm not quite sure about that.. i don't believe they are affiliated with bringing medical care, but I know that we have several Muslim Doctors here in the community that volunteer. also right behind our masjid is the LSU field house, which basically set up a 24 hour service for those who need medical care. wallahu alem. i'm sure other shelters may need the medical assistance..

anyway here's some information I have:

Hurricane Katrina: ICNA Relief Announced $250,000 to help Hurricane
Katrina victims
http://www.reliefonline.org/index.html
Immediate help needed. click here to donate now

Latest Update on ICNA Relief's Hurricane Katrina Efforts (9/2/2005)

Hurricane Katrina: Register as Host Family: Thousands of displaced
families are looking for a temporary home. Click here (secure)
https://icnany.org/hosting/hostingform.php

RedCross: Locate your relatives
At Your Service...

ICNA Relief's Baton Rouge Emergency Camp can be contacted at 225-
344-4847. Br. Maqsood Ahmad (Head of Operations)'s mobile number is
225-315-0407
ICNA Relief's Houston contacts are Br. Ayub Badat (Head of
Operations) 832-276-9850, Br. Hashim Badat 832-863-3917 and Br.
Ilyas Chaudhry 832-275-0786
ICNA Relief's central office 718-658-7028
ICNA's National Coordinator for Katrina Relief Work can be reached
at 732-593-7017
Thousands of Families displaced due to Hurricane Katrina
Currently, ICNA Relief in cooperation with local Islamic centers is
providing food and shelter to over 150 displaced families in nearby
areas. ICNA Relief has announced $250,000 for the relief efforts
related to Hurricane Katrina. ICNA Relief will be sending volunteers
into New Orleans once they are allowed to enter the affected areas.
Most of the Relief efforts are being coordinated with Islamic Center
of Baton Rouge,click here to get Flyer Please Donate Generously
towards this effort

If one is not satisfied with the choices that they have to choose from Dar Al Kitab Wal Hikmah is also accepting donations for the relief effort.

*****

Originally Posted by Jannah

3. Distribute fliers in your community including masjids and various organizations.

Btw: Where can we get the fliers?

*****

On another note: lets get a list of masaajid that we are going to try to book for Jumu'ah fundraisers...

ISCJ
MCMC
Dar ul Islaah (Teaneck)
ICSJ
Masjid AlAmaan(Middletown)
Boonton
Masjid AlTawheed(Jersey City)
North Bergen
ICPC

So...any volunteers?

I emailed them about flyers, am waiting on a response.