Ten Gifts for Aleppo

By Rahma Shata

When Amr Ibn AlAs asked Umar for an army of no less than 4,000 men, Umar sent FOUR men. With their Eman, each was worth 1,000 men and their goal was accomplished.

When Mohamed Ibn Qasim went with an army to open Turkey, he prayed fajr with them one day and gave them a speech. Afterwards, he looked for one man with the name Mohamed Ibn Wase’. When he found him, he said “by Allah that one finger of Mohamed Ibn Wase’ raised to supplicate to Allah is better than 1,000 swords.” With this man’s Duaa, Allah opened Turkey for the Muslims. 

When a tornado affected a small town, and in it was Shiekh Muhamed Ibn Mukhatil, people asked him to make Duaa for Allah to remove this punishment. He said “why would anyone ask me for Duaa, for I am probably the cause of this punishment.” With the heart of humility in this elderly man, Allah saved the whole town.

When Musa and his people gathered to ask Allah for rain, they were denied for one amongst them who was a sinner. With the tawbah (repentance) of this one man, Allah bought rain to the Muslims.

When our army was in battle to open Constantinople, they’d check if EVERY man in each tent was in Qiyaam (night prayer). If only one wasn’t, they’d say: “tomorrow will not be the day Allah grants us victory.” With their Qiyaam and dedication, Allah opened Constantinople.

When Salah alDin freed Palestine, it was only after years of teaching the Muslims what proper Islam is. Only then, with pure hearts, did they know what Jihaad (the struggle in the way of Allah) was. With the light of knowledge, they formed an army and Allah granted them victory.

When the Muslims were defeated in Uhud because of ONE sin, they learned their lesson collectively. Allah does not give victory based on number but based on the heart’s faiths. With this instilled in them, Allah granted 313 victory in Badr, despite them facing 1,130 enemies.

Syrian residents, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighborhood, arrive in Aleppo’s Fardos neighborhood on December 13 2016, after regime troops retook the area from rebel fighters.Syrian rebels withdrew from six more neighborhoods in their one-time bastion of east Aleppo in the face of advancing government troops, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. / AFP / STRINGER (Getty Images)

The examples are many. We can list them all day. We just need to wake up. Allah has always granted us victory after we have done our parts.

Syria is burning to the ground and we aren’t moving. With one word or one Duaa, let’s wage ‘war’ against the enemy of not just Islam, but the enemy of humanity.

When each of us consciously took the shahada for the first time in our lives, we became part of this large family united under the umbrella of “La Ilaha Illa Allah.” The grief of the people of Syria is the same grief that’s resides in our hearts. That is what a family is.

Yes, from the creation of this universe, until this very moment, every single thing that has occurred was predestined by Allah ……But that He has allowed for it to happen does not mean He is satisfied and is in favor of what has happened.

Realize right now that YOU can do something and turn away from any person or article telling you otherwise. Each and every single one of us will be asked on Judgement Day.

Oh Allah , we have transgressed and failed our brothers and sisters in Syria, so forgive us and open for us doors to do good. SubhanAllah even during this painful time, Allah is STILL giving us gifts and opportunities to be a PROACTIVE community, as was the community of Rasool Allah :

Gift One: Tawbah. “And whatever strikes you of disaster – it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.” [Quran 42:30] Let’s intend right now to leave our sins so that Allah may aid our brothers and sisters in Syria and lift this catastrophe that has befallen our Ummah. Turn to Him. He is the Most Forgiving.

Gift Two: It’s winter. The days are short. The nights are long. Fast maybe just Mondays and Thursdays and make the Duaa at the breaking of your fast for your hurting brothers and sisters. Take a portion of the night and pray Qiyaam to your Lord. Organize a local Qiyaam night. Without doubt, no Duaa is refused, for Rasool Allah said: “Verily your Lord is Modest and Generous, when His servant raises his hands to Him in supplication, He is shy to return them empty.” It’s the right of our Syrian brothers and sisters on us. And although Duaa is the only weapon currently in our hands, it’s a very very powerful one.

Gift Three: The local Masajid. Request (actually, urge) your masjid to host a fundraiser. There are more than 3,000 masajid in the U.S alone. We have the numbers. If each of the masajid raised ONLY $5,000, we can easily send 15 million to aid our brothers and sisters in Syria. Imagine the difference that can make to the shivering child in the arms of his mother.

Gift Four: Organizations. Allah has blessed us with organizations that directly and indirectly aid our Syrian brothers and sisters. Donate and spread their names. Do not belittle a dime. If it’s what you have, give it. Some organizations doing work on the ground are Zakat Foundation of America, NuDay Syria, Syrian American Medical Society.

Gift Five: Qunoot Al-Nazila. Contact your local Imam and ask him to enforce this. When you’re praying jama’a with friends, do this. When only THREE men were captured from the Muslims at the time of Rasool Allah , he would pray with the people and make Duaa for the captured in every prayer for over a month. Imagine Rasool Allah saw what’s afflicting the Muslims today.

Gift Six: Democracy. Although many debate whether or not we are living in a democracy, note that we are blessed to be able to contact our local AND national officials. Reach out. Ask them to do something with their political power. And the more of us that call, the more the urgency in our voices is heard.

Gift Seven: Democracy (part II). Participate in peaceful protests and vigils. Encourage your friends to. Organize a vigil. A protest. An online campaign. We are not living in a country which jails us for speaking up, and we must be thankful for that and utilize it. There are others suppressed by their governments and we must be their voice. So, go out. As a good friend worded it, laziness here is punishable.

Gift Eight: Media. Share. Share. Share. OVER share. If the news won’t adequately cover Aleppo, we will. Spread awareness with a click of a button. Keep the hashtag trending. Write about what’s going on. You’d be surprised how many people are misinformed. Educating one person may form a ripple of goodness for this Ummah.

Gift Nine: Allah is the Most Knowing, the Most Wise, the Most Merciful, the Capable. Know that with every hardship comes a greater ease. Oh Muslims, “& do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are (true) believers.” [Quran 3:139]

Gift Ten: Lastly…With sincerity and unity, let’s hold firm to this religion for indeed it is the greatest gift we have ever been given. And open His book . Read.

For indeed the victory of Allah is near.

Ya Arham Arrahimeen, You see the condition of the Syrian children, the women who are raped and the shuyukh who are disparaged– ya Allah with Your Mercy, take them out of this state and protect them.

Ya Qadir, You are the only One capable of changing the condition of a people. Ya Rahman ya Rahim change our condition and make us a2imma and khulafaa2 again.

Ya Allah , You say “Be” and it is. With Your Power oh Most High and our King, change the condition of our Ummah. Ya Salaam, restore peace in the lands of the Muslims.

Ya Wadud, with Your love for Your servants, allow the us to be from the superior ones. Ya Tawwab, accept our repentances so that You may change our state.

Ya Nafi’, You are the only One Capable of benefiting us, oh our Lord, benefit us with a near victory.

Ya Samee’ ya baseer, You see what the oppressors have done. Oh our Lord, destroy them with themselves and show us a day which will become a coolness on the hearts of the believers

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