Salam alaykum:
We were here in India when the tsunami hit on Dec. 26, in the early morning. We could feel the tremors shaking our beds as far away as we were from the earthquake (we were in Banaglore). We arrived in Chennai the very next day. Things here have been busy and folks are dealing with the situation as best they can.
Muslims are the unsung heroes of the day, and will probably never be accredited with their success in dealing with the most devastating disaster in centuries, nor will they likely be concerned about the lack of publicity. After all, Muslims do not do their charity to be seen by others. Mosques and madrasas (Islamic schools) throughout all the islands and coastal areas affected, were turned into refugee shelters for victims all over Asia. Food, shelter, clothing, medicines and comforting embraces awaited victims whether Christian, Muslim or Hindus. All were welcomed and all were cared for according to their particular religious needs. Special meals were prepared for Hindus (vegetarian). Search and rescue efforts produced a number of victims who had been given up for dead or lost at sea. Those with most serious injuries were taken to hospitals by boat or inland transportation.

Local Muslims knew the islands and were able to establish communication with other Muslim organizations to work together in what has proven to be the most expedient and efficient solution to this most impending crisis since the 1970, Bangladesh crisis, when 300,000 killed in cyclone. Government officials have acknowledged they could not even begin to establish comparable facilities for the tsunami victims, saying they would like to simply support whatever the Muslims are doing and encourage them to continue.

Western media has somehow overlooked these important contributions of the area mosques, schools and Muslim organizations for several days. While local and area media here in India and other places having been praising these magnanimous efforts, the western media could only acknowledge that "some refugee shelters were set up in schools and religious places."

As always, we are working day and night to keep up with the emails, updating our websites and answering the many questions pouring in around the clock.

You can share in this effort immediately, by visiting our sites and then forwarding the links and pages to everyone you know. This is most important:

http://www.islamtomorrow.com (basics of Islam and articles)
http://www.islamyesterday.com (audios and videos)

http://www.islamalways.com (articles, discussions and answers to questions about Islam)

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Please pray for us and ask Allah to guide us to do more and to do it better for His sake. We are praying while traveling around the world, for all of the believers to unite in the common cause of peace in the surrender and obedience to Allah, and for all the non-believers to be guided by Allah for what is best for them in this life and in the Next Life.

Salam alaykum,
Yusuf Estes
Director, IslamAlways.com

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