The earthquake that hit some parts of Syria and Turkey on 6 February at dawn made many Muslims shocked. About fifty thousand people died in this earthquake. Many buildings have been destroyed. It was measured 7.8 in Richter scale.

Many people took part in rescue operation following the earthquake. Along with rescuers from other countries, Bangladeshi rescue teams also took part in the operation. Many dead bodies were recovered from debris and many people were rescued alive. It is natural that man will come to the aid of his fellow human beings. There is no scenario more beautiful than this.

If we showed the same sympathy in every sphere of our life this world would have become a place of true human beings.

Disasters like flood, earthquake, and famine show us how weak and helpless we are! Then how is it that we show arrogance! We should rather be humble and submissive before Allah.    

In reality, the worldly life of victims killed in the earthquake has ended and their life of Akhira has started. This reality is true not only for them rather for every human being. Every living creature has to taste death and return to Allah, the creator. Who knows when his last hour will come to him? Did those who lost their lives in Turkey and Syria realize when they went to bed that this was their last sleep? Did they realize that this night was their last night in this world?

Men have many dreams, many hopes and desires. But when death comes all of them become shattered. So we, who are still alive, should prepare for Akhira. We should repent for our sins, fulfill the rights of Allah and the rights of the fellow human beings, pay off our debts, and ask for forgiveness from everyone, so that we may reurn to Allah with purity and righteousness.

What happens every day around us carry many lessons for us. We should think deeply and contemplate over the underlying message of these happenings. We should reproach upon us like prophet Hadhrat Yunus a.s. At the deep sea, inside the deep darkness of the belly of the fish, he prayed to Allah in theses words_ 

لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّاۤ اَنْتَ سُبْحٰنَكَ اِنِّیْ كُنْتُ مِنَ الظّٰلِمِیْنَ.

He prayed to Allah in such a difficult situation where there was no hope of getting rescued. But Allah saved him from this situation. The readers of the Quran also know that after mentioning the story of Hadhrat Yunus a.s., Quran also declares_

وَ كَذٰلِكَ نُـنْجِی الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ.

 thus we will release the believers.

Therefore, if we want salvation we must be believers. The most important quality of a believer is humbleness and submission. A believer must consider himself guilty and submit himself to the orders of Allah. On the other hand, the quality of Satan is to be arrogant against the orders of Allah.

Today this humility and submission is very much necessary in all spheres of our life, whether it is personal social or national. If we acquire this quality we can save ourselves from the darkness around us. This darkness is more dangerous than the earthquake in Syria and Turkey. Men lose their organs or lives in disasters like earthquake but they lose their Iman due to the moral degradation of the society which destroys their worldly life as well as the life of Akhirah.

We express our heartfelt sympathy to the victims of the earthquake in Syria and Turkey. May Allah give them tawfiq to be patient and recover from this disaster.