God’s many names help us to remember certain attributes that we should aspire to; divine though these may be, it is a reminder of what we, as vicegerents on this earth, must always strive to be.
For Muslims the word ar-Rahman is one of the most oft-used names of Allah, which is used to address God several times a day, is also a word which many Muslims scholars believe is exclusive to Allah because it means every type of mercy, compassion and incorporates ultimate graciousness. It can be surmised that this trait of ar-Rahman is amongst the most important for Muslims to live up to.
One cannot help but think of mercy and compassion when we see the horrific misfortune of the victims of the tsunami which struck Sumatera and caused cataclysmic disasters that were felt as far as Somalia, just two months ago.
That people from all over the world were moved to act so spontaneously by the magnitude of the event, is an indicating of how much they were touched and how could one not be, to see utter devastation of entire regions and communities in just a matter of minutes.
Despite the quick actions taken by concerned individuals, organisations and countries, some were slower to act than others. Noticeable criticism was made of Arab countries in the Middle East (a term often synonymous with Muslim countries), who may felt had needed a big nudge before making contributions substantially larger than what was pledged initially.
This issue of generosity and compassion becomes important, when it become linked to religious or ethnic identity. The criticism directed towards the Middle East for their seemingly slow and parsimonious response in donating aid to the victims of the tsunami, was something that was actually felt by other Muslims elsewhere.
When it comes to lists that reflect things like generosity and munificence, one always hope to see some representation (in some form) as high up the top as possible.
Many Muslims read early lists of donations and not only began questioning why no Muslims countries occupied such lists, but immediately began feeling embarrassed a sign of the fraternity and sense of belonging of the ‘ummah’, which this time had some bearing the guilt on behalf of their Muslim brothers and sisters.
Thankfully, it was not too long before Arab countries began cranking up the support for tsunami aid. A 12-hour telethon in Saudi Arabia not only raised more than USD80 million for the victims of the Asian tsunami disaster, but it also helped quell accusations that the oil-rich Gulf states have been indifferent to a tragedy, and particularly one that left a fellow Muslim country the most devastated of them all.
While lists of countries that have contributed dollar figures continue to be dominated by Western nations (and thus by common perception, not Muslims nations) it is comforting to note that if you look at donations from a per capita angle, Qatar and Kuwait can claim places in the top 10, with the former donating as much as USD29.75 per person, as of February.
More good news is set to come from the Muslim world in terms of lending a hand, but this time from a neighbour of the worst affected region, Malaysia.
The overwhelming outpouring of sympathy and generosity from all different corners of the world in response to the catastrophe caused by forces of nature, could be said to have come in waves as tremendous as the destruction left in the wake of the tsunami itself.
In fact, a foundation initiated by Muslims, believes that this spontaneous impulse tor ach out, help or lend a hand is in fact a force of nature in itself. The Force of Nature Aid Foundation was formed by a group of private organisations and individuals in Malaysia and worldwide, dedicated to raising funds and awareness globally for the victims of natural disasters.
While its current campaign is inspired by the victims of the December 26 tsunami, Force of Nature’s focus is on long-term aid and assistance, beyond the initial relief work in disaster areas. It is committed to supporting long-term reconstruction of local economies, rebuilding communities and rejuvenating livelihoods of people affected by such catastrophe.
Led by Special Ambassador, Tan Sri Razali Ismail, former President of the United Nations General Assembly and Malaysia’s Special Envoy for Tsunami Aid and Assistance (a Muslim), force of nature is proud to have, and hopes to continue to attract global leaders and role models from various sectors to lend their support for natural disaster recovery efforts. Force of Nature hopes its initiatives will spur continuing support globally, so that the needs of disaster victims will be heard long after the dramatic early days of painful adversity.
Although news of the tsunami has begun petering away as the days roll by, it is encouraging to see an organisation like the Force of Nature Aid Foundation with its ambitious goals, international outlook and participation of people from many different places and of different creeds making a commitment to long-term aid and assistance for victims of natural disasters and a sustained building of awareness of their needs in the long-run.
An ongoing effort at emulating ar-Rahman if you will. It is heartening to see, compassion and mercy being lived out, and continuing to be encouraged by a small Muslim country. The human spirit of Rahman is thriving.
**This article was first published in The Halal Journal Mar/Apr 2005 edition, and was written by Nori Abdullah.