There are no words to explain how I am feeling right now. But what I am feeling is unimportant. What I ask you all to do is pray for the people in Jeddah to be safe and for the ones stuck outside their homes, in their cars and on the tops of buildings to finally make it home… hopefully to a home that is still inhabitable.

What’s touching is all the people on twitter and through Blackberry messenger who are inviting anyone stranded nearby into their homes. Offering them shelter until they are able to go to their own home. These people have put their names, addresses and phone numbers for anyone who needs help. They are out on the streets trying to help where they can. They are sending out Tweets when the roads are clear. The government has sent out helicopters and the national guard to help people.

The solidarity I see is beautiful. The anger I see is understandable. The accusations unfortunately are very wild and mostly unverified. Mistakes have been made and there are people who are accountable. That is not the issue under dispute. All I would like to ask people is to choose the right way make change. We are better, as a people, than some of what is being said on twitter. I believe we cannot fix destruction with more destruction.

Action needs to be taken. It needs to be big, it needs to be effective and it needs to have immediate and long term results. This is the time we will look back at and say “that’s when everything changed”.
The question is to what?

I dread to hear how many have died today… How many bodies will be found… or not found. I pray for the families that have lost loved ones. I do not know what else to say.

*a little note to my cousin who has been stuck at a bank all day with 120 people and is probably going to be there till morning. I hope all is calm when you wake and you can all go home safe and sound. I’m sure your little girl missed you today.

حديث أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال

من نفس عن مؤمن كربة من كرب الدنيا نفس الله عنه كربة من كرب يوم القيامة ومن يسر على معسر يسر الله عليه في الدنيا والآخرة ومن ستر مسلمًا ستره الله في الدنيا والآخرة والله في عون العبد ما كان العبد في عون أخيه