Communal Harmony: 30 Of The 150 Tamil Nadu Mosques Converted Into Relief Centres, No Prayers Held For Four Days
By
Syed Ali Mujtaba, New Age Islam
24 December
2023
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During the
recent rains in Tamil Nadu from December 17-19, members of the Muslim community
converted around 50 Mosques in the Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts into
relief camps to shelter flood-hit victims from all religions mostly Hindus.
Food being served to people sheltered at a mosque in Paattapaththu near
Tirunelveli town. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
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In a rare
gesture of communal harmony, when the torrent rains flooded the homes of many
humans, members of the Muslim community opened the gates of their mosques.
Around 1000
people took shelter in the mosques at Paatapaththu near Tirunelveli town alone.
The numbers could be much higher if all the mosques are taken into
consideration, he said. Around 30 of the 150 mosques were converted into relief
centers in the Thoothukudi district alone, said Mohammad Ghani of the SDPI, to
the media.
During the
four days, no prayers were held in the mosque because the prayer hall was
occupied by the flood-hit victims. Many
Muslim volunteers went to the marooned areas risking their lives to rescue the
stranded victims and bring them into the mosques.
The flood
hot victims were served hot food thrice a day, while children were served hot
milk bread and biscuits. Despite the
hardship faced due to incessant rains, the volunteers prepared the food in the
mosque premises and served it hot. The Muslim volunteers also provided
medicines to those who were sick and distributed clothes and blankets all free
of cost.
‘We have
served Biryani to the people staying in the mosques at the NGO colony,’ said
Nizam Mama, a volunteer.
The Muslim
volunteers also provided food packets to many students who were stranded in the
hostels and coaching centers in the vicinity free of cost.
A
volunteer, who wanted to remain anonymous thanked ‘Allah’ for providing him with such
an opportunity, and said “Though such a situation may never get
repeated, as a Muslim I feel proud to serve humanity, irrespective of their
religion.”
Three
districts of southern Tamil Nadu, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari
districts saw 'exceptionally' heavy rainfall during December 17–19. These
districts had received about 100 percent or more surplus rain during these
three days over the previous week December 6 – 13, 2023.
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Syed Ali
Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai.
URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/communal-harmony-mosques-relief-centres-prayers/d/131372
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