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Dammaj... a
valley of Ahlus Sunnah... which was once our home, housing Dar-ul-Hadeeth ---
our center of learning
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Well the clock had already started
ticking and we have only hours to leave our home. Where do we start?? What do
we pack? What can we take? How much can we take?
The following hadeeth was a great
consolation to me. How strange indeed is the affair of
the believer!! It is a Win-Win situation only for the believer in all
circumstances:
On the authority of Abi Yahyaa bin
Suhaib Sinaan رضي اللّه عنـه who said that the Prophet Muhammad صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said: “How strange is the affair of the
believer! For indeed, in all of his affairs there is well
being . And this is not the case with anyone else except for the
believer. For if any good befalls him, he thanks (Allaah), and as a result
it is better for him, and if a calamity befalls, he endures it
patiently, and as a result it is better for him.”
Dammaj now was a hive of
activity, all scrambling to pack their belongings to take what we could and
load them in trucks provided for us. Some have lived in Dammaj since the Markaz
was established forty years ago by Sheikh Muqbil رحمه الله. Even many of
the local Yemeni residents (Dammajis) who had lived here for generations
prepared to leave with us as they did not want to live under the domination and
tyranny of the Houthi Râfidhi.
Well, then came our last day in Dammaj.. tears, tears and
more tears! Apart from leaving our home and material things which we had
invested in, the difficult part was to leave Dammaj since all our hearts were
attached to this Light-House of Sunnah, which has been a means for the
establishment of the Salafi Da’wah worldwide. Dammaj was a place free of bid'ah,
Kufr and Shirk, a place free of the Kuffar, deviated groups, lewdness,
billboards, television, cigarettes.. no temples, no churches but only Masaajid!
Dammaj was a place free of Music, cinema, casinos, free mixing and with no imitation
of the Kuffar in our lifestyle.. a place where there were stores only for women
run by women; a place where even a small child would call out 'tareeq,
tareeq' (make way) before the women folk walk out of their homes so that
the men free the way for the sisters to pass by.
SubhanAllaah! The Ghuraba and those seeking
ilm amongst the locals strive to implement the ilm they acquire, giving
priority to the Arabic language and struggling to make it a living language
even in their homes no matter where they are from: Russia, America, Somalia,
United Kingdom, Canada or Sri Lanka. Memorizing Qur'aan is given utmost
importance here and early morning hours are specific for learning and
memorizing Qur'aan. No matter how young or old one is, all exert a lot of
effort in hifdh.
Whatever you see is coolness to the eyes... apart from the
beautiful scenery of the mountains and breathtaking greenery of the corn
fields, grape vines and pomegranates, adherence to the Muslim identity is a
reality here, for big and small, old and young. Since Dammaj is a place of
talabul-ilm, we'd often see the tullaab (students) clad in thobe, imaamah,
observing the beard and isbaal, reciting Qur'aan or reading hadeeth even
when walking to and from the Markaz. Alhamdulillaah, you'd rarely see or
hear that which displeases our Rab. I state this without any exaggeration!!
Women on the other hand are all clad in black from head to
foot, this includes the little women who love to imitate their mothers in their
Muslim attire from a very young age. All are conscious of pictures with souls to
the extent that the little girls play only with headless dolls and are quick to
deface images which they come across in books, food wraps, toiletries, etc. Alhamdulillaah
Dammaj was a place where we were proud of our Muslim identity!
Hmmm... after we loaded the truck, it was time to get into
the bus... all I remember now is that I had no strength to even walk to the bus
parked outside on the road. It was a very difficult moment alright! It reminded
us of the Hijrah of our beloved Messenger صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم when he had to leave Makkah (the most beloved
city to him) and migrate to Medina. Hence, he went from
being oppressed to being victorious, wherein Tawheed was strengthened
and Islaam became widespread. Prophet Ibraheemعليه
السلام on the other hand was also oppressed by his people and
had to leave Iraq in order to establish Tawheed in Makkah and Palestine. Then
we have the Muhaddith of our era, Sheikh Naasir-ud-Deen Al Albaniرحمه الله who had to leave Syria and Lebanon and
eventually settle in Jordan in order establish his Da’wah firmly.
Military guards were provided for us from the government so
that we could depart Dammaj without any incident. Tears turned into sobs, dua,
dua and more dua... begging Allaaah fervently to ease all our affairs, to help
us submit to His will, to protect us on this journey, take us safely to our
destination....
Well the next NEWS that bombarded us was that Hudaida was
not prepared to receive us and that all those leaving Dammaj had to arrive in
Sanaa. Several Yemeni families left for their home towns such as Taiz, Aden,
Ibb etc.. Allaahul-musta'ân. We seek Allaah's Aid alone in all our affairs.
Even when we were prepared to leave Dammaj, leaving behind everything which included
our home, we now face another trial... no proper destination to go to.
The companions of the Prophet were themselves evicted from
their homes and lands, forced to flee leaving behind their possessions behind
them, their tribulations went from severity to severity, their enemies multiplied
in number, on occasion they were overcome and defeated, many of them killed at
Uhud and at other places and battles. The Messenger of Allaah injured his face,
one of his molar tooth was broken and his helmet was crushed into the sides of
his head, his enemies rejoiced and his associates despaired. On the Day of
al-Khandaq they were tried to the point that Allaah says:
هُنَالِكَ
ابْتُلِيَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَزُلْزِلُوا زِلْزَالًا شَدِيدًا
"...
there, the believers were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking."
(Al-Ahzab 33:11)
What can I say except what Ibrahim عليه السلام said when he was
thrown into the fire and what Muhammad صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said
when they (the hypocrites) said, “Verily, the people (pagans)
have gathered against you (a great army), therefore fear them,” but it (only) increased them
in Faith and they said:
حَسْبُنَا
اللَّـهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ
“Allaah (Alone) is Sufficient for us,
and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us).”
(Aa'la Imran 3:173)
(Sahih
al-Bukhari Vol. 6, hadith #86)
Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى
says in His Noble Book:
قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَا إِلاَّ مَا كَتَبَ اللّهُ لَنَا هُوَ
مَوْلاَنَا وَعَلَى اللّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
'Say: "Nothing shall ever happen
to us except what Allaah has ordained for us. He is our Mawlaa (Lord, Helper
and Protector). And in Allaah let the believers put their trust."
[Taubah 9:51]
Allaahسُبحانه وتعالى out of His infinite wisdom has decreed what is
happening to us thousands of years ago..
And nothing will transpire except that which is written in the Lawh
Al-Mahfoodh. So who are we to question His Qadr. In
fact, Heعزّ و جلّ has allowed this to happen to us in Dammaj for
reasons He knows best. We ask Allaah that He forgives us and gives us
well-being in this world and the Hereafter. May He also grant us the accord to
enact that which He loves and is pleased with in all circumstances, ameen!
Alhamdulillaah, the
believer is noble, victorious, aided, sufficed and defended wherever he may be,
even if the whole of mankind were to gather against him, provided that he has
fulfilled the reality of faith both in speech and deed. Allaah the Exalted says
to the believers:
وَلاَ تَهِنُوا وَلاَ تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنتُمُ
الأَعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
"Do
not give up and don't be sad. You will be superior (in victory) if you are
indeed (true) believers."
(A'ala Imran 3:139)
Allaah, Glorious He has made clear in His Book that He will
aid the believers in this world and the next:
إِنَّا
لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ
يَقُومُ الْأَشْهَادُ
"We will certainly help Our
Messengers and those who have faith both in the life of this world and on the
Day the witnesses appear..."
(Al-Ghafir 40:51)
Currently we, ahlul Dammaj (People of Dammaj) are
now scattered and sprinkled in San'aa having lost our homes, our Markaz, facing
the unknown. The actions of Allaah are dictated by wisdom and benefit, so we await
the promise of Allaah with sabr
(patience) and ihtisâb (to seek reward from Allaah with patience at
times of tribulation and adversity, with
the soul at peace not disliking what it has been afflicted with):
فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
إِنَّ
مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
"So verily, with the hardship, there is relief. Verily, with the
hardship, there is relief (i.e. there is one hardship with two reliefs, so one
hardship cannot overcome two reliefs)."
(Ash-Sharh 94:5-6)
To be continued when I have access to
the internet bi'ithnillaahi...
Ukhti May Allah ease the burdens of the Muslims there Amin. Please keep us updated on what is going on there now. What will happen next? Will the foreigners all head back to their respective countries? May Allah protect you all Amin!
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