Dear Friends

Oct 9th 2005 6:15pm

This alert has been sent out on behalf of Association of Muslims, Leeds (AML), we humbly ask our networks and members to help raise substantial funds for the devastated areas in South Asia. If you want any assistance or have a query with regards to this please get in touch with the numbers below. We welcome to hear your thoughts.

Akhlaq Ahmad, Association of Muslims, Leeds (AML)

Email: amil_leeds@yahoo.co.uk Contact no: 07733 121 142

Hanif Rehman, Muslim Professionals UK

Email: hanif@muslimprofessionals.org.uk Contact no: 07970 590 749

Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

A powerful earthquake has killed at least 19,000 people in Pakistan, but the death toll is likely to increase as rescuers find more bodies in the rubble. The 7.6 magnitude quake struck near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, destroying buildings, wiping out entire villages and triggering landslides. Hospitals, mosques and schools have been destroyed with hundreds of children losing their lives.

In Pakistan's North-West Frontier province, hundreds of children have been buried alive under collapsed schools. In Indian Occupied Kashmir, death and destruction has been reported in towns close to the UN Line of Control dividing the disputed territory with over 500 dead. Most badly hit have been the towns of Uri, Kupwara, Poonch and Baramullah. The death toll there has reached over 500 dead and almost 1,000 injured.

This is the worst natural disaster this area has faced for a century and requires an overwhelming response from us all to help our brothers and sisters. Many British Muslims have family, friends and relatives in the affected areas who have perished. Others still have no news due to the remoteness of many of the affected towns and villages. In this month of blessing the response for humanitarian aid and donations will be rewarded by Allah (swt) many times over.

For those who lost their lives, we pray that our Lord provides them with lofty places in Jannat - innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilaihi raajioon(From Allah we are and unto Allah we return). For the living and the injured, we must pray for them and respond with all means possible. We must act NOW - we have a duty towards them.

Over the past year AML have raised substantial amount of funds for the Tsunami-hit Aceh region in Indonesia and for Mali and Niger in Africa last month. Since the launch of AML a year ago, our charitable track record has been very successful mainly due to the immense generosity of its Leeds City Centre members. We are once again asking for your help.

AML have been in contact with Islamic Relief, the leading charity coordinating the relief effort in Pakistan (www.islamicrelief.com). Waseem Aslam, NE Fund Raising Manager has confirmed that Islamic Relief have allocated an initial £2 million and are spearheading the humanitarian work through their offices there. The British Government has also extended its full support to Islamic Relief and Oxfam in their relief supplies shipment to Pakistan. Mr. Adil Almahi, from Islamic Relief Pakistan has said that 90% of basic infrastructure has been destroyed and it will take years to rebuild.

AML have also been in touch with Doctors Worldwide (www.doctorswordwide.org) who are in the process of putting a team together to provide expert emergency medical relief to the injured. Dr Najeeb has informed AML that a team of 5 volunteer doctors will be heading to Azad Kashmir in the next few days to set-up mobile clinics and to provide support and assistance in the remaining functioning hospitals in the area. They will be purchasing all medicine and supplies from Pakistan itself where possible to treat the victims of disaster. Their sister organisation, MERCY Malaysia is also heading towards Pakistan in the next few days.

AML, together with Muslim Association of Leeds University (MALMU), Muslim Professionals UK (MPUK), BT Muslim Network and possibly a number of other Muslim groups who will be supporting the campaign, have come together in partnership with Islamic Relief and Doctors Worldwide to launch its biggest ever charity appeal so far to raise money for the victims of the disaster.

For the convenience of Leeds professional community and students, AML and MALMU will be collecting funds between 1pm and 2pm during weekdays as well as during Jumah prayers at the Queen Square prayer rooms starting from this week.

Please forward this email to all your contacts – Muslim and non-Muslim to join in with the fund-raising in order to help alleviate the suffering of the people of Kashmir and Pakistan in their hour of most need.

Wassalaam alaikum,

Akhlaq Ahmad, Association of Muslims, Leeds (AML)

Email: amil_leeds@yahoo.co.uk Contact no: 07733 121 142

Hanif Rehman, Muslim Professionals UK

Email: hanif@muslimprofessionals.org.uk Contact no: 07970 590 749

For and on behalf of :

Association of Muslims, Leeds (AML)

Muslim Association of Leeds Metropolitan University (MALMU)

Muslim Professionals UK (MPUK)

BT Muslim Network

The Sunni Muslim Youth (TSMY)