Fire Safety and Islamic Values: Lessons from the Bangabazar Shopping Complex Fire
Around 3,000 RMG traders in Bangabazar area lost everything to a fire that broke out before Eid day, the biggest celebration day of Bangladesh. They had invested heavily in readymade garments, loans, and inventory, hoping to have a good business ahead of the festival. The fire, which started around 6:10am, gutted nearly every shop in the market, which is loved for its affordable clothing. The firemen brought the fire under control around 12:36pm, but the shop owners and employees were seen going through the smouldering ruins desperately to salvage whatever they could. The loss due to the fire could be around Tk 5,000 crore.
Loss of asset is a test from Allah that may expiate our sins and elevate our ranks in the hereafter, if we endure it with patience and faith. Allah says in the Quran:
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ
ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَٰتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُهْتَدُونَ
“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient. Who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah , and indeed to Him we will return.’ Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.” (2:155-157)
Loss of asset is a reminder of the transience of this world and the need to focus on the everlasting hereafter. Allah says in the Quran:
ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌۢ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِى ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَوْلَٰدِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ ٱلْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَٰمًا ۖ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٌ ۚ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ
“Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children - like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion?” (57:20)
The shop owners and the Dhaka South City Corporation, which owns the complex, alleged that a vested group might have resorted to arson to occupy the land.
It was narrated from Abu Sirmah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever harms others, Allah (SWT) will harm him; and whoever causes hardship to other Allah will cause hardship to him.”
مَنْ ضَارَّ أَضَرَّ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَمَنْ شَاقَّ شَقَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ
The head of Fire Service and Civil Defence said that the crowd of onlookers made it harder to control the fire at the shopping complex and delayed the firefighting efforts. Causing harm or hardship to others, especially Muslims, is a grave sin that will be requited by Allah in this world or the hereafter. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) warned against relieving oneself in shaded places, walkways or watering places. He also said:
وَيُمِيطُ الأَذَى عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ صَدَقَةٌ
“Removing harmful things from the road is an act of charity (sadaqah)”. Sahih al-Bukhari 2989
As Muslims, we should learn from this event and adhere to the teachings of Islam that forbid harming others and urge us to do good deeds and remove harm from the road.
The traders who ignored the fire service’s warnings and did not take the necessary precautions were negligent and irresponsible, and they may have harmed themselves and others by their actions. Islam encourages us to take necessary precautions to protect ourselves from harm and to avoid exposing ourselves to unnecessary risks. Allah says in the Quran:
وَلَا تُلْقُوا۟ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى ٱلتَّهْلُكَةِ
“And do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction.” (2:195)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised us to avoid sleeping on a rooftop without barriers or sailing in the sea when it is rough, as these actions may lead to death or injury. He also said that such people have no claim or right to compensation if they die or get hurt. This shows that we are responsible for our own safety and well-being, and we should not expose ourselves to unnecessary dangers or neglect the means of protection that are available to us.
مَنْ بَاتَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ بَيْتٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ حِجَارٌ فَقَدْ بَرِئَتْ مِنْهُ الذِّمَّةُ
Narrated Ali ibn Shayban:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If anyone spends the night on the roof of a house with no stone palisade, Allah's responsibility to guard him no longer applies.
We should seek refuge with Allah from the hellfire and the torment of the grave, as they are the ultimate consequences of evil deeds. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us to say:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ
“O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the punishment of Hellfire and from the punishment of the grave.”