an evening talk: Alhamdulillah...

31 Julai 2007 (Selasa) - BAKIT Pusat dengan kerjasama An-Nidaa', sebuah badan NGO telah mengadakan program "An Evening Talk" yang bertemakan "Unity for Peace". Ceramah telah disampaikan oleh dua orang penceramah jemputan iaitu Shah Kirit Kakulal Govindji dari Saba' Islamic Media dan William Rodriguez yang merupakan salah seorang mangsa yang terselamat dari tragedi World Trade Centre, 11 September 2001. Beliau telah banyak membantu mangsa serta keluarga mangsa melalui pelbagai badan kebajikan. Penceramahan jemputan asal iaitu Sheikh Yusuf Estes tidak dapat menghadiri program tersebut disebabkan perkara yang tidak dapat dielakkan. Program ini telah bermula dari jam 8 malam sehingga 11.40 malam bertempat di TM Multipurpose Hall, Menara TM, Jln Pantai Baru, KL. Majlis tersebut telah mendapat sambutan yang amat menggalakkan dari dalam dan luar TM. Dianggarkan 500 orang telah hadir, termasuklah tetamu dari kalangan bukan Islam.

Saudara William telah memeluk agama Islam pada bulan Desember 2006, Alhamdulillah iaitu ketika beliau sedang dalam perjalanan menaiki teksi bersama-sama Syeikh Yusuf Estes. Semoga Allah merahmati mereka berdua dan sentiasa memudahkan kerja-kerja dakwah mereka untuk Islam.

Introducing Mr William Rodriguez

William Rodriguez, is a native of Puerto Rico, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the State of New Jersey. On September 11, 2001, and for approximately nineteen years prior thereto, Rodriguez was employed as a maintenance worker at the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York, New York.

On 9/11, Rodriguez single-handedly rescued fifteen (15) persons from the WTC, and as Rodriguez was the only person at the site with the master key to the North Tower stairwells, he bravely led firefighters up the stairwell, unlocking doors as they ascended, thereby aiding in the successful evacuation of unknown hundreds of those who survived. Rodriguez, at great risk to his own life, re-entered the Towers three times after the first, North Tower impact at about 8:46 A.M., and is believed to be the last person to exit the North Tower alive, surviving the building's collapse by diving beneath a fire truck. After receiving medical attention at the WTC site for his injuries, Rodriguez spent the rest of 9/11 aiding as a volunteer in the rescue efforts, and at dawn the following morning, was back at Ground Zero continuing his heroic efforts.

Rodriguez lost his employment of 19 years and his means of earning a living as a direct result of the attacks on the WTC on 9/11. Deeply affected, as one might imagine, by his experiences of 9/11, Rodriguez has, in a variety of capacities and through several different organizations, worked ever since that terrible day to help others who were affected by the atrocities committed. He has continued in these labors, notwithstanding the fact that, due to the loss of his employment, he has been unable to earn a living, and was even homeless for a time.

See www.william911.com for more information.

Dari kiri: Tn Hj Baharuddin Abdullah, William Rodriguez, Shah Kirit Kakulal Govindji

Brother Shah Kirit present his talk 'Unity for Peace'

Q & A session. Lebih kurang 500 orang memenuhi dewan