Zizo urges Egyptians to seize a ‘second chance’ after earthquake

Ahmed Sayed Zizo has called on people to reflect on their lives and prepare for the afterlife after a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck Egypt early on Monday.

The Al Ahly and Egypt national team forward shared a message of faith on Instagram after the tremor, saying a few seconds of fear had placed worldly concerns in perspective.

“Seconds of fear were enough to make the world, with everything in it, seem smaller in people’s eyes, and for everyone to remember that, in the end, there is no refuge except with God,” Zizo wrote.

The earthquake struck before dawn, according to the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics.

In a statement, the institute said the tremor occurred at 03:00 local time. It was recorded at a depth of 10 kilometres, with its epicentre 38 kilometres north of Suez.

Zizo used the incident to urge people not to allow anger, conflict or worldly ambitions to distract them from their religious responsibilities.

“Life is too short for us to spend it in conflict, injustice and anger, and too short for the world to distract us from the day we are all heading towards,” he added.

The 29-year-old continued by encouraging people to pursue their ambitions while remembering what he described as their duties beyond this life.

“Work, strive and dream, but do not forget, while building your life in this world, to build for your afterlife,” Zizo said. “Do not postpone repentance or any good deed you are able to do, or any right you are able to restore.”

He suggested that experiences such as the earthquake could serve as a warning as well as a cause for fear.

“Perhaps God sends us moments like these not only so that we are afraid, but so that we wake up, review ourselves and understand that having another chance is, in itself, a blessing,” he wrote.

Zizo ended his message with a prayer asking for protection, forgiveness and a good ending to life.

“May God protect us with His mercy, forgive us, grant us a good ending, and not take us except while He is pleased with us,” he said.

The earthquake was reported by Egypt’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics after it struck in the early hours of Monday. The institute gave its strength as 5.6 on the Richter scale and identified the area north of Suez as the location of the epicentre.

Zizo’s message followed his move to Al Ahly and his continued involvement with the Egypt national team, but focused on personal reflection rather than football.