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"In what felt like a glimpse of the apocalypse that Allah wanted us to experience" Julie Ezwin shares her experience, along with her children and husband, of the recent earthquake in Marrakesh, Maghribi.

The sensation was akin to being in a shaken box. That was the anxious moment experienced by a group of Malaysians when an earthquake hit Maghribi last Friday night. Julie Ezwin Othman, 45, says she was in the country to attend a meeting and to travel with her husband and son on September 4. They stayed in a friend's accommodation in Riad Farasha, Marrakesh.

The terrifying event, she says, began after they finished dinner with students from Malaysia and Singapore. "As we were chatting, we felt a strong tremor as if we were in a vigorously shaken box. The quake shook the pool water at the accommodation fiercely and overflowed, also causing the chandelier to sway violently, the ceiling fan to make a loud noise, and many items to move and shatter. 

"My husband recited the azan (Islamic call to prayer) and we joined in before the shaking lessened and stopped as soon as the azan was finished," she explained.

The songwriter and Creative Director of Culture and Education, who has been a resident in the United Kingdom for the last 22 years, says they went outside to seek refuge in an open space to avoid any possible incidents as the architectural structures in the country are not very strong and are closely built.

"We heard screams of panic as the tremors shook the mosque tower in front of us, causing many people to scatter. We decided to head to the airport, but the roads were congested and no taxi would stop. 

"In this situation, I was moved to pray that we have a great mission for Ummah, I beg Allah SWT to ease our affairs and save us from this disaster," said the Old Windsor resident.

Unexpectedly, a van stopped in front of us and with the help of a student named Nabila from Rabat who was fluent in Arabic and the local language, the middle-aged driver was willing to give us a ride.

"Upon arrival at the airport, we saw many people lying in the parking area after the building was closed due to damage. We lay on the grass as best we could. However, it was difficult to sleep due to shock.

"Tomorrow morning, I was relieved because we were among the first to be allowed to check-in for our return to London," she said. Such a dramatic and terrifying event was something Julie Ezwin and her family would undoubtedly remember, serving as a stark reminder of the forces of nature they experienced that night.

While they were kindly and quickly assisted, it was clear that this wasn't a regular experience for the travelers, making it tremendously remarkable. Despite the fear and chaos, it was pleasing to see how their prayers were absolutely answered, cementing their faith and conviction even more.