Reflection on Earthquakes - The Wrath of Allah

Reflection on Earthquakes - The
Wrath of Allah

From As-Sunnah
Bimonthly Islamic Newsletter

A few tremors
and entire cities are reduced to rubble…
hundreds of people are
lost,
millions of lives are disrupted and loss of property runs to
billions.
Who amongst us has not witnessed
the devastation and
destruction caused by earthquakes,
even if just on the news.


Whilst people
discuss about better ways and improved preparations for earthquakes and whether
existing buildings and structures are fit enough to withstand the earth's
tremors…. let us look at earthquakes from a different prospective - the Islamic
Prospective…


Let us study
the various references found in the Qur'aan and the Sunnah concerning
earthquakes and learn what a Muslim's attitude and response should be towards
disasters and calamities.


Earthquakes are a result of man's evil deeds. Allah sends
down calamities when sins and disobedience become widespread and people increase
in their wrongdoings:

• 
  
  It was
  wrongdoing, which drowned the people at the time of Nooh (alaihi
  as-salaam).
  
• 
  
  It was
  wrongdoing because of which a furious violent wind was sent upon the people of
  Aad, so that they were seen lying overthrown and destroyed, as if they were
  hollow trunks of palm-trees.
  
• 
  
  It was
  wrongdoing because of which an awful cry was sent upon the people of Thamud
  until it cut their hearts inside their bodies, and they all fell dead without
  exception
  
• 
  
  It was
  wrongdoing because of which villages of the people of Loot u were lifted till
  the angels heard barking of their dogs. They were turned upside down and upon
  them was poured a rain of stones.
  

“Did We
not destroy the ancients? So shall We make the later generations to follow them.
Thus do We deal with the Mujrimoon (criminals, disbelievers, sinners).”
[Soorah al-Mursalat (77): 16-19]


Thus,
disasters and calamities are a result of our increasing evil deeds and
disobedience to Allah: “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because
of what your hands have earned. And He (Allah) pardons much.” [Soorah
al-Shoorah (42): 30] “Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allah, but
whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself.” [Soorah an-Nisa
(4):79]


Narrated Abu
Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu): “Allah's Messenger (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam)
said: “When... property given in trust is treated as spoil, Zakaat is looked
on as a tax, learning is acquired for other than a religious purpose, a man
obeys his wife and is unkind towards his mother, he brings his friend near and
drives his father far off, voices are raised in the mosques, the most wicked
member of a tribe becomes its ruler, the most worthless member of a people
becomes its leader, a man is honored through fear of the evil he may do,
singing-girls and stringed instruments make their appearance, wines are drunk,
and the last members of this people curse the first ones, look at that time for
a violent wind, an earthquake, being swallowed up by the earth, metamorphosis,
pelting rain, and signs following one another like bits of a necklace falling
one after the other when its string is cut.” [at-Tirmidhee
(5450)]


Earthquake - a warning!!
All the factors mentioned in
this Hadeeth are clearly witnessed in the society today and earthquakes are
admonitions for us that we may take some heed and return back to Allah in
repentance: “Don’t they see that they are put in trial once or twice every
year (with different kinds of calamities, disease, famine)? Yet, they turn not
in repentance, nor do they learn a lesson.” [Soorah at-Tawbah (9):
126]


Allah sends
down such calamities to frighten His slaves and remind them of their obligations
and duties towards Him and to warn them against associating anything in worship
with Him: “And We sent not the signs except to warn.” [Soorah al-Isra
(17): 59] “When We decide to destroy a town, We (first) send a definite order
(to obey Allah and be righteous) to those among them who are given the good
things of this life. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the word (of
torment) is justified against (them). Then we destroy it with complete
destruction.” [Soorah al-Isra (17): 16]


Therefore,
man should constantly fear Allah and seek His forgiveness for one's sins. The
Messenger of Allah (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam), who was masoom (innocent and
free of all sins) would make al-Istagfar (seek Allah's forgiveness) several
times a day, he (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “By the One in Whose
Hands is my soul, I certainly ask forgiveness more than seventy times a day.”
[Saheeh al-Bukharee] and he (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) feared Allah so
much that even whenever a strong wind blew, anxiety appeared on his face
(fearing that, that wind might be a sign of Allah's Wrath). [Saheeh
al-Bukharee]


Ibn al-Qayyim
(rahimahullah) said: “Allah sometimes gives the earth permission to breathe,
which is when major earthquakes happen. This makes people feel scared, so they
repent, give up sins, pray to Allah and feel regret [for their sins]. When there
had been an earthquake, some of the Salaf said: “Your Lord is warning
you.


When Madeenah
was struck by an earthquake, 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (radhi allahu anhu) addressed
the people and said: 'If there is another earthquake, I will not stay here with
you.”


But, mankind
is ignorant of these warnings and is persistent in his evil deeds. He invites
the Wrath of Allah when he openly and remorselessly commits acts of evil on His
land. The Messenger of Allah (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Verily,
Allah has a sense of Ghayrah (honor, prestige and anger) and Allah’s sense of
Ghayrah is provoked when a person does that which Allah has made
prohibited.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim] Man does not realize
that “Verily, your Lord is Ever Watchful (over them).” [Soorah al-Fajr (89):
14] and anytime he may account us for our evil actions. “Then surely, We shall
question those to whom it (the Book) was sent and We shall question the
Messengers.” [Soorah al-A’raf (7): 6]


The Qur'aan
is a witness that terrible was the end of those who paid no heed to the warnings
of Allah in the previous nations: “So We punished each (of them) for his
sins, of them were some on whom We sent Haasib (a violent wind with shower of
stones) [as on the people of Loot (Lot)], and of them were some who were
overtaken by As-Saihah [torment awful cry, (as Thamood or Shu'ayb's people)],
and of them were some whom We caused the earth to swallow [as Qaaroon], and of
them were some whom We drowned [as the people of Nooh, or Fir'aun and his
people]. It was not Allah Who wronged them, but they wronged themselves.”
[Soorah Ankaboot (29): 40]


The
Astonishing Power of Allah
Allah, with this earthquake, makes clear
to His servants that the kingdom of the Heavens and the Earth is alone in His
Hands. Happenings of earthquakes are evidence of His astonishing Power: “For
to Allah belong the Forces of the heavens and the earth.” [Soorah al-Fath
(48) :7] “And none can know the Forces of your Lord, except He.” [Soorah
Mudhaththir (74): 31] If the Ummah leaves Allah's Sharee'ah, ignores His Deen
and follows its enemies, then Allah has the complete power to send down
disasters and calamities, and from them are earthquakes!! “Such is the
Seizure of your Lord when He seizes the towns while they are doing wrong.
Verily, His Seizure is painful and severe.” [Soorah Hud (11):
102]


“He has
Power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet, or to cover you
with confusion in party strife, and make you to taste the violence of one
another.” [Soorah al-An'aam 6:65]


Abu'l-Shaykh
al-Isbahaani narrated from Mujaahid concerning the Tafseer of this aayah:
“Say: 'He has power to send torment on you from above”: (this means)
al-Sayhah (the shout or tumult), stones and strong wind , “or from under your
feet”, (means) earthquakes and being swallowed up by the earth. It is reported
from Jabir Ibn Abd-Allah (radhi allahu anhu) that when this verse was revealed,
the Prophet (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “A'oodhu bi wajhika” - O Allah!
I seek refuge in Your Face.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee vol: 5, no: 193]


Earthquake - a sign of the nearness of the Last
Day
Multitude of earthquakes is a
sign of the nearness of the Day of Judgement, Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu)
related from Allah's Messenger (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam): “The Hour will
not happen until knowledge is taken out, time passes quickly, earthquakes
increase in number, tribulations (fitan) appear, and al-Harj increases in
number.” It was said, “What is al-Harj, O Messenger of Allah r?” He said,
“Al Qatl, al Qatl (Killing).” [Musnad Ahmad]


Earthquakes
remind us of the last and final earthquake, which will be more far-reaching and
convulsive. “The Day you shall see it, every nursing mother will forget her
nursling, and every pregnant one will drop her load, and you shall see mankind
as in a intoxicated state, yet they will not be intoxicated, but severe will be
the Torment.” [Soorah al-Hajj (22): 2] Therefore: “O mankind! Fear your
Lord and be dutiful to Him. Verily, the earthquake of the Hour (of Judgment) is
a terrible thing.” [Soorah al-Hajj (22): 1]


Today, when
an earthquake takes place people run leaving their dwellings and their families.
Allah warns with these earthquakes to prepare ourselves for the day of the great
earthquake that will shake all of the Earth. “That Day shall a man flee from
his own brother, and from his mother and his father, and from his wife and his
children.” [Soorah Abasa (80): 34-36] “One the day (when the first
blowing of the Trumpet is blown), the earth and the mountains will shake
violently.” [Soorah an-Nazi’at (79) :6]


What
should be a Muslim’s attitude and response on earthquakes?
A Muslim
should take earthquakes and other such signs as admonitions from Allah and
hasten to repent, remember Allah and ask forgiveness from Him, as the Messenger
of Allah (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) said when there was an eclipse: “If
you see anything like that, hasten to remember Him, call on Him and seek His
forgiveness.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee vol: 2, no: 30 and Saheeh Muslim vol: 2,
no: 628] “And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a
way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from
(sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He
will suffice him.” [Soorah at-Talaaq (65): 2-3]


It is also
recommended to show compassion to the poor, give charity because the Messenger
of Allah (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Show mercy, (and) you will be
shown mercy.” [Musnad Ahmad, vol: 2, no: 165] and: “Those who are
merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Have mercy on those who are
on earth, and the One Who is in heaven will show mercy to you.” [Abu Dawood
13/285), at-Tirmidhee 6/43] He (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) also said:
“Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.” [Saheeh
al-Bukharee 5/75 and Muslim 4/1809]


One of
the things, which will keep people safe from such calamities, is to
reduce evil deed, apply the Sahree'ah laws, enjoin good and forbid evil: “The
believers, men and women, are Awliyaa (friends) of one another; they enjoin
al-Maroof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and
forbid (people) from al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and
all that Islam forbids); they perform As-Salaat and give the Zakaat, and obey
Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His Mercy on them. Surely, Allah is
All-Mighty, All-Wise” [Soorah at-Tawbah (9): 71]


Dhulm
(Oppression), false-pride and openly committing evil will never go unpunished.
One will have to pay in this world and if not then the punishment in the
Hereafter is much more severe… So, take heed!!


Preserve what
we have from the blessings of Allah for wrongdoing removes blessings;
rather
it changes it to a curse.


Be warned of
an evil end, for Allah gives us a chance but is not neglectful.
What has
happened to the previous nations might befall us….


Fortunate
person is he who learns from the calamity of others
and the miserable one is
he by whom these calamities pass while he takes no lesson from them…



“None feels
secure from the Plan of Allah except the people who are the
losers.”
[Soorah al-Araaf (7): 97-99]