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Earthquakes: Allah’s Wrath Or Geological Occurrence?

WHY do earthquakes occur? A student of geology will say they are a result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth’s crust that creates seismic waves. That’s the process of how earthquakes occur, but not an answer to why earthquakes occur.

A better-phrased question will be: Who causes earthquakes to occur and why? Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Say: ‘He has the 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 taste the violence of one another.’” (Qur’an, 6:65)

Allah sends earthquakes as a punishment for some because of their sins and as a reminder or warning for others to repent and mend their ways. Allah says in the Qur’an:
“And We sent not the signs except to warn…” (Qur’an, 17:59)

Just as Allah sends down blessings for His creation in the form of rain, good cultivation, and abundance of sustenance, He also sends down warnings and punishments in the form of earthquakes and tsunamis. Allah says:
“And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much.” (Qur’an, 42:30)

The above verse is of particular importance. It shows that whatever calamity strikes us is a result of our wrong deeds. Moreover, Allah pardons a lot. Meaning, the punishment doesn’t come except when people have crossed all limits. The place where a calamity strikes may have both good and bad people. When sins rise in a community and punishment is sent down, it also affects the good people. While that calamity is a punishment for the sinners, it becomes a source of purification or a reminder for the good doers. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to seek refuge with Allah from His torment and punishment.

An increase in the frequency of earthquakes is also a sign of the Day of Judgment. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The Hour (Last Day) will not be established until (religious) knowledge will be taken away (by the death of religious learned men), earthquakes will be very frequent, time will pass quickly, afflictions will appear, murders will increase and money will overflow amongst you.” (Al-Bukhari, 2/17 no. 146)

The prophecy of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) seems ever approaching. Time is passing by quickly, though the day still has 24 hours. The religiously learned are fewer than in the past and the crime rate has increased multifold.

Jihad Against The Self

Fighting the evil within us is more difficult than fighting on a battlefield. Ibn Qayyim mentions in Za’d Al-Ma’ad the four states of Jihad against the self:

First: To strive in learning guidance and the religion of truth, without which there will be no success. Indeed, there can be no true happiness, nor any delight in this world and in the Hereafter, except through it.

Second: Strive to act upon what has been learned, since knowledge without action will not benefit, rather it will cause harm.

Third: Strive to invite others towards it and to teach those who do not know, otherwise you may be considered among those who hide what Allah has revealed of guidance and clear explanation. Such knowledge will neither benefit, nor save a person from the punishment of Allah.

Fourth: Strive to be patient and persevering against those who oppose this da’wah (call) to Allah and those who seek to cause harm – patiently bearing all these hardships for the sake of Allah.

When a person succeeds in all these four stages, he is considered to be amongst the Rabbaniyyun (Allah’s men). Early scholars have agreed that a scholar does not deserve the title of Rabbani until he recognizes and knows the truth, acts upon it and teaches it to others. So whosoever has the knowledge, acts upon it, and teaches this knowledge to others, is considered among the “Rabbaniyyun.”

Anything For Allah (SWT)

Khabaab (Radiallaho Anho) is one of those fortunate persons who offered themselves for sacrifice and suffering for the cause of Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala). He was the sixth or seventh person to embrace Islam and therefore, he suffered long. He was made to put on steel armor and lie in the sun to sweat. Very often he was made to lie flat on burning sand, which caused the flesh on his back to dissolve. He was the slave of a woman. When she came to know that he was visiting Rasulullah (Sallallaho Alaihi Wassallam), she used to brand his head with a hot iron rod. Umar (Radiallaho Anho) during his Caliph once asked him about the details of his suffering after embracing Islam.

He showed him his back, seeing which Umar (Radiallaho Anho) said, “I have never seen such a back before.”
He said, “My body was dragged over heaps of burning coal and the blood and fat coming out of my back put out the fire.”

When Islam spread and the Muslims conquered all the surrounding territory, he used to weep and say, “Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) seems to be compensating us in this world for all our sufferings and perhaps nothing would be left for us as a reward in the Akhirah”.

Source: From the Book “Stories of the Sahabah”

Such were the followers of the Prophet (peace be upon him) who were ready to give anything but their faith in Allah. On the other hand, we Muslims today are ready to sell our Imaan for little material gains! May Allah Bless us with the Imaan like that of Sahaba Aameen

What Is Iman And Kufr?

  1. Iman is to accept every word of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) as the absolute truth and to testify whole-heartedly the reality and truth of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
  2. One who observes the above would be called a Muslim, that is, if any of his words, actions or conditions does not reject, insult or falsify Allah Ta’ala and His Rasool (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
  3. If you reject one aspect, which you know that to believe is part of Islam, then this is Kufr. For example, to reject Qiyamat, Angels, Jannat, Jahanum, Hisab, or not to believe that Salaah, Saum, Zakaah, or Hajj is Fardh (obligatory) would make one out of the folds of Islam.
  4. It is also Kufr not to believe that the Holy Quran is the Words of Allah Ta’ala.
  5. To insult the Holy Ka’aba, the Holy Quran, or any of the Prophets or Angels is also Kufr.
  6. To degrade any of the Sunnats (actions of the Holy Prophet sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), to make jokes of the orders of Shari’ah (Islamic law), or to reject or suspect it untrue any known and recognized aspects of Islam is also definitely Kufr.
  7. To be a Muslim you have to, together with faith and belief, also pledge your status as a Muslim.
  8. One must pledge his faith unless there is a difficulty, for example, if you cannot speak, or to speak would mean to lose your life or would lose a part of the body, then it is not necessary to pledge your faith with your tongue. However, it is always best and a means of great reward not to say anything against Islam even to save your life.

Al Sadaqat Al Jariyah

Al Sadaqat al Jariyah –  The actions which outlive you!

1.  Give a copy of the Quran to someone and each time they read from it, you will gain hasanaat.

2.  Donate a wheelchair to a hospital and each time a sick person uses it, you will gain hasanaat.

3.  Participate in the building of a mosque.

4.  Help in educating a child.

5.  Teach someone to recite a dua. With each recitation, you will gain hasanaat.

6.  Share a dua or Quran DVD/CD.

7.  Share constructive reading material with someone.

8.  Place a water cooler in a public place.

9.  Plant a tree. Each time any person or an animal sits under its shade or eats from the tree, you will gain hasanaat.

10.  Share this with someone. If one person applies any of the above Inshallah you will receive your hasanaat until the Day of Judgment.