Have fear and consciousness of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala and ponder over events that happen around you. Learn lessons from them and remember, for the intelligent one is he who remembers and takes admonition.

Earthquake cause thousands of people to die, lead to loss of wealth and properties, and force people to seek refuge outside of their dwellings, being without their home and their wealth, and without food and drink.

They turn security into fear, richness into poverty, caused joined families to depart, and turn life into death. Without doubt, in it is a lesson for those who take lessons and a reminder for those who remember, so that they may return to their Lord and their Creator.

TheProphet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, has informed us that a multitude of earthquakes is a sign of the proximity of the Hour. He informed us that they would be many at the end of the time. “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 Rasoolullah?” He said, “Al Qatl, al Qatl (Killing)”. (Ahmad)

Happenings of earthquakes and the like from other destructive and disastrous events are the greatest evidence of the astonishing power of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala. Earthquakes are from among the soldiers of Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala, subjected to His order. He, subhanahu wa ta`ala, causes fear in the hearts of those whom He wills, teaches lessons whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. “And none can know the Forces of your Lord, except He.” (74:31) “For to Allah belong the Forces of the heavens and the earth.” (48:7)

If the Ummah leaves Allah’s Sharee`ah, ignores the Deen of Allah ta`ala and follows its enemies, Allah will subjugate it to His armies, which no one knows except He. From among these armies are the 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.” (11:102)

“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.” (17:16)

Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala, with earthquake makes clear to His servants a plain reality, that the kingdom of the heavens and the earth is in His Hands and that He is the Irresistible and Dominant over His servants.

Some people may be astonished by what the West has from the materialistic power, from various weapons, aircraft carriers, bombs, satellites etc., and they forget that Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala, allowed that piece of land to move and shake, being able to shake the force of the West and the East. Everything is in His Hands, He has power over all things, and no one in the Heavens and the Earth can weaken Him, subhanahu wa ta`ala. Appearance of the earthquakes therefore points us to a different reality that may be absent in the minds of some people.

This earthquake also reminds us of the Day of Judgment. The Day when all of the Earth will shake. Allahu subhanahu wa ta`ala says, “O mankind! Fear your Lord and be dutiful to Him! Verily, the earthquake of the Hour is a terrible thing. The Day you shall see it, every nursing mother will forget her nursling, and every pregnant one shall drop her load, and you shall see mankind as in a drunken state. Yet they will not be drunken, but the Torment of Allah will be severe.” (22:1-2)

Look what is left after the earthquake from destroyed buildings and houses, deaths of thousands, and families seeking refuge outside of their homes. What state is that in which everyone is running away, caring about nothing? So what do you think of the Day of Judgment? “That Day shall a man flee from his own brother, and from his mother and his father, and from his wife and his children.” (80:34-36) “On the day (when the first blowing of the Trumpet is blown), the earth and the mountains will shake violently.” (79:6)

Allah ta`ala warns His servants with earthquakes to learn a lesson and be admonished, and to be ready and prepare themselves for the Day of sorting out, the day of the great earthquake, that will shake all of the earth.

Allah ta`ala has placed in this universe Sunan, fixed and manifest laws, neither do they change nor are they replaceable. He does not have any kinship with anyone, He is the sole Creator and Ruler, and He will question and hold accountable everyone, including prophets and messengers. “Then surely, We shall question those to whom it (the Book) was sent and We shall question the Messengers.” (7:6)

From among the established Sunan of Allah is that He does not send punishment except due to sin and He does not remove it except after repentance. Allah ta`ala says, “Whatever misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned.” (42:30) Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: “Evil and mischief have appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned, that Allah may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allah).” [30:41]

Every disaster and every calamity that befalls the servants is due to their sins and wrongdoing. Immediate punishments for wrongdoings include drowning, fire, earthquakes, destruction, famine, raging wind... “And the torment of the hereafter is far more severe and more lasting.” (20:127)
Earthquakes are a warning from Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala that we may return to our Lord and our Deen. Otherwise a punishment will come upon us. Allah ta`ala says, “So We seized each of them for his sins.” (29:40)

Let us fear Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala as we are be warned of an evil end, for Allah gives us a chance but He is not neglectful. What has happened to the previous nations and some of the current ones will happen to us if we obey the Shaytan and go far from the path of the Most Merciful. These are the sunan of Allah that will never change. “Or do you feel secure that He, Who is over the Heaven, will not cause the earth to sink with you, then behold it shakes (as in an earthquake)? Or do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven, will not send against you a violent whirlwind? Then you shall know how (terrible) was My Warning.” (67:16-17)

It is unfortunate that the explanation offered for these events is that they are normal natural disasters, and that they do not link it to what happens to people due to their wrongdoing. Theirs is clearly an incorrect interpretation. “And We sent not the signs except to warn, and to make them afraid (of destruction).” (17:59)

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