✨Reflecting on Earthquakes

Earthquakes have become more frequent occurrences in many parts of the globe. Some go relatively unnoticed while some are major and some are devastating, resulting in the loss of many lives. Today we will consider five reflections regarding earthquakes.

The first reflection is that, through earthquakes, through these signs, Allāh Almighty is acquainting us with Himself. And they indicate His great ability, strength, power and might. Allāh Almighty said:
Al-An’aam (6) 18: And He is the subjugator over His servants. And He is the Wise, the Aware.

And Allāh Almighty said:
Al-An’aam (6) 65: Say, “He is the [one] Able to send upon you affliction from above you or from beneath your feet

For Allāh Almighty is the Owner of Sovereignty and He is the administrator of affairs. There is not a movement or stillness in this existence except by His permission and His power and His administration and His might and He is the subjugator over all.

So incidents such as great earthquakes fill the believer’s heart, through knowledge of Allah Almighty, with love, glorification, fear and veneration of Allāh Almighty. And they remind people of their own helplessness and inability and that there is no power and no might except by Allah. They are reminded that Allah alone is the administrator of affairs and Allah alone is over all things able and that only Allah alone is rightly worshiped without any partners.

The second reflection is that Allāh sends His signs as a warning and as a mercy so that people return to Him.

Allāh Almighty said:
Al-Israa (17) 59: And We send not the signs except as a warning.

For Allāh Almighty administers this entire existence. Allāh the Most Subtle, the Especially Merciful is more merciful to His servants than a mother is to her child. He does not neglect or overlook them. Rather He sends them signs, calamities and decrees, to turn their hearts towards Him. And the Prophet ﷺ said about eclipses, which are one of Allāh’s signs:
The sun and the moon are two of Allāh’s signs; they are not eclipsed on account of anyone’s death or on account of anyone’s birth, so when you see that supplicate Allāh, magnify Him, pray and offer charity. [Bukhari 1044, Muslim 901]

And the Prophet ﷺ upon observing an eclipse, prayed and said:
These signs that Allāh sends do not occur for the death or birth of anyone, but Allāh sends them to strike fear into His servants. If you see any of these things, then hasten to remember Him, supplicate Him and ask for His forgiveness. [Bukhari 1059, Muslim 912]

And the meaning of that is that if misdeeds and violations against the commands of Allāh and His Prophet ﷺ increase, the greatest of which is shirk (associating others with Allāh), then Allāh sends signs to warn and frighten His servants as a mercy upon them, so that perhaps they may return.

Allāh Almighty said:
Ar-Room (30) 41: Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He [i.e., Allāh] may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].

That is Allāh Almighty decreed these signs, afflictions and calamities as a mercy upon them so that they return in repentance and repent with a genuine repentance.

Oh servants of Allāh renew your repentance and plentifully seek forgiveness. For the Prophet ﷺ, said:
O people, repent to Allāh, for indeed I repent to Him one hundred times a day. [Muslim 4/2076]

He said this and his ﷺ former and latter sins were forgiven. He said this and he ﷺwas the most knowledgeable of all creation about Allāh and the most conscious of Allāh Almighty.

And the third reflection is that earthquakes are one of Allāh’s signs that indicate the nearness of the hour. The Prophet ﷺ said:
The Hour (Last Day) will not be established until (religious) knowledge is taken away, earthquakes will increase, time passes quickly, afflictions will appear, bloodshed will increase and that is killing, killing and wealth will be abundant among you and will overflow. [Bukari 1036]

So if the earthquakes increase, then this is a warning of the approaching of the hour. So prepare for meeting Allāh with what will save you. And what will save us the most is tawhid (divine unity) and following the Prophet ﷺ.

Allāh Almighty said:
Al Kahf (18) 110: So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord – let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.

The fourth reflection is that when Allāh dispatches earthquakes to whom He wills, He punishes through them whom He wills, He shows mercy through them to whom He wills, and He frightens and warns through them whom He wills. And from His mercy is that He made these earthquakes as a mercy for the believers. For the Prophet ﷺ said:
This community of mine is one to which mercy is shown. It will have no punishment in the next world, but its punishment in this world will be trials, earthquakes and bloodshed. [Sunan Abi Dawud 4278, Grade: Sahih]

So from the mercy of Allāh, is that he punishes some of the believers in this world as a mercy to them so that they will not be punished in the next world. And this acquaints us with Allāh Almighty and His great mercy. Through these earthquakes, He frightens some, He punishes others and shows mercy to others and takes them as martyrs. And the Prophet ﷺ stated that the martyrs are five types among which is:
..the one who is crushed by a falling wall [Bukhari 2674, Muslim 1914]

Ref: