All praise be to Allah. May Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon Allah’s Messenger and upon his family, Companions, and those who follow his guidance!
Allah (Glorified be He) is All-Wise and All-Knowledgeable with what He predestines and what He legislates and commands. He creates what He wills of portents. He predestines them to make His servants fear Him, reminds them of what they have to do and warn them against Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship), disobeying His commands and violating His prohibitions. Allah (Glorified be He) says: “And We sent not the signs except to warn” [Al-Isra: 59]
Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: “We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest to them that this (the Qur’ân) is the truth. Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things?” [Fussilat: 53]
Allah (Exalted be He) also says: “Say: “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.”” [Al-An’am: 65]
Al-Bukhari narrated in his Sahih on the authority of Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said when Allah’s saying was revealed: “Say: “He has power to send torment on you from above” the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I seek refuge in You.” Allah (Exalted be He) says: “…or from under your feet” the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I seek refuge in You.”” 1
Abu Al-Shaykh Al-Asbahani reported from Mujahid in the interpretation of Allah’s saying: “Say: “He has power to send torment on you from above”” he said that it means an awful cry or a stone. “…or from under your feet” he said: “It means an earthquake and causing the earth to swallow them.
There is no doubt that what happens these days of earthquakes in many countries are of these portents that Allah (Exalted be He) brings to make His servant fear Him. All the earthquakes that happen in this world and other things that cause harm to people are because of Shirk and evil deeds. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much. (See the Qur’ân Verse 35:45).” [Al-Shura: 30]
Allah (Exalted be He) also says: “Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allâh, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself.” [Al-Nisa: 79]
Allah (Exalted be He) says about perishing nations: “So We punished each (of them) for his sins; of them were some on whom We sent Hâsib (a violent wind with shower of stones) [as on the people of Lût (Lot)], and of them were some who were overtaken by As-Saihah [torment - awful cry. (as Thamûd or Shu‘aib’s people)], and of them were some whom We caused the earth to swallow [as Qârûn (Korah)], and of them were some whom We drowned [as the people of Nûh (Noah), or Fir‘aun (Pharaoh) and his people]. It was not Allâh Who wronged them, but they wronged themselves.” [Al-Ankabut: 40]
Therefore, it is incumbent upon Muslims and others to repent to Allah (Glorified be He) and to observe Istiqamah (integrity) upon his religion. They have also to avoid all that He prohibits of Shirk and evil deeds in order to have well-being and salvation in this world and the hereafter and to safeguard themselves against any calamity and evil. They have also to do that so that Allah (Exalted be He) might grant them all goodness.
Allah (Glorified be He) says: “And if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwâ (piety), certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes).” [Al-A’raf: 96]
Allah (Exalted be He) says concerning the people of the Book: “And if only they had acted according to the Taurât (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), and what has (now) been sent down to them from their Lord (the Qur’ân), they would surely have gotten provision from above them and from underneath their feet.” [Al-Ma’idah: 66]
Allah (Exalted be He) also says: “Did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment by night while they were asleep? Or, did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment in the forenoon while they were playing? Did they then feel secure against the Plan of Allâh? None feels secure from the Plan of Allâh except the people who are the losers.” [Al-A’raf: 97-99]
Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah be merciful to him) said: “Allah (Glorified be He) may sometimes permit the earth to breathe. Great earthquakes happen due to this breath. These earthquakes may cause people to fear Allah (Exalted be He), repent to Him, supplicate to Him, forsake sins and regret what they have done. Some of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) said when the earth was shaken: your Lord admonishes you. ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a speech to admonish people when an earthquake happened in Al-Madinah and said: “If this happens again, I will not live among you in Madinah.” End of quote.
There are many narrations reported from the Salaf in this regard.
Therefore, we have to repent to Allah (Exalted be He) immediately on the occurrence of earthquakes, eclipses, fierce winds, and floods. We have also to supplicate to Him and ask Him to grant us well-being. Moreover, we must mention Him a lot and seek His forgiveness. As he (peace be upon him) said on observing Solar Eclipse: “If you see such thing (i.e. solar eclipse) hasten to remember Allah, supplicate to Him and beg forgiveness from Him.” 2
It is desirable also to show mercy to the poor and the needy and to give them charity. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “**Show mercy to others and surely you will be shown mercy. The Compassionate One has mercy on those who are merciful. If you show mercy to those who are on the earth, He Who is in the heaven will show mercy to you.” 3
He (peace be upon him) said also: “Whoever is not merciful to others will not be treated mercifully.” 4
It is reported that ‘Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz (may Allah be merciful to him) used to write to his employees if there were earthquakes telling them to give charity.
One of the causes of well-being and avoiding evil is the rulers fast punishment of evildoers and forcing them to follow the truth and Allah’s laws. They should also enjoin good and forbid evil as it is said by Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He): “The believers, men and women, are Auliyâ’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma‘rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islâm has forbidden); they perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give the Zakât, and obey Allâh and His Messenger. Allâh will have His Mercy on them. Surely Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise.” [Al-Tawbah: 71]
Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: “Verily, Allâh will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, Allâh is All-Strong, All-Mighty. Those (Muslim rulers) who, if We give them power in the land, (they) enjoin Iqamat-as-Salât [i.e. to perform the five compulsory congregational Salât (prayers) (the males in mosques)], pay the Zakât and they enjoin Al-Ma‘rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do), and forbid Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and all that Islâm has forbidden) [i.e. they make the Qur’ân as the law of their country in all the spheres of life]. And with Allâh rests the end of (all) matters (of creatures).” [Al-Hajj: 40-41]
Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: “And whosoever fears Allâh 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 Allâh, then He will suffice him.” [Al-Talaq: 2-3]
There are many Ayahs (Qur’anic verses) in this regard. Moreover, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever fulfills the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs.” Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.5
He (peace be upon him) said: “He who removes from a believer one of his difficulties of this world, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Resurrection; and he who finds relief for a hard-pressed person, Allah will make things easy for him on the Day of Resurrection; he who covers up (the faults and sins) of a Muslim, Allah will cover up (his faults and sins) in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah supports His slave as long as the slave is supportive of his brother.” Reported by Muslim in his Sahih. 6
There are also many Hadiths in this regard.
I ask Allah (Glorified be He) also to set right the affairs of all Muslims everywhere, grant them understanding of their religion and follow it strictly. We ask Him also to grant Muslims repentance to Him from all sins, set right the affairs of all Muslim leaders and use them in supporting the truth and overwhelming evil. We invoke Him to guide rulers to rule people according to Allah’s law and to safeguard them and all Muslims against misleading temptations and devilish insinuations. He is the Guardian of all these things and the only One who is able to achieve them.
Peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family, Companions and those who follow him with righteousness till the day of Judgment.
Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Book on Tafsir, no. 4262; and Al-Tirmidhi, Book on Tafsir, no. 2991. ↩
Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Book on Friday, no. 999; and Muslim, Book on eclipse, no. 1518. ↩
Narrated by Ahmad, Section on the Hadiths narrated by the Companions who narrated a large number of Hadiths, no. 6255. ↩
Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Book on manners, no. 5538; and Al-Tirmidhi, Book on righteousness and upholding ties of kinship, no. 1834. ↩
Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Book on injustices and unlawful appropriation, no. 2262; and Muslim, Book on righteousness, upholding ties of kinship, and good manners, no. 4677, and the wording is agreed upon. ↩
Narrated by Muslim, Book on remembrance of Allah, supplication, repentance and seeking forgiveness, no. 4867; and Al-Tirmidhi, Book on righteousness and upholding ties of kinship, no. 1853. ↩