Author: Abu Ayesha
Earthquake from the Perspective of Islam and a Critique of the Objectors’ Doubts (Part 12)
The Reason Behind Raising Objections
One of the most important questions that must be examined before addressing these objections and responding to them is: Why do some people raise such doubts about natural phenomena like earthquakes, storms, and volcanic eruptions, and deny their connection to sin and disobedience?
The answer to this question is very simple and clear.
The first and greatest problem of those who constantly raise objections and doubts is ignorance and lack of awareness about some of the most fundamental and essential matters; foremost among them is ignorance and heedlessness toward Allah Almighty, the Creator and Originator of all things.
These individuals are unaware and uninformed about Allah Almighty; they have not truly understood His position nor recognized Him as He deserves to be recognized.
Many people believe in the existence of Allah Almighty, but they treat Him as if He does not exist.
Such people do not truly believe in the divine control of Allah Almighty over this world, nor in His knowledge of everything that occurs within it, nor in the fact that nothing happens without His will and decree.
They have failed to comprehend the wisdom behind their own creation; that Allah is the Creator, the Provider, the Giver of life and death, the Sustainer, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware, the Wise, and the One Who manages all affairs of the universe.
This group does not possess true and sincere faith in these realities; for if they had genuine faith, they would attribute everything to Allah Almighty alone and believe that none besides Him possesses such divine attributes. [1]
Allah Almighty says regarding this matter: ” هُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍۢ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا ۖ وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌۭ ٤ لَّهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ ٱلْأُمُورُ ” Translation: He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself upon the Throne. He knows what enters into the earth and what comes forth from it, and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein. And He is with you wherever you may be, and Allah is All-Seeing of what you do. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and unto Allah all matters are returned.
This ignorance and heedlessness toward Allah Almighty are the kind of “faith” that the hypocrites possess the faith which Allah Almighty has described as a mere cover or veil by which they conceal themselves in order to live among the believers.
Otherwise, such people have no true or genuine faith in Allah Almighty; a faith through which they would know the Names and Attributes of their Lord, fear Him as He deserves to be feared, and submit to His greatness.
Thus, we see that these people attribute great events and natural disasters solely to “nature,” as if Allah has no knowledge of what occurs in the universe, nor governs what happens on earth as if it were beyond His control and outside His command.[3]
Their Ignorance Regarding the Creation of Allah: Mankind and the Earth
Everything besides Allah Almighty is created. The heavens, the earth, and all that exists between them; are creations and their Creator, Sustainer, and Controller is Allah Almighty. Nothing occurs in the heavens, on the earth, or between them except by the wisdom, will, knowledge, and decree of Allah Almighty.
Allah Almighty beautifully says: إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍۢ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ يُغْشِى ٱلَّيْلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُۥ حَثِيثًۭا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ وَٱلنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَٰتٍۭ بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ ۗ أَلَا لَهُ ٱلْخَلْقُ وَٱلْأَمْرُ ۗ تَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ [4] Translation: “Indeed, your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself upon the Throne. He covers the night with the day, which pursues it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, and the stars all subservient by His command. Surely, His is the creation and the command. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”
The Problem of Ignorance Concerning the Meaning of Worldly Life on Earth
When Allah Almighty chose man to be the highest of His creations upon the earth, He sent down Prophet Adam and his wife Hawwa [Eva] (peace and blessings be upon them both) to the earth. He granted them the ability to reproduce and to live upon the earth for as long as Allah willed.
Then Allah Almighty selected them, honored them with greatness, and sent them a complete law and way of life so that they might live according to it to know their Lord fully, to believe in Him completely, and to maintain a sound relationship with their Creator.
They were commanded to obey Him and to submit and surrender before Him just as all other creations do; yet with distinction, for they carried the trust (of responsibility), accepted the divine law, worshipped Allah, acted upon His commands and those of His Messenger (PBUH), and avoided His prohibitions.
Those who believed in them, affirmed their truthfulness, and followed what they had brought from Allah Almighty became among the (awliyā’); the beloved ones of Allah Almighty.[5]
Allah Almighty says: يَا بَنِي آدَمَ إِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِنكُمْ يَقُصُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِي فَمَنِ اتَّقَى وَأَصْلَحَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ * وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا عَنْهَا أُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ [6] Translation: “O children of Adam! Whenever messengers come to you from among yourselves, reciting My revelations to you; then whoever fears (Allah) and reforms (his deeds), there shall be no fear upon them, nor shall they grieve. But those who deny Our signs and act arrogantly toward them they are the companions of the Fire, abiding therein forever.”
Until Allah Almighty concluded the chain of prophethood with the sending of His Messenger Muhammad (PBUH).
He made him the final and seal of all prophets (peace be upon them all), and He decreed that his Shari‘ah would abrogate (replace and surpass) all previous divine laws, completing and perfecting them.
Allah Almighty says: تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَالَمِينَ نَذِيرًا [7] Translation: “Blessed is He Who sent down the Criterion (the Qur’an) upon His servant, that he may be a warner to all the worlds.”
Allah Almighty says: هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ [8] Translation: “He it is Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth so that He may cause it to prevail over all other religions, even though the polytheists may detest it.”
Allah Almighty says: إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ * فَإِنْ حَاجُّوكَ فَقُلْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّهِ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِ وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ وَالْأُمِّيِّينَ أَأَسْلَمْتُمْ فَإِنْ أَسْلَمُوا فَقَدِ اهْتَدَوا وَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ [9] Translation: “Certainly, Allah’s only Way is Islam.1 Those who were given the Scripture did not dispute ˹among themselves˺ out of mutual envy until knowledge came to them.2 Whoever denies Allah’s signs, then surely Allah is swift in reckoning. So if they argue with you ˹O Prophet˺, say, “I have submitted myself to Allah, and so have my followers.” And ask those who were given the Scripture and the illiterate ˹people˺,1 “Have you submitted yourselves ˹to Allah˺?” If they submit, they will be ˹rightly˺ guided. But if they turn away, then your duty is only to deliver ˹the message˺. And Allah is All-Seeing of ˹His˺ servants.”
Allah Almighty says: قُلْ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ ٨٤ وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمِ دِينًۭا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ [10] Translation: Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and his descendants; and what was given to Moses, Jesus, and other prophets from their Lord; we make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we ˹fully˺ submit.” Whoever seeks a way other than Islam, it will never be accepted from them, and in the Hereafter they will be among the losers.
Yet, despite the fact that God created man to obey His command, follow His orders, avoid what He has forbidden, and be content with what He decrees — acknowledging that all comes from God Almighty — some people have disregarded everything, forgotten the purpose of their creation, and followed paths that lead to the displeasure of the Lord of the worlds. As a result, such people object to everything that does not align with their own desires and criticize the actions of God Almighty.
To be continued…
Previous Part
References:
- Al-Aqeel, Aqeel bin Abdullah, Shubuhat hawl al-Zalazil wal-Barakin wal-Kawārith (Doubts about Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Disasters), 1431 A.H., p. 13.
- Surah Al-Hadid, verses 4–5.
- Al-Aqeel, Aqeel bin Abdullah, Shubuhat hawl al-Zalazil wal-Barakin wal-Kawārith, 1431 A.H., p. 14.
- Surah Al-A‘raf, verse 54.
- Al-Aqeel, Aqeel bin Abdullah, Shubuhat hawl al-Zalazil wal-Barakin wal-Kawārith, 1431 A.H., p. 16.
- Surah Al-A‘raf, verses 35–36.
- Surah Al-Furqan, verse 1.
- Surah At-Tawbah, verse 33.
- Surah Aal Imran, verses 19–20.
- Surah Aal Imran, verses 84–85.
