11-10-00

Salaams, Happy Jummah. Welcome to the Muslimsworldwide newsletter.
For all of you who join me today, the article entitled The
Earthquakes was written after the brutal earthquake that took place
in Turkey, (8*27*97). The author is Shaykj Saalih al-Hamraani.The
article again, was brought to you by the site: www.islaam.com.Its a
beautiful article; feel free to browse the other articles provided,
ask questions and subscribe to the newsletter.
Allah Hafiz
May Allah be with you every step of the way...
M.Editor

The Earthquakes
Shaykh Saalih al-Hamraani
Translation of a Khutbah (08/27/99)

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.
The topic of this khutbah is the destructive earthquake that hit part
of Turkey. The earthquake which caused thousands of people to die,
caused loss of wealth and properties, and forced people to seek
refuge outside of their dwellings, now being without their home and
their wealth, and without food and drink. The earthquake which turned
security into fear, richness into poverty, caused joined families to
depart, and turned 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.
The Truthful, the Chosen one (as-Saadiq al-Mustafa), 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.
Ahmad relates in a hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurairah, radhiallahu
`anhu, that the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said, "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)".
A lot of what is mentioned in this hadeeth has already materialized.
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 this earthquake makes clear to His
servants a plain reality, that the kingdom of the heavens and the
earth is in His Hands, subhanahu wa ta`ala, 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, those who are busy with this world and who are
servants of materialism.
This earthquake also reminds us of the Day of Judgment. The Day when
all of the Earth will shake, and not only one part of it. 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)
"One 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 this earthquake 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. So know, servants of Allah, what
wrongdoing does to its doers.
What has taken Adam and Eve from the Jannah except wrongdoing, and
what Has drowned all of the people on the earth at the time of Nooh,
to the point that water reached the peak of mountains, except
wrongdoing?
Who is it who sent the furious violent wind upon the people of `Aad,
so that they were seen lying overthrown and destroyed, as if they
were hollow trunks of palm-trees? Who is it who sent the awful cry
upon the people of Thamud until it cut their hearts inside their
bodies, and they all fell dead without exception? Who lifted the
villages of the people of Loot till the angels heard barking of their
dogs, then turned them upside down, and then rained upon them a rain
of stones?
That is the immediate punishment for wrongdoing: drowning, fire,
earthquakes, destruction, famine, raging wind... "And the torment of
the hereafter is far more severe and more lasting." (20:127)
Do we not take admonition and lesson? Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala
says, "Did We not destroy the ancients? So shall We make the later
generations to follow them. Thus do We deal with the Mujrimoon
(criminals, disbelievers, sinners.). Woe that Day to the deniers (of
the Day of Resurrection)!" [77:16-19]
The earthquake of Turkey is just a warning from Allah, subhanahu wa
ta`ala - not only to the people of that country alone, but rather to
the Muslims in general, in all lands - that they may return to their
Lord and their Deen. Otherwise a punishment will come upon them.
Allah ta`ala says, "So We seized each of them for his sins." (29:40)
Many of the Muslims today have gathered many sins. We see those who
delay and neglect prayers, eat haram, deal with riba, do not fulfill
their trusts, order the evil and forbid the good. Those who indulge
in mixing, display of awra, listening to music and songs, and those
who have abandoned the Qur'an. All these exist in our society. Let us
fear Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala and preserve what we have from the
blessings, for wrongdoing removes blessings, rather it changes it to
a curse. And let us be warned of an evil end, for Allah gives us a
chance but 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)
Let us pause and ask ourselves what has been the tangible impact on
us since we have heard and seen this earthquake, and what it has left
from the mighty and scary destruction that makes the hearts bleed.
The happy one is one who learns from the calamity of others, and the
sad one is by whom these calamities pass while he takes no lesson
from them.
Just recently the sun eclipsed, then followed the floods, then the
strong wind, and then this earthquake happened. The people are still
as they were before, you see no change. You do not see people going
back to the path of Allah and you do not see any crowds in mosques.
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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