Lessons Learnt From Earthquakes And Calamities - Sheikh Suhaib Hasan

Lessons Learnt From Earthquakes And Calamities

All praise is due to Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. He sent him with the truth as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner. Whoever obeys him is rightly guided, and whoever disobeys him has gone astray — he only harms himself and does not harm Allah at all.

The best speech is the speech of Allah. The best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The worst of things are newly invented matters, and every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.

The Earthquake of the Hour

O people, fear your Lord. The earthquake of the Hour is a great thing. On the Day you see it, every suckling woman will be forgetful of her suckling babe, and every pregnant one will lay down her child. You will see the people as though they are drunk, yet they are not drunk — but the punishment of Allah is severe.

Man is preoccupied with this world — acquiring more and more money, forgetting his debt to his Creator. This is why Allah keeps on reminding him in different ways. The earth which is your abode, on which you live, on which you make your dwellings, your houses, your castles — those houses which you think are going to keep you safe and sound — but in the twinkling of an eye, these houses start shaking and trembling.

My dear brothers, this is happening from time to time. It has happened now in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It has happened many times throughout history. And we have seen how many thousands of people have died because of the earthquake. And Allah in this first ayah of Surah Al-Hajj reminded us about the quake of the Last Hour.

That shaking is the shaking of the Last Hour. But for those people who died in that earthquake, that was their last hour. The person who dies — his Qiyamah has come. His Last Day has come. So that is again a reminder.

The Call of the Earthquake

At the time of the earthquake, what happened? People started running out from their houses. The very same house in which they had found their peace and security was no more peaceful for them. They were leaving their houses — why? Because they were looking for life. And what was on their tongues at that time?

Everybody was saying لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ, أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ. There is someone who announces the Adhan five times a day — لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ — but you don't respond, you don't come, you don't hurry up. You don't respond to that call. But now, when this earthquake happens, you see death with your own eyes. You see that you are heading towards your end. This is why you leave your houses.

Man, why don't you remember that this death can come at any time in your life? Be prepared for that.

Behind Every Cause Is the Power of Allah

They say that earthquakes happen because of natural causes — 300 kilometres under the surface of the earth there are different types of tectonic plates that separate one continent from another, and because of the movement of these plates, the earthquake happens. They say this is the cause.

And we have to tell them: yes, that is the immediate cause. But who gave that power for these earth plates to move? Behind each cause, there is another cause, there is another cause, and eventually it comes back to the power of Allah, to the Qudra of Allah.

You take your meal every day and you use all those causes which are available to you — the hand by which you lift the loaf and put it in your mouth. That is the immediate cause. But what about if that power in your hand — which made it lift, which made it rise — is taken by Allah? If it is paralysed? From where would you get that loaf to put in your mouth? So it is the power of Allah behind each and every cause.

You must remember that if you don't please Him, Allah is the One Who wants to remind you: "Man, remember that Allah is your Creator. And He created you only for one purpose."

"And I did not create the jinn and men except that they may worship Me. I do not want from them any provision, and I do not want them to feed Me. Indeed, Allah is the Provider, the Possessor of Mighty Power." That is the message of Allah.

The Lesser Punishment as a Reminder

"And We will surely make them taste of the lesser punishment instead of the greater punishment, so that they may return." Allah lets them taste the minor torment before the greater, the major torment — so that they may return. Return to what? Come back to Islam. Come back to the remembrance of Allah. Come back to worshipping Allah. This is why Allah gives you these reminders.

The Example of Sayyidina Umar

During the time of Sayyidina Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), the city of Madinah was shaken by an earthquake. And Sayyidina Umar addressed the people: "O people, what have you done? What have you done? What have you done? If it comes once again, it means that you people are sinful — I am not going to stay with you."

The Example of Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz

Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, at the time of an earthquake, wrote to all the governors saying: "This commotion of the earth is something by which Allah reminds the people." And he wrote to each and every governor: "Announce in the province that every person, on a certain date in a certain month, should come out and give charity of whatever he has." He then quoted:

"The person who wants to purify himself is successful — the one who remembers the name of his Lord and then prays."

Three Quranic Keys to Understanding Calamities

My dear brothers, this earthquake is a calamity — in Arabic it is known as a musibah. There are three verses which are the clue to understanding how to face these calamities.

First Key: Calamity Happens Only With the Permission of Allah

Whatever calamity happens, it happens with the permission of Allah. And the person who believes in Allah, Allah guides his heart. How is the heart guided? Whenever a calamity happens, what do you say?

"We are for Allah and we are going back to Him." You say إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ and you do istighfar. That is how your heart is guided.

Second Key: Everything Is Recorded in the Divine Decree

No calamity befalls in the lands or in yourselves except that it is in a record — even before it happens, it has been recorded. That is something very easy upon Allah. And why has Allah given you this knowledge? So that when something bad happens to you, you don't grieve over what you have missed, and you don't become overly rejoicing when something is given to you. And Allah does not like the person who is boastful.

This faith in al-Qadar — that whatever happens to us is recorded by Allah — gives you strength and power. You don't know what is written, so you should try your best. If you want to get a job, do all your efforts to get it, prepare yourself. But when you don't get it, don't be aggrieved at all. Just say: "That is the Qadar of Allah."

Some people become so depressed that they cannot tolerate the suffering of failure — they commit suicide, they take their own life. Why? They don't have this belief in Allah. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) has said:

(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 4699)

"Whatever is destined for you, you are going to reach it. Whatever missed you, it was never destined to reach you." That is the faith which is required.

Yes, try your best. This world is a world of competition, a world of abilities. But if you miss something, then just say: "That was the Qadar of Allah. This thing was not destined for me." Some people, in marital cases, if they fail to marry the one they like, become completely depressed — as if this is the last day for them. No. You have done your istikhara and your istishara — consultation and istikhara. You asked goodness from Allah and consulted your elders as well. And you tried your best. You did not achieve what you wanted. Yes, that was your destiny. Just move on.

Remember this principle: al-Qadar. When sufferings and calamities happen, you can say: "This was the Qadar of Allah, so I had to bear it." That gives you power and strength. But remember — this principle of Qadar does not apply to your own defects and shortcomings. You don't pray and then say "This is my Qadar." You drink and keep on drinking and say "This is my Qadar." No. You cannot argue in the name of Qadar for your own sins. That is your own doing and you have to correct yourself.

Third Key: Calamity Is the Earning of Your Own Hands

Whatever calamity happens to you, it is the earning of your own hands. And Allah forgives a lot. If He were to hold you answerable for each and every sin you commit, you would have no place to live at all. But He forgives a lot.

So whenever something bad happens to you, find out where you went wrong, where you were mistaken. A great Imam like Imam Waki', the teacher of Imam Shafi'i — see how they used to feel and how they used to express themselves. Imam Shafi'i said: "I complained to my teacher that my memory is suffering — I am forgetting what I remember. What is the ailment and what is the cure?" Imam Waki' said: "Leave the sins."

What sins could Imam Shafi'i possibly commit? But he said to him: because knowledge is a light from Allah, and this light is not given to a sinful person. So whenever something bad happens to you, check yourself. Have you missed your prayer? Have you done some injustice to those who are dependent upon you — to your wife, to your children, to your friends? Have you betrayed them? Have you taken someone's right? Check yourself, and you will find that whatever happened to you is because of your own sins.

The Wisdom Behind the Suffering of the Innocent

But what about innocent children who died in an earthquake? Or those who were not of sound mind? Or very pious people who also died? What is their fault? The question comes: what is their fault then?

Here we remember the answer from Ikrimah, who was a student of Abdullah ibn Abbas: whenever something bad happens to a person, there are two possibilities. Either it happens because of his sin, and Allah wanted to forgive him — and he could not be forgiven except with that calamity, with that suffering. So this is why he was made to suffer, in order to be purified and reach Allah completely purified. Or secondly, he did not commit any sin at all, but Allah wanted to raise his rank, to lift his position — and because of that suffering, this person was given a higher rank with Allah.

The Cure Is in Our Hands

"And Allah would not punish them while you are among them, and Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness." O Prophet of Allah, Allah is not going to punish these people while you are among them. But the Prophet is no more among us — so there is something for us as well: Allah is not going to punish them while they are doing istighfar.

And Allah is not going to destroy the towns because of injustice and tyranny while the people there are pious and good. So the cure is in our hands. We know what is going to save us.

Whatever happens in any corner of the world, my dear brothers — this earth is very small — but whatever happens in any corner of the world is a reminder for all the people who live on this earth, wherever they are. They should try to understand this reminder.

I say this, and I ask Allah to forgive me and you and all Muslims. So ask Him for forgiveness. He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Second Khutbah

All praise is due to Allah, who guided us to Islam, and we would not have been guided had it not been for Allah's guidance. Allah says in the Glorious Qur'an:

"Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, send blessings upon him and send salutations upon him."

O Allah, make us love faith. Make us love Islam. O Allah, take away the disbelievers, the pagans, and the atheists who refuse to follow Your religion and Your Prophet's Sunnah. O Allah, be pleased with all Muslims and believers, those who are alive and those who are dead, and all the companions, and those who followed them well until the Day of Recompense.

O servants of Allah, may Allah have mercy on you. Indeed, Allah commands justice, goodness, and giving to those near to Him, and forbids immorality, evil, and transgression. He warns you so that you may be mindful.

Remember Allah, and He will remember you. Call upon Him, and He will answer you. And the remembrance of Allah is greater and more exalted.

Post-Prayer Du'a