There were thousands of deaths in Turkey and Syria caused by Monday’s 7.8-magnitude earthquake and its numerous aftershocks. Other tens of thousands were injured and left without shelter during the winter.
It is heartbreaking to see the suffering, death, and destruction of human beings. The images of death, suffering, and the cries of people—men, women, and children—are difficult to forget. People who believe in God are curious as to why God let these catastrophes occur. People who reject God are prepared to use this catastrophe as evidence against Him or His existence.
Let us have a look at what Islam says about natural disasters.
Wisdom#1 Allah only knows the reason
Allah causes disasters and calamities for a reason that only Allah fully knows. Allah has the full right to do what He wills
لا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾
He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned (Al Anbia 23)
Lessons from Earthquake Turkey
Wisdom#2 Tests from Allah for All
Calamities are the tests from Allah on the one who suffered and on the one who is saved. We are far away from the earthquake-affected place, so we are saved. But, brothers in Turkey and Syria suffer from the earthquake, do we take lessons? Do we take initiative to help them? Allah examines us whether we take action or not. So, it is a test for us whether we take any action or not. No need to say, the calamity is apparently is test for them. The bottom line is that everybody should learn from this tragedy. If you can’t do anything, just raise your hands to Allah and ask Him to relieve their pain!
Allah says:
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٣٥﴾
Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned. (Al Anbia 35)
Meaning, Allah test you with calamities sometimes, and with blessings at other times, to see who is thankful and who is ungrateful, who is patient and who is discouraged.
Again, Quran says:
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ ﴿٢١٤ ﴾
Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, “When is the help of Allah?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near. ( Al Baqara 214
Wisdom#3 Calamities are a fortune!
When the afflicted person keeps patience and do Towba, the calamity turns into good fortune. He will get three benefits: (1) calamity works as an expiation of the sins. (2) Calamity raises the status in ranks (3) calamity causes to get rewards.
The prophet says:
مَا مِنْ شَىْءٍ يُصِيبُ الْمُؤْمِنَ حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةِ تُصِيبُهُ إِلاَّ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِهَا حَسَنَةً أَوْ حُطَّتْ عَنْهُ بِهَا خَطِيئَةٌ ” .
There is nothing that befalls a believer, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allah will record one good deed for him and will remove one bad deed from him,” (Bukhari)
«لا يزال البلاءُ بالمؤمن أو المؤمنة، في جسده، وفي ماله، وفي ولده، حتى يَلْقَى اللهَ وما عليه من خطيئة»
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “A Muslim, male or female, continues to remain under trial in respect of his life, property and offspring until he faces Allah, the Exalted, with no sin record”. (Turmudi)
Wisdom#4 Calamities are wake-up calls
Calamities are wake-up calls to humankind. Man is encouraged to discover new things and find solutions to make life easy. Man should use his best to achieve it. However, he should not challenge Allah. He should not think that everything comes under his control. He should be humble and not arrogant.
Allah says:
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِالْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾ فَلَوْلَا إِذْ جَاءَهُم بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُوا وَلَٰكِن قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٤٣﴾
And We have already sent [messengers] to nations before you, [O Muhammad]; then We seized them with poverty and hardship that perhaps they might humble themselves [to Us]. Then why, when Our punishment came to them, did they not humble themselves? But their hearts became hardened, and Satan made attractive to them that which they were doing. Al An’am (42) (43)
Wisdom#5 Thank Allah for calamity!
We need to thank Allah for this calamity! How? Sometimes Allah prevents us from bigger calamities by allowing us to suffer smaller tragedies. If you assess any calamity or tragedy, you will find that there is always a calamity bigger than what you suffered. The biggest calamity is one’s death. Then, one has a chance to thank Allah for any kind of calamity because he finds always some calamity bigger than what he suffered. So, he thanks that Allah has prevented him from being harmed by that bigger one.
Prophet says:
يا أيها الناس أيُّما أحدٍ من الناس أو من المؤمنين أصيب بمصيبةٍ فليتعزَّ بمصيبته بي عن المصيبة التي تُصيبه بغيري؛ فإنّ أحداً من أمتي لن يُصاب بمصيبةٍ بعدي أشد عليه من مصيبتي “([2]).
O people, whoever among the people or among the believers is stricken with a calamity, then let him console himself with the loss of me, for no one among my nation will be stricken with any calamity worse than my loss.’” (Ibn Maja)