Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

salam,

well first all, i want to express my gratitudes for your everyday hard work in helping our brothers and sisters in Islam to live the right life and lead to the right path. i myself learned alot from your site and thank Allah for him to find ur site and may Allah shower you with blessings and have mercy on for you dedications in Islam.

Now here comes my question. My nephew is a LaGuadia comm College. In his philsophy his professor pose a question that he wasn`t able to answer. I didnt have the answer for my nephew either. The professor is an atheist, she asked if Allah loves us so much why is the people dying from earthquakes. why is Allah imosing such distaster on humans. and she aslo asked if he loves us so much than why young babies dying and why are you babies dyin from famine. my answer towards the earthquake question for my nephew was.. that Allah may take innocent lives away to warn other people that their life is in danger. that death could come to them soon. the death of those innocence who died in earthquake was a message to the people to submit to Allah. And Allah will take away lifes one after another to see who is satified and who is thankful. that was my answer. if this is correct plz reply bak soon.. in light of the quran and sunnan. jazak Allah Kheir

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Why innocent die in earthquakes?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth. If our humble and modest efforts have helped even one brother or sister get closer to Allah and His Deen of Truth, then we would consider ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most Merciful to serve in His Cause. We hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire. Ameen.

It would be more prudent and more beneficial to ask an atheist: who created everything in existence, what is the reason or mission of their being born on this earth, what will happen to them after they taste their inevitable appointment of death, etc., rather than try to convince them at their stage of belief of why does the Creator (whose existence they ‘dare’ to disbelieve!!!) sends earthquakes or sends natural disasters! In our humble opinion, such questions would be more beneficial to our brethren who do not believe, in their search for the Truth.

Anyways, to address the question asked by the Professor; if one studies the nature of creation one would realize and be forced to admit that the Lord Creator (or Nature for an atheist) has bestowed two things upon man which He has not bestowed upon any in His creation, and thus involved man to a test:

Intelligence or the Power of Reasoning

A ‘free will’ for a limited period of one life-time to choose whatever path one wishes to live his life.

Whoever amongst man studies and ponders over the innumerable wonders and Signs in the various creations of the Majestic Lord, and uses his bestowed intelligence and power of reasoning to understand his mission of creation, recognize His Supreme Lord and Creator, and of his own ‘free will’ chooses to submit his will to the Will of his Creator, and chooses to live his life in accordance with the guidance of his Creator, passes the test of life and is promised the Eternal Mercy, Grace, and Rewards of Allah Subhanah.

And whoever amongst man uses his bestowed intelligence and power of reasoning to do everything else but does not recognize or denies his Supreme Creator, refuses to submit his will to the Will of His Creator, and of his own ‘free will’ chooses to live his life in accordance with any guidance other than that of His Supreme Creator, miserably fails the test of life and will have a severe accounting in the Presence of His All-Mighty and Majestic Lord on an Inevitable Day.

Islam guides that man has been created for a test; and whatever man chooses to do of his own ‘free will’ in the test period of one life time in a given set of conditions will determine the result of this test in the Presence of the Majestic Lord in the Hereafter.

Allah says in the Holy Quran in Chapter 67 Surah Al Mulk verse 2: He (Allah) created death and life that He may test you, to see which of you is the best in deeds.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 155-157:

155 Be sure We shall test you with something of fear, and hunger, some loss in goods, or lives, or the fruits (of your toil); but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.

156 Who say when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah we belong and to Him is our return."

157 They are those on whom (descend) Blessings from Allah and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.

Thus any calamity or affliction which reaches man after a period of blessings and bounties, is no more than a test from their Lord Most Merciful to see what each amongst mankind does in these given set of conditions. Does he remain grateful for the innumerable favors of the Lord, or does he lose hope and despair of the Mercy of his Supreme Creator! What man, of his own free will chooses to do in the given set of conditions will determine the results of his test.

The Question: The professor is an atheist, she asked if Allah loves us so much why is the people dying from earthquakes. why is Allah imosing such distaster on humans. and she aslo asked if he loves us so much than why young babies dying and why are you babies dyin from famine.

Does the Professor who asked this question pass or fail her students depending on how much she loves each of her students? It is expected that a good and just teacher would not pass or fail her students depending on how much she loves them, but rather she would present each of them a fair test and how the students perform in that given test would determine their success or their failure.

Similarly, as much as the Supreme Creator loves each and every one in His creation, in His Absolute and Perfect Wisdom and Justice, He determines the tests for each of them according to their capability. Earthquakes, famines, life, death, wealth, health, or any good or any affliction one faces in life is no more than a test determined for them by their Lord Most Merciful; and what man does in these given conditions will determine whether he passes or fails the test of life!

Just as the tests for the 1^st grader is different, distinct, and a lot simpler and easier from the tests of the one who is trying to get his post-graduate degree in the schools and universities of this world, the tests of life determined and decreed for each amongst mankind is different, distinct, and simpler or more difficult depending on one’s ability to perform the test.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1562 Narrated by Sa'd

When the Prophet (saws) was asked which people suffered the greatest affliction, he (saws) replied, "The Prophets, then those who come next to them (in piety), then those who come next to them (in piety)!. A man is afflicted in keeping his religion. If he is firm in his religion his trial is severe, but if there is weakness in his religion it is made light for him.”

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1570 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "On the Day of Resurrection, when people who have suffered affliction are given their reward, those who are healthy will wish their skins had been cut to pieces with scissors when they were in the world."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1566 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "The magnitude of the reward goes along with the magnitude of the affliction. When Allah who is Great and Glorious loves people He afflicts them (so that He may reward the pious who display patience and perseverance in their affliction in their eternal life of the Hereafter).”

The more the Lord Creator loves one amongst His Creation, the more He tests them with severe trials and afflictions, so that He may bestow upon the pious amongst them a reward Unending and Everlasting! If one simply looks at the tests of the Prophets of Allah Subhanah like Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.), and Ayyub (a.s.), and Moosa (a.s.), and Isa (a.s.), and above all Prophet Mohamed (saws)…one would be forced to admit that their trials were far greater than faced by any amongst mankind! The patience, perseverance, trust and belief these noblest of souls practiced in their times of trial are an example for the rest of mankind!

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said in an authentic narration: ‘Let the (severity of the) afflictions that befall me be a consolation in the misfortunes that (may) befall upon you (the believers).’

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan