الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينة ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا، ومن سيئات أعمالنا ، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، وأشهد أن سيدنا محمداً عبده ورسوله ، اللهم صلِّ وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه  ومن تبعه إلى يوم الدين

People have been witnessing major undesirable changes in their lives, started with the Covid19 epidemic that seems not going away and now they are facing the worsening of the environment that is causing unexpected major floods in many countries, widespread fires all over the world, heat waves causing the death of many.  People are even expecting stronger and more intense hurricanes and long freezing wave in the winter.   Some people attributed these disasters to several conspiracy theories and others attributed them to human activities such as genetic modification of the virus and greenhouse gases.  

Allah informs us that the Quran includes information on all things by saying:

وَنَزَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ تِبۡيَـٰنً۬ا لِّكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَهُدً۬ى وَرَحۡمَةً۬ وَبُشۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ (٨٩)

We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur’an) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for the Muslims. (Al-Nahl 16:89)

مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ )الأنعام(

We have not neglected anything in the Book. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered. (Al-Ana’am 6:38) 

Also, the Prophet (PBUH) emphasized this point of the comprehensive nature of the Quran by giving certain attributes to the Quran that included as he (PBUH) said:

فِيهِ نَبَأُ مَا كان قَبْلَكُمْ، وَخَبَرُ مَا بَعْدَكُمْ

In it there is the true account of those before you, the news of those who will follow you. 

وَهُوَ الفَصْلُ لَيْسَ بِالْهَزْلِ مَنْ ابَتَغَى الهُدَى فِي غَيْرِهِ أَضَلّهُ الله

It is the serious judgment and not the lighthearted amusement, whoever seeks guidance from other than it, Allah will misguide him.

وَهُوَ حَبْلُ الله المَتِينُ، وَهُوَ الذّكْرُ الْحَكِيمُ، وَهُوَ الصّرَاطُ المُسْتَقِيمُ، هُوَ الّذِي لاَ تَزِيعُ بِهِ الأَهْوَاءُ، وَلاَ يَشْبَعُ مِنْهُ الْعُلَمَاءُ، وَلاَ يَخْلُقُ عَلى كَثْرَةِ الرّدّ، وَلاَ تَنْقَضَي عَجَائِبُهُ،

It is the mighty rope of Allah. It is the wise remembrance.  It is the straight path.   It is the one that will not make the whims deviates, and scholars will always be hungry to study it. Its responses do not need replenishment and its wonders will never cease.

Therefore, we should expect that the Quran gives information regarding major disasters that mankind will face at any time.   While we cannot expect the Quran to give us the details an dtiming of every event, we can expect that it will identify certain principles and provide examples by which we can rationalize the reasons for the disasters and how to avoid them.   

This view is supported by several scholars.  As example, Ibn Masoud (ابن مسعود) said:

مَنْ أَرَادَ الْعِلْمَ فَلْيُثَوِّرِ الْقُرْآنَ ، فَإِنَّ فِيهِ عِلْمَ الأَوَّلِينَ وَالآخِرِينَ ) الطبراني في ” الكبير) ابن المبارك في ” الزهد ” ) ثَوَّرَ القرآن: بَحَثَ عن معانيه(

 “Who wanted the knowledge should study the Quran, it has the knowledge of the earlier and the later civilizations.”

Also, Imam Abu Hamed Al-Ghazali (ابو حامد محمد الغزالي‎) as well as Imam Abu Bakr al-Arabi (ابو بكر العربى), the Maliki Imam claimed that the Quran encompasses over 70,000 forms of knowledge.  

It would be reasonable that we would expect that the changes in the environment and the spread of diseases be part of these knowledge in the Quran.  Therefore, studying the Quran is very important because it will help us identify the key factors that come to play in these disasters, which as we see it now being completely ignored and instead people are focusing on the side effect rather than the main cause.   

Studying the Quran will lead us to identify several principles that Allah have established, to help us explain the causes of disasters and in which direction are they going.  In this talk, I’ll, inshallah, identify three relevant principles addressing natural disasters that man faces.  I hope that, as you study the Quran on your own, you can identify others.

The first principle states that while Allah allows disasters to happen to mankind, He is not the cause of them.  People are responsible for the disasters that happen to them So, people should stop blaming Allah’s decree for their problems.  Allah clearly says:

ظَهَرَ ٱلۡفَسَادُ فِى ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِى ٱلنَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِى عَمِلُواْ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ (٤١) قُلۡ سِيرُواْ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَٱنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلُ‌ۚ كَانَ أَڪۡثَرُهُم مُّشۡرِكِينَ (الرُّوم)

“Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of people have earned, so that He (Allah) makes them taste some of what they have done, in order that they may return (to the right way). (41) Say: “Travel in the land and see the consequence of actions of those before (you)! Most of them were idolaters.” (Al-Rome 30:41-42)

وَمَآ أَصَـٰبَڪُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ۬ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِيكُمۡ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَن كَثِيرٍ۬ (الشورى(

“And whatever a disaster befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He overlooks many (of your evil deeds).” (Al-Shura 42:30)

أَوَلَمَّآ أَصَـٰبَتۡكُم مُّصِيبَةٌ۬ قَدۡ أَصَبۡتُم مِّثۡلَيۡہَا قُلۡتُمۡ أَنَّىٰ هَـٰذَا‌ۖ قُلۡ هُوَ مِنۡ عِندِ أَنفُسِكُمۡ‌ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬ (آل عمران(

“(What is the matter with you?) When you suffer a disaster twice of which you caused (your enemies), you say: “From where does this come to us?” Say, “It is from your own selves.” And Allah is surely powerful over everything.” (Al-Imran 3:165) 

It is interesting that Allah applies the same principle on the Prophet (PBUH).  Allah says:

مَّآ أَصَابَكَ مِنۡ حَسَنَةٍ۬ فَمِنَ ٱللَّهِ‌ۖ وَمَآ أَصَابَكَ مِن سَيِّئَةٍ۬ فَمِن نَّفۡسِكَ‌ۚ وَأَرۡسَلۡنَـٰكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُولاً۬‌ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَہِيدً۬ا (النساء(

“Whatever of good reaches you, it is from Allah, but whatever of iniquity befalls you, is from your own self. We have sent you as a Messenger to mankind, and Allah is Sufficient as a Witness.” (Al-Nisa 4:79)

This verse causes problems to those who believe that all actions of the Prophet (PBUH) were based on revelation and thus he cannot take any action that result in causing him harm.  This opinion appears to be unrealistic because the Prophet, as human being took initiatives on his own to deliver the message such as the case of going to the Taif and when he found that this approach did not bring the desirable results, he changed his strategy.  Also, the prophet (PBUH) made the decision on his own to reconcile the heart of the Jews of Khybar by accepting the invitation of a Jewish woman and eating her food that turned out to be poisonous. This poison affected the Prophet’s health as reported in the seerah books.  But this issue is not the subject here, it is just to emphasize that no human being is immune form this principle.

However, we note that when Allah addressed the people regarding the harm that will befall them because what they are doing, he used the term (مُّصِيبَةٌ۬) which can be translated as calamity, disaster, misfortune.  But, when Allah addressed the Prophet (PBUH), He used the term (سَيِّئَةٍ۬) which is translated as iniquity or bad thing.

Someone may suggest that there is contradiction between this principle and the following verses that suggest that every calamity occurs but by the permission of Allah:

مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ (التغابن(

“No calamity befalls, but by the command of Allah” (Al-Taghabun 64: 11)

مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ إِلَّا فِى ڪِتَـٰبٍ۬ مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن نَّبۡرَأَهَآ‌ۚ إِنَّ ذَٲلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ۬ (الحديد(

“No calamity befalls the earth or yourselves but is recorded in a book before We bring it into existence: that is truly easy for Allah” (Al-Hadid 57:22)

But there is really no contradiction because of the second principle that states that Allah has established the rules regarding the cause-effect relationship between man’s actions and the universe response to these actions which can be in the form of natural disasters. 

This second principle suggest that Allah has established a balanced Balance that govern man’s behavior and another balanced Balance that controls the operation of the universe.  If man caused imbalance to his Divine Balance, an imbalance would occur to the universe divine Balance. Therefore, certain operations of the universe can change and instead of giving protection to mankind, it will cause harm to them.  

Yes, Allah is the One who established the cause-effect rule, but we are completely free to either positively or negatively manage our behavior in relation to this divine rule and face the consequence because nothing will ever diminish the application of the divine rule.

The cause-effect relationship between Man’s behavior and the universe stability are called the Sunnan of Allah that will never change and are always applied since Allah created this universe.  Allah provided in the Quran many examples of past nations to emphasize to us these cause-effect relationship between the imbalance of the human Balance and that of the universe Balance.  Let us look at several verses to support this principle.

Regarding the divine Balance of the universe, Allah says:

وَٱلسَّمَآءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ ٱلۡمِيزَانَ (٧) أَلَّا تَطۡغَوۡاْ فِى ٱلۡمِيزَانِ (٨)

“And He raised the heaven high, and He has set up the Balance. (7) Do not cause imbalance in the Balance.” (Al-Rahman 55:7-8)

Regarding the man’s divine Balance, Allah says:

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَ‌ۗ وَمَا يُدۡرِيكَ لَعَلَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَرِيبٌ۬ (الشّوریٰ)

Allah is the One Who has sent down the Book in truth, and the Balance. And what will make you know? Perhaps the Hour is near.? (Al-Shua 42:17)

لَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رُسُلَنَا بِٱلۡبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَأَنزَلۡنَا مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ ٱلنَّاسُ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ‌ۖ

“We sent our messengers with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance that people may uphold equity.” (Al-Hadid 57:25)

Regarding the consistency of the rules that govern the cause-effect relationships between the man’s Balance and the universe Balance (i.e. Sunnan of Allah), Allah says:

سُنَّةَ ٱللَّهِ فِى ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوۡاْ مِن قَبۡلُۖ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ ٱللَّهِ تَبۡدِيلاً۬ (الأحزاب(

“That was the Sunnah (rule, way, practice) of Allah in the matter of those who have gone before, and you never find in Allah’s Sunnah any change.” (Al-Ahzab 33:62)

سُنَّةَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِى قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِن قَبۡلُ‌ۖ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ ٱللَّهِ تَبۡدِيلاً۬ (الفتح(

‘’That is the Sunnah of Allah in the matter of those who have gone before, and you never find in Allah’s Sunnah any change.” (Al-Fath 48:23)

فَهَلۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا سُنَّتَ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَۚ فَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ ٱللَّهِ تَبۡدِيلاً۬ۖ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ ٱللَّهِ تَحۡوِيلاً (٤٣)

“Haven’t they looked at by the Sunnah with earlier people? So, you never find in Allah’s Sunnah any change, and you will never find in Allah’s sunnah any diversion.” (Fatir 35:43)

Therefore, one can conclude that all the disasters that people are facing and will be facing are caused by the imbalance to their Balance that Allah established to govern their activities behaviors and relationships.  Violating Allah commands will cause an imbalance to the universe’s divine Balance and thus natural disasters will happen.  People can stop these disasters by working on balancing their divine Balance, otherwise things will get worst.

Allah informs us of six types of disasters that people faced in the past and these were: 1) heavy rains causing major floods, 2) instability of the earth causing major sink holes, 3) sky quake causing blast deafening sound, 4) tornados, 5) hurricane wind filled with stone, and 6) earthquake.  None of those people had done virus manipulation or caused green gas climate change, but they faced these disasters because of the imbalance they caused to the divine Balance by their sins and transgression against Allah’s commands.  

Allah says regarding some of these disasters:

فَكُلاًّ أَخَذۡنَا بِذَنۢبِهِۦ‌ۖ فَمِنۡهُم مَّنۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ حَاصِبً۬ا وَمِنۡهُم مَّنۡ أَخَذَتۡهُ ٱلصَّيۡحَةُ وَمِنۡهُم مَّنۡ خَسَفۡنَا بِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمِنۡهُم مَّنۡ أَغۡرَقۡنَا‌ۚ وَمَا ڪَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيَظۡلِمَهُمۡ وَلَـٰكِن ڪَانُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ يَظۡلِمُونَ (٤٠)

“So, We punished every one of them with his sins; against some We sent a hurricane wind with shower of stones, and some were overtaken by an (Awful) acoustic blast, and some We caused to sink in the earth, and some We drowned. It was not for Allah to wrong them, but they wronged themselves.” (Al-Ankabout 29: 40) 

Interesting in this verse is the sequence of the different disasters, the hurricane shower with stones referring to the people of Prophet Lut was the listed first while it was last in the chronological sequence of occurrence while the drowning referring the people of prophet Noah was listed last while it was the first in the chronological sequence. The reason appears that Allah is emphasizing the punishment for the worst violation first.  So, now you can judge where are we stand regarding the nature of the imbalance er are causing to our divine Balance.  are we like the people of Prophet Noah, or Prophet Saleh, or Prophet Hud, or Prophet Shoaib or Prophet Moses or Prophet Lot, or are we as all of them together?   

To know the primary causes of what is happening to us, you need to compare our actions with those of past nations that were destroyed to see whether we are committing more of less than their transgressions.  Frankly, there should be no surprises regarding what we see now.  Allah says at the end of Surat Fater after giving many advice to mankind and identifying many of His blessings:

ٱسۡتِكۡبَارً۬ا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَكۡرَ ٱلسَّيِّىِٕۚ وَلَا يَحِيقُ ٱلۡمَكۡرُ ٱلسَّيِّئُ إِلَّا بِأَهۡلِهِۚۦ فَهَلۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا سُنَّتَ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَۚ فَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ ٱللَّهِ تَبۡدِيلاً۬ۖ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ ٱللَّهِ تَحۡوِيلاً (٤٣) أَوَلَمۡ يَسِيرُواْ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ وَكَانُوٓاْ أَشَدَّ مِنۡہُمۡ قُوَّۚةً۬ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُعۡجِزَهُ ۥ مِن شَىۡءٍ۬ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَلَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ عَلِيمً۬ا قَدِيرً۬ا (٤٤) وَلَوۡ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِمَا ڪَسَبُواْ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَىٰ ظَهۡرِهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ۬ وَلَـٰڪِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمۡ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ۬ مُّسَمًّ۬ىۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمۡ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ بَصِيرَۢا (٤٥)

“Because of their showing arrogance in the land and plotting of evil. But the evil plot encompasses none but those who make it. Do they expect anything (else), but the divine Sunnah (rules) with the earlier peoples? So, you will never find in Allah’s Sunnah any change, and you will never find in Allah’s sunnah any diversion. (43) Have they not travelled in the land, and seen what was the end of those before them who were stronger than them in power? Allah is not such that anything in the heavens or in the earth escapes Him. Surely, He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful. (44) If Allah were to take mankind to task for what they deserve, He would not leave a living creature on the surface of the earth, but He gives them respite to an appointed time, and when their time comes, then Allah is the Ever Seer of His slaves.” (Fatir 35:43-45) 

The response of the universe to man’s actions according Sunnan Allah is not always negative, it can be positive if man continuously maintains the balance of his divine Balance by always being steadfast on the state of belief and Taqwa.  Allah says:

وَلَوۡ أَنَّ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱتَّقَوۡاْ لَفَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡہِم بَرَكَـٰتٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَـٰكِن كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذۡنَـٰهُم بِمَا ڪَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ (٩٦)

“If the people of the towns believed and have Taqwa, We would have opened for them blessings from heaven and earth; but they rejected (the truth), so We seized them on account of what they have been earning (of misdeeds)” (Al-Araf 7:96) 

The third principle is that the effect of imbalance in the universe Balance due to man’s action is progressive and thus the severity of the disasters will keep increasing unless man heeds the warning and start changing.

وَمَا نُرِيهِم مِّنۡ ءَايَةٍ إِلَّا هِىَ أَڪۡبَرُ مِنۡ أُخۡتِهَا‌ۖ وَأَخَذۡنَـٰهُم بِٱلۡعَذَابِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ (٤٨)

“And We did not show them a sign, but it was greater than the one that preceded it.  And We seized them with punishment, so that they may heed.” (Al-Zukhruf 43:48)

An example of the progressive punishment is that on Pharaoh and his people:

فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡہِمُ ٱلطُّوفَانَ وَٱلۡجَرَادَ وَٱلۡقُمَّلَ وَٱلضَّفَادِعَ وَٱلدَّمَ ءَايَـٰتٍ۬ مُّفَصَّلَـٰتٍ۬ فَٱسۡتَڪۡبَرُواْ وَكَانُواْ قَوۡمً۬ا مُّجۡرِمِينَ (١٣٣) وَلَمَّا وَقَعَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلرِّجۡزُ قَالُواْ يَـٰمُوسَى ٱدۡعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِندَكَ‌ۖ لَٮِٕن كَشَفۡتَ عَنَّا ٱلرِّجۡزَ لَنُؤۡمِنَنَّ لَكَ وَلَنُرۡسِلَنَّ مَعَكَ بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ (١٣٤) فَلَمَّا ڪَشَفۡنَا عَنۡہُمُ ٱلرِّجۡزَ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ هُم بَـٰلِغُوهُ إِذَا هُمۡ يَنكُثُونَ (١٣٥) فَٱنتَقَمۡنَا مِنۡہُمۡ فَأَغۡرَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡيَمِّ بِأَنَّہُمۡ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا وَڪَانُواْ عَنۡہَا غَـٰفِلِينَ (١٣٦)

“So, We sent on them: the flood, the locusts, the lice, the frogs, and the blood: a succession of clear signs. Yet they remained arrogant, and they were guilty people. (133)  and when the terror fell on them, they said: “O Musa (Moses)! Pray to your Lord for us because of His covenant with you. If you remove the terror from us, we indeed shall believe in you, and we will let the Children of Israel go with you.” (134) But when We removed the punishment from them for a term, which they had to reach, in no time, they broke their promise! (135) So, We took retribution from them. We drowned them in the sea, because they rejected Our signs and were heedless of them” (Al-Araf 7:133) 

The Prophet (PBUH) also spelled our several punishments that will impact Muslims; unfortunately, we see some of them happening now.  Abdullah bin ‘Umar said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turned to us and said:  

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَقَالَ ‏ “‏ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ خَمْسٌ إِذَا ابْتُلِيتُمْ بِهِنَّ وَأَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ تُدْرِكُوهُنَّ لَمْ تَظْهَرِ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي قَوْمٍ قَطُّ حَتَّى يُعْلِنُوا بِهَا إِلاَّ فَشَا فِيهِمُ الطَّاعُونُ وَالأَوْجَاعُ الَّتِي لَمْ تَكُنْ مَضَتْ فِي أَسْلاَفِهِمُ الَّذِينَ مَضَوْا ‏.‏ وَلَمْ يَنْقُصُوا الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ إِلاَّ أُخِذُوا بِالسِّنِينَ وَشِدَّةِ الْمَؤُنَةِ وَجَوْرِ السُّلْطَانِ عَلَيْهِمْ ‏.‏ وَلَمْ يَمْنَعُوا زَكَاةَ أَمْوَالِهِمْ إِلاَّ مُنِعُوا الْقَطْرَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَلَوْلاَ الْبَهَائِمُ لَمْ يُمْطَرُوا وَلَمْ يَنْقُضُوا عَهْدَ اللَّهِ وَعَهْدَ رَسُولِهِ إِلاَّ سَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ عَدُوًّا مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ فَأَخَذُوا بَعْضَ مَا فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ ‏.‏ وَمَا لَمْ تَحْكُمْ أَئِمَّتُهُمْ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَيَتَخَيَّرُوا مِمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ بَأْسَهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ ‏”‏ ‏.

‏“O Muhajirun, there are five things with which you may witness, and I seek refuge with Allah that you witness them:

• Immorality never appears among a people to such an extent that they commit it openly, but plagues and diseases that were never known among the predecessors will spread among them.
• They do not cheat in weights and measures, but they will be stricken with famine, severe disasters, and the oppression of their rulers.
• They do not withhold the Zakah of their wealth, but rain will be withheld from the sky, and were it not for the animals, no rain would fall on them.
• They do not break their covenant with Allah and His Messenger, but Allah will enable their enemies to overpower them and take some of what is in their hands.
• Unless their leaders rule according to the Book of Allah and seek all good from that which Allah has revealed, Allah will cause them to fight one another.’”

The critical question is where we are going from here; are moving towards escalation of the natural disasters or towards reducing them.   The answer is quite simple because it should be available in the mass media for anyone to know.   Are we doing less or more than what the nations that were destroyed have done as provided to us in the Quran?  Are we trying to rebalance our divine Balance or are we proceeding to causing more imbalance and thus cause more imbalance to the divine Balance of the universe?

Frankly, there should be no surprises regarding the future.  It will get worst if the people of the world stay heedless and continue in their transgression, arrogance, and intransigence.  How worst?  There is one disaster that is mentioned 5 times in the Quran, but it did not happen yet and thus it can happen to us if we are not careful.  This disaster is falling stars of earth (كِسۡفً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ).  This is a warning that the Prophet (PBUH) threatened the disbelievers of Mecca with, as Allah recorded for us what they said; they said:

أَوۡ تُسۡقِطَ ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَمَا زَعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡنَا كِسَفًا (الإسراء(

“Or you cause the sky to fall upon us in pieces, as you have said.” (Al-Isra 17: 92)

If this disaster happens, it may be the first of the ten major signs of the day of Judgment   This disaster is a smoke that will engulf the earth for long time.   Allah named a whole Surat after it, it is surat Al-Dukhan 944).  This can be subject of another talk.  Allah says:

فَٱرۡتَقِبۡ يَوۡمَ تَأۡتِى ٱلسَّمَآءُ بِدُخَانٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ۬ (١٠) يَغۡشَى ٱلنَّاسَ‌ۖ هَـٰذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ۬ (١١)

“So, wait for the Day when the sky will come up with a visible smoke. (10) That will envelop the people? this will be a painful torment.” (Al-Dukhan 44:10-11)

We pray to Allah to Allah to grant us the wisdom and the commitment to study the Quran and discover Allah’s system to help us have concise picture of the changes that we are seeing in the world.    

We pray to Allah to give mankind the wisdom to stop transgressing and causing greater imbalance on their divine Balance that Allah and to protect us from any disasters that will happen as a result of the heedless on many of mankind.

DUA