"Not only will there be earthquakes, but other terrible calamities will also appear, some from heaven and some from the earth. This will happen because men have given up the worship of their God ..."
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By Attiya Ghani | September 7, 2017
Two weeks ago, Hurricane Harvey made landfall between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor, Texas, as a Category 4 storm with winds of 130 mph. The storm flooded Houston in over 4 feet of water and affected millions of residents with hurricane-force winds knocking down trees, power poles and signs. This week we are expecting another monster storm, Irma labeled as Category 5 along with two other storms Jose and Katia. Irma made its landfall early Wednesday in the northern Caribbean islands almost obliterating the island of Barbuda. Irma is one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded- and it is still strengthening.
Smoke from wildfires in the northwest United States is having a serious effect in some locations in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. In South Asia, more than 1200 died, while millions have been forced from their homes and 18,000 schools shut down across the region from flooding caused by heavy monsoon rains. An earthquake of magnitude 8.1 struck off the southern coast of Mexico late on Thursday, and killed at least 26 people.
Natural disasters in the last century have exceeded all previous records and are a cause for concern. Whenever any natural disaster occurs in the world, those who fear God are frightened lest any such future calamity puts them in difficulty, or that any act of theirs may become a source of God’s displeasure. Such thinking is only of true believers who have the perception that God exists and does not need anyone and thus, with fear of God in their hearts, they try the paths that lead to His pleasure. God states in the Holy Qur’an: ‘Verily, those who, out of fear of their Lord, always stand guard against sins. And those who believe in the Signs of their Lord,’ (23:58-59). Indeed, God does not need anyone and believers should not be like those who remember God only in calamities and returned to their unpleasant habits when troubles are over. The Qur’an states: ‘And when waves engulf them like so many coverings, they call upon Allah, being sincere to Him in faith; but when He brings them safe to land, then some of them take the right course. And none denies Our Signs save every perfidious and ungrateful person’ (31:33). A true believer’s repentance should be real and constant.
Today, earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes are causing huge destructions, killing people and wiping out large buildings and roads. This is because man has forgotten his Creator and diverted his thoughts towards gaining worldly pleasures. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, awaited reformer of this age, and the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, appeared for ultimate unification of mankind. In 1891, Ahmad declared that he is the Messiah and Mahdi whose advent was foretold by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). More than one hundred years ago, Ahmad, made several prophecies and one of them was about earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters. He said:
‘…Those days are near, indeed they are at the door, when the world shall witness a spectacle of doomsday. Not only will there be earthquakes, but other terrible calamities will also appear, some from heaven and some from the earth. This will happen because men have given up the worship of their God, and all their thoughts and their designs and their resolves are diverted towards the world. Had I not come, these calamities might have been delayed for a while, but with my coming the secret designs of God’s wrath, that had long been hidden, have been manifested. God said: ‘We never punish until We have sent a Messenger’ (17:16). Those who repent shall find security and those who fear before the calamity overtakes them will be shown mercy. Do you think that you will be safe from these earthquakes, or that you can save yourselves by your own designs? No, you cannot. All human designs will come to naught that day. Do not imagine that only America has been shaken by the earthquake and that you are safe, for you may experience even greater calamities. O Europe! you are not secure, O Asia! You are not secure, O you who dwell in the Islands, no artificial god will come to your aid. I see the cities falling and I see the habitations in ruin. The One and the Unique has long remained silent. Abominations were committed before His eyes and yet He remained silent. But now He shall reveal His countenance in a dreadful manner. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! The hour is not far…. But God is slow to wrath, repent so that you are shown mercy. He who abandons God is a worm, not a man, and he who does not fear Him is dead, not alive.’ [ Essence of Islam, Vol. V, pp. 148 – 150]
The recent world disasters should be a cautionary sign for us. God is with one who truly honors the due of being His servant. His true servants do not ascribe partners to Him and are not those who only remember Him in difficult, turbulent times and forget Him in peaceful times. They turn to God with greater intensity in times when they face difficulties or observe climatic changes.
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Attiya Ghani, a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community's Atlanta chapter, is a freelance writer and columnist.
--Perspective: Natural Disasters of Biblical Proportions -- What Is Going On? Attiya Ghani
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