Cyclones, earthquakes, tornadoes and even volcano eruptions. And we haven’t even entered hurricane season.
And as a Katrina evacuee, I wish I could say that I learned something about why natural disasters happen. There are no beneficial words or advice I offer. Unlike Rev. Hagee, I don’t believe the children who drowned in the flood waters of Katrina are the collateral damage in God’s war against homosexuality and carnival parades. I can only tell you that the fear of losing your possessions and having your life disrupted is easily overwhelmed by the relief that you survived. But of course, this reaction varies person to person. After all, everyone that I knew and loved survived.
Even the words “natural disaster” are problematic. We know that the good and the bad come from God Alone. We know these are His acts but we don’t discuss it. It’s not polite conversation. We know that from our vantage point as human beings, we have a distorted view. We are not the Al-Aleem, All-Knowing. We don’t have all the facts. We can only perceive that which is within our physical and psychological range of senses whereas Allah’s knowledge encompasses everything.
Some people ask, “How can good and bad come from God when God is supposed to be all good?” Well, Muslims don’t believe in Manichaeism. What is khayr for one person is sharr for another. One person’s loss is another’s gain. That’s the cosmic balance played out across the universe. And what we perceive to be bad could be good and vice versa.
While I think that assuming that natural disasters are punishments for sins seems rudely simplistic (and overly confident about guessing the will of God), I think we should take these disasters as reminders that this earthly form of existence will come to pass. The day is coming when the veils of the dunya will be torn and everyone’s eyesight into the reality of God will be piercing. The day is coming when we will perceive things as they are–without the filters of our hangups, prejudices and mental mechanisms. The day is coming when the debts fall due.
What have you done with your life? What have you done with the talents We’ve given you? Who is your Lord? Who is your prophet? How did you spend your time?
Munkar and Nakil, alayhi salaam, will question us all in the grave.
Allah will question us on the day when our excuses will fall short.
Take these storms and ecological uprisings as a reminder.
“Die before you die.”
Take yourself into account before He does it for you.
alajnabiya said,
May 14, 2008 at 5:58 am
It always amazes me when someone is so arrogant that they think they can say “God did this for x reason.” Not only is that presumptuous to think they can speak for Him, but it seems to me that it vastly over simplifies His reality. Perhaps natural disasters punish some people, but they also bless others and provide lessons, tests and challenges for us all. Just as our understanding of the great natural climate systems that cause hurricanes is limited, we also are not able to see the full picture of why these things happen. That is why the story of Musa and Khidr in Surah Kahf is my absolute favorite part of the Qur’an. It answered the question that burned in my heart for so long. Why do “bad” things happen to the good and the innocent, and why does “good” come to awful people? If we have faith in Allah’s justice, then we can have faith that whatever happens to us has the potential to be good for us.
alajnabiya said,
May 14, 2008 at 6:19 am
My husband kicked me off the computer while I was writing my previous comment, but I wanted to add one more thing. I was feeling a little sorry for my self before I read your post, and you reminded me of precisely what I needed to think about. Thank you.
Aaminah said,
May 14, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Asalaamu alaikum.
Yes, such a timely reminder… and interesting because the sohbet I read today was also about the importance of reflecting on death and how it should help us to remember our purpose and have willpower to do what we need to do for our Hereafter.
Also, third-ing that thing about the arrogance of people who claim to know “why” Allah allowed something to happen, and to claim that it is punishment for someone else’s faults. Not that I wish ill on anyone, but those are the people who are going to get a very rude awakening when they are tried with some disaster in their lives…
izzymo said,
May 14, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Alajnabiya: Ameen! I love the story of Khidr and Musa, too. (alayhum salaam) I really get annoyed with people who think that people who can’t have children are somehow cursed or punished by God. Subhan’Allah, He knows best! How will these people react when they are tested with calamities? Maybe they think it comes from Satan?
Aaminah: Walaikum salaam…oops I’ll be back.
JDsg said,
May 15, 2008 at 4:17 am
How will these people react when they are tested with calamities?
For many want-to-be parents, this may be the calamity, their test by Allah (swt). Certainly Milady and I treated our failure to have a child as a test. And now that the delivery date is approaching, I view our child as also being part of a test: how well can I be a good father to my child; how well can I provide for my family while maintaining all my other obligations, in the dunya and the deen.
izzymo said,
May 17, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Sorry, I’m back.
Aaminah: I’m trying to think more about death. It really helps to remember that this life will seem like a moment in comparison to eternity. But the dunya is so dazzling with it’s distractions. May we die before we die.
JDsg: I agree. I just don’t like it when people tell infertile or barren women that God is cursing them. Like you said, why does it have to a curse or punishment? Why not consider it a trial or test? Why not consider something as character building or something to wear away at the nafs?