In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

The Obstinate Proponents of Kufr and Shirk Do Not Ponder

When the obstinate proponents of Kufr and Shirk seek to mock at the believers and questioning them as to why they have been afflicted in an earthquake, this statement further manifests their repugnant ignorance about their Lord. Firstly, even though these misguided ones are also afflicted, they do not reflect, as Allaah [The Exalted] stated:

[أَوَلَا يَرَوۡنَ أَنَّهُمۡ يُفۡتَنُونَ فِى ڪُلِّ عَامٍ۬ مَّرَّةً أَوۡ مَرَّتَيۡنِ ثُمَّ لَا يَتُوبُونَ وَلَا هُمۡ يَذَّڪَّرُونَ – See they not that they are tried once or twice every year (with different kinds of calamities, disease, famine, etc.)? Yet, they turn not in repentance, nor do they learn a lesson (from it)]. [Surah At-Tawbah. Aayah 126]

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَمٍ۬ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ فَأَخَذۡنَـٰهُم بِٱلۡبَأۡسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ
فَلَوۡلَآ إِذۡ جَآءَهُم بَأۡسُنَا تَضَرَّعُواْ وَلَـٰكِن قَسَتۡ قُلُوبُہُمۡ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ مَا ڪَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ
فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُڪِّرُواْ بِهِۦ فَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ أَبۡوَٲبَ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَرِحُواْ بِمَآ أُوتُوٓاْ أَخَذۡنَـٰهُم بَغۡتَةً۬ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبۡلِسُونَ
فَقُطِعَ دَابِرُ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ‌ۚ وَٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ

Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you (O Muhammad ). And We seized them with extreme poverty (or loss in wealth) and loss in health with calamities so that they might believe with humility. When Our Torment reached them, why then did they not believe with humility? But their hearts became hardened, and Shaitan (Satan) made fair-seeming to them that which they used to do. So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened to them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them to punishment, and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows. So the roots of the people who did wrong were cut off. And all the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns, and all that exists). [Surah Al-An’aam. Aayaat 42-45]

So, when they ask why the believers are also afflicted, we remind them that just as their predecessors had no hope of entry into paradise due to their disbelief, whilst facing afflictions; likewise, they are threatened with the same evil consequences if they die upon disbelief, whereas the believers have hope of entry in the eternal paradise. Allaah [The Exalted] stated regarding the hardship in the battle field:

وَلَا تَهِنُواْ فِى ٱبۡتِغَآءِ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ‌ۖ إِن تَكُونُواْ تَأۡلَمُونَ فَإِنَّهُمۡ يَأۡلَمُونَ كَمَا تَأۡلَمُونَ‌ۖ وَتَرۡجُونَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَرۡجُونَ‌ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا

And don’t be weak in the pursuit of the enemy; if you (believers) are suffering (hardships) then surely, they (too) are suffering (hardships) as you are suffering, but you have a hope from Allah (for the reward, i.e. Paradise) that for which they hope not, and Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise. [Surah An-Nisaa. Aayah 104]

Allaah [The Exalted] said:
وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ‌ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ۬ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٲجِعُونَ
أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ صَلَوَٲتٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٌ۬‌ۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ

And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.). Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: “Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.” They are those on whom are the Salawat (i.e. blessings, etc.) (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones. [Surah Al-Baqarah Aayaat 155-157]

Allaah [The Exalted] said: [The Exalted] said: [مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَمَن يُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ ۚ – No calamity befalls, except by Allaah’s Will, and whosoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart]. Alqamah [may Allaah be pleased with him] said: This (ayah) is about a person who is afflicted with a calamity and he knows that it is from Allaah. So he becomes pleased with what Allaah has decreed and submit to Allaah’s judgement, and he (or she) says, “This is Allaah’s decree. I believe in Allaah and we are pleased with Allaah’s decree”. So Allaah fills his heart with Eemaan and tranquillity, and he (or she) receives a great reward (i.e. due to his patience). [Fadaa’il Al- A’maal’ pages 11-14’ by Shaikh Muhammad Bin Abdillaah As-Subayyil (rahimahullaah)]

The Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “If one of you is afflicted with a calamity, then let him reflect upon his calamity through me (i.e. my death), for indeed it is the greatest of calamities”. [Saheeh Al-Jaami As-Sagheer. Number 347]

Imaam Al-Qurtubi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] reported in his Tafseer that Imaam Ibn Abdil Barr [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “Indeed, he [i.e. the Messenger] spoke the truth, because indeed the calamity that results from his death is greater than every calamity that will afflict a Muslim after him until the day of judgement. The revelation stopped and Prophethood ceased (forever)”. [Al-Jaami Li-Ahkaam Al-Qur’aan. Tafseer Surah Al-Baqarah Aayaat 155-157] There is nothing more severe upon the Muslims than the death of Allaah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] because indeed he was the most trustworthy and perfect guide for the Ummah. [Shurouh Sunan Ibn Maajah pages 633- 634]

The Messenger [peace and lessings of Allaah be upon him] said: Amazing is the affair of the believer because there is good for him in every matter and this is not the case with anyone except the believer. If something pleasing comes to him, he thanks Allah and thus there is good for him, and if something harmful afflicts him, then he exercises patience and thus there is good for him. [Saheeh Muslim 2999]

As for their claim about so called natural disasters, we remind them first and foremost that [لا حول ولا قوة الا بالله – There is neither might nor power (to alternate from one state to another nor move from one thing to another) except by Allaah’s Will]. [Bukhaari 6384 & Muslim 2704]

Al-Harwee [may allaah have mercy upon him] said that Abu Haytham [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “Al-Hawl (i.e. might) is Al-Harakah (movement), meaning, there is neither movement nor ability except by the Will of Allaah”. And it is said, “There is no might to repel evil nor any power to reach good except by the Will of Allaah”. [Sharh Saheeh Muslim 4/87]

Secondly, read here: https://salaficentre.com/2023/01/02/natural-disasters-o-muslim-science-or-pshe-teacher-safeguard-aqeedah-of-muslim-children-when-this-term-is-mentioned/