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2003 - Dec. 9, Virginia USA 2003 – Dec. 12,
Taiwan
2003 – Dec. 22, San Simeon , CA 2003 – Dec.
26, South-eastern Iran
2003 – Dec. 27, Loyalty Islands in the
Pacific Ocean .
THE QUR'AN: EARTHQUAKES IN PAST
CIVILIZATIONS
We have thus far examined various aspects
of earthquakes, but mostly from a geological and
scientific aspect. We turn our attention now to the
history of earthquakes. The finest and most authentic
source for such information is the QUR'AAN KAREEM, and we
turn our attention to what ALLAH [SWT] SAYS therein about
earthquakes. Earthquakes are part of natural calamities
that befall mankind whenever they turn away from the
commandments of ALLAH [SWT] and go against the teachings
of their Prophets. ALLAH [SWT] SAYS:
“QARUN WAS OF THE PEOPLE OF MOOSA, BUT HE
BEHAVED INSOLENTLY TOWARDS THEM. AND WE HAD GIVEN HIM SO
MUCH TREASURE THAT HIS KEYS [OF TREASURE] WOULD HAVE
OVERWHELMED SEVERAL STRONG MEN. WHEN HIS PEOPLE SAID TO
HIM, EXULT NOT, FOR ALLAH DOES NOT LOVE THOSE WHO EXULT
IMMODERATELY.” (Al-Qasas : 28/76)
“AND SEEK TO ATTAIN, BY MEANS OF [THE
WEALTH] WHICH ALLAH HAS GIVEN YOU, THE HOME OF THE
HEREAFTER. AND NEGLECT NOT THY LOT IN THIS WORLD, BUT BE
GENEROUS TO OTHERS AS ALLAH HAS BEEN BOUNTEOUS TO YOU,
AND SEEK NOT TO MAKE MISCHIEF IN THE EARTH, FOR ALLAH
LOVES NOT THOSE WHO MAKE MISCHIEF.” (Surah Al-Qasas :
28/77)
In these two ayaat-verses of the QUR'AN,
ALLAH [SWT] tells us about the immense wealth bequeathed
to Qa'a-run, a wealthy man in the kingdom of Fir-oun, the
supreme ruler of Egypt, during the time of Nabi Moosa
[as]. The immensity of his wealth can be gauged from the
fact that the keys of his treasury alone were too heavy
for strong men to carry on their heads or shoulders. He
was an arrogant and conceited man, who disobeyed and
disregarded the appeals and warnings of Nabi Moosa [as]
and exulted is his wealth to an immoderate degree. Nabi
Moosa [as] invited him many times to use his wealth to
help the poor and impoverished people of Egypt , but he
disdained every appeal, and continued to create mischief
in the land.
Things came to a head when Qa'a-run went to
open opposition and enmity of Nabi Moosa [AS], in that he
bribed a woman to publicly accuse the Messenger of ALLAH
of misconduct. In this gathering, Nabi Moosa [as] turned
in prayer to ALLAH [SWT] and pleaded for the help and
guidance of ALLAH [SWT]. Nabi Moosa [as] then turned to
her and asked her to speak the truth and have the fear of
ALLAH [SWT]. Gripped by intense fear, she admitted that
she had been ordered to make this allegation against Nabi
Moosa [as] by Qa'a-run, and that she was sorry and begged
the forgiveness of ALLAH. Nabi Moosa [as] turned to ALLAH
[SWT] with a pleading heart. Then ALLAH [SWT] commanded
the earth to swallow Qa'a-run, all his wealth, and all
his pomp and palaces. There was a huge tremor, followed
by an earthquake and a rupture in the earth, and Qa'a—run
and all his possessions were swallowed into the earth,
and in the presence of the people everything sunk before
their very eyes. This entire story of Qa'a-run is
narrated in the QUR'AN as follows:
“HE [QA'A-RUN SAID: I HAVE RECEIVED THIS
IMMENSE WEALTH BECAUSE OF THE KNOWLEDGE WHICH IS WITH ME.
DID HE NOT KNOW THAT ALLAH HAD ALREADY DESTROYED, BEFORE
HIM, SEVERAL GENERATIONS, WHO WERE MIGHTIER THAN HIM IN
STRENGTH, AND WHO HAD AMASSED MORE WEALTH? AND THE GUILTY
SHALL NOT BE ASKED FOR THE CAUSE OF THEIR SINS.” (Surah
Al-Qasas : 28/78)
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