Natural Disasters

“If you see anything like that, hasten to remember Him, call on Him and seek His forgiveness…” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Almighty says: "And We sent not the signs except to warn." (Al-Isra’ 17:59)

"We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest to them that this (the Qur’an) is the truth. Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things?" (Fussilat 41:53)

"Say: He has power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet, or to cover you with confusion in party strife, and make you to taste the violence of one another." (Al-An`am 6:65)

"And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much." (Ash-Shura 42: 30)

"Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself." (An-Nisaa’ 4:79)

"So We punished each (of them) for his sins, of them were some on whom We sent Hasib (a violent wind with showers of stones), and of them were some who were overtaken by As-Saihah (torment — extremely loud noise ), and of them were some whom We caused the earth to swallow, and of them were some whom We drowned. It was not Allah, Who wronged them, but they wronged themselves." (Al-`Ankabut 29: 40)

"And if the people of the towns had believed and had piety, certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heavens and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes)." (Al-A`raf 7:96)

A Warning For Those Studying Islam

The Prophet (saw) said: Do not acquire knowledge in order to compete with the scholars, nor to argue with the ignorant, nor to gain mastery over the gatherings. Since whoever does that, then: The Fire! The Fire! - Ibn Majah

The reasons for Ibaadat

Hadhrat Zainul Aabideen (rahmatullahi alayh) said:

"Some people worship Allah because of fear. This is the ibaadat of slaves. Some worship Him because of their desire for thawaab. This is the ibaadat of traders. Some worship Him in gratitude for His bounties. This is the ibaadat of freed slaves."

Those whose share is the Aakhirah

It is narrated that Allah Ta`ala revealed to Hadhrat Moosa (alayhi salaam): "O Moosa! There are some of My servants, if they ask of Me the entire Jannat, I will give it to them, and if they ask Me for anything from this world, I will not give it to them, not because they are contemptible to Me, but because I desire to store up the treasures of My bounties for them in the Aakhirah. I save them from the world like a shepherd protects his flock from a wolf." [The world, Rasulullah -sallallahu alayhi wasallam - said, is carrion]

Ibn Umar (radhiallahu anhu) narrated that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that everything has a key. The key of Jannat is to love the true and patient Fuqaraa and Masaakeen. o­n the Day of Qiyaamah, they will be the companions of Allah Ta`ala.

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) supplicated: "O Allah! Keep me alive as a Miskeen; let me die a Miskeen and raise me up (in Qiyaamah) in the assembly of the Masaakeen."

This supplication of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) is more than ample confirmation for the lofty rank and importance of the Fuqaraa and the Masaakeen. In his dua, Nabi-e-Kareem (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) did not ask for the Masaakeen to be raised up in his assembly. Rather, he supplicated to be resurrected in their group. This form of his du`aa significantly highlights the rank of the Fuqaraa.