Meaning of recent earthquake

9-2-2005 | IslamWeb

Question:

How should we as Muslims view the earthquake that has happened recently? And is there a Hadith mentioning one of the signs of the end of time there will be three earthquakes?

---

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 

The happening of many earthquakes is among the minor signs of the Day of Judgement. The Prophet said: "The Hour will not happen until knowledge will be uplifted and many earthquakes will take place." [Al-Bukhari]

Also, among the signs of the Hour is the occurrence of three major landslides. The Prophet when mentioning the ten signs of the Day of Judgement, said: "… and three major landslides, one in the East, one in the West and one in the Arabic peninsula..." [Muslim]

The earthquakes and other signs in this universe are a lesson for the believer. Allaah frightens His Slaves with such occurrences so that a Muslim should take heed and repent, and fear that what happened to others could have happened to him because of his sins.

Besides, among other lessons that a Muslim learns from such an incident is that in the Sight of Allaah the creation is of no value when they disobey Him, and a Muslim should remember, by the occurrence of such earthquakes, the horror of the Day of Judgement and the destruction that the whole universe will undergo.

Allaah Knows best.