Page 79 - Deep Thinking

that Allah has sent a disaster against this city for a purpose. In the Qur'an,
Allah relates that He consigns the disobedient nations to penalty so that
they might take heed or be repaid for their deeds. Hence, if a given com-
munity practices values with which Allah is displeased, Allah may have
punished them for that reason. Or, it may be that Allah is testing these peo-
ple with some hardships in the world.
Thinking about these possibilities, the believer fears that all these may
also befall him, and asks forgiveness of Allah for his own conduct.
No person and no nation can prevent any disaster from occurring
unless Allah so wills. It makes no difference whether it is the most wealthy
and powerful country in the world or a place that ordinarily would be
thought to be at little risk because of its geographical location. Allah says
that no nation can prevent a disaster that will befall them.

An earthquake lasting a few seconds is enough to destroy a whole city. Those who
think that these scenes are ‘works of nature' are mistaken. This is because nature,
an incredibly ill-defined entity, just as all other beings, under the command of
Allah.