Page 82 - The Truth of the Life of This World

tection. Allah creates these disasters to show us how insecure our habita-
tion can sometimes be. These outbursts of nature are reminders to all
mankind that we have no control whatsoever over the planet. Likewise,
each disaster serves the purpose of reminding us of our inherent weak-
ness. These are surely warnings to those that can contemplate the signifi-

cance of such events and draw lessons from the experience of others.
What other lessons should man learn from natural disasters?
The world is specially created for man. The reason why man is created
is evident as the verse suggests:
"He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, and His Throne
was over the waters, that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct."
(Surah Hud: 7)
The "setting" for this "test" is quite elaborate, however, and each event
is a component of this sophisticated setting. Furthermore, none of these
natural phenomena occur randomly; all have a scientific explanation. For
instance, the earth's gravitational force explains why we do not drift off
into space; rain falls when water vapour reaches a certain level of satura-
tion. The same kind of causation is also valid for death, accidents or dis-
ease. Numerous causes can be cited for why a man dies, becomes sick, or
has an accident. Yet, what really matters is not the number of these rea-
sons but the "reliability" of the system these causes and their consequences
rest upon. One particular aspect of this system is important; each incident
proceeds in a way such that the human mind can entirely understand it.
Allah warns man by means of natural disasters. An earthquake, for
instance, kills thousands of women, children and young people and leaves

many more injured. Those who are heedless of the warnings of Allah are
prone to explain such incidents as "natural" phenomena and little under-
stand that Allah creates these for specific purposes. Let us think for a
moment: what would happen if only those who are guilty before Allah
died in an earthquake? In such a case, the appropriate basis for the "test"
of humankind would not be established. That is why Allah creates each
phenomenon in a "natural" setting. Only those who are aware of the exis-
tence of Allah and have a deep comprehension of His creation understand
the divine rationale behind this "natural" appearance.

80 Natural Hazards and Disasters