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Meaning of recent earthquake

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  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The happening of many earthquakes is among the minor signs of the Day of Judgement. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) 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  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) 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.

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