Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhī rājiʿūn. Indeed, to Allah we belong, and to Him we are returning.
At 04:17am (TRT), many were asleep when the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck; estimates as of 14:41pm (GMT) suggest that at least 2,300 people have lost their lives, while further thousands have sustained injuries. [1]
The powerful initial quake struck in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep. Many more areas that have high numbers of Syrian refugees and internally displaced people (IDP) have been affected. A number of impacted areas are in the middle of a bitter winter. [1]
The quake has been followed by in excess of 40 aftershocks. One expert told The Washington Post that today’s initial event is tied with that of the 1939 Erzincan quake – which was also of the same magnitude and the most powerful ever recorded in Türkiye. [2]
In addition to the initial quake, an aftershock of 7.7 magnitude – at 10:24am (GMT) – has also struck central Türkiye. This second event has impacted various other countries in the region, with Cyprus, Syria, and Lebanon all experiencing tremors. [3]
#UPDATE A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck southeast Turkey Monday afternoon, the US Geological Survey said, hours after an earlier quake killed more than 1,200 people in the region.
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) February 6, 2023
The shallow quake hit at 1:24 pm (1024 GMT).
📸 Images from the damage of the earlier earthquake pic.twitter.com/D43XtI8HuL
Thousands of lives affected
Türkiye’s geographical position in relation to tectonic plates and fault lines means that it is particularly prone to earthquakes.
With large northern expanses spread across the Anatolian fault line, the country regularly experiences such events.
Eyewitnesses reported shaking in #Turkey 5 min ago (local time 13:25:00)⚠
— EMSC (@LastQuake) February 6, 2023
More info soon! pic.twitter.com/SSCY32PFZv
Today’s event has reignited calls for stricter building regulations in various parts of Türkiye and Syria, with many buildings that are often built outside of regulations.
Many high-rise structures have been levelled in this instance, with scores of people being trapped in the rubble.
Rescue workers co-ordinated by the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) continue to search for survivors.
Earthquakes serve as a reminder
Following such a terrifying occurrence, with the loss of life, destruction of homes and businesses, and the monumental effort required to rebuild, we should take a moment to remember that quakes and other “natural disasters” occur by the will of Allah.
There is divine wisdom behind these events. We should take every opportunity to return to Allah, before we return to Allah – meaning that we should try our best to repent, to pray, and seek His forgiveness, as often as possible.
In this light, the scholar Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahu Allah), once stated,
“Allah sometimes gives the Earth permission to breathe, which is when major earthquakes happen; this makes people feel scared, so they repent, give up sins, pray to Allah, and feel regret [for their sins].
“When there had been an earthquake, some of the Salaf said: ‘Your Lord is warning you’. When Madina was struck by an earthquake, ‘Umr ibn al-Khattāb (radiy Allāhu ‘anhu) addressed the people and said, ‘If there is another earthquake, I will not stay here with you.’” [4]
In addition, in a treatise explaining the way in which we, as believers, should view good and bad times, Shaykh Dr. Haitham al-Haddad states,
“This … includes changes in nature: the weather such as the wind, rain, waves in the sea; natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanos and floods; and the majority of illnesses and epidemics that man did not initiate. And likewise, rainfall and an abundance of goodness and bounty.
“As for this category, Allah Almighty causes it to occur with perceivable or metaphysical means, and in most cases, both simultaneously.
“What is meant by ‘perceivable means’ includes the laws of physics, chemistry, and biology. For example, water boils at a particular temperature and pressure; certain illnesses are caused by certain epidemics; good health is attained by healthy food and certain medicines; and likewise, solar and lunar eclipses are brought about by certain physical means. As mentioned above, as a general rule, Allah (Glorified is He) causes perceivable means to occur concomitantly with metaphysical means.” [5]
The respected jurist at the Islamic Council of Europe also adds,
“Metaphysical means are what Allah made as causes for (the bestowal of) His bounties or His wrath. Thus, the greatest of causes to acquire His bounties is tawhīd itself (monotheism) of Allah and His worship, reliance on Him, supplicating to Him, turning to Him in repentance, seeking His forgiveness, doing good, and showing kindness to the creation of Allah.
“He, the Exalted, said:
“‘And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning.'” [5] [6]
Give in charity to aid the affected!
Be sure to donate as much as you can, and by the will of Allah, we can all benefit from the reward of coming to the aid of those in need.
May Allah forgive us of our sins and allow us to return to Him in the best of states.
Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhī rājiʿūn. Indeed, to Allah we belong, and to Him we are returning.
— Islam21c (@Islam21c) February 6, 2023
Following the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria, we pray that Allah grants patience to those who have lost homes and/ or loved ones. Let's turn back to Him in worship.#TurkeyEarthquake
Also read
Source: Islam21c
Notes
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/06/turkey-earthquake-2023-gaziantep
[2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/02/05/turkey-earthquake-istanbul-death-toll/
[3] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/02/06/turkey-earthquake-live-updates-gaziantep-map-tremor-news-latest/
[4] Miftāh Dar al-Sa’āda | 1/221
[5] https://www.islam21c.com/theology/creed-of-catastrophe-what-to-believe-in-good-bad-times/
[6] al-Qur’ān, 7:96