Someone wrote: Pakistan and Afghanistan have experienced severe earthquakes in last weeks. May Allah protect everyone human being from every kind of disaster. But at the same time we should think that may be Allah Almighty is not happy with us as one of famous TV anchor, Shahid Mashood said, please see the attachment.
My Response: These earthquakes and other natural calamities happening in the world today are not divine punishment because Allah always warns before punishing, and ensures justice, punishing the criminals for their crime. All the nations mentioned in the Quran, who were eventually punished, Allah sent Messengers warning their leaders, calling to reform and forgiveness, and when they defiantly rejected the messengers and the warnings, only then were they were destroyed. Even Prophet Muhammad warned for two decades before the State of Medina declared the Treaty annulled, and gave a notice of war four months in advance. (Quran Chapter 9: http://searchtruth.com/chapter_display.php?chapter=9&translator=4 ).
Reading the history of the Bani Israel in the Quran, it is very possible that Allah is not pleased with us. We were declared to be the best ummat (Q 3:110) for mankind, and thus have the greatest responsibility, yet we do not undertake it. Before us, the Bani Israel were chosen & blessed with guidance and prophethood. Yet, as stated in Quran 17:2-10, when they rose to power, twice did they become mighty and arrogant, and caused corruption, and were consequently punished. When the first of the two warnings came to pass, Quran 17:5, it states that we sent our servants given to terrible warfare. There are some grave lessons in the history of the monotheistic Bani Israel for us. If Allah decides to punish us Muslims, then any nation or coalition of nations can be made to rise against Muslims. It does not matter what faith they profess, as all humans are His servants (ibaad).
(Quran Chapter 17: http://searchtruth.com/chapter_display.php?chapter=17&translator=4 )
We Muslims need to reconnect with the Quran, believe with assured faith, understand and undertake our responsibility, or wait for the consequences of our apathy and ignorance.
You are (the) best (of) people raised for the mankind - enjoining the right and forbidding [from] the wrong and believing in Allah. And if believed (the) People (of) the Book surely would have been good for them. Among them (are) [the] believers, but most of them (are) defiantly disobedient. [http://islamawakened.com/quran/3/110/ ]
Crime & Punishment:
http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2015/11/mission-of-messengers-v.html
JC stated: If as you say “natural disasters (et al)….are not about divine punishment.” Surely the question that floats through the discourse must be, ‘What IS it about then?’
God plans it all, OR he plans nothing. Let us not find convenient, faith based protection for a god whose actions just do not stand up to simple moral logic and reason.
I must also insist I do not mean to offend believers. It’s just that when we choose to open any Pandora’s Box, we must be prepared for controversy…at least. So when religions and faiths are bandied about on public forums like ours, there are views on offer that may not be equally simplistic or subservient. The reasoning could be discomforting and unpalatable.
We tend to ignore at our peril, the fact that faith creates its own truths. And not always can they bury reality.
On this, I believe we must hold god to account by the same ethical codes that all religions support for decent and acceptable conduct. The greater the power and authority…the greater the moral expectations must be. Our god is all-powerful and is also the supreme authority. So why then is there no moral code for him, by which his actions, or lack thereof, could be evaluated?
My own god falls mightily short…repeatedly….and I am not just talking about natural disasters. Also, divine punishment is a proven (motivational) myth….I am a living example of this. I am blessed beyond belief, emotionally and materially, by my god.
http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2015/11/mission-of-messengers-v.html
JC stated: If as you say “natural disasters (et al)….are not about divine punishment.” Surely the question that floats through the discourse must be, ‘What IS it about then?’
God plans it all, OR he plans nothing. Let us not find convenient, faith based protection for a god whose actions just do not stand up to simple moral logic and reason.
I must also insist I do not mean to offend believers. It’s just that when we choose to open any Pandora’s Box, we must be prepared for controversy…at least. So when religions and faiths are bandied about on public forums like ours, there are views on offer that may not be equally simplistic or subservient. The reasoning could be discomforting and unpalatable.
We tend to ignore at our peril, the fact that faith creates its own truths. And not always can they bury reality.
On this, I believe we must hold god to account by the same ethical codes that all religions support for decent and acceptable conduct. The greater the power and authority…the greater the moral expectations must be. Our god is all-powerful and is also the supreme authority. So why then is there no moral code for him, by which his actions, or lack thereof, could be evaluated?
My own god falls mightily short…repeatedly….and I am not just talking about natural disasters. Also, divine punishment is a proven (motivational) myth….I am a living example of this. I am blessed beyond belief, emotionally and materially, by my god.
My Response: Yes, God plans it all. Everything happens as per God's plan and permission. As per our belief, even the devil (Iblis) sought God's permission to be able to try to mislead Adam and his progeny.
However, the life of this world is a place of brief trial for us. Divine judgement, reward and punishment will be on the Day of Judgement.
Only the extreme cases of corruption were visited by divine punishment in this wold, as I've tried to explain in my series of blogposts titled Mission of the Messengers (http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2015/06/mission-of-messengers.html )
God doesn't fall short. God is loving, compassionate and kind. He has given us an entire life to discover how wonderful it is to be good, caring, compassionate, helpful, honest, loving, faithful. He keeps inviting us to forgiveness and all that's good. He promises that everything is being recorded and everyone will receive full justice on the Day of Judgement. It is we who think we deserve the best of everything, right here and right now, and that God is being unjust to us. God could have punished Adam forever then; instead he forgave Adam and gave a chance to each one of us to earn our place in the Gardens of Eden for eternity.
Yes, for those who believe that there is no Hereafter or Day of Judgement, the life of this world certainly seems unfair. That is a matter of faith, or the lack thereof.
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