Muslims say that earthquakes are punishment from god. Is that true?

Question

I read an article from a reputable Islamic website. In that article, I found many Muslim scholars (many of them holding Ph. D.) stress that earthquakes are punishment from god targeting people who do not obey god's orders.

http://www.islamonline.net/Arabic/In_Depth/BackToAllah/Articles/2005/02/02a.SHTML

Is that true?

An English translation for the above article (translated by Google):

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ar&u=http://www.islamonline.net/Arabic/In_Depth/BackToAllah/Articles/2005/02/02a.SHTML&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522%25D8%25AA%25D8%25AD%25D9%2584%25D9%258A%25D9%2584%2B%25D8%25AD%25D8%25AF%25D9%2588%25D8%25AB%2B%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25B2%25D9%2584%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B2%25D9%2584%2B%25D8%25B9%25D9%2586%25D8%25AF%2B%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25B9%25D9%2584%25D9%2585%25D8%25A7%25D8%25A1%2B%25D9%2588%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D9%2585%25D8%25AA%25D8%25AE%25D8%25B5%25D8%25B5%25D9%258A%25D9%2586%2B%25D8%25AD%25D9%258A%25D8%25AB%2B%25D8%25A3%25D8%25B9%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A8%2B%25D9%2583%25D8%25AB%25D9%258A%25D8%25B1%2B%25D9%2585%25D9%2586%2B%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D9%2586%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B3%2B%25D8%25B9%25D9%2586%2B%25D8%25AA%25D8%25AD%25D9%2584%25D9%258A%25D9%2584%25D8%25A7%25D8%25AA%25D9%2587%25D9%2585%2B%25D9%2588%25D8%25A3%25D8%25B7%25D8%25B1%25D

Answer 1

Of course not. Earthquakes are due to stresses which build up in the Earth's crust due to plate tectonics. The pressure overcomes the integrity of the crust, it breaks and slips, and that's an earthquake.

EDIT: Excellent point from firey_cowgirl. That's why we don't get earthquakes in terribly sinful England.

Answer 2

If that were true, then a lot of innocent people have been hurt and killed through the ages because they were in the wrong place when an earthquake happened. Since sin came into the world, God gave the world over to Satan to rule until God takes it back one day. Because of this, there are earthquakes, fires, blizzards, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, plagues, famine, disease - you name it. Folks, no one place on this planet is immune from some sort of natural disaster. If what the website you referred to said is true, then the entire world is being punished by God. Since we all sin, then it would make sense that we are all subject to God's wrath, however I believe that the things that happen on this earth are more related to Satan having dominion over the earth than God punishing those for their sins. Remember, God sent His Son to die for our sins. How would God cause a natural disaster to happen in one region as punishment for disobedience without inadvertantly punishing those who were obedient to God? God can do anything, but this does not sound like God.

Answer 3

Muslims believe in many things. Some dislike scholars and some admire them highly. You can not base the opionions of all muslims by what a scholar says. For example, to my belief an earthquake has many reasons. It could be for punishment or a reminder. Things happen. Allah does everything for a reason. But those reasons don't always agree with a man's covets for the answers to be thiers and not allah's. For example, GOD loves job(pbuh) yet he was stricken with boils. Why did allah allow satan to strick him with boils and took his family away from him? What did he do wrong, believe in GOD? While the people around him claimed him to be cursed and mocked him severely. Minus a few of his companions.

There is a reason for everything and none but allah has all of the answers. I don't know how others will base thier opinions on me for saying this, but scholars are not always correct. Big shock huh(sarcasm)? For example, the earthquake that took place on the Indian Pakistan border I believe was a warning from GOD. He was just trying to tell them to leave it alone. But many don't take heed.

PEACE!

Answer 4

I would say it's a sign from God but not necessarily a punishment. God spoke of earthquakes in the Bible. The scriptures must be fulfilled.

The earth can not do anything on its on. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness there of.

Answer 5

Both the Bible and the Qur'an speak of Earthquakes being used as chastisement of those who reject God's Will.

For those who Believe in God, but are not willing to say that God "causes" earthquakes, you are still left with the question, "Why does God PERMIT such when so many lives stand to be lost?"

If God is all-Knowing and all-Powerful, then Everything that happens within His Sphere of Power is either "caused" by Him or "permitted" by Him.

For those who don't believe in God...well...of course all this is irrelevant to you.

RM

Answer 6

>Whatever...here we go again. God doesn't punish.
>He loves everyone.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Some people obviously are in denial about god. Perhaps they should start with the basics... like the Ten Commandments.

for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, PUNISHING children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me
Exodus 20:4


Romans chapter 12
19 Don't take revenge, dear friends. Instead, let God's anger take care of it.
"I alone have the right to take revenge. I will pay back, says the Lord."

Answer 7

Is God cause of disasters?
God is not causing the earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, droughts, and volcanic eruptions that are so often in today’s news. He is not using these to bring punishment on certain peoples. To a large extent, these are caused by natural forces that have been operating since the earth’s creation. The Bible foretold great earthquakes and food shortages for our day, but that does not mean that either God or Jesus is responsible for them, any more that a meteorologist is responsible for the weather that he forecasts. Because these are occurring along with all the other things foretold in the composite sign of the conclusion of this system of things, they are part of the evidence that the blessings of God’s Kingdom are near.-Luke 21: 11, 31.

Humans often bear heavy responsibility for harm done. In what way? Even when given ample warning, many people refuse to get out of the danger area or fail to take needed precautions.-Proverbs 22:3; compare Matthew 24:37-39.

God can control such natural forces. He empowered Jesus Christ to calm a storm on the Sea of Galilee, as an example of what He will do for mankind under His Messianic Kingdom. (Mark 4:37-41) By turning his back on God, Adam rejected such divine intervention on behalf of himself and his offspring. Those who are granted life during Christ Messianic Reign will experience such loving care, the kind of care that only a government empowered by God can give.-Isaiah 11:9.

Are people who suffer adversity being punished by God because of wickedness?

Those who violate godly standards of living do experience bad effects. (Galatians 6:7) Sometimes they reap a bitter harvest quickly. In other instances, they may seem to prosper for a long time. In contrast, Jesus Christ, who never did wrong, was cruelly mistreated and put to death. So, in this system of things prosperity should not be viewed as proof of God’s blessing, nor should adversity be considered proof of his disapproval.

When Job lost his possessions and was afflicted with loathsome disease, that was not because of God’s disapproval. The Bible clearly says that Satan was responsible. (Job 2: 3, 7, 8) But companions who came to visit Job argued that Job’s plight must prove that he had done something wicked. (Job4: 7-9; 15:6, 20-24) Jehovah reproved them, saying: “My anger has grown hot against you… for you men have not spoken concerning me what is truthful as has my servant Job.”-Job 42:7.

Wicked ones may, in fact, prosper for a while. Asaph wrote: “I became envious of the boasters, when I would see the very peace of wicked people. They are not even in the trouble of mortal man, and they are not plagued the same as other men. They scoff and speak about what is bad; about defrauding they speak in an elevated style. Look! These are the wicked, who are at ease indefinitely. They have increased their means of maintenance.”-Psalm 73:3; 5, 8, 12.

The day of accounting with God will come. At that time he will punish the wicked, destroying them forever. Proverbs 2: 21, 22 says: “The upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.” Then the upright ones, many of whom have suffered adversity, will enjoy perfect health and a generous share of earth’s abundant produce.

Answer 8

Is acid rain a punishment from god too? I could go into the whole Earth's tectonic plates thing but....no. The answer is no.

Answer 9

yes, it can be a punishment or a test to the believers. because this life is the Hell of the believers, whatever sin the disbeliever do he gets punished in this life until no sin for him left when he returns back to the creator

for the disbeliever, this life will be his paradise. God may make him have fun with it, increase his wealth. if he done something good he reward him in this life. but when he returns back to him, no reward for him left.

Answer 10

No. Poseidon.

It seems many Islamic countries have really ticked him off, eh?