When the Earth Is Shaken

[al-fateh]

When the Earth Is Shaken

By Idris Tawfiq* Oct. 2, 2005


Life is a mystery. Things happen to us in a way that is quite out of our control. The people in the United States had no idea that thousands of lives would be lost in New Orleans and Louisiana as a result of a terrible hurricane. The Shiite pilgrims in Iraq did not know when they set out to celebrate one of their holy men that a thousand of them would be crushed to death as they crossed a bridge.

We often behave as though we are in control, but despite all our plotting and planning, we have no control over the events of this life. When we manage to secure a good job, when our children become sick, or when we receive wonderful news, it is all out of our hands. Neither money nor power can help us to control our destiny. The richest man on earth cannot prevent his journey to the grave. Allah alone, in His infinite plan, knows what will happen to us. Since time began He has planned all the events of our lives.

Imagine for a moment those people in New Orleans. Ordinary people, going to work to provide for their families and maybe save up for a holiday. Very ordinary people, with the same cares and worries as anyone else, like what school to send their children to, what car they might be able to afford, how they can pay for their gas and electricity. And then something happens that destroys their lives. A mighty hurricane stirs up from the Gulf of Mexico and kills thousands of people.

Imagine those Shiite pilgrims in Iraq. They would have been looking forward to their pilgrimage for weeks. They would have made special prayers in the days and weeks before the pilgrimage. Maybe they saved up for special clothes. They certainly didn’t know when eating breakfast that morning that a thousand of their people would die later in the day.

And yet, even though we know that our final hour can come at any time, even though we know we could die at any moment, we forget about the presence of Allah in our lives. We neglect our prayers. We fail to show kindness to our brothers and sisters. We even take for granted our spouses and children, even though each morning we part it could be for the last time. It is too late to cry over those dearest to us when we hear that a terrible accident has occurred.

We read in the Glorious Qur’an:

(When the earth is shaken with its final earthquake. And when the earth throws out its burdens. And men will say: “What is the matter with it?”) (Az-Zalzalah 99:1-3)

And yet we forget that this moment can come at any time, and when that time comes it will be too late to change our ways:

(That day mankind will proceed in scattered groups that they may be shown their deeds. So whoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it.) (Az-Zalzalah 99:6-8)

Many people in the world see a disastrous hurricane or a tragedy on a bridge as an uncontrollable coincidence, and they learn nothing from it.

As Muslims, let us be mindful that everything, al-hamdu lillah, is part of Allah’s plan for the world, and let us remember that one day our deeds will be weighed in a balance. Let us hope, in sha’ Allah, that we have the sense to use our time in this world wisely.


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* Idris Tawfiq has a degree in English Languages & Literature from the University of Manchester and a degree in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome. For many years he was Head of Religious Education in different schools in the United Kingdom. More remarkably, before embracing Islam he was a Roman Catholic priest. This rich experience in dealing with people and explaining matters of faith to them enlivens his writing, making it readable and easy to understand. He currently lives in Cairo, where he has made his home, and he divides his time between Egypt and the United Kingdom as a teacher, speaker and writer.

When the Earth Is Shaken

By Idris Tawfiq* Oct. 2, 2005


Life is a mystery. Things happen to us in a way that is quite out of our control. The people in the United States had no idea that thousands of lives would be lost in New Orleans and Louisiana as a result of a terrible hurricane. The Shiite pilgrims in Iraq did not know when they set out to celebrate one of their holy men that a thousand of them would be crushed to death as they crossed a bridge.

We often behave as though we are in control, but despite all our plotting and planning, we have no control over the events of this life. When we manage to secure a good job, when our children become sick, or when we receive wonderful news, it is all out of our hands. Neither money nor power can help us to control our destiny. The richest man on earth cannot prevent his journey to the grave. Allah alone, in His infinite plan, knows what will happen to us. Since time began He has planned all the events of our lives.

Imagine for a moment those people in New Orleans. Ordinary people, going to work to provide for their families and maybe save up for a holiday. Very ordinary people, with the same cares and worries as anyone else, like what school to send their children to, what car they might be able to afford, how they can pay for their gas and electricity. And then something happens that destroys their lives. A mighty hurricane stirs up from the Gulf of Mexico and kills thousands of people.

Imagine those Shiite pilgrims in Iraq. They would have been looking forward to their pilgrimage for weeks. They would have made special prayers in the days and weeks before the pilgrimage. Maybe they saved up for special clothes. They certainly didn’t know when eating breakfast that morning that a thousand of their people would die later in the day.

And yet, even though we know that our final hour can come at any time, even though we know we could die at any moment, we forget about the presence of Allah in our lives. We neglect our prayers. We fail to show kindness to our brothers and sisters. We even take for granted our spouses and children, even though each morning we part it could be for the last time. It is too late to cry over those dearest to us when we hear that a terrible accident has occurred.

We read in the Glorious Qur’an:

(When the earth is shaken with its final earthquake. And when the earth throws out its burdens. And men will say: “What is the matter with it?”) (Az-Zalzalah 99:1-3)

And yet we forget that this moment can come at any time, and when that time comes it will be too late to change our ways:

(That day mankind will proceed in scattered groups that they may be shown their deeds. So whoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it.) (Az-Zalzalah 99:6-8)

Many people in the world see a disastrous hurricane or a tragedy on a bridge as an uncontrollable coincidence, and they learn nothing from it.

As Muslims, let us be mindful that everything, al-hamdu lillah, is part of Allah’s plan for the world, and let us remember that one day our deeds will be weighed in a balance. Let us hope, in sha’ Allah, that we have the sense to use our time in this world wisely.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Idris Tawfiq has a degree in English Languages & Literature from the University of Manchester and a degree in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome. For many years he was Head of Religious Education in different schools in the United Kingdom. More remarkably, before embracing Islam he was a Roman Catholic priest. This rich experience in dealing with people and explaining matters of faith to them enlivens his writing, making it readable and easy to understand. He currently lives in Cairo, where he has made his home, and he divides his time between Egypt and the United Kingdom as a teacher, speaker and writer.

When the Earth Is Shaken

By Idris Tawfiq* Oct. 2, 2005


Life is a mystery. Things happen to us in a way that is quite out of our control. The people in the United States had no idea that thousands of lives would be lost in New Orleans and Louisiana as a result of a terrible hurricane. The Shiite pilgrims in Iraq did not know when they set out to celebrate one of their holy men that a thousand of them would be crushed to death as they crossed a bridge.

We often behave as though we are in control, but despite all our plotting and planning, we have no control over the events of this life. When we manage to secure a good job, when our children become sick, or when we receive wonderful news, it is all out of our hands. Neither money nor power can help us to control our destiny. The richest man on earth cannot prevent his journey to the grave. Allah alone, in His infinite plan, knows what will happen to us. Since time began He has planned all the events of our lives.

Imagine for a moment those people in New Orleans. Ordinary people, going to work to provide for their families and maybe save up for a holiday. Very ordinary people, with the same cares and worries as anyone else, like what school to send their children to, what car they might be able to afford, how they can pay for their gas and electricity. And then something happens that destroys their lives. A mighty hurricane stirs up from the Gulf of Mexico and kills thousands of people.

Imagine those Shiite pilgrims in Iraq. They would have been looking forward to their pilgrimage for weeks. They would have made special prayers in the days and weeks before the pilgrimage. Maybe they saved up for special clothes. They certainly didn’t know when eating breakfast that morning that a thousand of their people would die later in the day.

And yet, even though we know that our final hour can come at any time, even though we know we could die at any moment, we forget about the presence of Allah in our lives. We neglect our prayers. We fail to show kindness to our brothers and sisters. We even take for granted our spouses and children, even though each morning we part it could be for the last time. It is too late to cry over those dearest to us when we hear that a terrible accident has occurred.

We read in the Glorious Qur’an:

(When the earth is shaken with its final earthquake. And when the earth throws out its burdens. And men will say: “What is the matter with it?”) (Az-Zalzalah 99:1-3)

And yet we forget that this moment can come at any time, and when that time comes it will be too late to change our ways:

(That day mankind will proceed in scattered groups that they may be shown their deeds. So whoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it.) (Az-Zalzalah 99:6-8)

Many people in the world see a disastrous hurricane or a tragedy on a bridge as an uncontrollable coincidence, and they learn nothing from it.

As Muslims, let us be mindful that everything, al-hamdu lillah, is part of Allah’s plan for the world, and let us remember that one day our deeds will be weighed in a balance. Let us hope, in sha’ Allah, that we have the sense to use our time in this world wisely.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Idris Tawfiq has a degree in English Languages & Literature from the University of Manchester and a degree in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome. For many years he was Head of Religious Education in different schools in the United Kingdom. More remarkably, before embracing Islam he was a Roman Catholic priest. This rich experience in dealing with people and explaining matters of faith to them enlivens his writing, making it readable and easy to understand. He currently lives in Cairo, where he has made his home, and he divides his time between Egypt and the United Kingdom as a teacher, speaker and writer.