Natural disaster or catastrophe
can be controlled up to a point, and most of us often feel helpless before them.
A natural disaster is an unexpected event such as a violent storm, flood,
earthquake, lightning’s, attack of locusts and the spread of disease from birds
or animals(bird flu etc ) when lightning strikes a ship, flame, building or a
number of people anywhere, it is considered to be a natural disaster.
An earthquake is a very dangerous natural disaster. Earthquake occurs as a
result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth’s crust creating seismic
waves. We all are aware of that earthquake result in a massive destruction of
life and property.
Earth is made up of plates. Below the sea,3 to 6 miles thick and below the under
land its 22-44 miles. Radiation from the earth’s core heats the surface below
the crust to temperatures over 5000c. The annual force of earthquake is equal to
100,000 times the power of the atomic bomb. Do you know what does Islam say
about Earthquake? Islam told us about the controller of earthquake. The reason
for earthquake is originated from Islam; it’s proved by revelation and Ahadith
by Hazrat Muhammad(SAW) .Science made assumptions, deductions, proven then
theory and then rule most of them unproven, unclear to us but Islam gave us
complete idea about all situation and all reasons behind it.
In Quran, it is stated “They killed the she-camel and defied their Lords command
and they said, “O Salih! Bring to us that punishment which you promise us if you
are from amongst the Messenger”. The earthquake seized them and they became
faced down laid in their houses (Sarah 7:77_78)
In ahadith it is stated:
Anas (R.A) says, I went into the presence of Aisha (R.A) whilst someone else was
seated with her. The person asked, “O Mother of the believers! Relate to us
regarding earthquake”. She said “O Anas, if I was to inform you therefore, you
will live a sorrowful life and you will die in this life state of grief and you
will rose on the Day of Judgment whilst this fear is in your heart”. I said “O
Mother, relate to me”. She then said, “When a woman removes her clothes in a
house other than her husband, she tears the veil between her and Allah. When she
applies a perfume to please a male other than her husband, this will be a source
of fire and blemish for her. When the people begin to commit adultery, consume
alcohol and use musical instruments, Allah becomes enraged in the heavens and
orders the Earth to shake them. If they repent and refrain them, then it is good
for them, otherwise Allah will cause it to fall upon them”, I asked, “Is this
their punishment?” She said, “It is rather a mercy, means of blessings and
admonishment for the believers, and a punishment display of anger and torment
for the unbelievers.”
All of these natural disasters like earth, flood, famine etc are not punishment
instead of it, these are warnings for us.
According to scientific point of view, when the earth plates moves below the
earth’s crust, is known as Earthquake. The point where the earthquake originate
is called hypocenter above this centre is the point on earth’s crust is
epicenter maximum destruction caused at that area.
Due to the movement of these plates, seismic waves are generated these are of
three types:
Primary waves
Secondary waves
Surface waves
There are two types of shocks one is aftershock and the other is main shocks.
The main shock earthquake has largest amplitude, that’s measured by an
instrument known as seismogram and intensity is calculated by seismograph. A
scale is also introduced for the measurement of earthquake that’s known as
Richter scale. There are different ranges on Richter scale by which we can
detect which type of earthquake is ……….
0-2.0 Micro
2.0-2.9 Minor
3.0-3.9 Minor
4.0-4.9 Light
5.0-5.9 Moderate
6.0-6.9 Strong
7.0-7.9 Major
8.0-8.9 Great
9.0-9.9 Great
10.0+ Epic never felt
To learn about the earthquake in Pakistan, safety tips and history of earthquake
Please wait my another article on the same topic.