5 Ways on How to Face Natural Disasters in Islamic Way

Commonly natural disasters occur everywhere that we could not even imagine. Some of them are predictable, while the other ones are not. But, even if they are predictable, sometimes we still could not handle them. They always happen over time since a long time ago.

In Islam, Muslims believe that natural disasters have occurred since the time of the prophet. They will cause some suffering or even benefits to the people in the disaster place.

Everyone will taste the suffering of the disaster or be grateful because of it. On the Quran surah, Al Anbiya verse 35 mentions that people will taste a good and a bad one as long as their lives.

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَاۤىِٕقَةُ الْمَوْتِۗ وَنَبْلُوْكُمْ بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً ۗوَاِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُوْنَ – ٣٥

“Every soul will taste death. We will test you with evil and goodness as a trial. And you will be returned only to Us.

In the world, natural disasters commonly happen with Tsunami, earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, and hurricanes. We remain these natural disasters always happen and we could not even prepare how to do.

So, as Muslims, how should we do facing these natural disasters based on the Quran in Islam? Here we have some point of view about it based on the Quran.

1. Natural Disasters Are Happen For Some Reasons

Nor they come to the good or better ones, Natural disasters remain the level of iman for every Muslim. Every Muslim believes that it relatives to the trial test from Allah. Despite they come bitter or evilly, it test Muslims’ faith toward Allah. It is already mentioned in the Quran, surah Al Baqarah verse 155.

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوْعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْاَمْوَالِ وَالْاَنْفُسِ وَالثَّمَرٰتِۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصّٰبِرِيْنَ – ١٥٥

“And We will surely test you with a little fear, hunger, lack of wealth, soul, and fruit. And deliver good tidings to those who are patient,”

2. Never Underestimate of Natural Disasters

Natural disasters are warning from Allah that everything happens in this world is belong to Him. Everything nor the lives or dead will return to Allah such as a mention in the Quran surah Al Anbiya verse 35 mention above. That is why we should not underestimate it.

Sometimes, we get less prepared because the natural disaster comes on a little scale. But we don’t have any idea when suddenly it becomes bigger than we could ever imagine.

That is why we should more concerned about any natural disasters that may happen around us. In the Quran surah, Al A’raf verses 95 -96 mention about this.

ثُمَّ بَدَّلْنَا مَكَانَ السَّيِّئَةِ الْحَسَنَةَ حَتّٰى عَفَوْا وَّقَالُوْا قَدْ مَسَّ اٰبَاۤءَنَا الضَّرَّاۤءُ وَالسَّرَّاۤءُ فَاَخَذْنٰهُمْ بَغْتَةً وَّهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُوْنَ – ٩٥

“Then We replace the suffering with pleasure (so that their offspring and their wealth) multiply, then they say, “Indeed, our ancestors have felt suffering and pleasure,” then We afflict torment upon them suddenly without them knowing it.”

وَلَوْ اَنَّ اَهْلَ الْقُرٰٓى اٰمَنُوْا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكٰتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاۤءِ وَالْاَرْضِ وَلٰكِنْ كَذَّبُوْا فَاَخَذْنٰهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوْا يَكْسِبُوْنَ – ٩٦

“And if the inhabitants of the land of faith and pious, surely We will bestow on them blessings from heaven and earth, but they deny (Our verses), so We torture them according to what they have done.”

3. Be Prepared for Natural Disasters

Natural disasters can happen every time that is why we should be prepared. They can come in the morning such as the earthquake that happens in Yogyakarta in 2006 and the tsunami in Aceh in 2004. They also come while we fall asleep such as the volcano eruption in Mount Merapi, Yogyakarta in 2010.

Another natural disaster also can occur in the time while we should take time toward rest such as the earthquake and tsunami in the Donggala, Palu in 2018.

The point is, how we should do prepare while we don’t know they will happen? We could even know when it will occur even we have the newest technology of it. Just like mentions in the Quran surah Al A’raf 97-99.

اَفَاَمِنَ اَهْلُ الْقُرٰٓى اَنْ يَّأْتِيَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا بَيَاتًا وَّهُمْ نَاۤىِٕمُوْنَۗ – ٩٧

“So are the inhabitants of that country safe from the torment of us who come at night compilation they are sleeping?”

اَوَاَمِنَ اَهْلُ الْقُرٰٓى اَنْ يَّأْتِيَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا ضُحًى وَّهُمْ يَلْعَبُوْنَ – ٩٨

“Or are the inhabitants of that country safe from torture? We who come in the morning of their compilation are playing?”

اَفَاَمِنُوْا مَكْرَ اللّٰهِۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللّٰهِ اِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْخٰسِرُوْنَ ࣖ – ٩٩

“Or do they believe it is safe from Allah’s (unexpected) torture? There is no one who saves safe from Allah’s torment except those who lose.”

From these verses, at least we try to more aware of what could be happening around our environment. We should act such things Muslims should do during the pandemic. Natural disaster base from the government will help us a lot to seek the information.

4. Keep in Allah’s Way

It is important to keep in Allah’s way since He is the only one can decide whatever happens on earth. Because there is some list of unforgivable sins in Islam that we should avoid or Allah will punished us. Such as mention in the Quran surah Al A’raf verse 100,

اَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ لِلَّذِيْنَ يَرِثُوْنَ الْاَرْضَ مِنْۢ بَعْدِ اَهْلِهَآ اَنْ لَّوْ نَشَاۤءُ اَصَبْنٰهُمْ بِذُنُوْبِهِمْۚ وَنَطْبَعُ عَلٰى قُلُوْبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُوْنَ – ١٠٠

“Or is it not clear to those who inherit a country after (vanishing) its inhabitants? It Is Expected If We Will Surely We torment them for their sins, and We remember their hearts so that they cannot hear (lessons).”

5. Become Closer to Allah

Natural Disasters occurred for some reason such as built good Muslims as the way to become closer to Allah. This means Muslims should remain for the gratitude towards Him as every goodness they received.

We can do a simple way just like have tips to get closer to the Quran. In the Quran surah, Al Qamar verses 11 – 13 remain as the flood and the prophet Noah story,

فَفَتَحْنَآ اَبْوَابَ السَّمَاۤءِ بِمَاۤءٍ مُّنْهَمِرٍۖ – ١١

“Then We open the doors of heaven with the water pouring out,”

وَّفَجَّرْنَا الْاَرْضَ عُيُوْنًا فَالْتَقَى الْمَاۤءُ عَلٰٓى اَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ ۚ – ١٢

“And We made the earth spout springs, then meet (air) that caused (catastrophic) predetermined.”

وَحَمَلْنٰهُ عَلٰى ذَاتِ اَلْوَاحٍ وَّدُسُرٍۙ – ١٣

“And We transport him (Noah) to the top (ship) made of boards and pegs,”

The story of Another prophet that remains natural disaster because people don’t care about their gratitude and their faith to Allah writes in the Quran. In surah Al Qamar verse 21 remain as the hurricane.

Then there are clay stones rain and volcanic eruption that happen into people in the prophet Luth era. We should pray to this condition just like we do a blessing virtues of rain in the Quran.

So, these are 5 ways for Muslims facing natural disasters in Islam based on the Quran as the remain for them to remember Allah and get benefits of being grateful to Allah.