INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF THE EARTHQUAKES IS A SIGN OF HAZRAT MAHDI’S
(AS) COMING
The Hour [Day of Judgment] will not be
established until ... earthquakes will be very frequent. (Ramuz al-Ahadith,
476/11)
There are two great events before the Day of
Judgment ... and then years of earthquakes. (Ramuz al-Ahadith, 187/2)
There will be conflicts and frequent
earthquakes... (Al-Barzanji,
Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, s.166)
As is well known, very
strong earthquakes have occurred throughout the world in the last couple of
years. These earthquakes, occurring with such unprecedented frequency for the
first time in the world’s history strongly heralds the coming of Hz. Mahdi
(as).
However, until recently
earthquakes happened quite rarely.
For example, according
to the reports of the US Geological Survey, the number of 5.0 and stronger
earthquakes that happened between 1556-1975, a span of 400 years, was only 110.
However, beginning in
the year 1400 according to the Hegira calendar, these earthquakes rose in an
unprecedented manner.
All these figures show
that the earthquakes rose rapidly in frequency beginning in the year 1400 of
the Hegira calendar (1979-1980 in Gregorian calendar).
For example, in the year 1999
alone, there were 20.832 small and big
earthquake.
According to the official reports, 22.711
people died in these earthquakes.
This
was foretold by Prophet Muhammad (saas) in his hadith:
There will be earthquakes
in my community. Ten thousand, twenty thousand, thirty thousand people will
die. [Ibn ‘Asakir, Gelecegin Tarihii 1 (History of the Future 1), Orhan Baytan,
Mevsim Publishings, p. 81]
Some of the earthquakes that happened in the
last thirty years are as follows:
Date : 28th July, 1976
Location: China
Magnitude: 7.8
On the 28th of July, 1976, a 7.8
earthquake shook China, killing 242,000 and injuring 164,000 people.
On the 7th of December 1988, the
earthquake in Armenia killed 20.000 and left 500.000 homeless.
Date : 07th of December, 1988
Location: Armenia
Magnitude: 6.9
Date : 17th of January, 1995
Location: Kobe
Magnitude: 7.7
The Kobe earthquake of 1995 lasted only 20
seconds, but caused over 100 billion US dollars in damages.
The 7.9 earthquake in India on the 26th
of January 2001, killed 30.000 and injured 166,000 people.
Date : 26th of January, 2001
Location: India
Magnitude: 7.9
The 6.7 earthquake in Iran that happened on
the 26th of December, 2003 killed 20.000 and injured 50.000
people.
Date : 26th of December, 2003
Location: İran
Magnitude: 6.7
300.000 lost their lives as a result of the
tsunamis that happened after the 9.0 earthquake in Indonesia on the 26th
of December, 2004.
Date : 26th of December, 2004
Location: Indonesia
Magnitude: 9.0
The 7.6 earthquake in Pakistan on the 8th
of October, 2005, killed 100.000 people.
Date : 08th of October, 2005
Location: Pakistan
Magnitude: 7.6
The Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which
occurred on the 11th of March, 2011, killed over 15,000, injured
over 5,000, and left over 8,000 still officially missing. Additionally, this
catastrophe cause over 300 billion dollars in damages, making it the most
expensive natural disaster recorded.
Date : 11th of
March, 2011
Location: Japan
Magnitude: 9,0
In the last 30 years, in other words, as of
the year 1400 in the Hegira calendar, many other earthquakes, both small and
large happened, in addition to those that have been listed here.
Many people were left homeless as a result of
these earthquakes.
This is explained in one hadith of the Prophet
Muhammad (saas).
The days when you can
find no homes to shelter you or animals to carry you have come close.
Earthquakes will demolish your houses… (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha`ah li Ashrat
as-Sa`ah, p. 146)
In addition to the Prophet Muhammad’s (saas)
hadiths, there are verses in Qu'ran, mentioning the link between earthquakes and the Day of Judgment.
The name of the 99th verse in Quran
is Az-Zilzal (The Earthquake).
In this surah, the heavy shaking of the earth
is described, and it is said that after this earthquake the people will be
risen in the Day of Judgment and give
account to All-mighty Allah:
I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed
satan.
When the earth is shaken to her (utmost) convulsion,
and the earth throws up her burdens (from within), And man cries (distressed):
'What is the matter with her?'- On that Day will she declare her tidings: For
that thy Lord will have given her inspiration.
On that Day will men proceed in companies sorted
out, to be shown the deeds that they (had done).
Then shall anyone who has done an atom's
weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom's weight of evil, shall
see it. (Surat at-Zilzal, 1-8)
