WHAT CAN WE learn from the fires ravaging Los Angeles?
The arrogance of man
It is easy for man to become arrogant about his position. He can send a man to the moon and create atom bombs that can vaporise other men in an instance. Yet despite all his material progress he stands unable to stop a fire, hurricane, earthquake, tsunami, even a flood in the least.
فَأَمَّا عَادٌۭ فَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَقَالُوا۟ مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً ۖ أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَهُمْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةًۭ ۖ وَكَانُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ
As for ’Aad, they acted arrogantly throughout the land with no right, boasting: “Who is superior to us in might?” Did they not see that Allah, Who created them, was far superior to them in might? Still they persisted in denying Our signs. (Fussilat 15)
The sheer power unleashed in such events should humble us. Mankind is powerless. For He truly is al-Qawiy (All Powerful), al-Aziz (all mighty)
When all is gone
We see people running from the fire and returning in tears picking up charred remains of what they spent their lives working for, cherished memories, all gone.
What is left after all your things are gone?
A reminder that Allah can give and He can take away in a blink an eye. What is left is only the good deeds and a pure heart. That will be the only currency in the next life.
يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌۭ وَلَا بَنُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى ٱللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍۢ سَلِيمٍۢ
The Day when neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit. Only those who come before Allah with a pure heart (will be saved). (ash Shu’ara 88-89)
Corruption of the land and sea
California in many ways is the materialistic dream. But as many have commented how much of that way of life with the unending production, consumption and waste is contributing to climate change. How much is the privatisation of water by rich individuals adding to the drought and tinder box effect.
ظَهَرَ ٱلْفَسَادُ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِى ٱلنَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى عَمِلُوا۟ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
Corruption has spread on land and sea as a result of what people’s hands have done, so that Allah may cause them to taste (the consequences of) some of their deeds and perhaps they might return (to the Right Path). (ar Rum 41)
The cruelty of man
It is difficult not to compare the images of destroyed areas in Los Angeles to those in Gaza. Both show devastation, but the destruction in Gaza comes solely from one group’s cruelty towards another. The reporting also reflects how one group is seen as more important than the other. In Los Angeles, the loss is real and personal, while in Gaza, it is just a statistic or collateral damage.
Always a reminder
These events are signs for mankind to return to Allah and His way of life that restores balance to in our lives, relationships and the world we live in.
ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُم مَّرْجِعُكُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you of what you used to do. (az-Zumar 7)
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