Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World

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The 2005 earthquake centered in Pakistan administered Kashmir left 100,000 dead.

This article discusses and lists major accidents and natural disasters which have occurred in the Muslim world.

Introduction

As Allah's people, Muslims believe they will always be protected by him against any accident or disaster. However accidents and natural disasters do happen in Muslim countries and Allah seems to turn a blind eye when disaster strikes, even when they occur during the Hajj in Mecca, where Islam's holiest site, the Ka'aba, is located. Here we will list many significant events where a lot of Muslims have died due to natural disasters and accidents. This shows that there is little use in praying to Allah for the success and safety of Muslims.

Lists

Accidents and Natural Disasters at The Hajj

The Hajj is an important religious duty that every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to must partake in at least once in their lifetime. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and, as such, is meant to demonstrate the solidarity between the disparate Muslim people, and their submission to Allah. The Ka'aba itself is believed to be the "House of Allah" and the Qur'an tells us it's an "asylum of security for men",[1] so it would seem reasonable for Allah to protect or prevent any catastrophes from occurring in his house during the Hajj. However, this is not the case.

Death Toll Event Year
200 Fire in a Tent Colony[2] 1975
1,426 Stampede inside Al-Ma'asim Tunnel (most deadly stampede in history, until 2015)[3] 1990
250 Stampede at the Stoning of the Devil Ritual (unofficial figures say "well over" 1,000 deaths) [4] 1994
343 Tent Fire in Mina[2] 1997
118 Incident on Jamarat Bridge[5] 1998
35 Stampede at the Stoning of the Devil ritual[6] 2001
14 Stampede at the Hajj[7] 2003
251 Stampede during the Stoning ritual in Mina[8] 2004
346 Stampede during the ritual Al-Jamarat on the last day of the Hajj[8] 2006
76 Al Ghaza Hotel Collapse[9] 2006
77 Saudi floods[10] 2009
5 Swine Flu deaths at Hajj[11] 2009
118 Mecca (Masjid Al-Haram) crane collapse 2015
2400+ Hajj stampede 2015


A Stampede occurs when a large crowd panics, knocking people to the ground. They seem to be a regular part of the Hajj, and in all cases people are injured and trampled to death. Millions of pilgrims attend the Hajj every year and the attendance keeps on growing as more options for travel become available. It is a challenge for the government of Saudi Arabia to house these pilgrims and security to maintain the crowds remains inadequate.

In previous years violence has erupted during the Hajj, such as the 1979 Grand Mosque seizure (382 dead),[12] the 1982 bombing, and 1987 Mecca Massacre (402 dead).[13]

Not only is the Hajj subject to chaos, stampedes, etc., it is also subject to the spread of diseases such as meningitis, Swine Flu, and other transmittable diseases as millions of pilgrims are kept together in cramped and squalid conditions. Following an outbreak of meningitis amongst the pilgrims in 1987, the government of Saudi Arabia made vaccinations against the disease mandatory for all pilgrims.

Deadliest Earthquakes in the Past 50 Years

Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, some Muslims claimed this tragedy befell the Japanese because "Denying the Lordship of Allah and refusing to submit to Him in worship is the biggest act of injustice".[14]

This belief stems from the fact that the Qur'an often states earthquakes are for non-Muslims and occur as the wrath of an angry God.[15][16] However, out of the 10 most deadly earthquakes in the last 50 years,[17][18] 6 of the 8 countries affected were populated by a Muslim majority:

Death Toll (Estimate) Event Location Date
300,000 Tangshan earthquake China 01976-Template:MONTH July 1976
280,000 Indonesian Tsunami Indonesia 02004-Template:MONTH December 2004
110,000 Ashgabat earthquake Turkmenistan 01948-Template:MONTH October 1948
79,000 Kashmir earthquake Pakistan 02005-Template:MONTH October 2005
74,000 Ancash earthquake Peru 01970-Template:MONTH May 1970
68,000 Sichuan earthquake China 02008 2008
50,000 Manjil-Rudbar earthquake Iran 01990-Template:MONTH June 1990
45,000 İzmit earthquake Turkey 01999-Template:MONTH August 1999
28,000 Khait earthquake Tajikistan 01949-Template:MONTH July 1949
26,000 Bam earthquake Iran 02003-Template:MONTH December 2003

Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim world

Many Muslims often gloat and celebrate[19][20] when an accident or natural disaster befalls the Western and/or non-Muslim world, believing (as mentioned above) that it is the actions of a vengeful Allah. For example, following the 2005 Atlantic hurricane which struck the United States, the high-ranking Kuwaiti official, Muhammad Yousef Al-Mlaifi, referred to Hurricane Katrina as a "wondrous storm", a "Wind of Torment and Evil from Allah", and a "Soldier of Allah".[21]

When these beliefs are so strong among Muslims, surely this almighty God would not turn on his own followers? (note that this is by no means a complete list and only lists the reported figures of the dead, not those who are missing and presumed dead)

Death Toll Event Year
200,000 Damaghan earthquake, Iran[22][23] 856
150,000 Ardabil earthquake, Iran[23] 893
150,000 Shahbandar Sindh earthquake, Pakistan[24][25] 893-894
500,000 Famine, Egypt[26][27] 968
500,000 Famine, Palestine[27] 1097
230,000 (Disputed) Aleppo Earthquake, Syria[28] 1138
100,000 Famine, Egypt[29] 1199-1202
10,000 Earthquake, Turkey[30] 1509
10,000 Eruption of Mount Kelut, Indonesia[31] 1586
80,000 Shamakhi earthquake, Azerbaijan[32] 1667
50,000 Shahbandar Sindh earthquake, Pakistan[33] 1668
77,000 Tabriz earthquake, Iran[34] 1727
40,000 Kashan earthquake, Iran[35] 1755
1/5 of population Famine, Tunisia[27] 1784-1785
200,000 Famine, Egypt[36] 1784
300 Earthquake in Sumatra, Indonesia[37] 1797
Tens of Thousands Tambora eruption and famine, Indonesia[38] 1815
3,200 Allahbund Sindh earthquake, Pakistan[24] 1819
1,000 Lahore Punjab earthquake, Pakistan[25] 1827
31,000 Cholera, Egypt [39] 1831
Numerous Sumatra earthquake, Indonesia[37] 1833
250 - 350 Kahan (Balochistan) earthquake, Pakistan[25] 1852
Several thousand Sumatra earthquake, Indonesia[40] 1861
2,129 Cholera, Egypt[41] 1865
1,500,000 Famine, Iran 1870-71[42]
36,000 Eruption of Krakatoa, Indonesia[43] 1883
34,595 Cholera, Egypt[44] 1902
100 Sibi Balochistan earthquake, Pakistan[24] 1909
6,000 Silakhor earthquake, Iran[45] 1909
1/4 of northern population Famine, Persia[46] 1918-1919
1,500 Bali earthquake, Indonesia[47] 1917
5,115 Eruption of Mount Kelut, Indonesia[48] 1919
2,200 Torbat-e Heydariyeh earthquake, Iran[49] 1923
3,800 Koppeh Dagh earthquake, Iran[50] 1929
2,500 Salmas earthquake, Iran[51] 1930
30,000 - 60,0000 Ali Jaan, Balochistan earthquake, Pakistan[52] 1935
32,962 Erzincan earthquake, Turkey[53] 1939
4,000 Balochistan earthquake, Pakistan[54] 1945
20,472 Cholera, Egypt[55][56] 1947
110,000 Ashgabat earthquake, Turkemenistan[57] 1948
18,000 Khait earthquake, Tajikistan[58] 1949
970 Torud earthquake, Iran[59] 1953
1,600 Earthquake, Algeria[60] 1954
1,200 Mazandaran earthquake, Iran[61] 1957
1,130 Sahneh Earthquake, Iran[61] 1957
15,000 Agadir earthquake, Morocco[62] 1960
12,225 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake, Iran[63] 1962
500 Narail-Magura Tornadoes, Bangladesh[64] 1964
7,000 Dasht-e-Bayaz earthquake, Iran[65] 1968
923 Tornado, East Pakistan[66] 1969
500,000 Bhola Cyclone, East Pakistan (now in Bangladesh)[67] 1970
5,054 Earthquake, Southern Iran[68] 1972
4,000 Blizzard, Iran[69] 1972
5,300 Hunza Earthquake, Pakistan[70] 1974
26,000 - 1,000,000+ Famine, Bangladesh[71][72] 1974
5,000 Papua earthquake, Indonesia[73] 1976
26,000 Tabas Earthquake, Iran[74] 1978
1,500 Earthquake, Southern Iran[45] 1981
1,300 Saturia-Manikganj sadar Tornado, Bangladesh[75] 1989
40,000 Manjil(Rudbar) earthquake, Iran[76] 1990
138,866 Cylcone, Bangladesh[77] 1991
240,000 - 280,000 Famine, Somalia[78] 1991
2,500 Flores earthquake, Indonesia[79] 1992
440 Tangail Tornado, Bangladesh[80] 1996
1,567 Birjand-Qaen earthquake, Iran[81] 1997
1,100 Ardabil earthquake, Iran[82][83] 1997
17,118 - 45,000 Izmit earthquake, Turkey[84][85] 1999
103 Southern Sumatra earthquake, Indonesia[86] 2000
400 Cholera, Nigeria[87] 2001
262 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake, Iran[88][89] 2002
30,000 Bam earthquake, Iran[90] 2003
177 Earthquake, Turkey[91] 2003
283,106 Tsunami, Indonesia[92][93] 2004
900 Dengue Fever, Indonesia[94] 2004
965 Stampede, northern Baghdad, Iraq[95] 2005
612 Zarand earthquake, Iran[96] 2005
839 Simuelue earthquake, Indonesia[97] 2005
1,300 Northern Sumatra earthquake, Indonesia[98] 2005
630 Nias earthquake, Indonesia[99] 2005
1,300 Northern Sumatra earthquake, Indonesia[100] 2005
86,000 Kashmir earthquake, Pakistan[101] 2005
5,749 Java earthquake, Indonesia[102][103] 2006
70 Borujerd earthquake, Iran[104] 2006
730 Java earthquake, Indonesia[105][106] 2006
160 Kampung Pasir landslide, Malaysia[107] 2006
3 Earthquake, Tajikistan[108] 2006
118 Floods, Malaysia[109] 2006
54 Jakarta flood, Indonesia[110] 2007
68 Sumatra earthquakes, Indonesia[111] 2007
14 Bebejia tornado, Chad[112] 2007
128 Chittagong mudslides, Bangladesh[113] 2007
843 Cyclone Yemyin, Pakistan and Afghanistan[114] 2007
28 Rain-related accidents, Pakistan[115] 2007
500 Floods, Bangladesh[116] 2007
23 Sumatra earthquakes, Indonesia[117] 2007
64 Floods, Sudan[118] 2007
14 Cyclone Akash, Bangladesh[119] 2007
10,000 Cyclone Sidr, Bangladesh[120] 2007
33 Floods, Burkina Faso[118] 2007
78 Cyclone Gonu, Oman and Iran[121] 2007
7 Tornadoes, Bangladesh[122] 2007
926 Blizzard, Afghanistan[123] 2008
7 Bandar Abbas earthquake, Iran[124] 2008
75 Earthquake, Kyrgyzstan[125] 2008
13 Earthquake, Chechnya[126] 2008
215 Quetta earthquake, Pakistan[127] 2008
4 Sulawesi earthquake, Indonesia[128] 2008
200 Yemen cyclone[129] 2008
5 Bukit Antarabangsa landslide, Malaysia[130] 2008
4 Papua earthquake, Indonesia[131] 2009
10 Avalanches, Afghanistan[132] 2009
11 Zigana avalanche, Turkey[133] 2009
100 Situ Gintung Dam failure, Indonesia[134] 2009
179 Cyclone Aila, Bangladesh[135] 2009
22 Earthquake, Afghanistan[136] 2009
6 Cyclone Bijli, Bangladesh[137] 2009
26 Karachi floods, Pakistan[138] 2009
79 West Java earthquake, Indonesia[139] 2009
31 Flash floods, Turkey[140] 2009
1,117 Sumatra earthquake, Indonesia[141] 2009
122 Jeddah floods, Saudi Arabia[142] 2009
20 Attabad landslide, Pakistan[143] 2010
172 Salang avalanches, Afghanistan[144] 2010
1 Tornado, Bangladesh[145] 2010
102 Kohistan avalanche, Pakistan[146] 2010
57 Elazig earthquake, Turkey[147] 2010
43+ Kyzyl-Agash Dam failure, Kazakhstan[148] 2010
11 Earthquake, Afghanistan[149] 2010
2 Bouïra earthquake, Algeria[150] 2010
39 Cyclone Phet, Oman and Pakistan[151] 2010
17 Papua earthquake, Indonesia[152] 2010
193 Leh floods, Jammu and Kashmir[153] 2010
2,000 Flood, Pakistan[154] 2010
145+ West Papua floods, Indonesia[155] 2010
435+ Earthquake, Indonesia[156] 2010
4 Kedah and Perlis floods, Malaysia[157] 2010
353 Eruptions of Mount Merapi, Indonesia[158] 2010
11 Hosseinabad earthquake, Iran[159] 2010
3 Balochistan floods, Pakistan[160] 2011
36 Stampede, Mali[161] 2011
3 Earthquake, Turkey[91] 2011
16 Landslide, Malaysia[91] 2011
7 Landslide, Malaysia[162] 2011
270 Floods, Pakistan[163] 2011
200+ Earthquake, Turkey[164] 2011
5 Earthquake, Indonesia[165] 2012
350-2700 Landslides, Afghanistan[166][167] 2014
6400+ Ebola virus epidemic, Sierra Leone and Guinea[168] 2013-2016


Clearly natural disasters have a tendency to occur in Muslim countries with the deaths of hundreds and thousands of people as a result of these catastrophes. The most significant of these events being the 2004 Indonesian Tsunami resulting in 280,000 deaths.[93] These figures do not include homelessness, displacement, hunger, financial loss and other forms of suffering which result from these disasters. Often hundreds, thousands, and even millions of Muslim survivors are negatively effected. For example, the 2010 Pakistan flood which killed around 2,000 people,[154] left a further 12 million Pakistanis stranded or displaced during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.[169]

Astonishingly even during such a tragedy, Muslims fail to show any compassion or love towards non-Muslims. Some members of Pakistan's Ahmadiyya community were not rescued from their homes because "rescuers felt that Muslims must be given priority."[170][171] Similarly, the Sikh community in Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa were abandoned and had to "arrange rescue for themselves".[170] Systematic discrimination by government relief workers and Muslim aid agencies against Hindus, Christians, and other flood survivors in the distribution of aid had been reported,[172][173][171][174][175] and five Christian and Hindu villages in Sindh and Punjab were also deliberately flooded as a result of artificial diversions, killing at least 15 people and leaving over 2,800 families homeless.[176]

Conclusion

Accidents and natural disasters are a common occurrence in the Muslim world. Allah fails to protect his followers and turns a blind eye in times of devastation, leaving them at the mercy of primarily Western and non-Muslim aid.

This leads us to ask the question if Allah is almighty and powerful why does he not protect his followers from catastrophes and devastation? Does he abandon his people on purpose? Does he wish to humiliate his followers by making them dependant on foreign aid and handouts from the very people whom they are not to take as “friends and protectors”? These are questions Muslims need to answer.

Presented with the facts, it is not unreasonable for an honest person to admit Allah does not play any significant role in the lives of Muslims in spite of 7.85 billion[177] potential prayers he receives every day from the worlds Muslims, not to mention the 2 million people who risk their lives by gathering at the Hajj every year to pray to him for the success and safety of Muslims.

Responses to Apologetics

  1. "Hardships faced by Muslims are intentional tests done by Allah to test the faith of Muslims"
    What kind of God is Allah by killing Muslim women, children and infants in Earthquakes and natural disasters? What exactly does this method of "testing" achieve? Can't the 'testing' be done without killing innocent children and infants? Is Allah testing non-Muslims too when disaster strikes in their countries? If Allah cant even protect his followers in his holy cities, in what way is he helping the Muslims when they pray to him?

  2. "Muslims are being punished for straying away from Islam"
    See the response to #1. Allah should not let infants, women and children in his "punishments" otherwise he is no different from serial killers who torture and kill people.

See Also

  • Lists - A hub page that leads to other articles related to Lists
  • Natural Disasters - A hub page that leads to other articles related to Natural Disasters

External Links

References

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