Islamic Prophecies: Pollution

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"Corruption has spread on land and sea because of what men’s hands have wrought" (30:42) One of the interpretations of the above verse of the Holy Quran is the environmental pollution, caused by human being. And that is spread both in land and sea due to our own inventions, i.e., fumes from chimneys of factories, chemical and nuclear waste, huge traffic in the cities, noise and creation of ozone hole are manifest testimonies of the fulfillment of this prophecy.


Rebuttal

Here's the section in context:


' Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have wrought,' that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, so that they may return. Say: Travel in the land, then see how was the end of those before; most of them were polytheists. Then turn thy face straight to the right religion before there come from Allah the day which cannot be averted; on that day they shall become separated.
Qur'an 30:41-43

This verse is (Allah) claiming that any bad things that befall men are sent to “punish people” for not being Muslim or good enough Muslims. It's a scare tactic meant to keep the Muslims under Muhammad's thumb, following Allah. Looking again at the tafsir's makes it plain:


[ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِى الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِى النَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِى عَمِلُواْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ - قُلْ سِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَانْظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلُ كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ مُّشْرِكِينَ ]

(41. Evil has appeared in Al-Barr and Al-Bahr because of what the hands of men have earned, that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return.) (42. Say: "Travel in the land and see what was the end of those before (you)! Most of them were idolators.)

Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi and others said: "What is meant by Al-Barr here is the empty land or wilderness, and by Al-Bahr is towns and cities. According to a report narrated from Ibn `Abbas and `Ikrimah, Al-Bahr refers to towns and cities which are on the banks of rivers. Others said that what was meant was the usual meaning of the words, i.e., land and sea. Zayd bin Rafi` said:

[ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ]

(Evil has appeared) "The rain is withheld from the land and this is followed by famine, and it is withheld from the sea, adversely affecting the animals which live in it." This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim, who said: "Muhammad bin `Abdullah bin Yazid Al-Muqri' told us, from Sufyan from Humayd bin Qays Al-A`raj from Mujahid:

[ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِى الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ]

(Evil has appeared on land and sea) "Evil on land means the killing of the son of Adam, and evil on the sea means piracy. According to the first opinion, the phrase,

[ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِى الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِى النَّاسِ]

(Evil has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned, ) means the shortfall in the crops and fruits is because of sins. Abu Al-`Aliyah said: "Whoever disobeys Allah in the earth has corrupted it, because the good condition of the earth and the heavens depends on obedience to Allah. Hence it says in the Hadith which was recorded by Abu Dawud:

«لَحَدٌّ يُقَامُ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَحَبُّ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا مِنْ أَنْ يُمْطَرُوا أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا»

(Any prescribed punishment which is carried out in the land is better for its people than if it were to rain for forty days.) The reason for that is that if the prescribed punishments are carried out, this will deter the people -- most or many of them -- from violating the prohibitions of Allah. If they give up sin, this will be a cause of blessings in the skies and on the earth. So, when `Isa bin Maryam, peace be upon him, comes down at the end of time, he will judge according to this Shari`ah at that time, and will kill the pigs and break the cross and abolish the Jizyah. He will accept nothing except Islam or the sword. When Allah destroys the Dajjal and his followers, and Ya'juj and Ma'juj during his time, it will be said to the earth, bring forth your blessing. Then groups of people will eat from one pomegranate, and will seek shade beneath its skin, and the milk of one pregnant camel will be sufficient for a group of people. This will only be because of the blessings that will result from application of the Shari`ah of Muhammad . The more justice is established, the more the blessings and good things will increase. It was reported in the Sahih: h

«إِنَّ الْفَاجِرَ إِذَا مَاتَ تَسْتَرِيحُ مِنْهُ الْعِبَادُ وَالْبِلَادُ وَالشَّجَرُ وَالدَّوَاب»

(When the evildoer dies, it is a relief for the people, the land, the trees and the animals.) Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded that Abu Qahdham said: "At the time of Ziyad or Ibn Ziyad, a man found a cloth in which were wrapped grains of wheat which were as big as date stones; on it was written: `This grew at a time when justice prevailed.

[لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِى عَمِلُواْ]

(that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done,) means, He tries them with the loss of wealth, souls and fruits as a test and as a punishment for what they have done.

[لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ]

(in order that they may return.) means, from disobedience. This is like the Ayah,

[وَبَلَوْنَـهُمْ بِالْحَسَنَـتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ]

(And We tried them with good and evil in order that they might turn.) (7:168). Then Allah says:

[قُلْ سِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَانْظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلُ]

(Say: "Travel in the land and see what was the end of those before (you)!) meaning, those who came before you.

[كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ مُّشْرِكِينَ]

(Most of them were idolators. ) means, so see what happened to them when they rejected the Messengers and were ungrateful for the blessings.
{ ظَهَرَ ٱلْفَسَادُ فِي ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي ٱلنَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِي عَمِلُواْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ }

Corruption has appeared on land, in the wastelands, 'because of the rain being withheld and the vegetation diminishing, and on sea, in lands near rivers because of their waters diminishing, because of what people’s hands have perpetrated', of acts of disobedience, that He may make them taste (li-yudhīqahum; or [may be read] li-nudhīqahum, ‘that We may make them taste’) something of what they have done, that is, the punishment for it, that perhaps they may repent.


{ قُلْ سِيرُواْ فِي ٱلأَرْضِ فَٱنْظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلُ كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ مُّشْرِكِينَ }

Say, to the Meccan disbelievers: ‘Travel in the land and behold how was the consequence for those who were before; most of them were idolaters’, and 'so they were destroyed because of their idolatry, and their dwellings and habitations lie [desolate] in ruin.'


{ فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ ٱلْقِيِّمِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لاَّ مَرَدَّ لَهُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصَّدَّعُونَ }

So set your purpose for the upright religion, the religion of Islam, before there comes the inevitable day from God, namely, the Day of Resurrection. On that day they shall be sundered (yassadda‘ūna: the original tā’ [yatasadda‘ūna] has been assimilated with the sād), that is, they will be split [into separate groups] after the Reckoning [destined] for Paradise or the Fire.
{ ظَهَرَ ٱلْفَسَادُ فِي ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي ٱلنَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِي عَمِلُواْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ }

(Corruption doth appear) transgression has appeared (on land) 'from Cain who killed his brother Abel (and sea) from Jalandan al-Azdi (because of (the evil) which men's hands have done) due to the killing of Abel by Cain and Jalandan's seizure of people's ships in the sea'; it is also said that this means: 'corruption has appeared through the death of cattle, drought, lack of food and vegetation in the plains, mountains, countryside and wilderness as well as in townships and cities because of the transgressions committed by people', (that He may make them taste) that He may make them be seized by (a part of that which they have done) of transgressions, (in order that they may return) in order that they may repent of their sins and thus be relieved.


{ قُلْ سِيرُواْ فِي ٱلأَرْضِ فَٱنْظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلُ كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ مُّشْرِكِينَ }

(Say) O Muhammad, to the people of Mecca: (Travel in the land, and see) and reflect upon (the nature of the consequence for) the retribution of (those who were before you) how Allah destroyed them when they denied their messengers! (Most of them) all of them (were idolaters) they associated partners with Allah.


{ فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ ٱلْقِيِّمِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لاَّ مَرَدَّ لَهُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصَّدَّعُونَ }

(So set your purpose) set your own self and works (resolutely for the right religion) He says: make your religion and works sincere to Allah, and follow the true, straight religion, (before the inevitable day) which is the Day of Judgement (comes from Allah. On that day) the Day of Judgement (mankind will be sundered) a party of them in Paradise and a party in hell.
ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي النَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي عَمِلُوا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ ﴿30:41﴾

30:41) Evil has become rife on the land and at sea because of men’s deeds; this in order that He may cause them to have a taste of some of their deeds; perhaps they will turn back (from evil). This is again an allusion to the war that was going on between Byzantium and Iran, which was telling on the whole of the Middle East. '"Man's own doings" means the wickedness and oppression and tyranny, which inevitably appear in human conduct and character as a result of adopting shirk and atheism and ignoring the Hereafter.' "Maybe they mend their ways" means that Allah shows the evil consequences of some of the acts of men in this world before the punishment of the Hereafter so that they understand the reality, feel the error of their conjectures and turn to the righteous belief, which the Prophets of Allah have been presenting before man since the earliest times, and besides adopting which there is no other way of ordering human conduct on sound foundations. This subject has been presented at several places in the Qur'an, e.g. in At-Taubah: 126, Ar-Ra'd: 31, As-Sajdah: 21, Al-Tur: 47.


قُلْ سِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلُ كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ مُشْرِكِينَ ﴿30:42﴾

30:42) (O Prophet), say: “Traverse in the earth and see what was the end of those who went before you: most of them associated others with Allah in His Divinity.” That is, "The disastrous war between Byzantium and Iran is not a new thing of its kind. 'The past history of mankind is full of the accounts of the destruction of great nations.' The root cause of the evils that caused the destruction of those nations was shirk which you are today being admonished to avoid."


فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ الْقَيِّمِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لَا مَرَدَّ لَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصَّدَّعُونَ ﴿30:43﴾

30:43) So turn your face exclusively towards the True Faith before there comes the Day whose coming from Allah cannot be averted,the Day when people will split into groups.

That is, "The Day which neither Allah Himself will avert nor has He given power to anyone else to avert it."


Conclusion

Not a prophecy. It lends to the superstitious nature of Islam, and serves only to keep Muslims throughout history as 'pious' as possible, and when something bad befalls them or their community, its their own fault for being “bad Muslims” and disobeying Allah.


External Links

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