Hazrat Shaikhul Hadith, Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya Sahib رحمه الله writes in his Aap Beti,
“During this Ramadhaan, 1390 A.H. (1970), in Western Pakistan, there was an extremely severe hurricane. I don’t have the courage to listen to or mention the incidents regarding it. Looking at the circumstances, it can only be said that the mercy of Allah Ta’ala prevailed in that He sufficed on a light and meagre punishment. However, the reality is that we left no stone unturned in trying to destroy ourselves by earning the anger and wrath of Allah Ta’ala.
From the letters which were received from Pakistan, what information came to the fore regarding this hurricane is difficult to hear and speak of.
I wish to make mention of a few accounts from two letters received; one letter from Moulana Ihsanul Haq who went to the affected area with a Jamat upon receiving news of the disaster and the second letter from Hajee Sagheer Ahmad رحمه الله.
On the 11th or 12th of Ramadan, the night of Jumuah, at approximately 12pm, an extremely loud sound was heard and a huge tsunami severely struck the localities. At first a severe hurricane broke out at approximately one hundred and fifty miles an hour, in which horrifying noises were heard. In some places waves reached a height of thirty feet. Initially the water was salty and thereafter became burning hot. Added to this was such rain, every drop of which pierced the body like a needle. On approach the speed of the water was slow, however, on return it contained the force of a severe calamity. It uprooted everything – let alone humans – it swept away humongous trees. Within one and a half hours, there were hundreds of thousands of human fatalities and millions of animals died as well. Among the survivors were more men than women. From reports it seemed that all the children had died. The survivors seemed to have lost their senses, as they were compelled to throw their children into the stormy waters with their own hands. It was like a scene of Qiyamah where every person was only concerned about himself.
However, those homes in which Taleem and Tabligh took place or the occupants sought refuge in Zikr and Dua, or those households concerned about Sehri and Fajr Salaah in these tumultuous conditions, Allah Ta’ala saved them in ways that were unfathomable. Water rose up to thirteen feet in neighbours’ homes while the water had barely reached three feet in their homes. All the Masajid were completely submerged in water. However, those Masajid which had Jamats staying therein and people engaged in Zikr and Dua were bone dry.
In short, astonishing, unseen divine help came which increased the level of Imaan of the Sathies (members of the Jamats) while others had become dumbfounded and words of disbelief were on the tip of their tongues. Only those active in the effort of Deen began burying the corpses of the deceased.
The sole cause of this hurricane is the evil actions of the Muslims. It has come to the fore that previously in these calamity afflicted areas, words of mockery (by the residents) of the Islamic garb, Ulama, the beard, fasting and the salient features of Islam which were uttered are difficult to even repeat. It was the sheer power of Allah Ta’ala that those protective measures which had been implemented were completely annihilated by the water which rose much higher than entire villages, and in these (very villages) the destruction and devastation was in fact the most.
Those localities which were home to people engaged in Zina and consumption of wine or any other major sin were the more severely affected.
In one such locality, the Muazzin had a home consisting of nine individuals. They were all seated on the (thatched) roof of the house. The water came, carried the entire roof and lodged it in between the branches of a few trees. In this way all of them were saved.
The reports of those affected differed, as though the water had treated them according to their conditions. Some say that water was so cold that people died from hypothermia. Others say that the heat of the water killed some. Some say a whirlpool sucked them in and flung them away.
(Extracted and translated from Aap Beti, v.1 pg.445)
One can clearly understand the undeniable principle from all of the above;
Conditions are based on the actions of the Ummah.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us the ability to carry out good actions and reap the subsequent benefits in Dunya, Qabr and Aakhirah and may Allah Ta’ala protect us from evil actions and all its resulting, adverse consequences. Ameen.