I need not describe the events of 3/11/11. My prayers go out to the people of Japan.

 

That morning, I had a dream that I was in my home town. It was night and I was told that a nuclear reactor was leaking and threatening to explode. I went to it, and people were gathered around it. They were welding sheets of iron in the shape of crucifixes to it; which did not help contain the radiation. They were singing some ridiculous song. I started making dhikr / chant; “Laillaha Ilallah, Muhmmadan Rasulullah” (There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah) in a different rhythmic pattern then them. I was resigned to my inevitable death.  I woke up, turned on the radio, and heard about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

This is no isolated incident. There have been many events like this. It never seems to end. In my meditations on this, I keep coming back to the following passage from the Qur’an:

“When the earth is shaken to her (utmost) convulsion, and the earth throws up her burdens (from within), and man cries ‘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 their deeds. Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good shall see it! And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil shall see it.”  – (Qur’an 99 Suratul Az-Zalzalah – The Earthquake)

I must also confess to another strange reminiscence:

‎”I see visions of sleeping peaks erupting 
releasing all hell that will shake the Earth from end to end 
And this ain’t bad news, good news, or any news, it’s just the truth,
Better save your souls while you can.”
(Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune)

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