EARTHQUAKES

EARTHQUAKES

~Usman Sayyed

“Abbu... Abbu....!”

Zaid entered the house and started to call his Abbu.

“What happened Zaid?” Abbu came out of his room and asked Zaid.

“Abbu...! I...I... I won’t go to this school anymore...”

Zaid controlled his breath and said carelessly.

“Why son? Is everything okay? is there any problem with this school?” Ammi came out of kitchen and asked so many questions as she was worried for Zaid.

Zaid begun to say, “Abbu, teacher at my school knows nothing. They teach us all the wrong. So, I decided not to go to such school.” He said in a single breathe as he had prepared and practiced this speech many times.

“Ohh really? Is that so?” Abbu smiled and asked.

“Yes Abbu.”

“Well... in that case, could you please tell me what your teacher has taught you that you think is incorrect?”

“Ohh Abbu.. teacher said that our earth is not a single piece of land but it consists of several pieces and they are stick together just like a jigsaw puzzle.

Abbu, you tell me... how that can be possibly be correct.” Zaid said and laughed.

“Hahaha, ohh dear zaid! What your teacher has taught is totally correct. Infact these pieces of land move continuously.” Abbu laughed and told zaid.

Now, Zaid seems confused and asked Abbu, “But...  But how Abbu?”

“First you get fresh, change your uniform and we’ll have lunch together. Abbu will tell you about it after lunch.” Ammi said and went to the kitchen.

After lunch zaid rushed to Abbu’s room and curiously asked Abbu..., “Now tell me Abbu...! if our earth is made of pieces of land and those pieces move continuously, why can’t we see it and feel it moving?”

“Whoa...! take it easy son. You asked many questions, so let me answer it one by one.

Firstly, these pieces of land are very big and that’s why we can’t see the other end of it. Also, these pieces of lands are called the Tectonic plates.

Secondly, these tectonic plates moves very slowly so that we can’t even feel them moving. But, when these plates move faster, or bump or slide against each other, our earth started to shake and this situation is called the Earthquake.

The place where the earthquake originates is called Hypocentre and the place on earth where it occurs is called Epicentre. Sometimes these earthquakes are small and not that disastrous but sometimes they are very strong and cause disasters. The device which is used to measure the intensity of earthquakes is called Seismograph.

When earthquakes occur under the sea, it causes Tsunami.”

Zaid was listening all these very carefully. He seems very scared.

“Abbu, I heard about the earthquakes in the news. When earthquake occurs, lots of buildings fall and thousands of people die.”

Zaid said innocently in a very low tone.  “But...! Abbu, as you said these tectonic plates always move then why earthquakes are not often?”

“Earthquakes are not very often because these tectonic plates or pieces of lands don’t always move very fast or bump or slide against each other. Also, Allah loves us so He take care of it but when we human cross the limits set by Allah and don’t listen to Allah on his land, then sometimes Earthquakes occur as a warning to us from Allah.”

“Allah loves us so much Abbu then no need to worry about the earthquakes. Allah will take care of it.!”  Zaid was a bit relax because he has total faith in Allah.

“But son, when we human beings keep doing bad deeds, sins and other deeds which Allah don’t like then there’s a prediction of our beloved prophet Mohammad ﷺ (PBUH) that in the last time, the earthquakes will be very often.”

“Ohh Allah... then what should we do Abbu?” Zaid got scared and asked abbu.

“We should always follow the path of Allah and its prophet Muhammad ﷺ (PBUH). Stop ourselves and others from the bad deeds and always suggest them the good deeds and the deeds which Allah likes.

Lastly, always pray to Allah and seek his mercy.

Tell me Zaid, will you do this?”

“Yes Abbu...! I will always follow the path and also tell my friends about this.”

“Very good Zaid! I am so proud of you son!”

“Jazak Allah Abbu...  I am going to tell my friends about it.” Said zaid and went to the find his friends.

Abbu smiled and got back to his work.