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An Increase in the Number
of Earthquakes
No other natural event affects people as
strongly as earthquakes, for they can happen
anywhere and at any moment. Throughout history,
they have caused many deaths and great material
loss. For this reason, they are greatly
feared. Even modern technology has been
able to prevent earthquake-related damage
only to a certain extent.
The 1995 earthquake in
Kobe serves as an example to those who mistakenly
think that technology will one day harness
nature. This earthquake caused massive and
unexpected damage to Japan's largest industrial
and transportation center. Although it only
lasted 20 seconds, as Time reported, it
caused about $100 billion worth of damage.23
In the last few
years, major earthquakes have occurred repeatedly
and are among the foremost fears of people.
According to the data collected by the American
National Earthquake Information Center for
1999, we find that 20,832 earthquakes took
place and killed an estimated 22,711 people.24
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(Left)
A 1995 earthquake reduced Kobe
to rubble.
(Right) The destruction caused
by the Kobe and Mexico earthquakes.
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When past figures are
examined, we see that the number of earthquakes
was quite low. According to the U.S. Geological
Survey (USGS) reports, the number of earthquakes
with a magnitude of 5.0 or greater on the
Richter scale that took place during the
400 years between 1556-1975 was only 110;
between 1980-2003, the number of earthquakes
with a magnitude of 6.5 or greater on the
Richter scale was 1,685.25
These figures reveal that the number of
earthquakes had increased by the beginning
of the year Hijri 1400.
The Qur'an contains certain verses that
point out the relation between earthquakes
and the End Times. Surat al-Zilzal, the
Chapter of the Great Shaking (earthquake),
is composed of eight verses that describe
the ground's violent shaking. It further
states that this seismic activity will be
followed by the Day of Judgment, the Resurrection,
and everyone being called to account for
their deeds by God, Who then will reward
or punish them according to His absolute
justice:
When Earth is convulsed
with its quaking, and then disgorges its
charges, and man asks: "What is wrong
with it?" On that Day, it will impart
all of its news, because your Lord has
inspired it. On that Day, people will
emerge segregated to see the results of
their actions. Whoever does an atom's
weight of good will see it. Whoever does
an atom's weight of evil will see it.
(Surat al-Zilzal, 99:1-8)
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23.
"Economic Aftershock," Time, February 6,
1995. 
2 4. "Earthquake Facts and Statistics,"
US Geological Survey National Earthquake
Information Center, 2000. Online at: www.neic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/eqstats.html
and www.neic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/bulletin/1999_stats.html.
2 5. U.S. Geological Survey. Online at:
http://neic.cr.usgs.gov:1711/neis/eqlists/.
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