al-Tafakkur wal-I'tibar bi Ayat al-Kusuf wal-Zalazil wal-I'sar
- Author died
- 1445 AH
- Editions
- Without publisher (Cataloging of King Fahd National Library - Riyadh)
al-Tafakkur wal-I'tibar bi Ayat al-Kusuf wal-Zalazil wal-I'sar (Reflection and Taking Heed from the Signs of Eclipses, Earthquakes, and Hurricanes) is an Islamic treatise on preaching and theological reflection authored by the Saudi scholar Abd al-Karim ibn Salih al-Humayd (d. 1445 AH / 2024 CE). The book addresses natural and cosmic phenomena—such as solar and lunar eclipses, earthquakes, and violent storms—arguing from a scriptural standpoint that they serve as divine signs meant to instill reverence, fear, and repentance among believers rather than being viewed solely through materialistic or purely physical explanations.
Background and Purpose
In his introduction, al-Humayd notes that he had previously composed a shorter treatment on eclipses to clarify two principal points: first, refuting those who denied that the timing of eclipses could be calculated in advance using the astronomical orbits of the sun and moon, as previously explained by classical scholars such as Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim; and second, establishing that prior astronomical calculation does not contradict the scriptural truth that these occurrences are divinely ordained warnings meant to inspire fear.
Al-Humayd expanded his discussion into a full treatise after observing what he viewed as a worsening modern detachment from divine remembrance during cosmic upheavals, where events are attributed strictly to autonomous natural laws without turning to God in prayer, repentance, or contemplation.
Contents and Themes
The work combines theological argumentation, Quranic exegesis, historical chronicles, and homiletic reflections across several central themes:
- The Concept and Fruit of Fear: The author examines the nature of religious awe and fear of God, citing classical figures such as al-Junayd, Abu Hafs al-Naysaburi, Abu Sulayman al-Darani, and Dhu al-Nun al-Misri, as well as Ibn al-Qayyim's definition that fear arises from awareness and knowledge of the Creator.
- Contrast Between Early and Modern Generations: Al-Humayd contrasts the conduct of early Muslims (al-salaf) with later generations (al-khalaf) during disasters. Citing historical works such as the chronicle of Ibn Kathir, he highlights how past communities responded to tremors and cosmic disturbances by breaking instruments of diversion, abandoning forbidden acts, and crowding into mosques in supplication and humbleness, comparing this to the reaction recorded during an earthquake in Kufa during the era of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud.
- Calamities as Consequences of Sins: Drawing upon Quranic narratives of past civilizations—including the destruction of ʿAd by violent windstorms, the people of Noah by the deluge, and the flood of ʿArim that struck the tribe of Saba—the book stresses that physical disasters serve as moral admonitions and repercussions for human transgressions. The author also references contemporary disasters, such as severe hurricanes and flooding in the southern United States, as reminders of these Quranic warnings.
- Natural Causes versus Divine Decrees: The treatise addresses the theological compatibility between physical causes and divine punishment, investigating whether understanding natural mechanisms diminishes the obligation to fear God, while exploring why general cosmic chastisements may be delayed despite the prevalence of wrongdoing.
Publication Details
The first edition of the book was published in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia, in 1426 AH (2005 CE). It comprises 134 pages in a single volume (17×24 cm) and was registered at the King Fahd National Library under deposit number 5765/1426 (ISBN: 9960-49-612-2), classified under preaching and guidance (al-waʿz wal-irshād). The author retained general copyright while explicitly permitting free reproduction and gratuitous distribution.
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