The Friday's devastating landslide in northern Badakhshan province, which left more than 2000 casualties behind, came as a complete shock to Afghan people. The tearful pictures of the children, men and women who lost their family members were highly touching. Apart from the heavy loss suffered by the victims, the natural disasters are still construed as a rage of God in traditional societies especially among the old men and women.

The history shows that in the past, people were making sacrifices and praying to God so as to prevent or stop natural disasters. They believed that whenever the graph of crime rises, it would be followed by a natural disaster sent by God to punish the criminal societies. This superstation went beyond; even a cruel king was interpreted as a God’s anger and vice versa. Such traditional frame of mind was handed from one generation to the next and continued until now.

Still the religious scholars preach the same. They beware the audience of the rage of God which will be shown through natural disasters in case of crime wave. Moreover, they believe that whoever keeps silence with observing the criminal acts also deserves to be struck by disasters.

The fact is that such ideas originate from religious texts and the history of the Prophets. In the past when Prophets were disobeyed, natural disasters came as a rage of God so as to make them believe the truth. For example, when people refused to follow Moses, a mount was leaned upon him as a threat. “And remember the time when We took a covenant from you and raised high above you the Mount, saying: Hold fast that which We have given you and bear in mind what is therein, that you may be saved.” Al-Qur’an, 2:64. Furthermore, it is said: “And they said, ‘Whatever Sign thou may bring us to bewitch us with, we will not believe in thee.’ Then We sent upon them the storm and the locusts, and the lice, and the frogs, and the blood – clear Signs; but they behaved proudly and were a sinful people.” Al-Qur’an, 7:132-133.

Hence in the past, disasters were used as a threat and only ended when the Prophets prayed to God or the people submitted to the Prophets. Moreover, the story of Noah ark is said in Holy Qur’an and in Bible. When the people disobeyed him, a flash flood struck his nation for their sin and disobedience to God and his Prophet.

So, on the surface such a belief seems ridiculous and easily denied by the contemporary people, but to ponder it a little, the idea changes to a complicated issue. Now, a question will arise in the mind of every reader that is there really a connection between natural disasters and God’s rage? Well, the answer is left for the readers to ponder it over.