Victim rejects sin theory and says corruption, negligence to blameJEDDAH: A victim of the floods, Abu Ahmad, is upset that some believe that people's sins caused the floods in Jeddah. Abu Ahmad says he suffered great financial and other losses because of the disaster last week. He rejects this argument. “I'm not the only one who has been harmed. There are hundreds of Jeddawis who suffered financial losses and moral harm. Not only this, some of them lost their loved ones. I don't believe there is anything that can compensate for losing a child, wife or relative.” “Can it be believed that we are the only sinners in Saudi Arabia and so religious callers and khateebs (those who give sermons) blame us for causing these floods?” He said that if the ‘sins' argument is to be believed, then there are no pious people among those who were affected by the floods. Moreover, it should be remembered that floods are natural disasters, where responsibility can be divided between nature and people, he added. Abu Ahmad said that the main reasons for the flood damage was corruption and negligence which resulted in Jeddah having inadequate drainage and flood canals. “If this is the case why are we accused of sins and other reasons and causes are ignored? It is unfair to generalize in such a case,” he said. Dr. Saleh Al-Sadlan, a professor of post-graduate studies at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University, rejected the connection between sins and calamities. He said some scholars forget many other causes and factors when such disasters occur. He said that in terms of the Shariah, disasters or calamities are decreed by Almighty Allah and can also be attributed to shortcomings by people. There are other causes for disasters decreed by Almighty Allah such as negligence in implementing the projects which contribute to draining away flood water. He said these floods could be a blessing from Almighty Allah which serve as a reminder to His creatures of His bounty. At the same time they could be a test from Almighty Allah to assess the patience and the submission of His creatures to the fate He decreed for them. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Aal Al-Sheikh, the Kingdom's Grand Mufti and Chairman of the Board of Senior Ulema, has completely rejected the idea that sins and violations are the only reasons for disasters and crises. The Jeddah floods could be a test from Almighty Allah for His creatures to pardon and purify them from their sins. Whatever calamity affects His creatures is decreed by Almighty Allah, said the Grand Mufti. He stressed that sins are considered a major reason for the occurrence of disasters and crises. Disasters could be happening to elevate the status of Muslims or to expose the corrupt among them. He called on people to return to Almighty Allah with pure hearts and to supplicate to Him and seek His forgiveness because inculcating piety is essential for people.
