Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Deserts are Expanding

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

The landscape of the desert can be quite picturesque but do you know that many deserts are expanding at a rapid rate, faster than many people realized. Already one third of the world is considered desert.

The Sahara desert in Northern Africa has spread South over 250,000 square miles in the past 50 years. As it is, the Sahara is the largest desert in the world at 3.5 million square miles, larger than the continental United States.

The Gobi desert in China has expanded every decade since the 1950s. In a 5 year period ('94-'99) the Gobi desert expanded over 20,000 square miles. In 5 years that's an area larger than New Jersey and Massachusetts combined. More importantly, the desert is about 150 miles from Beijing and still expanding.

Allah Almighty says,

وَإِنَّا لَجَـٰعِلُونَ مَا عَلَيْهَا صَعِيدًا جُرُ‌زًا ﴿٨

And indeed, We will make that which is upon it [into] a barren ground. (8)

[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:8]

Are the deserts not a great reminder that everything on earth will turn to dust? If you know something of this world is going to turn into dust, would you give it any value? So, are you still running after the things of this earth and clinging to it and forget about your Hereafter?

May Allah grant us wisdom and take us out of heedlessness into a wakeful state. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam

Please don't forget us in our night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam