Of Lightening and Thunderstorms…

thunderstorm, lightening, fright
While we were coming home yesterday, both of my Betas in the car along with me, we were caught by a sudden downpour. It began raining fast and we were only halfway back home.
The weather in Karachi had been so hot last month that we were more than glad to see such a pleasant change in the weather, both kids beaming and chattering in full excitement, watching huge amounts of water that had collected on the roads now and making discussions of what activity to indulge in as soon as they reached home. The activity they were planning was no other than that of playing out in the lawn in the rain!

Suddenly, there was a roar of thunder and lightening flashed across the sky.
“What was that? What is going on right now in this weather?”. cried out by younger Beta, looking puzzled. He had heard thunder before, but this time we were out and about, under the sky. I looked at him to tell him that it was just thunder and that heavier rains are on their way, trying hard to control my own fear and anxiety as I have myself always been much afraid of thunderstorms and lightening, since i was young.
As I grew up, I learnt more about thunderstorms, hailstorms and lightenings, how Allah Subhan ahu Wa Ta’ala had actually described lightening to be a source of fear, in Surah Ar-Rum (30:24), He says, “And of His signs is [that] He shows you the lightening [causing] fear and aspiration, and He sends down rain from the sky by which He brings to life the earth after its lifelessness”. 
I also learnt how He has shown His Might and Power in the past to destroy complete nations and lands of non believers with the help of these natural phenomenon. That further increased my fear for this particular condition in weather. In Surah Fussilat (41:13), Allah says, “But if they turn away, then say, “I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt [that struck] ‘Aad and Thamud”. And also in Surah Ar-Ra’d (13:12-13;13), Allah says, “It is He who shows you lightening, [causing] fear and aspiration, and generates the heavy clouds. And the thunder exalts [ Allah ] with praise of Him”. (Sahih International). Lightening does causes fear, but it brings in glad tidings for us in the form of rainfall, much needed by dear Earth.
During the way, I told my kids to keep reciting Ayat ul Kursi, the first three Kalimas and Durood all the way until we safely reach our home. I didn’t know of any special Dua’as and supplications and on reaching home, we searched for some and found a list of Dua’as here. I think, all of us must endeavor to supplicate during such a weather to keep ourselves safe from any calamity.
Well, in the end, we also searched for some scientific facts and got to know that since light travels faster than sound, we see lightening before we hear thunder.
 Picture courtesy: dawn.com
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About Random Bytes 108 Articles
A work at home mother, spending her free time on this blog :)

46 Comments

  1. Assalamu Allykum. I can relate! Lahore has been getting lots of rain lately and although the darkness and thunder does end up frightening us a bit, the benefits (the supplication acceptance time) outweigh the cons.

  2. thank you for dua links..subhanAllah there’s a dua for pretty much everything.
    I love how you refer to your kids as older beta and younger beta!
    Lightning and thunderstorms are gorgeous reminders of Allahs power and wrath- very moving.

  3. Such a beneficial reminder, JazakAllah Khairan. Thunderstorms always make me ponder over Allah’s power – this is nothing for Him, yet it terrifies us. May Allah have mercy on us all. Ameen.

    • My older son was on homeschooling for some time but now he will be joining a formal school from August. But this teaching part continues at home too, Alhamdulillah! And it must, because children gain knowledge from whatever is happening in their environments 🙂

  4. I love rains as a result i love thunderstorms. It assures me that theres going to be lots of rain. As here in karachi we dont have much rains. But yes thunderstorms have been known to destroy nations! JazakAllah for the list of duas.

  5. Thunderstorms,lightening and anything of such kind scares me. Because i know I’m helpless and at the same I feel so strong about Allah’s presence. A mixed feelings that most of the times I can’t express.
    Great post.

  6. Here in the American South we have thunderstorms frequently. I grew up with them so am never frightened unless the winds are very strong or the lightening is striking nearby trees. Falling trees can crush homes and vehicles and fall across power lines, knocking out electric power. That is scary!

  7. I’m afraid of thunderstorms but also awestruck by it! It’s so beautiful yet powerful sign of God’s magnificence.We are also having rainy plus thunderstorm season right now in Malaysia

  8. Two days back there was a horrible thunder at 5 am in Lahore, that’s was too terrible lightening and thunder that birds kept silent for almost 10 minutes after that. Like your writing. May Allah bless us!

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