Maverick looked petrified. It was the earthquake of October 26th 2015 that brought back memories of the earthquake in the same month a decade earlier that Maverick had heard about from his elders, because he was not born then.

“What kind of a Monkey Brigade Commander are you Maverick?” I asked. “Why are you so shaken? To make you feel better, let me tell you what God says in Surah 99 of the Holy Quran. The surah or chapter is called ‘Zilzal’ which means earthquake. We call it ‘Zalzala’ in Urdu. I am giving my own interpretation and understanding of the surah for which only I am responsible. That is why I haven’t had the temerity to put it in single inverted commas because I do not want to be accused of misrepresenting God like many mullahs do and have done.

“I call it ‘interpretation’ and ‘understanding’ because one cannot faithfully ‘translate’ God’s Word in another language. His Word can be translated in action alone. My interpretation is: When the earth is convulsed to its utmost and shaken to its core and throws up her burdens from within (like volcanoes). Then will humankind, distressed, confused and frightened, cry out, ‘What is the matter with her?’ On that Day shall the earth declare her tidings and for that thy Lord will have given her inspiration. On that Day will humankind proceed in companies sorted out, to be shown the deeds they have done. Then anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good shall see it and anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil shall see it. End of interpretation.