On June 18, Oceangate’s submersible, the Titan, began its journey to the floor of the ocean to observe the wreck of the legendary Titanic ship. Tragedy struck approximately an hour and 45 minutes later when the Titan lost contact with its support ship, the Polar Prince.
All five people aboard the Titan died in this catastrophic incident. Could the incident have been avoided? How does this devastating incident narrate Allah’s will and power over humanity? Can we explain this tragedy in the light of Islam?
And, finally, where was the Titan headed to?
To learn the answers to all these questions and more, keep reading!
What is the Titanic?
“There is no danger that Titanic will sink. The boat is unsinkable and nothing but inconvenience will be suffered by the passengers.”
Phillip Franklin, White Star Line vice-president, 1912
These were the words, on record, of the owner of White Star Line, the company responsible for building the Titanic.
The Titanic was a new, state-of-the-art ship completed in 1912. Its maiden voyage, which was also its final, started on the 10th of April, 1912. The Titanic sank on 12th April 1912.
The Titanic was gigantic, about 882 feet long. It had multiple decks and space for about 2500 passengers and 900 crew members. It was divided into three classes. The first class was the most luxurious, with onboard swimming pools and baths, a gym, a squash court, a steam room, and a massage room.
So what went wrong? Did Allah not like the arrogance of the owners of the ship? How could they claim that a man-made object would never perish? Allah mentions several times in the Quran that arrogance and pride are the values of the shaitaan, and He commands Muslims never to indulge in them:
“Then as for those who believe and do good, He will pay them fully their rewards and give them more out of His grace, and as for those who disdain and are proud, He will chastise them with a painful chastisement” ( 4:172-173).
“No calamity occurs on earth nor in yourselves but it is inscribed in the Book of Decrees before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah.” Surah Hadid, Verse 22
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)said: "Know that if all the people get together in order to benefit you with something, they will not be able to benefit you in anything except what Allâh has decreed for you. And if they all get together in order to harm you with something, they will not be able to harm you in anything except what Allâh has decreed for you. The pens have stopped writings [Divine (Allâh’s) Preordainments]. And (the ink over) the papers (Book of Decrees) has dried." - Tirmidi.
When Did the Titanic Sink?
The Titanic sank on its very first voyage on 12 April 1912. It sailed from Southampton, England, to New York City, USA.
It struck an iceberg during the night. There were approximately 2500 and 900 crew members onboard. 1500 hundred of the total passengers and crew died on the fateful night.
Why did the Titanic sink?
The million dollar question, if the ship makers claimed it was ‘unsinkable’, how did the Titanic sink?
As Muslims, we believe in the will of Allah. We know He is the supreme creator of every living thing on Earth. Only He can breathe life into clay and make it human, and only He can take life away.
“His command, when He wants anything, is only to say to it: Be, so it is.” [36:82]
There were multiple reasons behind the sinking of the Titanic:
- A warning was issued to the captain about icebergs in the sea, but he ignored these warnings.
- It was too late to turn the ship around when the iceberg was spotted. It struck the iceberg and started flooding.
- The crew was not trained for evacuation.
- The crew was unprepared for emergencies. They did not have enough lifeboats to save all the passengers.
Where Did the Titanic Sink?
The Titanic sank in the area of Grand Banks of Newfoundland, in the North Atlantic Ocean. Because of the hundreds of pieces of ice, this area is also known as Iceberg Alley.
How was the Titanic Found?
To discover the Titanic’s wreck, several undersea expeditions were held. Finally, on September 1, 1985, using the latest sonar technology, a joint French–American expedition led by Jean-Louis Michel of IFREMER and Robert Ballard of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the wreck of the Titanic was located.
What is the Titan Submarine?
Most people call it the Titan submarine, but it is, in reality, a submersible. A submersible needs a support boat to launch it into the ocean, whereas a submarine does not. Titan, the ill-fated submersible, was designed to take five people – one pilot and four crew members – to depths of about 13,100 feet, or nearly 4km.
What is OceanGate?
Oceangate Inc. owned and operated the Titan Submersible. It is a privately owned research and tourism company that provides submersibles to people who want to explore the ocean and its secrets or scientists who wish to conduct research underwater.
Oceangate has conducted more than a dozen underwater expeditions since 2010.
Who is the Owner of Oceangate?
Stockton Rush was the CEO and founder of Oceangate. Additionally, he was also piloting the doomed final journey of the Titan submersible.
How did the Submersible go missing near the Titanic?
The submersible started its dive Sunday morning and then lost contact with its Canadian support ship Polar Prince about 1,450km east of Cape Cod. Furthermore, about one hour and 45 minutes into the dive, all contact with the Titan was lost.
Oceangate finally alerted the US Coast Guard at 5 in the evening of the missing submersible. Using SONAR technology, a US Coast Guard and a Canadian aircraft began looking for the submersible. A US Air Force C-130 and three ships, including the Polar Prince, had joined the search Monday, according to flight and marine traffic trackers.
“And if Allah touches you with affliction, there is none to take it off but He; and if He visit you with good, then He has power over all things.” (6:17)
“To Allah is your return, and He has power over all things.” (11:4)
All these incidents show us that no matter how technologically advanced human beings become, how far science takes humans, or how much progress we make, we are still following the commands of Allah! He is the supreme power; He has control over everything. We cannot become masters of our will or destiny because there is only one Master: Allah!
“Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is in them; and He has power over all things.” [5.120]
What Happened to the Titan Submersible?
After the debris of the Titan was found, the US Coast Guard reported that it faced an inward ‘catastrophic implosion’ while descending into the ocean.
The Wreck of the Titanic lies at 13,000 feet (almost 4,000 meters) below the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean.
Why did the Titan Submersible Implode?
An implosion is the opposite of an explosion; the force acts inwards in an implosion. As a submersible travels deep into the ocean, it experiences increasing force on its surface due to water pressure. The vessel will implode violently when this force becomes more significant than the force hull can withstand.
Are Submarines and Submersibles made of Titanium?
The design of the hull is what protects the vessel against the enormous external water pressure that is trying to crush it. Most submersibles are made of steel, titanium, and aluminium; all these materials can withstand great pressure. But the hull of the Titan was made of carbon, and the characteristics of carbon are yet to be understood.
So what happened to the Titan? Why did it end in catastrophe? The only viable answer: the pressure hull was compromised – a leak. This would have been a fatal problem for the submersible. Also, Titan had previously gone for deep-sea expeditions a few times, which would have contributed to the fatigue of the hull and made the hull prone to catastrophic failure.
Has the Missing Sub Been found?
Unfortunately, on June 22, the submersible that had the whole world praying for a miracle was found near the wreck of the Titanic.
Debris from the Titan submersible was found 488 meters away from the bow of the Titanic.
“Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” (Quran, 31:34)
“Every self will taste death. You will be paid your wages in full on the Day of Rising. Anyone who is distanced from the Fire and admitted to the Garden, has triumphed. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of delusion.” (Quran, 3:185)
Tragically, all 5 aboard the Titan died in the implosion.
Who Were the Missing Submarine Victims?
When their term is reached, neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour [or a moment]. (Qur'an 7: 34)
The Titan Submersible was travelling with 5 people on board: 1 pilot and 4 passengers.
Stockton Rush:
The pilot of the doomed missing submarine, he was also the CEO and co-founder of OceanGate Expeditions. He was reportedly warned of some faults in the Titan, but he brushed them off as insignificant.
Hamish Harding:
The British billionaire and aviation company, Action Aviation chairman, posted on social media that he was proud to be heading to the Titanic as a “mission specialist”.
Paul-Henri Nargeoleot
The 77-year-old French explorer was director of underwater research at a company that owns the rights to the Titanic wreck. He had served in the French Navy and was both a deep diver and a mine sweeper. After retiring from the Navy, he led the first recovery expedition to the Titanic in 1987 and was a leading authority on the wreck site.
Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman
Finally, Shahzada was vice-chairman of one of Pakistan’s largest conglomerates, Engro Corporation, with investments in fertilizers, vehicle manufacturing, energy, and digital technologies. Shahzada was also involved in a significant amount of charity and philanthropy work.
His son, 19-year-old Suleman Dawood, was a student at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, in the UK.
This tragic incident reminds us of Allah’s power and the destiny He has written for us all! We are reminded of our fate with death – we cannot change it. As much as we like to believe we are in control of our lives – even our health, it is Allah’s Will that we must accept at all times, and death is the only truth of life: We will all return to Him eventually.
Allah says in the Quran:
“When their specified time arrives, they cannot delay it for a single hour nor can they bring it forward.” (Quran, 16:61)
Wherever you may be death will overtake you, even if you were in fortified towers.’ If any good befalls them, they say, ‘This is from Allah;’ and when an ill befalls them, they say, ‘This is from you.’ Say, ‘All is from Allah.’ What is the matter with these people that they would not understand any matter? (Surah Nisa:78)
Allah clearly states that death will come to all His beings in these Ayahs. It does not matter where a person is; when his death arrives, he will be in the place where his death was preordained, and no matter how protected or fortified he is, death will surely reach him. No one can run from death!
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Interesting points