Q.	Assalaamu alaikum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuh,  Does this mean that Muslims should NOT store food, water, emergency medications and have an alternative energy source in case the need should arise?
A.	As salaamu alaikum, It is okay and good to make practical preparations for perceived conditions in the future. Just don't "panic" or think of it as an "end of the world" situation; keep your trust in Allah swt, for all things. Keep in mind that something different than the y2k bug, yet still horrible, can happen AT ANY TIME due to many unforeseen circumstances. Only Allah swt knows when! Mankind is so bad at predicting things, though, so it is impossible to rely at all on predictions. We could die in our sleep, be killed in a car wreck the next day, have a computer hard drive crash tomorrow, have a state-wide blackout, all at any time! It is good to have a back-up supply of food and emergency items at all times. Islamically speaking, we should treat each day "the same", realizing doom or delight is right around the corner, and whether it will be doom or delight the next day is completely unknown to us! So, if you can afford and are able to have these things, you should always do so, within reason, without going to extremes for no practical reason. For instance, you shouldn't go broke trying to have a backup emergency supply, and you shouldn't have the mindset that any predicted day will necessarily be worse than any other in the course of your life. This understanding can be attained by studying the Qadar (see http://muttaqun.com/qadar.html for a primer on the topic). Making practical preparations for a predicted possible problem is reasonable. Believing that a problem predicted by mankind will definitely happen is not reasonable. If you'd like any further clarification, please don't hesitate to write! As salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi

News Release: Islam is Y2K Compliant