THE END OF THE WORLD....

Last night I watched “Nostradamus 2012” on the History Channel – the programme is based on the Book of Nostradamus, where the so called “seer” predicts the apocalypse of the world. I was pulled to watch the programme until the end – where it is said that the end of time will happen on 21/12/2012 – well, not long from today….

It is said that on that particular day, the sun will be aligned with the centre of the universe called the “dark rift” which only happens every 26,000 years. The galactic alignment will bring about chaos to the planet where it will affect the earth’s magnetic fields etc, thus, the earth is unable to deflect the sun bursts (this phenomenon was portrayed convincingly in the movie – Knowing)

Well, the programme highlighted all the scientific explanations and compare them with the findings from ancient civilizations (e.g. the Mayans/Egyptians) etc, and they concluded, it is very weird that the Mayans had ended their calendar on 21/12/2012 (which they had earlier engraved on stones in the temples in central America long time ago).

Let us look at the matter from the Islamic perspective…

The belief in Doomsday/End of the World (qiyamah) is one of our pillars of faith and no one (even the prophets or angels) know the exact date of the D-day – only Allah swt knows exactly when is the final hour.

However certain events are going to take place prior to the coming of the final hour. These events are known as the Signs of Qiyamah. All the Prophets informed their people of the signs of the final hour.

Our Prophet Muhammed saw being the last and the seal of Prophets, knowing that Doomsday is to come upon this very ummah, explained clearly and in considerable detail the signs of the final hour to the extent that sometimes he would lecture his companions all day on this subject :

Abu Zaid (ra) says, 'The Prophet saw sat down on the pulpit after fajar prayer and began a deliver a long sermon until the time of Dzuhur prayer came. After saying the Dzuhur prayer he again sat on the pulpit and began the sermon, which continued till Asr prayer. After the Asr prayer he resumed the sermon so much so that the sun set. he related whatever happened in the past and also related in detail whatever is to happen in the future. Those amongst us who had good memories retained many things.' (Sahih Muslim)

The signs of the final hour can be divided into two groups.

1) Minor signs

Minor signs are events of normal nature prophesised by our Prophet Muhammed saw to take place before Qiyamah like the consumption of alcohol, lifting of knowledge and prevalence of ignorance and immorality and signs of this nature. The majority of the minor signs have appeared while some are occurring and some will appear with major signs.

2) Major signs

Major signs are events of extraordinary nature prophesied by our Prophet saw to take place before Qiyamah like all the events mentioned in the following hadith narrated by Hudhaifa ibn Usayd that the Prophet saw said, 'The last hour will not arrive till you have seen ten signs. He then mentioned the Smoke, Dajjal, Beast, Rising of the Sun from the place of it's setting, the Descent of Isa, Ya'juj Ma'juj, Three Landslides, one in the East, one in the West and one in the Arabian Peninsula after that a Fire would spread from Yemen and drive the people to their place of gathering".

Smoke

Smoke will appear all over the earth that will cause believers to catch something similar to the common cold, whereas disbelivers will be hit harder by it. Finally, a cool wind will cause all the believers to die. This all the unbelievers left on earth to experience the last hour of the day of judgement

Beast

The Dabbah is a strange beast who will have the Rod of Moses and the seal of Solomon. He will call people back to Islam. Some will heed to the call while others will reject it. The believers will then have a sign that says: "Believer" while the disbelievers will have a "Disbeliever" sign. The exact description of the animal is unknown.

Earthquake/landslide

Three major earthquakes will occur on the day of judgement and they will damage a great deal of the earth. One earthquake will occur in the east, another in the west, and the third will be in the Arabian Peninsula

Rising of the sun from the west

This will be a major sign indicating that the world has reached its end. Allah has created the sun and He always made it rise in the East, however, at the end of time He will reverse this process by making it rise from the West. Once this happens, Allah will not accept the repentance of the disbelievers, it will be too late for them

Dajjal

Ad-Dajjal is said to be a beast who will come claiming to be God holding heaven and hell. His sole purpose is to deceive people and lead them away from the remembrance of Allah, and the unbelievers will follow him. He will have only one good eye and he will be blind in the other eye. On his forehead there will be a sign saying "Kafir," or disbeliever. He will perform some miracles which will serve to deceive some people.

The Prophet Muhammed saw warned,

Whoever hears about the coming of Ad-Dajjal should stay away from him because by Allah, a man could come to him thinking of himself a strong believer but then he will follow Ad-Dajjal because of the doubts he will spread

Ya’juj Ma’juj

Ya'juj and Ma'juj are two hidden tribes of people. These tribes were disbelieving descendants of Prophet Adam as. They will come in enormous numbers and will outnumber all the believers of the world. They will break through a barrier that Allah swt created to hold them back and ravage the earth. They will drink all the water, destroy plants and animals and kill people. This will occur roughly around the time of the second coming of Prophet Isa as (Jesus). Finally, Allah swt will send a type of worm or insect that will wipe them out.

Are the signs already there? Humans are just to oblivious to them as we are too busy with our pursuits of worldly affairs…

There is a book which I read a couple of months ago with regards to past, present and future signs of Qiyamah :

Past

1. Splitting of the Moon.

2. Death of the Prophet Muhammad saw.

3. A form of death which will kill thousands of Muslims. (Understood to refer to the plague of Amwas during the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab.)

4. A major fighting in Madinah (understood to refer to the battle of al-Harrah during the caliphate of Yazid, 63 AH).

5. The Muslim conquest of Jerusalem.

6. The Muslim conquest of Constantinople.

7. Two large groups of Muslims will fight in war.

8. A war between the Muslims and a reddish people with small eyes, wearing sandals made of hair (understood to refer to the Mongol Tatar invasion of the Islamic lands.)

9. A peace agreement between the Muslims and non-Muslims from the yellow race (Chinese, Mongols, etc.)

10. Thirty impostors (Dajjal) will appear, each thinking he is a prophet.

Present?

11. Naked, destitute, barefoot shepherds will compete in building tall buildings.

12. The slave-woman will give birth to her master or mistress.

13. A trial (fitnah) which will enter every Arab household.

14. Knowledge will be taken away (by the death of people of knowledge), and ignorance will prevail.

15. Wine (intoxicants, alcohol) will be drunk in great quantities.

16. Illegal sexual intercourse will become widespread.

17. Earthquakes will increase.

18. Time will pass more quickly.

19. Tribulations (fitan) will prevail.

20. Bloodshed will increase.

21. A man will pass by the grave of another and wish he was in the latter’s place.

22. Trustworthiness will be lost, i.e. when authority is given to those who do not deserve it.

23. People will gather for prayer, but will be unable to find an imam to lead them.

Future

24. The number of men will decrease, whilst the number of women will increase, until for every man there are 50 women.

25. The Euphrates will reveal a treasure of gold, and many will die fighting over it, each one hoping to be the one who gains the treasure.

26. The Romans (Europeans) will come to a place called A’maq or Wabiq, and an army of the best people will go forth from Madinah to face them.

27. The Muslim conquest of Rome.

28. The Mahdi (guided one) will appear, and be the Imam of the Muslims.

29. Jesus Christ (Prophet Isa as) will descend in Damascus, and pray behind the Mahdi.

30. Prophet Isa as will break the cross and kill the swine, i.e. destroy the false Christianity.

31. The Antichrist (al-masih al-dajjal, the false christ) will appear, with all his tools of deception, and be an immense trial. He will be followed by 70,000 Jews from Isfahan (present-day Iran).

32. The appearance of Ya’juj and Ma’juj (Gog and Magog), and the associated tribulations.

33. The emergence of the Beast from the Earth, carrying the Staff of Moses and the Seal of Solomon, who will speak to the people, telling them they did not believe with certainty in the Divine Signs.

34. A major war between the Muslims (including Jews and Christians who truly believe in Prophet Isa as after his return) led by the Imam Mahdi, and the Jews plus other non-Muslims led by the Antichrist.

35. Prophet Isa as will kill the Antichrist at the gate of Ludd (Lod in present-day Israel, site of an airport and a major Israeli military base).

36. A time of great peace and serenity during and after the remaining lifetime of Prophet Isa as.

37. Wealth will come so abundant that it will become difficult to find someone to accept charity.

38. Arabia will become a land of gardens and rivers.

39. Society will then decay.

40. The buttocks of the women of the tribe of Daws will again sway in circumambulation (tawaf) around the idol Dhul-Khulsah.

41. A great fire in the Hijaz, seen by the inhabitants of Busra.

42. Three major armies will sink into the earth: one in the east, one in the west, one in Arabia.

43. An Abyssinian leader with thin shins will destroy the Ka’bah.

44. The huge cloud of smoke.

45. The sun will rise from the west (its place of setting).

46. A gentle wind which will take the souls of the believers.

47. There is no-one left on the earth saying, "Allah, Allah" or "There is no god except Allah."

48. Eventually the Day of Judgment is established upon the worst of the people, who copulate like donkeys in public.

49. The blowing in the Trumpet by the Angel Israfil, upon which everyone will faint except as Allah wills.

50. The second blowing in the Trumpet, upon which everyone will be resurrected.

Wallahu alam….