Day of Judgment

From ilmpedia

Contents 1 When will it occur? 2 Generic Signs (Hadith-based) 3 Two important signs 4 Specific Signs 5 Advent of the Mahdi and Jesus 5.1 Supporting claims for Jesus' return 5.2 Claims that do not support Jesus' return 6 References

When will it occur?

The Qur'an has made it clear that no one except Allah has knowledge of this. Only He knows when it will come and He has not disclosed this matter even to any of His prophets and angels (7:187, 20:15, 41:47). However, the signs and portents which will signal its advent are mentioned in the Qur’an and the Hadith and also in previous divine scriptures.

Some of these signs are very general and others are in the form of specific incidents and happenings. The signs of this first category are not mentioned in the Qur’an. Only the Hadith literature mentions them. Of the signs of the second category too, two are mentioned in the Qur’an: the onslaught of Gog and Magog and the appearance of the beast. Therefore, these are the only certain signs. Other signs which are generally known in this regard are found in narratives which the scholars of Hadith technically regard as sahih.

Generic Signs (Hadith-based)

The signs of the first category relate to the moral degradation that will appear in the whole world before the Day of Judgement. Thus it is reported that knowledge will be lifted, ignorance will increase, fornication, drinking and killings and lootings would become rampant so much so that innocent people will be killed; women will outnumber men to the extent that the affairs of fifty women will be entrusted to one man; only evil people will exist in this world and it will become devoid of people who take Allah’s name ^[1]

Two important signs

Before the specific signs of the Day of Judgment begin, there are two more clear signs of its proximity, which the Prophet (sws) has also warned us of. In a question posed to him by Gabriel when he came to him in human form to instruct people, the Prophet (sws) is reported to have said:

One sign is that a slave-lady will give birth to her mistress and the second is that you will see these indigent [Arab] shepherds walking about bare-footed, bareheaded trying to compete one another in making tall buildings. ^[2]

The second of these signs is very obvious. Every person can see how it has manifested itself in Arabia ever since the last century. However, people have generally found it difficult to determine what is implied by the first of these signs. According to some scholars, its implication is that slavery as an institution shall stand abolished. Both these events have taken place simultaneously. Viewed thus, these two predictions absolutely determine the period of proximity of the Day of Judgement.

Specific Signs

Of the signs of the second category, the most important is the onslaught of Gog and Magog. The Qur’an says:

Until the time arrives that Gog and Magog are let loose and they launch an onslaught from every hill and the certain promise of the Day of Judgement nears its fulfilment, then behold that the disbelievers shall stare in amazement; At that time, they will say: “Woe be to us! We remained indifferent to it; in fact, we have wronged our souls.” (21:96-97)

The appearance of the beast is alluded to in the Qur'an as a final sign after which repentance would not be accepted from the unjust:

And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the earth a beast to (face) them: He will speak to them, for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. (27:82)

Regarding the other specific signs, the Prophet (sws) is reported to have said that that there are ten signs of the Day of Judgement and unless they appear, the Day will not come. ^[3]These signs are:

1. The sinking of the earth in the East.
2. The sinking of the earth in the West.
3. The sinking of the earth in the Arabian peninsula.
4. Smoke; this could refer to a great atomic explosion also.
5. Dajjal; This is an adjective meaning “a great deceiver”. It has also been referred to as al-masih al-dajjal.
6. A land animal which will probably be born directly from the earth, the way all creatures were created directly in the beginning.
7. The onslaught of Gog and Magog;
8. The rising of the sun in the West.
9. A fire that will rise from a pit of the Yemenite city of Aden and drive the people from behind.
10. A wind that will blow people away into the sea.

Advent of the Mahdi and Jesus

Besides these, the advent of Mahdi and that of Jesus (sws) from the heavens are also regarded as signs for the Day of Judgement. However, the narratives of the advent of Mahdi do not conform to the standards of Hadith criticism set forth by the muhaddithun. Those narratives, which are acceptable with regard to their chain of narration, inform us of the coming of a generous caliph; ^[4] However, some scholars contend that this has already been fulfilled and the caliph they refer to is ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz (d. 101 AH) who was the last caliph of the early history of the Muslims. Others, however, maintain that the advent of the Mahdi is yet to take place.

The narratives which record the advent of Jesus (sws) are generally accepted by the muhaddithun. However, the question raised by some scholars is as to why this advent is not mentioned in the Qur’an, particularly in the passages where the Day of Judgment and Jesus are discussed together.

Another important point here is that when the Dajjal (see above) appears, he will claim to be Jesus and try to deceive the believers thus. The question of whether or not Jesus will arrive again remains a contentious one amongst Muslim scholars. In any case, it is not a cardinal Muslim belief and the correct attitude for Muslims should be to fondly hope for the same while neither pinning their hopes on to the same, nor altogether discounting its possibility.

Supporting claims for Jesus' return

"He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous." (3:46)

Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise; (4:158)

"Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, ' By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, son of Mary (Jesus) will shortly descend amongst you people (Muslims) as a just ruler and will break the cross and kill the pig and abolish the Jizya (a tax taken from the non-Muslims who are in the protection of the Muslim government). Then there will be abundance of money and nobody will accept charitable gifts.'" (Bukhari)

Claims that do not support Jesus' return

“O Jesus! I have decided to give death to you and raise you to Myself and cleanse you from these people who have denied [you]. I shall make those who follow you superior to those who reject faith till the Day of Judgement. Then to Me you shall all return. So at that time I shall give My verdict in what you have been differing in.” (3:55)

"After reminding him of these favors, Allah will say: 'O Isa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary), Did you ever say to the people, ' worship me and my mother as gods beside Allah?' He will Answer: 'Glory to You! How could I say what I had no right to say? If I had ever said so, you would have certainly known it. You know what is in my heart, but I know not what is in Yours; for You have full knowledge of all the unseen. (Jesus will say) Never did I say to them except what You commanded me to do: “Worship Allah my Lord and your Lord,” and I was a witness over them while I dwelt with them. When You gave death to me, You were the Watcher over them and You are a witness over all things. (5:116-117)

References

1. ↑ Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 91, (nos. 80-81); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 75, 1162, 1260, (nos. 375, 6785, 7304)
2. ↑ Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih 24-25, (no. 93).
3. ↑ Ibid., 1256-1257, (no. 7286).
4. ↑ Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 1261-1262, (no. 7318).