The issue of the Last Day has been talked around since two years ago, particularly after the huge success of the film that revealed about that prophecy. It is believed that the prophecy of the Last Day on the 21st of December, 2012, is based on a belief in the calendar of Maya tribe found in the decayed building in Mexico. The ancient Mayan which was famous for their advanced calculation and astronomy, followed the long counting of calendar that reached 5126 years. When their astronomical map was applied to the Gregorian calendar which is used as the standard calendar of today, their calculation stops at 21st of December. The believer of this prophecy also said that there is another connection other than the Mayan calendar and the future colossal destruction. The sun will be straightly connected to the center of the solar system for the first time after 26.000 years, which marks the peak of winter season. Some people said that the event will affect the flow of energy to the earth, or due to the profusely increasing number of sunspot and sun flare that affects the magnetic field of the earth. Indonesian clairvoyant, Madame Lauren once emerged in the TV station that the sight of the oracles can not pass through the year 2013 (stops in 2012). Is this prediction true? Is there anyone who knows about the Last Day?
The World destruction is indeed coming
The Qur’an has revealed that the Last Day will truly happen. Allah the Exalted decreed, which can be translated as, “It is Allah Who has raised the heavens without any supports that you could see, and then He established Himself on the Throne (of Dominion). And He it is Who has made the sun and the moon subservient (to a law), each running its course till an appointed term. He governs the entire order of the universe and clearly explains the signs that you may be firmly convinced about meeting your Lord.”(QS. Ar Ra’du/The Thunder: 2)
The portents of the Last Day has emerged ever since the lifetime of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-. Several of it had occurred, such as the split of the moon at the time of the Prophet [1]. And the rest of it will emerge and keep continue until the Last Day. Such as the condition of women who wear clothes but are naked in essence (due to the tight and transparent nature of the clothes). [2] and the emergence of men who admitted themselves as the Prophet [3]. These are among the portents of the destruction of this world.
The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- once indicated about the time length between this nation and the Last Day by his saying, “The distance between my apostolate and the Hour is like these two fingers.” He indicated the time length with his middle and index fingers. [4]. The middle finger is the picture of age of this world until the Last Day. While the index finger represents the time length between the beginning of this world until the apostolate of Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- . As for the distance between the apostolate of our Prophet and the Hour represented by the distance between the middle and index fingers. Now compare between the age of this world until the apostolate of our Prophet and the time after his apostolate to the Hour! We can see that the time of the Last Day is indeed very close to the follower of Muhammad.
Men might feel that the Last Day is still long to come, what a shallow mind of them! “Allah’s judgement has (all but) come; do not, then, call for its speedy advent.” (QS. An Nahl/The Bee: 1). “the coming of the Hour will take no more than the twinkling of an eye;”(QS. An Nahl/The Bee: 77)[5]
The Prophet himself knew nothing of the time of the Last Day
The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- once asked by the angel Gabriel who came in disguise as a Bedouin, about when will the Hour take place, and he replied, “The one who is asked about it does not know more than the one who is asking.'[6]
But the reality of today sees queer things, since some people or clairvoyants (who, of course, are fond of telling lies) claim their ability to predict the time of the Last Day. The Messenger of Allah himself – peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- did not know when will the Last Day come, whereas he is the closest man to Allah. The angel Gabriel too, as the deliverer of divine wills of Allah, knows nothing of it, If the noblest man and the noblest angel themselves do not know on what date, month, or year the Last Day will set, then those out of them are more deserved to not knowing about it.
It is urgent to tell too that the time of the Last Day is among the unseen things that the knowledge of it is the special right of Allah. Thus, people who claim to know it such as clairvoyants, the Maya tribe of Mexico, and the others are indeed boasting and telling big lies. Allah the Exalted decreed, which can be translated as, ” People ask you concerning the Hour (of Resurrection). Say: “Allah alone has knowledge of it. What do you know? Perhaps the Hour is nigh.” (QS. Al Ahzab/The Combined Forces: 63). This verse clearly stated that there are no single creature that knows when will the Hour set, and no one knows it but Allah the Exalted. Even The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- didn’t know about it because it is among the keys of unseen things which only Allah Who knows it.[7]
Moreover, this prediction of the Hour issued by the unbelievers. Allah the Exalted decreed, which can be translated as, “Believers, when an ungodly person brings to you a piece of news, carefully ascertain its truth, lest you should hurt a people unwittingly and thereafter repent at what you did. “(QS. Al Hujurat/The Chambers: 6). If the news that brought by ungodly person (who are fond of sins) from the believers is still needed to be confirmed, or verified, then what about the news of the unbelievers who committed great sins?!
Weird, that the Hour takes place without Signs
The destruction of the world occurred without the portents of the Last Day. This is the point of that prediction and the core of that booming film about it. What a contradicting belief to the beliefs of a muslim! It is evidently stated in many verses and hadith that the Last Day will be preceded by some portents. There are minor portents that already happened, portents that continuously happening, and major portents.
Among the major portents of the Last Day are those mentioned in a hadith from Hudzaifa Ibn Asid Al Ghifari, “The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- watched us while we were chatting. He said, ‘What are you talking about?. We replied, ‘We are talking about the signs of the Last Day.’ He said, ‘The Last Day will not be set until you’ve seen ten signs of it.’ He mentioned, ‘[1]. The smoke, [2]. Dajjal,, [3]. Daabah (a kind of extraordinary animal), [4]. The sun rise from the west.[5]. The coming of Jesus -peace be upon him-. [6]. The coming of Gog and Magog, [7,8,9] the three eclipses; that is on the east, west, and on the Arab peninsula, and the last will be [10] the fire that’ll emerge from Yemen that will drive people to their gathering place.’,[8] Prophet Jesus will be descended to earth and he will stay for 40 years [9]. Prophet Jesus will kill Dajjal [10], destroy the cross and kill the pigs [11]. The other sign of the Hour or the Last Day is the emergence of Imam Mahdi who will rule for 7 or 8 years [12]. Based on this, is it possible for the Last Day to be set while none of the it’s (major, -ed) signs are shown?
The Last Day prediction: All wrong
Men has claimed to know the exact time of the Last Day on certain dates. The queer thing is that the numbers that they claimed are matching ones, just like cell phone numbers. There was one claimed that it would be happened on 19th of September, 1990 (19-9-1990), and 9th of September 1999 (9-9-1999). But all was wrong.
Some past scholars ever talked about the time of the Last Day, even they have written particular books about it; among them was Imam As Suyuthi. Also As Suhaily predicted the coming of the Hour by counting the distinct alphabet (such as alif, laam, miim, and haamiim), distinct letters located at the beginning of certain chapters of the Qur’an. He predicted that the Hour will set 703 years after the apostolate of the Prophet. [13]. The current scholar who studies the similar phenomenon is Dr. Baha’i. He claimed that the Hour will be happened on the year of 1710 H. He calculated the distinct letters that located at the beginning of certain chapters of the Qur’an, just as As Suhaily done. Dr. ‘Umar Sulaiman Al Asyqor rebutted the claim of Dr. Baha’i, saying that, “It is a truly erroneous method. People before him ever used the similar method by counting the distinct letters of the Qur’an. But their result wasn’t similar to Dr. Baha’i’s. They had similar way of counting, but the results were way different. It shows how their method has gone wrong and how their studies aren’t proven. “[14].
Sheikh Al Islam Ibn Taimiya also rebutted those who resemble Dr. Baha’i and the like, saying that, “Whoever busying himself predicting the time of the Last Day on certain year; among them is the author of the book “Ad Durro Al Munazzom Fii Ma’rifati Al A’zhom” (it is mentioned in that book ten indications that point out when will the Hour occur), also the one predicting in the book titled “Huruful Mu’jam”, or in “‘Anqo’ Mughrib”, or the like who predict the same thing; even though it is considered as magnificent by their followers, but people must know that majority of them are liars, who are deceived, and it is already proven that they speak without scientific basis. Whereas Allah the Exalted decreed (which can be translated as), “Tell them (O Muhammad): “My Lord has only forbidden indecent acts, whether overt or hidden; all manner of sin; wrongful transgression; and (He has forbidden) that you associate with Allah in His Divinity that for which He has sent down no sanction; and that you ascribe to Allah things of which you have no sure knowledge that they are from Him.” (QS.Al A’rof/The Height: 33)”[15]
Dr. ‘Umar Sulaiman Al Asyqor said, “It is better to do as the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- did, also his companions and the scholars of this nation in history. Supposed that talking about the time of the Last Day is a beneficial thing for men, Allah the Exalted must have told them to. But Allah Himself didn’t tell about it. Thus, this was the best for them.”[16]
There’s still Death to come
Although several major portents of the Last Day are not yet established, but there is death, that certainly will happen to every soul. Even though people do not find the major portents of the Last Day, they will surely die, sooner or later. None is able to run away from the death. Allah the Exalted decreed, (which can be translated as), “Tell them: “The death from which you flee will certainly overtake you. Then you will be returned to Him Who fully knows what is hidden and what is manifest. Thereupon He will let you know all that you used to do.” (QS. Al Jumu’ah/The Friday Prayer: 8)
Death is indeed truly exist. “Lo, the agony of death has indeed come with the Truth. That is what you had sought to avoid.” (QS. Qaaf/The Letter Qaf: 19). Hence, is it appropriate for one to postpone to believe and to perform righteous deeds? Verily, only those whose hearts are sealed by the darkness of sins that refuse to take this heed. “Verily there is a lesson in this for everyone who has a (sound) heart and who listens with an attentive mind.”(QS. Qaaf/The Letter Qaf: 37). Allah is the Only One Who bestow guidance.
Author: Muhammad Abduh Tuasikal
Article of www.whatisquran.com