Many Muslims are obsessed with the
end time Hadiths and prophecies. Many feel that the end is near, some groups
and or Shuyukh actively recruit followers based on the certainly that we are
living at the very end of history and Doomsday is well nigh upon us. That being
the case, many Muslims seek to know the signs of the end and the sound Hadiths
we can point to in this regard.
Dear believers, practically, we only
need to know three Hadiths concerning the end of time. I will mention
them here along with a brief explanation of their significance. Saying this is
not to say that eschatological prophetic utterances have no place in our
religion. Of course they do. Unfortunately, when their study leads to a morbid
obsession with the end times, which can in turn paralyze an individual or
render him unable to envision any improvement in his or his people’s lot, then
such utterances are no longer serving their intended purpose and can even
become dangerous.
1) When the Prophet (ﷺ) was
asked by the Angel Gabriel, “Inform me of Doomsday, O Messenger of Allah!” He
replied, “The one being asked about it is no more informed than the one
asking.” If the Messenger of Allah claimed no definitive knowledge
concerning the actual timing of Doomsday, how can any one of us be cocksure
that its coming is immediate? This latter question is one we should ask
ourselves and others and it should guide the weight we give to eschatological
issues in our religion.
2) When asked by one of his
companions, “When is Doomsday?” the Prophet (ﷺ) wisely
responded, “What have you done to prepare for it?” In other words, were we to
know with absolute certainty that Doomsday is tomorrow, would we be ready to
meet our Lord? Would our house be in order? Hence, for the believer,
knowing the timing of Doomsday is not the most important thing associated with
the issue. The most important thing for us is that we are prepared to die
in a state of Islam, because we are living in that state. What does it benefit
us to know all of the signs of Doomsday, or even to know exactly when it will
occur if we are not living a life that would allow us to succeed when our
record is laid bare before us?
3) The Prophet (ﷺ)
mentioned, “If Doomsday occurs and one of you has a seedling in his hand; let
him plant it.” In other words, we are to be courageous; we are to keep working
right up to the end; and we are to remain hopeful. As the horror of the day
descends we should not allow the seedling to fall from our hands as we shiver
in fright. We are to hold on to it and plant it firmly in the ground.
Furthermore, we should be hopeful that we will one day eat of its fruits and
rest in its shade. If Allah has decreed otherwise that is from His divine
wisdom and wise ordainment.
In conclusion, let us remind
ourselves that anyone who has ever predicted the immediate coming of Doomsday
has always been proven wrong. This is true not only for Muslims, but also for
adherents of other religions. One of the most prominent of these predictions,
in recent times, was that of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who claimed that the
current “system” would end January 1, 1976. Of course, their prediction came to
naught as had previous ones. We would all do well to continue undertaking the
good deeds that will help us to succeed, whether or not we live to witness the
descent of the hour.
Imam Zaid Shakir
Read More at NID Notes: http://tinyurl.com/za98xwo
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