Global Warming The Divine Warning of Doomsday

Global Warming
The Divine Warning
Of Doomsday

 

 

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

 

Translated and Edited by:

Prof. Farida Khanam

Foreword

Scientists from all over the world are repeatedly emphasizing that global warming is the greatest danger of present times. Both print and electronic media inform people daily of this perilous situation. Reports based on the findings of international scientists, such as "Doomsday Not Far".

An international panel of 25,000 scientists from 130 countries organized under the aegis of the United Nations has submitted a detailed report on global warming, titled ‘Warning Signs’. I think the more appropriate title would have been, ‘Warning Signs of Doomsday’. Climate change taking place as a result of global warming in modern times has brought scientists to the conclusion that the life support system will be so disturbed that most probably all kinds of life will come to an end on earth by 2050.

The emergence of other signs, especially the Covid-19 pandemic, increasing floods, forest fires and the rise in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are all signaling the disturbance in the life support system. We learn from the Quran and Hadith that the present world is not an eternal world. A time will come when this world will be wound up and replaced by another world which will be eternal. Now both Quranic revelation and science are confirming that the end of human history, Qiyamah, has come very close.

Prophet Muhammad made it clear that human beings had not been settled on earth for all eternity; that a time would come when the present inhabited world would come to an end and be replaced by another world. Then all the evil people would be sent to the universal dustbin and all the good people, who obeyed God, would inhabit the eternal world of Paradise. Apparently, now the time has come when this world should be terminated and man should be brought to book and be held accountable on the Day of Judgement.

According to the Quran, God created this world and settled man on it as a testing ground to select suitable individuals to inhabit the eternal world of Paradise in the Hereafter. God created man as an eternal creature, and divided his life span into two periods: the pre-death period on earth, which is the time of trial for man, and the post-death period in the Hereafter, which is the time for receiving the rewards or punishment merited by one’s actions during one’s lifetime. These will take the form of eternal Paradise or eternal hell.

God created man with unlimited desires to be a seeker of eternal Paradise where his desires will be fulfilled. However, man throughout history has tried to make a Paradise for himself in this world of trial itself. On seeing the progress of modern civilization, man actually hoped that he would finally be able to create a Paradise for himself on this earth. However, the problem of global warming and now the coronavirus pandemic have shown to the last extent that Paradise cannot be made in this world.

It seems that the present world has almost reached its end. The time span set for the present world by its Creator, has now almost expired and the time will very soon come for this temporary world to be terminated, so that it may be replaced by the eternal world of the hereafter. God had made this world for a limited period of time for a test. This limited period of time is reaching its end. Now the time has finally come for man to awaken, to take lessons from the signs in nature and in history and plan his life in a way that avails him in his post-death period before Doomsday, Qiyamah.

Besides following the Quran, it is our duty to communicate its message to the people. This is mentioned in the Quran thus: ‘By means of this (Quran), strive with them, with the utmost strenuousness.’ (25:52) The purpose of the Quran is to make man aware of the creation plan of God, to guide man throughout his entire journey right from this life to the next in the Hereafter.

From the Quran and Hadith we also learn that, before the end of the world, the Final Divine Call will be given so that the human beings inhabiting this world finally come to know that they have to stand before the Creator of this world for the final reckoning, and that thereafter there will be either eternal heaven or eternal hell. This event, in its reality, would be so great that the Prophet observed, “In the eyes of God, this would be the greatest witness in the entire human history.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2938) Now the opportunities for this final call have fully come into existence with the availability of modern means of communication. What is required is for people to rise and fully avail of these opportunities and communicate the divine message throughout the world.

There is no doubt about the coming of the Qiyamah. The signs tell us that now the time has come very close. Now it is the last hour when every human being needs to awaken from his slumber, take lessons from the signs in nature and in history, seek forgiveness from God, rush to seek refuge in God’s mercy and re-plan his life in a way that avails him in his post-death period.

Furthermore, it is our duty to stand for God, and acquaint everyone with the Divine message in a language and style which is understandable to them, as the Prophet—and through him all the believers—is enjoined in the Quran: ‘O Messenger, proclaim all that is revealed to you from your Lord. Unless you do it fully, you have not conveyed His message (at all).’ (5:67)

Each one of us should avail of this last opportunity. One who loses this opportunity should know that another such opportunity is not going to come again.

          Wahiduddin Khan

3^rd April, 2021

New Delhi, India

 

 

Global Warming:
A Code Red for Humanity

Climate Change has been called a as a ‘Code Red for Humanity’ by Antonio Guterres, U.N. Secretary-General in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC Climate Report) (IPCC Report Press Release, 9^th August 2021). The report indicated that human-induced global heating has arrived with a vengeance and will see Earth’s average temperature reach 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels around 2030, a decade earlier than projected just three years ago. As a result the opportunity to limit the impact of climate change is rapidly narrowing. Another U.N. Climate report states that the planetary crisis is no longer a threat but our current reality.

Scientists from all over the world are repeatedly emphasizing that global warming is the greatest danger of present times. Both print and electronic media inform people daily of this dangerous situation. Global Warming and Climate change has made earth virtually inhabitable. According to the report from NASA’s top-representatives, ‘Earth in Crisis’, “we have already reached a dangerous level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.” (p. 35)

Scientists have been predicting the negative effects of climate change for decades now. However, by the second decade of the 21st century these have now reached critical levels. People the world over are witnessing the most perilous effects of climate change such as the drastic shrinking of glaciers, heaviest rainfall, the rapid thawing of permafrost and forest fires in the coldest areas like Canada and Serbia as well as rising sea levels and increasing temperatures worldwide. Today, virtually no place remains unaffected.

Climate Change has been called a as a ‘Code Red for Humanity’ by Antonio Guterres, U.N. Secretary-General in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC Climate Report) (IPCC Report Press Release, 9^th August 2021).

We have been hearing of modern scientific observations, stating that climatic changes will render our earth uninhabitable by 2050: ‘By 2050 the Earth Will be Arid and Empty.’ This seemed a far-off assumption. However, reports coming over the last 10 years have been re-affirming this.

Reports based on the findings of international scientists, such as “Doomsday Not Far” (Hindustan Times, December 8, 2007) and an Indian TV programme, ‘Five Years to Doomsday’, telecast on December 20, 2007, warned that climate change is now turning into climate disaster. As a result, the day is fast approaching when human beings, regardless of where they are living, will no longer be able to inhabit this planet earth.

Global Warming:
Warning Signs of Doomsday

An international panel of 25,000 scientists, who belonged to 130 countries, was formed under the aegis of the United Nations, the greatest international institution in the world. Headquartered at Paris, this panel was formed to investigate the causes of climate change. It completed its research and submitted a report to the United Nations. This sensational report was covered at length by the media, and was published in detail by the Times of India on February 3, 2007, titled ‘Warning Signs’. I think it would have been more appropriate to call it ‘Warning Signs of Doomsday.’

We have reached the beginning of the end, from which point people will start dying one-by-one, eventually putting an end to all life on earth. “We are on the edge of the greatest die-off humanity has ever seen. We will be lucky if 20 of us survive what is coming.”

In the context of recent deliberations by scientists from all over the world on this subject, the Times of India, published a report on May 18, 2007, titled ‘By 2050 the Earth Will be Arid and Empty.’ According to this report, a well-known scientist, James Lovelock, observed in the light of scientific information, that by 2050, a major part of the land surface would have become dry. This would pose a serious threat to the lives of all living beings. We have reached the beginning of the end, from which point people will start dying one by one, eventually putting an end to all life on earth. “We are on the edge of the greatest die-off humanity has ever seen. We will be lucky if 20 of us survive what is coming.” (p. 22)

A letter on this subject, written by Sir Isaac Newton, the famous British scientist in 1704, was displayed in a museum at Jerusalem. In this he wrote that the present world would come to an end in 2060. This was reported on the front page of the Times of India, June 18, 2007, under the heading, ‘Newton Saw End of the World in 2060’.

Sir Isaac Newton (d. 1727) had made this observation on the basis of a mathematical calculation based in turn on the classical laws of gravity and motion. This estimate appeared to be so strange that people took it as showing a superstitious side to Newton’s life. This letter was first shown to the public in 1969, when Jerusalem’s Hebrew University displayed it in an exhibition called ‘Newton’s Secrets’.

What Newton had observed by mathematical calculation regarding the end of the world has now become a known fact in science. The climate change taking place as a result of global warming in modern times has brought scientists to the conclusion that by 2010 the life support system will be so disturbed that most probably all kinds of life will come to an end on earth by 2050.

Negative Effects
of Global Warming

The huge ice caps at both the north and south poles, the vast reservoirs of fresh water are now melting at an alarming rate. Also, there are huge mountain-top glaciers, gigantic storehouses of drinking water, which, as a consequence of global warming, are likewise rapidly melting and their stored water is draining off into the oceans through the rivers.

Global warming is altering many features of the world permanently. A warmer world is having a big impact on extremes of temperature and rainfall with implications for human health, ecosystem survival and sustainable economic activity. Enhanced warming is expected to amplify the thawing of permafrost, and loss of seasonal snow cover of land ice and of Arctic sea ice. Climate change, besides other negative impacts, is resulting in two unbearable situations. On the one hand, very soon the level of water in the seas will rise, inundating coastal cities. On the other hand, the non-coastal areas will suffer from an intolerable water shortage. It is predicted by some scholars that the shortage of water will become so acute that even a third world war might take place over this issue.

Global warming has left the earth in crisis. A recent publication reporting on global warming from NASA’s top-representatives states “Earth in Crisis.” ‘Time’ reporting of a Study on melting of glaciers stated, “Glacier Loss Is ‘Unstoppable.’ Revelation explains that Doomsday is not far.

The rivers are always full of water, because the ice in the mountains keeps gradually melting the whole year round and this water continuously comes to the rivers through tributaries. But when all this ice has melted, naturally the rivers will run dry. And all their fresh water will be mixed with the salty water of the ocean. The ocean will be full of water but, being too salty, it will be fit neither for irrigation nor for drinking. The situation prevailing will be somewhat like that portrayed by Samuel Coleridge in his poem ‘The Ancient Mariner’: “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.”

Time reporting of a Study on melting of glaciers stated, “Glacier Loss Is ‘Unstoppable.’ The report elaborated on this saying, “The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is one of the keys to global sea rise. Running up against the Amundsen Sea, it contains an estimated 27,808 cu. Miles (2.2 million cu. Km) of ice, about 10% of Antarctica’s total land ice volume. That’s enough ice to raise global sea level by more than 15 feet (4.6 meters) were it to melt, collapse and flow into the ocean, which in turn would swamp coastal cities as far inland as Washington D. C. And according to new research, that’s exactly what’s beginning to happen. (Bryan Walsh, Time, May 2014)

A study led by NASA Sea Level Change Science Team members from the University of Hawaii projects that there will be a surge in coastal flooding starting in 2030s. A report on NASA’s website states, “The global sea level rise causing higher seas amplified by the lunar cycle will cause a leap of flood numbers on almost all U.S. mainland coastlines, Hawaii, and Guam.” (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/study-projects-a-surge-in-coastal-flooding-starting-in-2030s)

As a result every U.S coast will experience rapidly increasing high-tide floods, when a lunar cycle will amplify rising sea levels caused by climate change. This will result in floods the world over.

Devastating Floods
Linked to Climate Change

As predicted floods have been seen worldwide. The autumn and summers of 2021 have witnessed ravaging and deadly floods, cyclones and hurricanes worldwide. Countries most effected by them include United States, Mexico, Germany, France, China, India, Sudan, Nigeria, Uganda, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan and parts of India, besides others, bringing in their wake widespread destruction.

Flash floods occurred in the city of New York in early July 2021. One of the 10 most intense cloud bursts in the past 80 years occurred here causing more than an inch and a half of rain to fall within an hour, causing severe damage and submerging parts of the city.

According to The Indian Express, China’s central Henan province witnessed its heaviest rainfall in 1000 years. According to The Indian Express, Officials have stated that Zhengzhou recorded 617.1 mm rainfall from Saturday to Tuesday, nearly the same as the annual average rainfall in the city (640.8 mm). According to the FloodList, in France, nearly two months of rain fell in just a few hours in Lot-et-Garonne Department in southwestern France late on 08 September 2021. Streets of the city of Agen were inundated with over 2 meters of water.

Devastation occurred in China in Zhengzho, the capital of the Henan province on Tuesday, 20 July 2021 due to flooding. In just one hour, a record 7.95 inches of rain fell between 4 and 5 pm, submerging cars, sweeping residents away and filling subway cars packed with commuters with gushing water that reached their necks.”

Devastating floods are seen worldwide, which are a direct result of global warming as warmer atmospheres retain more moisture that falls as heavy rains. These floods, climate scientists say should serve as a wake-up call for leaders to take urgent action on warming temperatures to protect the planet.

The widespread flooding in China is in part linked to climate change, said Xuebin Zhang, a senior research scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, noting, “We don’t usually see that kind of a flood.” He added, “Without the change in climate, you would not see as much precipitation as you see today. Simply because the air is now hotter and it can hold more moisture, as such it will give you more rain in intense storms than before.”

In India, the heaviest monsoon rains in decades took place in the Mumbai region. A weather station, in Mahabaleshwar recorded 23 inches of rainfall causing landslides and leaving entire neighborhoods submerged. (Reuters News Agency Report)

In western Germany and large parts of Europe, heavy floods wiped out villages and reduced some infrastructure to a sea of debris in July 2021. John Butschkowski, a Red Cross driver helping with the German rescue mission told Reuters, “It is inconceivable that this is happening in Germany.”

Ilan Kelman, a professor of disasters and health at University College London, wrote for The Washington Post this week, “No one should assume that we can ever make our abodes completely fireproof, be ready to evacuate safely while being psychologically and financially prepared to return to only ashes. … We must plan better for floods and build our cities and communities to withstand them.”

These floods are a direct result of global warming as warmer atmospheres retain more moisture that falls as heavy rains.

These floods, climate scientists say should serve as a wake-up call for leaders to take urgent action on warming temperatures to protect the planet.

Unprecedented Wildfires Caused by Climate Change

The official Twitter account of United Nations Climate Change wrote in early July 2021 had predicted that climate change would result in floods in certain parts of the world and heat waves, drought and wildfires linked to rising temperatures in others, “From unprecedented fires in Western North America to devastating floods in Europe: The most recent and accelerating climate change impacts constitute a clarion call to action.” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2021/world-floods-climate/)

As predicted, fires are now occurring more frequently and severely in ecosystems that have historically rarely experienced fire. In 2019, wildfires raged across large areas of Canada, Siberia, the Mediterranean, and the Amazon. These brought into focus the devastating power and potential threat of fire across the world. An increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires, especially in ecosystems that are not adapted to fire, could lead to lasting changes in vegetation structure and composition, wildlife populations, soil erosion and the benefits humans derive from these landscapes.

The Amazon saw a significant uptick in the number of fires across Brazil, Bolivia and Peru (with ~9000 km2 burnt) in 2019 due to human-driven deforestation, logging and exploitation. This in itself is a cause for concern as there are fears that the interaction of deforestation, widespread use of fire for clearing and climate change are pushing this normally wet tropical ecosystem closer to an ecological tipping point, towards a degraded low-carbon savannah system10. This is important for global sustainability as the Amazon forest is the world’s largest carbon sink, but whose capture and storage of carbon dioxide has been decreasing over the past decades.

As predicted by scientists global warming will lead to floods at some places and rising temperatures leading to fires in others. As predicted the world is witnessing forest fires in historically rare places like Canada and Siberia. Everything is on fire. This is happening across the globe on a daily basis.

As per the Moscow Times, a warming climate combined with a 150-year drought and high winds created the best conditions to turn the taiga forest into fire fuel. This prediction has also come true. Fires are prevalent now even in the coldest places like in Yakutsk, Siberia. Temperatures over the year range between –44 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit in Yakutsk. This past summer, after arid and extremely hot weather patterns, the Saka-Yakutia region reached 102 degrees Fahrenheit, setting records for several consecutive days, per the Associated Press.

It is reported that “A heatwave in one of the world’s coldest regions has sparked forest fires and threatened the Siberian city of Yakutsk.” (Jonathan Watts, The Guardian, 20, July 2021) He states, ‘Everything is on fire’: Siberia hit by unprecedented burning.” A teacher from Yakutsk was also reported to have told ABS News, “Everywhere is burning, and there aren’t enough people.” These fires are leading to an “airpocalypse” of thick toxic smoke, which is one of world’s worst ever air pollution events in the Yakutsk region.

As of August 16, 2021 more than 40 million acres (17 million hectres) have burned, breaking a previous record. … One fire alone scorched an area as wide as 2.5 million acres, reports Ann M. Simmons for the Wall Street Journal. The fires are burning so intensely that vast swaths of smoke blocked sunlight. For the first time in recorded history, smoke from the fires in Siberia have drifted thousands of miles away to reach the North Pole, reports Oliver Carrol for the Independent.

A concerned citizen, Edward Woods, wrote, “This is happening across the globe on a daily basis.” It is time we wake up and take note of these devastating effects of climate change.

Man-Made Global Warming

It is generally held that Islam and science are separate from one another, the subject of Islam being different from the subjects of science. But there is one respect in which Islam and science are in total conformity with one another.

And that is, that what science is now making known through its discoveries has already been made known in Islam through revelation. The difference is only that Islam had made these predictions about things 15 hundred years ago in the 7^th century AD, while science has discovered these same things only in recent centuries and particularly at the beginning of the 21^st century. The Quran, the revealed book of God, directly addresses this issue. It says:

“Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of the evil which men’s hands have done: and so He will make them taste the fruit of some of their doings, so that they may turn back from evil.” (30: 41)

According to the above verse of the Quran corruption in the land and sea (referring to global warming) is man-made. Scientists from all over the world are repeatedly emphasizing that global warming is man-made.

The Sixth Assessment of the IPCC Climate Report emphasized that climate change is of human origin and is global in nature. The Hindu (August 17, 2021) reports: The impact of climate change on the atmosphere, oceans and land is unmistakably of human origin and this impact is picking up pace. It is a striking fact that there is no part of the inhabited world that is now untouched by the impact of global warming.

The Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC report in 2007 came under the main heading: ‘Global warming is man-made’. All these reports seem to be an interpretation of the above Quranic verse: man-made corruption has spread on land and sea. This report also tells us that the atmosphere of the earth has now heated up to a degree far higher than that of the pre-industrial age. The level of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will soon be doubled.

This report also tells us that because of this heat, the polar ice and the glaciers on the mountains are continuously melting. As we all know, there are huge ice caps at both the north and south poles. These are vast reservoirs of fresh water; but they are now melting at an alarming rate. Also, there are huge mountain-top glaciers, gigantic storehouses of drinking water, which, as a consequence of global warming, are likewise rapidly melting and their stored water is draining off into the oceans through the rivers.

Due to this, the level of water in the seas is rising. It is feared that in the near future this will rise by as much as one metre and there will be the risk of the coastal areas being submerged. On the other hand, the non-coastal areas will suffer from an intolerable water shortage.

The report further tells us that the dangerous changes occurring in our world are resulting in irreversible damage. That is, there is no remedy for this process.

The report also tells us that, as a result of these changes, the earth will be hit by draughts, which will seriously affect the life support system. All these occurrences are a direct result of human activities. According to the report, “We are endangering all species on earth; we are endangering the future of the human race.”

What is happening is not simply a matter of climate change. It is, in fact, a warning by the Creator. It is an intimation in advance of something which is going to take place in the very near future. It is meant to bring man to his senses, so that he may reform himself and save himself from God’s chastisement.

God provided for all kinds of necessary things in this world, but these things were not meant to be luxuries. They were meant, rather, to be merely facilities. For the truth is that God made this world purely as a preparatory ground, and man was required to build in it a heavenly personality, so that he might inhabit the next eternal world of Paradise. But man mistook those things provided by his Maker to be luxuries and, instead of preparing himself for paradise, he began building a ‘paradise’ in this world itself.

God continued to send warnings of different kinds, but man could not be brought to his senses. In this way, he forfeited the justification, in the eyes of God, to stay in this world for a further period of time. Apparently, now the time has come when this world should be terminated and man should be brought to book and be held accountable on the Day of Judgement.

Predictions of Doomsday

One of the predictions in the Quran is the coming of doomsday, or the end of human history. What is strange about this is that what had been predicted in the Quran and Hadith has only now come to the knowledge of man as facts through scientific observations.

At a number of places it has been recorded in the Quran that before Doomsday certain signs indicating its approach will appear.

The change in the earth that has been predicted in different verses of the Quran will probably not be a sudden change, but will rather be gradual. Today this is actually happening. It is noteworthy that extraordinary progress has been made in different fields in the present times, which have enabled man to understand the changes over a period of time, whereas it has not hitherto been possible for man to observe these changes. That is, on the one hand, God will bring about eye-opening changes through advance news of Doomsday, while exactly at the same time He will provide man with modern scientific methods by which he may directly learn about these changes.

The predictions like that of the devastating effects of global warming that science is now making known through its discoveries, especially in the 21st century has already been made known in Islam through revelation in the form of signs of Doomsday 15 hundred years ago in the 7th century AD.

By the beginning of the 21^st century, scientists all over the world had become unanimous in their warning that the earth was changing rapidly as a result of global warming and climatic changes. Recently, the American Science Magazine published one such report by James Hansen (67), a top scientist, who is Director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York. A summary of this report was published in The Times of India, New Delhi, on April 9, 2008, under the caption of “Earth in Crisis.” According to this report, (p. 35) “we have already reached a dangerous level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.”

The news given by scientists regarding the disturbance of the balance governing the life support systems on earth is based not on theoretical calculations or conjecture, but rather on the information garnered from observations. In our times the latest scientific methods have been employed to enable continuous study and observation on the basis of which these reports have been published in the media. All such information is of a kind which is accessible to anyone with a scientific background.

The traditions of the Prophet of Islam have predicted such occurrences.

1.  According to a Hadith, “When the Qiyamah approaches, the sun will come closer to man.” (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 17439) As a result of this, great heat will be generated on earth. This hadith tells us exactly what we have been told in the report.

      The sun coming closer does not mean that the distance of the sun and the earth will become less, for in such a case life on earth would immediately come to an end. This coming closer, in fact, is symbolic of the heat of the sun becoming more intense, thereby raising the temperature, thus, predicting global warming.

2.  What will happen to man when the sun’s heat increases? This has been expressed thus in the hadith: “The people will be sweating. Some will sweat till their ankles, some till their knees others till their waist and yet others till their faces.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2864)

      (The Arabic word araq in this tradition, which is used to mean sweat, literally means ‘squeezed water’. Sweat is called araq because it squeezes [or oozes] out of the human body. That is why the wine which is squeezed out of grapes is also called araq)

This tradition, in fact, symbolically tells us that during the last days, when the sun’s heat will increase and the glaciers of ice and the ice sheets at the polar caps of the Arctic and Antarctica will start melting, then the sea level will rise. As a result, the coastal settlements will be submerged in sea water. Some areas will be totally submerged, while others will be less affected, depending upon the altitude of the land mass affected. Now both revealed and scientific knowledge have confirmed that Doomsday is near.

Global Warming
or Divine Warning?

The earth is a unique planet in the vast Universe. It provides in an exceptional manner everything that is required to support life. As such, it has enabled human beings to inhabit it and develop civilizations. But according to the Quran, this state of affairs is not going to last forever.

A time will come when the earth will lose all its greenery and its vegetation and it will become an arid waste. This will happen sometime before Doomsday. According to the Quran:

“We have adorned the earth with attractive things, so that We may test mankind as to which one is best in conduct, but We shall reduce all this to barren waste.” (18:7-8)

In the first quarter of the 7^th century AD when this verse was revealed in the Quran, it was a very distant prediction. However, the scientific observations made about the earth tell us that this destined end of the earth has already begun. Recent satellite observations of the earth from space tell us that the water system on our planet has been seriously disturbed and that the earth is fast heading towards its end.

This is what the Quran means by a “barren waste”. We learn from the Quran and Hadith that the present world is not an eternal world. A time will come when this world will be wound up and replaced by another world which will be eternal.

There are such signs in the present world as lead scientists to conclude that the end of history has come very close. Now, through purely scientific surveys, the revelation has been confirmed that the world has, in reality, reached the last stage of its existence.

A report further tells us that the dangerous changes occurring in our world are resulting in irreversible damage. That is, there is no remedy for this process.

Those signs predicted in the Quran and Hadith have been underscored by scientific studies.

Approaching Signs of Doomsday

The study of the Quran and Hadith tells us that before the end of human history on earth, some clear signs will appear which will serve as the final warning for man. After the emergence of these signs, God will command the angel Israfil to blow the trumpet. Then, all of a sudden, human history, having passed through its temporary phase, will enter its permanent phase. That is to say, the blowing of the trumpet will mark the end of the phase of action and the beginning of the phase of reward.

The report of the climate change shows that all the signs have already appeared. These signs are multifarious, but we shall describe only a few of them here.

1.  We have been told of a sign to appear before the Qiyamah. “Soon a mountain of gold will appear in the Euphrates River. When people learn about it, they will rush to take possession of it. Those who are near it will say that if they allow others to take it, they will take all of it. Then there will be a war to take control of it. In that war about ninety percent of the people will be killed.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2894)

In this tradition it is very clear that what is meant here is petroleum, which is currently referred to as ‘liquid gold’. This liquid gold has appeared in the Euphrates as well as in the Middle East. Many wars have been fought for this industrial treasure and are still being fought—leading to great destruction.

Today this prediction has undoubtedly been fulfilled. This event is another sign that Qiyamah is no longer far off. Doomsday, heralded by the above-mentioned signs, will, according to the creation plan of God, bring the first phase of human history to an end. The post-Doomsday phase will then commence.

The prediction of the discovery of liquid gold (Petrol is called liquid gold) in the Middle East and fighting over it is another sign that Qiyamah is no longer far off.

2.  According to a tradition, the Prophet of Islam said, “There will be a very great occurrence in future, that is, a house will be burnt. This will surely happen.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2940) Let us look at the wording of this Hadith. This is not about burning a common house; it is rather about the burning of a very big structure, the like of which did not exist in ancient times. This prediction is perhaps about the event which took place on September 11^th, 2001, in New York, USA, where the famous World Trade Centre, built in 1970-72, once stood. With its 110 stories, it was Himalayan in stature. It was just not possible to demolish it or burn it by ordinary methods. On September 11^th, 2001, two airplanes were hijacked and then crashed at great speed into the World Trade Centre. As a result, there was a big explosion, and the entire building was reduced to ashes. Many factors were required for such a happening to take place. For the first time in human history these factors had become available to man. In such a situation, the fulfillment of this unique prediction in the 21^st century which is a certain sign that the hour of Doomsday has come very close.

The prediction of the burning of a huge house is the fulfillment of this unique prediction in the 21^st century is a certain sign that the hour of Doomsday has come very close.

3.  According to a tradition, the Prophet of Islam said that Doomsday would not take place until harj had exceeded its limit. People then asked what harj was. The Prophet replied, “Killing, killing and more killing.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 157)

 

When the Prophet of Islam came to the world during the first quarter of the 7^th century, modern weapons had not yet been invented. It was unthinkable at that time that killing and bloodshed could ever become rampant. This has become possible only in the present days, when weapons of mass destruction have been manufactured and it has become possible to kill on a mass scale. As such, we find that in present times innumerable incidents of killing and bloodshed are taking place on a daily basis. This state of affairs is an indication that Doomsday has come very close. It is proof enough of the veracity of this prediction that it was made a long time ago when the present kind of bloodshed and violence was totally unthinkable.

4.  According to another tradition, the Prophet of Islam said, ‘Qiyamah will take place only when there is no one left to remember God.’ (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 148) This hadith does not mean that the people will stop taking God’s name. Rather what is meant here is the remembrance of God, at the level of realization, as we find from the Quran. (5:83) According to the Quran, “those who believe love God most” (2:165), and “stand in awe of none but God.” (9:18), “True believers are those whose hearts tremble with awe at the mention of God.” (8:2) But when such people are not to be found on earth as acknowledge God’s greatness in the real sense of the word, then we may take it that Doomsday has come very close.

Man’s existence and everything that has been given to him are all gifts from God. Hence, not acknowledging God for all His blessings is no simple matter. Such a state of affairs means that people are partaking of God’s blessings to the fullest possible extent, but they do not acknowledge their Benefactor. When such a state of affairs prevails on earth, it means that man has totally lost any justification for his being given any further opportunity to inhabit this world. In present times, this prediction has been fulfilled. Today there is no dearth of people who recite the name of God by way of lip service. But such people have no value in the eyes of God. So far as remembering God in the real spirit is concerned, there will be very few people on the earth who will come up to the desired criterion.

One clear proof of this is that with the advent of the age of the printing press and with the increased frequency of public speaking, Muslims have been engaged in great activities. But we do not find people who are immersed in the remembrance of God.

People are rather basking in community pride than living in the Glory of God. We do not find any mention of the Glory of God in the real sense in the speeches and writings and in the activity of present-day institutions. The reason is that people have discovered the greatness of the community, but they have failed to discover the greatness of God. In such a situation, it is but natural that their lives should be devoid of the remembrance of God’s Glory in its true spirit.

Climate Change, Earthquakes and Doomsday

Climate changes triggered geological mayhem. As the kilometres-thick Scandinavian ice sheet vanished, the faults beneath released the accumulated strain of tens of millennia, spawning massive magnitude eight earthquakes.

Andrea Hampel of the University of Hannover’s Geological Institute, who with colleagues has been studying earthquake activity says, “future ice loss may trigger earthquakes of intermediate to large magnitude if the crust underneath the modern ice cap contains faults prone to failure”.

Scientific studies reveal that where an earthquake fault or volcanic activity is primed and ready to go, climate change may provide that extra helping hand that brings forward the timing of a quake or eruption that would eventually have happened anyway. In keeping with these scientific predications, earthquakes have occurred with greater frequency around the world. In fact, the number of noticeable earthquakes has been increasing year after year since 2017 in the key oil producing regions of the U.S., according to an analysis by an independent energy research firm. The National Earthquake Information Center now locates about 20,000 earthquakes around the globe each year, or approximately 55 per day.

On September 8, 2021 an earthquake occurred near Acapulco in Guerrero, Mexico of a magnitude of 7 on Richter scale causing landslides, gas leaks and killing many. Early in the morning of August 14, 2021, an earthquake of a magnitude of 7.2 rocked Haiti, causing homes, schools and hospitals to collapse, claiming hundreds of lives, and nearly 1.2 million people effected and leaving communities in crisis.

On September 5, 2021 an earthquake measuring 5 on the Richter Scale jolted Yecheng County of Kashgar Prefecture in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. An earthquake occurred off the coast of the Alaska Peninsula on July 28, 2021 of a magnitude of 8.2 according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), followed by a number of aftershocks, including three that were of magnitude 5.9, 6.1 and 6.9 respectively. On March 4, 2021 a series of earthquakes occurred in the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand with magnitudes of 8.1 and 7.4 that occurred at 19:28:31 UTC on 4 March 2021. The list of earthquakes that have shook the earth in 2021 are many. It seems that earthquakes are becoming a frequent occurrence.

Another earthquake that remains fresh in recent memory is the one that devastated the Chinese province of Sichuan killing almost 70,000 people in May 2008. Similarly, on the 26^th December, 2004, an undersea earthquake in Indonesia resulted in a tsunami which caused heavy damage and loss of life in South Asian coastal cities.

The oldest of the highly destructive earthquakes recorded in history is the one that struck Shensi, a district in China in 1556 A.D. and took a heavy toll of more than 800,000 lives.

Such earthquakes occur almost every day in varying degrees of intensity, some regions being more prone to earthquakes than others.

The earthquake is one terrestrial phenomenon which most obviously forewarns us of the advent of Doomsday. Anomalies in the organization of the present set-up of the universe, which periodically result in minor calamities, are indicative of what is going to happen on a large scale in the future.

The interior of the earth is, in fact, composed of red-hot semi-molten magma, which is ejected periodically through volcanic activity in the form of lava. Sometimes also strong movements of the earth’s crust can be felt. These are produced by movement of the plates of the earth’s crust due to continental drift. From time to time, the movement of the earth’s surface assumes gigantic proportion and the resulting earthquakes are like a unilateral attack of nature upon man in which nature definitely has the upper hand.

According to a tradition, Prophet Muhammad said, “The Hour (Last Day) will not be established until earthquakes will be very frequent. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1036)

In light of the above tradition we studied seismic activity over the last century and found that the world has been witnessing a substantial increase in the number of earthquakes. According to long-term records since about 1900, the average number of major earthquakes per year are 16. These normally include 15 earthquakes in the magnitude 7 range and one earthquake having a magnitude of 8.0 or greater. The records of the past 40-50 years reveal that we have exceeded the long-term average number of major earthquakes about a dozen times. Earthquakes are increasing all around the world.

The above tradition relates earthquakes with Doomsday, as an Earthquake is, in fact, a small reminder of the day of resurrection. A surge the earth is split asunder with a terrible rumbling; when buildings come tumbling down like playing cards; when the upper layers of the earth are cracked open and the interior of the earth is spewed out, when cities bustling with life are reduced to ashes in a matter of minutes; when the earth is strewn with dead bodies, like shoals of fish washed up on the sea coast, man realizes his utter helplessness in the face of nature. What is most tragic about earthquakes and volcanic eruptions is the fact that no one can predict when or where they will take place. And, when they do, everything happens in a flash, leaving little or no time for escape. The day of the resurrection will come upon us all of a sudden, just like an earthquake. Such natural catastrophes demonstrate, most awesomely, God’s capacity to destroy the earth at any moment.

Even more terrifying events take place in the outer reaches of the universe. In the infinitude of space, are innumerable, enormous celestial bodies in continuous motion. In fact, there are so many of them that they are in danger of colliding with each other. Studies in astronomy have confirmed that this is an actual possibility - it would not be surprising if they did collide. What is surprising is that they do not collide. Our Solar System may well be the result of a collision of this type. If we can visualize such a collision taking place on a greatly enlarged scale, the day of resurrection will no longer seem impossible, nor even such a remote possibility as we had perhaps at first imagined.

Believers in the concept of the life hereafter contend that a time is bound to come when the forces of destruction which are present in the universe in embryonic form will one day assume gigantic proportions. What is latent today will certainly be manifest tomorrow, and the coming of the day of resurrection will be a reality. Today we apprehend it as a probability; tomorrow we shall witness it as fact. Man needs to prepare for the coming of Doomsday in the hereafter, when he is able to in this world of test.

Clouds of Dukhan (Smoke) from East to West

In another tradition, the Prophet of Islam mentioned ten indicators signaling the approach of Doomsday, one of the last being smoke (dukhan):

Hudhaifa bin Usaid al-Ghifari reported: “God’s Messenger said: The Last Hour will not come until you see ten signs before and (in this connection) he made a mention of the smoke. (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2901)

The same is predicted in the Quran in these words: “Watch out for the day when the sky brings out plainly visible clouds of smoke (dukhan) that will envelop the people. This will be a painful punishment.” (The Quran, 44:10-11)

The above Quranic verse and various traditions of the Prophet of Islam predict visible clouds of dukhan or smoke as one of the major signs of the coming of Doomsday.

On 14 April, 2010, a volcano erupted all of a sudden from beneath the glaciers in Iceland, an island in the north Atlantic about 200 miles south east of Greenland. So much ash was emitted that it spread throughout the greater part of Europe’s atmosphere. Darkness enveloped the entire region leading to the grounding of thousands of flights in the region.

The ash that is seen from satellite images appear to be ‘a visible cloud of smoke.’ It is, therefore, entirely possible that the ash thrown up by the volcanic eruption is the smoke which was predicted in the Quran and Hadith traditions.

The 21^st century is witnessing a substantial increase in volcanic activity. Scientists found that volcanic eruptions increased as the climate became hotter, “After glaciers are removed the surface pressure decreases, and the magma more easily propagate to the surface and thus erupt.” (Email of Graeme Swindles, University of Leeds to Scientific American) Therefore, scientists are also confirming that global warming is leading to increased volcanic activity in the form of lave and ash that leads to ‘a thick visible smoke in the sky.’

On 19^th September 2021, the Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma, sending lava shooting into the air and streaming in rivers towards houses in two villages from the Cumbre Vieja national park in the south of the island. (“Lava pours out of volcano on La Palma in Spain's Canary Islands”, Reuters, September 20, 2021) Plumes of thick, black smoke which are blocking the sun above the island is seen in the images, captured by a satellite of the U.S. Earth observation company Maxar Technologies on Thursday (October 14), indicating that iron mixed with magma, is rising from Cumbre Vieja volcano crater. The Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN) suggested that the current eruption could persist for weeks to months. (NASA Earth Observatory , October 4, 2021)

A tradition of the Prophet of Islam states that the smoke will last for forty days:

“There will be smoke (dukhan) that fills the space from east to west and will last forty days.” (Tafsir al-Tabari, Vol. 21, p. 19)

The forty days of smoke referred to in the above tradition may refer to the plumes of thick black smoke blocking the sun of the La Palma volcano. That La Palma volcanic activity continuing for weeks might be a realization of the prediction in the above tradition of Prophet Muhammad. The Spanish Island volcano is erupting more lava than ever on Day 37, according to a report, "A volcano erupting for the last five weeks on the Spanish island of La Palma is more active than ever, officials said. A powerful new river of molten lava rock gushed out of the Cumbre Veja volcano early on Monday. The Canary Island Volcanology Institute described it as 'a giant lava fountain'." ('Lava Fountain', Times Global, Times of India, October 26, 2021)

Plumes of thick smoke (dukhan) seen from east to west is one of the last major signs of the approach of Doomsday. Now, circumstances tell us that the last hour has come for man to take heed, before it is too late for him to reform himself.

The cloud of smoke emitted by the La Palma volcano is spreading over Europe, reaching altitudes of up to 3.1 miles (5 kilometres), according to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS). It is expected to cross Europe from west to east over the coming days, CAMS senior scientist Mark Parrington said on Twitter.

Japan’s volcanic Mount Aso started erupting on Wednesday, 20^th October 2021 blasting ash several miles into the sky. A massive column of grey smoke is billowing into the sky according to ABC News (20^th October, 2021). Television networks broadcast images of a dark cloud of ash looming over the volcano that quickly obscured large swathes of the mountain.

According to a hadith, “smoke will rise before Doomsday which will fill the east and the west.” (Al-Sunan al-wāridah f i al-fitan by Al-Dāni, Vol. 5, p. 1108)

This tradition clearly refers to the spreading of a cloud of smoke from east to west. The plume of thick clouds of volcanic ash spreading in the east in Japan and in the west in the Spanish Canary Islands may be the realization of this tradition, which is one of the last signs of Doomsday. An October 22^nd report showing live drone footage of Mount Aso, under the title, “Dukhan hits Japan”, showed eruptions sending stones tumbling down and plumes of ash rain clouds 3,500 meters high. (https://youtu.be/jmkL3WRdTkQ) The Japan Meteorological Agency raised the warning level for Mount Aso to three on a scale of five.

If we stop and ponder that these predictions made 1500 years ago in the 7^th century are being realized in the 21^st Century, we will discover the Creator of the world as only He could have foreseen these events and predicted them as the signs of Doomsday.

History shows that probably other signs, as are mentioned in the Hadith, have already appeared. The sign of dukhan is probably the last but one sign. The final sign which is going to appear is perhaps the rising of the sun from the West. The Angel Israfeel will then blow the trumpet at some point.

According to the chapter 44, verses 10-11 of the Quran as mentioned above, the “painful punishment” does not mean the punishment of Doomsday. It means rather the punishment for which the term “lesser punishment” has been used in the Quran (21:32). According to the Quran, the greater punishment is the one which will be meted out after the trumpet has been blown by the Angel Israfeel at the time of Doomsday. But before this, warnings will come in the form of lesser punishments, so that people may heed the warnings and reform themselves. Global warming, scarcity of water, greater frequency of earthquakes, floods, dukhan (smoke), etc., are in the nature of lesser punishments. Now, circumstances tell us that the last hour has come for man to take heed, before it is too late for him to reform himself.

The Final Reckoning

The Quran and Hadith have clearly predicted the occurrence of this great event, Qiyamah or Doomsday before the Day of Judgement or the Final Reckoning. This will be the Day when the whole of creation will be gathered before the Lord. All voices will be silenced except for the voice of God. Only the truth will have any weight on that day. Nothing else will be of any consequence. On that day man will be judged.

The Prophet Muhammad made it clear that human beings had not been settled on earth for all eternity; that a time would come when the present inhabited world would come to an end and be replaced by another world. Then all the evil people would be sent to the universal dustbin and all the good people, who believed in and obeyed God, would inhabit the eternal world of Paradise.

From the Islamic viewpoint, God had made this world for a limited period of time. Now those signs have appeared which tell us that this limited period of time is reaching its end. Then there will be Doomsday. The Prophet Muhammad made it clear that human beings had not been settled on earth for all eternity; that a time would come when the present inhabited world would come to an end and be replaced by another world. Then all the evil people would be sent to the universal dustbin and all the good people, who obeyed God, would inhabit the eternal world of Paradise.

In the 7^th century the Prophet of Islam said that the distance between him and Doomsday was only that between his two fingers. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab ar-Riqaq)

The phenomenon of global warming shows that this distance has now been covered and that the climatic change, as the scientists have predicted, has now reached the point of being irreversible.

Global Warming has shown us that what was to happen has already happened. The final day, Qiyamah has come very close. Now the time has ultimately come when man has to change himself: he has to abandon the way of disobedience to God and opt for the path of obedience to Him. Nature is silently calling upon man to mend his ways before he finds that he has no further opportunity to do so.

Three Blasts

From the hadith we learn that three blasts (nafakhat) will be sounded before the Qiyamah. The first will sound an alarm, the second will be the death blow and the third will be the announcement of the resurrection. (Musnad Ishaq Ibn Rahwayh, Hadith No. 10)

In my view, the sounding of the alarm is nothing but the warning signs in the nature of the first blast, revealed by the scientific surveys and expressed in scientific language. The second blast will be the death blow when all people will die and the third blast will herald the resurrection when all human beings will be raised up and brought before their Creator.

The Quran has this to say:

“The Final Hour is sure to come, without doubt, but most people do not believe.” (40:59)

There is no doubt about the coming of the Qiyamah. The signs tell us that now the time has come very close. Now it is the last hour when man may seek forgiveness from God and rush to seek refuge in God’s mercy.

Global Warming accompanied by earthquakes, volcanic activity has shown us that what was to happen has already happened. The final day, Qiyamah has come very close. Now the time has ultimately come when man has to change himself: he has to abandon the way of disobedience to God and opt for the path of obedience to Him.

Ignoring the Signs

A verse of the Quran reads: “And there are many signs in the heavens and the earth that they pass by and give no heed to.” (12:105)

This verse shows that such signs have continued to be shown by God throughout human history as may remind man of his limitations and draw his attention to the fact that he cannot build a successful life for himself without God’s guidance. But man, by ignoring these signs, does not learn any lessons from them and fails to be rightly guided.

For the last 5000 years, the great minds of the world have been endeavouring to arrive at the truth through philosophic pursuits, but after a long struggle, all that they have learned is that the discipline of philosophy is wholly inadequate to lead man to any certain destination.

After the emergence of modern science, man thought that he could discover the truth by scientific methods. Finally, he has come to the conclusion that scientific methods can lead man only to a knowledge of things, it cannot lead man to the knowledge of truth.

For the last several thousand years, man believed that he could arrive at the truth by employing spiritual methods. It was believed that man’s heart was a reservoir of reality. And by concentrating on the heart, truth could be discovered. But, finally, it was proved that the heart was only a means of circulating blood. It was not a treasure house of truths and realities.

It seems that the period—the time span set for the present world by its Creator, has now expired and the time has come for this temporary world to be terminated, so that it may be replaced by the eternal world of the hereafter.

Similarly, on seeing the progress of modern civilization, it was hoped that the journey of civilization would finally lead man to a perfect world, but the problem of global warming has shown that the present world has almost reached its end. It has not been possible, here in this world, to bring the much sought-after ideal civilization to its peak.

Such signs, both in nature and in history appear continually. It seems that the period—the time span set for the present world by its Creator, has now expired and the time has come for this temporary world to be terminated, so that it may be replaced by the eternal world of the hereafter. These words of the Quran are indicative of this reality.

“On that Day We shall roll up the heavens like a scroll of parchment. As We originated the first creation, so shall We repeat it. This is a promise binding on Us. Truly, We shall fulfill it.” (21:104)

Only One Chance

Now the time has finally come for man to awaken, to take lessons from the signs in nature and in history, and plan his life in a way that avails him in his post-death period. One who loses this opportunity should know that another such opportunity is not going to come again.

Man has been given only one chance to build his future. It is now up to him whether he utilizes it or loses it forever. Those who make use of this chance have eternal paradise in store for them, while those who fail to make use of this chance, will have a fate such as is described in the Bible:

“And they will be cast into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth for all eternity.” (Matthew, 13:42)

Only death divides us from Doomsday. We are all proceeding towards a fate which will bring us either eternal bliss or eternal torment. Every moment that passes is bringing us closer to the fate that is in store for us. We lose one day more in our lives every day the sun sets, and we will never have another chance like the present to prepare for this awesome day. We have only a comparatively short time in this world, but will have to endure the consequences of our life on earth forever: either bliss or agonizing punishment.

Now the time has finally come for man to awaken, to take lessons from the signs in nature and in history, and plan his life in a way that avails him in his post-death period, where each one of us will stand before God. One who loses this opportunity should know that another such opportunity is not going to come again.

We are soon going to leave this world where we are free to act, and enter another world where we will reap the consequences of our actions; we must examine our lives before this happens. We will all have to stand before God one day. On that day, how fortunate will be those who are included among God’s faithful servants, for they will be honoured in heaven. How unfortunate will be those whom God rejects, for they will have nothing to look forward to except eternal torment and disgrace.

The Last Chance

In the first week of June 2007 a conference of the G-8 nations was held in Berlin, Germany, in which the heads of the developed countries participated. The main issue on its agenda was global warming; but, even after lengthy discussions, no programme could be finalized to address this concern. The Times of India, New Delhi of June 10, 2007, published a report of this meeting titled:

“Too broke to save the world.”

Given this state of affairs, it is the responsibility of the representatives of all religions to apprise the people of this great danger. They must tell people that the last chance to prepare themselves for the final reckoning is coming to an end. Now, with no further delay, they must rouse themselves and lead their lives in accordance with the divine plan.

But all religious leaders, including Muslim leaders, are waiting for the advent of someone who will come mysteriously and who will, by some miraculous power, perform this task. But this is the greatest misunderstanding. The truth is that no mysterious personality is going to come. What is coming, at an ever-accelerating pace, is Qiyamah, Doomsday. When this day comes, no concessions will be made to anyone. All will be treated alike.

The Final Divine Call

From the Quran and Hadith we also learn that, before the end of the world, a Final Divine Call will be given so that the human beings inhabiting this world finally come to know that they have to stand before the Creator of this world for the final reckoning, and that thereafter there will be either eternal heaven or eternal hell.

Sahih Muslim, one of the most authentic books of Hadith, tells us that the Prophet told his Companions that during the last days a believer from the Muslim community would attain higher level of realization of religious truths through scientific arguments and convey these truths peacefully to all mankind. This event, in its reality, would be so great that the Prophet observed, “In the eyes of God, this would be the greatest witness in the entire human history.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2938)

The present state of affairs tells us that that time has already come when certain people shall arise and perform this role. This tradition, along with other such traditions, in fact, indicate the opportunity of peacefully conveying God’s word that must be availed of before Doomsday strikes. People must rush to perform this role.

Thus this greatest witness to mankind is related to the greatest of possibilities available in those times. This tradition means that, during the last days, there will appear very great opportunities by availing of which it will become possible to perform the greatest role of conveying the divine message ever performed.

This call before Doomsday is not going to be performed miraculously. Rather it will be performed through the process of ‘cause and effect’. Now the opportunities for this final divine call have fully come into existence through modern means of communication. What is required is for people to rise and fully avail of these opportunities and communicate the divine message throughout the world.

The Angel Israfil, who holds the trumpet, is perhaps waiting for this final call. According to the hadith, this call will take place before the end of the world, and all the opportunities for it to be made have been created by God. Now the only thing which is required is to utilize these opportunities and perform this great task.

Global warming leading to the end of the world is no simple matter. It is directly linked with divine law. The present world was not given to man by way of right or reward, nor was it something he acquired accidentally. No indeed! He was placed here for the purpose of being tested. After the completion of the test period, man will lose any justification to live in this world. This is just like being in an examination hall. The candidate is allowed to come to the hall for a limited period of time to take the test. The moment this time is up, he has to hand in his paper—whether he has completed it or not—and leave the room. The same is true of man’s stay in this world, only on a larger and more complex scale.

The Call of the Quran

In his last sermon, the Prophet Muhammad also urged his followers to convey the message of the Quran ‘even if only a single verse’. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 3461)

Therefore, the greatest need of the hour is to acquaint all people with God’s message in a language and style which is understandable to them, as the Prophet—and through him all the believers—is enjoined in the Quran: ‘O Messenger, proclaim all that is revealed to you from your Lord.

What is the message of the Quran? The message of the Quran is to make man aware of the creation plan of God. That is, to tell man why God created this world; what the purpose is of settling man on earth; what is required from man in his pre-death life span, and what he is going to confront after death. Man is born as an eternal creature. When God created man as such, He divided his life span into two periods, the pre-death period, which is a time of trial, and the post-death period, which is the time for receiving the rewards or punishment merited by one’s actions during one’s lifetime. These actions will take the form of eternal paradise or eternal hell. The purpose of the Quran is to make man aware of this reality. This is the theme of this divine Book, which serves to guide man throughout his entire journey right from this life to the next in the Hereafter.

It would not be wrong to say that man is a seeker by birth. These questions lurk in everyone’s mind: Who am I? What is the purpose of my life? What is the reality of life and death? What is the secret of man’s success and failure? etc. According to the Quran, the answer to these questions is that the present world is the testing ground and whatever man has been endowed with in his pre-death period is all a part of the test. The Hereafter is the place where the result of the test will be taken into account by the Almighty and whatever man receives in the life after death, by way of reward or punishment, will be commensurate with his deeds in this world. The secret of man’s success in this life is to understand God’s creation plan and map out his life accordingly.

Thus we must strive to perform this task in all sincerity till the Last Day; therein lies our success both in this world and in the world to come.

Global Communication of God’s Message

As we learn from the Quran, God has repeatedly sent His messengers to mankind. They communicated the divine message to man. According to a tradition, the Prophet Muhammad observed: “No home, big or small, will be left in the world, where God’s word would not have entered.” (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 23814)

The above tradition of the Prophet of Islam refers to the global communication of the word of God to all mankind. It may refer to the fact that in former times, the communication of the message could take place only locally. Now, owing to modern progress and development, the communication of the divine message can take place at the global level

The global communication of the word of God will certainly take place according to the law of cause and effect. Now modern communications are fully at our disposal. Now it is quite possible to use print, electronic and the online and social media to spread the divine message all over the world.

This communication of God’s Message will certainly take place according to the law of cause and effect. The facilities for this to happen did not exist in the past. Now modern communications are fully at our disposal. Now it is quite possible to use print, electronic and the online and social media to spread the divine message all over the world.

For the first time in human history it has become possible for practically almost every individual in a home and office to have access to a computer or a smart phone. All kinds of information are being posted on the Internet on different websites and now at any place in the world, in any office or home, one can access complete information regarding Islam in one’s own language. The entry of the word of God into every home means potential entry and not actual entry. Undoubtedly as far as potential entry is concerned, the word of God has entered every home. We now have to continue to place more and more information on the internet and social media, so that no one can stand in front of God Almighty on the Day of Judgement and say that they were unaware. (The Quran, 4:165)

The above tradition also tells us of a sign of the Qiyamah. The entering of the word of God into every home is, in fact, a sign of the approach of the Qiyamah. Today through television, the internet, social media and other means of communication, the divine message has reached all homes. Today, Islam is in the news everywhere, but its image has become totally distorted. The publicity Islam has received has been largely negative. The need of the hour is the conversion of that image into a positive one. This is an ongoing process all over the world, for the negative image has aroused curiosity among people globally to know Islam as it really is.

All kinds of information are being posted on the Internet on different websites and now at any place in the world, in any office or home, one can access complete information regarding Islam in one’s own language. The entry of God’s Message into every home means potential entry and not actual entry. Undoubtedly as far as potential entry is concerned, God’s Message has entered every home. We now have to continue to place more and more positive information on the internet and social media, so that no one can stand in front of God Almighty on the Day of Judgement and say that they were unaware. (The Quran, 4:165)

The Final Word

God’s prophets have constantly told us that the present world will not be eternal, that it is perpetually on its countdown, and that a time will come when its term will expire and it will come to its end. All the scientific evidence tells us that this countdown is approaching its final number.

The scientists of the 20^th century discovered the law of entropy and concluded that the world’s energy is continuously on the decrease, and that this process cannot be reversed. Therefore, it is certain that after a fixed period of time the present world will come to its end. Now the scientists of the 21^st century have told us, according to their researches, that the time for the end of the present world has come very close. It could even be a mere 10 to 20 years.

All these revelations which are being covered in the media under the heading of ‘global warming’ are in fact ‘divine warning’. This is a declaration by the Creator that, according to His plan, this period of the world has come to its end. According to this plan, the first phase has expired. Now the time is not far away when the present world will be replaced by its second phase. The first phase, meant purely as a test for mankind, was temporary. The second phase will be for the result of that test, and it will be eternal.

In the present world, man has been given freedom of action. This is not because he deserves freedom on account of his general prowess: it was allotted to him temporarily for the purpose of testing him. It was meant to see who makes the proper use of freedom and who misuses it. According to the system of nature, the record of every man and woman is being prepared. This record will be presented before the Creator in the next stage of life. Those whose records show that they made proper use of their freedom “will find a place in Paradise where they will live eternally.” (Quran) They will be accorded by their Creator a place where they will lead an eternal life of comfort and happiness. On the contrary, those whose record shows that they misused their freedom will be consigned by their Creator to Hell where, in the words of Jesus Christ: “There will be wailing and weeping for all eternity.” (Matthew, 13:42)

Now the time has finally come for all men and women to arise from their slumber. By engaging themselves in introspection they must reform themselves. They must make their sole concern the attainment of a successful life in the next phase. Every man and woman must know that the chance they have been given in the present world is the first and last chance. No other chance awaits them. Global warming tells us that the point of no return has already been reached. Let us avail of this opportunity before the time is up. After this, no one will be given any further opportunity to come back to the present world. Nor will there be any opportunity in the next world to atone for one’s misconduct or be rewarded for the belated performance of worthy deeds.

The history of religion tells us that from the time that God created man He has been sending prophets for man’s guidance. The age of the prophets was the age when the knowledge of reality was transmitted at the level of revelation. This process continued until the age of the modern scientific revolution. Now, the reality, which was being presented to man at the level of revelation, has become a proved fact to the ultimate extent at the level of human knowledge. In this way for the first time in human history the divine book, the Quran, and human knowledge are totally in consonance with each other. This has made it possible to find the truth at the level of full conviction and realization, leaving no margin of doubt. All that is left to happen now is for Doomsday to take place and Almighty God to come directly into man’s view. Now, the final time has come for all human beings to awake and arise. Those who do not awake today will be awakened by the trumpet of Doomsday, but that awakening will be of no avail to anyone.