Question

I heard in one lecture about “signs” of the Last Day (qiyamat) that “authentic signs are only two and both of them have already been fulfilled. Third one is about Gog and Magog, yet to be fulfilled. Others all signs we usually hear, are not authentic. My question is that I also heard that at the time of qiyamat “no Muslim would be alive and Qur’an would be no more preserved in this world” Is that true? I mean is it possible that qiyamat could come even when good people and Muslims people would be living in the world? Because by that saying, many people say that “qiyamat will not come at the moment because there are still many Muslims (good one) living here and Qur’an is still among us.

Answer

Thank you for writing to us. For a comprehensive articulation of our understanding of the portents of the Last Day please refer to: http://al-mawrid.org/pages/articles_english_detail.php?rid=455&cid=263&search=signs

As to the fact that there would be no more Muslims before the Last Day it does not accord with some other fundamental Muslim beliefs. We know that God has repeatedly said that no one knows when the Last hour will strike and it will take us unawares. This has been so clearly and unequivocally stated that there remains no basis to doubt it. Now if the take the statement that the before the Judgment Day there would be no Muslims or conversely as long as there are Muslims the Last Day will not come then the Muslims must not think that there the Last Day is near. It contradicts the above mentioned clear Qur’anic claim and should therefore be re-interpreted or kept under consideration until reconciled with the Qur’anic stance on the issue.

Answered by: Tariq Mahmood Hashmi

Date: 2015-02-28