END OF THE WORLD WILL BE KNOWN
By
Prof Dr Mohammad Munir Hasan
End of the World Will be Known
Most of the translators, commentary writers and interpreters of Qur’an believe that the end of the world (Qyamah or Doomsday) will not be known to the mankind. It will come all of a sudden. In the support of their claim they present the Qur’anic verses where it is mentioned that the “Hour of Doomsday will overtake them all of a sudden”. For example, verses 6:31, 7:187, 12:107, 21:40, 22:55, 26:202, 29:53, 39:55, 43:66 and 47:18. However, they have neglected some other verses where the clues to the timing of the end of the world are given. In the light of the verses where these clues are given, the interpretation of “All of a sudden” may be given as under:
Now the explanation of some other verses where it is mentioned that the timing of the end of the world “will not remain hidden”, and the clues to its timings are given.
(1) In verse 7:187 Allah says that:
7:187 “They ask you about the hour of the Doom (End of the world) and when will it take place. Say: “Knowledge about it rests with my Lord. None but He will reveal it at the proper time”. Heavy is the weight in the Heavens and the Earth. It will not fall upon you otherwise than of a sudden. They ask you as if you yourself were in search of it. Tell them: “The knowledge about it rests with Allah though most people do not understand.”
As can be seen, this verse gives a comprehensive explanation of the end of the world. While it mentions that the knowledge of Doomsday rests with Allah (Not that “only with Allah”), and that it will come all of a sudden, it also tells in clear terms that Allah Himself will reveal the timing at the proper time. So, the interpretation of the Arabic word “Baghtatan” as done by most translators and interpreters, that the timing of the end of the world will not be known to any person, is obviously incorrect, as the timings of the end of the world will be revealed by Allah Himself at the proper time. Thus, the interpretation of “All of a sudden”, as explained above, is in consonant with this verse and is correct.
Use of the words “heavy weight” in between the two portions of the same verse (7:187) where the end of the world has been described, appears to be strange. The Arabic word "Saqulat" used here may also mean the gravitational forces between the heavenly bodies and Earth, probably pointing out that this end may be due to the gravitational impact of some heavy mass present in the heavens. The presence of heavenly bodies is already known to the scientists that apart from the recognized nine planets, large number of heavy masses (Asteroids) are floating in the heavens in their orbits, and there is always a chance of striking any of these asteroids with the earth. The timing of possible impact of these asteroids can be predicted quite accurately.
(2) In verse 20:15 Allah says:
(20:15) "The Hour (End of the World) is surely coming; I am very close to keep it secret so that each soul must be paid for its works."
In this verse the Arabic word “Akaad” has been used, which means “I am very close to”. Many translators have translated this word as “I want to”, which is incorrect. The Arabic word for “I want to” is “Oreed” which is not used here. The use of the word “Akaad” itself shows that a time will come when this secret will not remain hidden.
(3) In verse 31:34 Allah has mentioned about five things including the Hour (of end of the world). Many commentators of Qur’an say that these are the five unseen things (or secrets) (Arabic word Ghaib) which Allah alone knows them and nobody else will ever be able to know. There are two considerations against this interpretation. One, the Arabic word "Ghaib" has not been used in this verse. Two, these five things have not been mentioned in one group, but clearly these are mentioned in two groups. In the first group, three things are mentioned: (1) the “Hour” (of end of the world), (2) the “rainfall” when it will occur, and (3) “what is in the wombs” (of mothers). In the second group two things are mentioned: (1) “what a person will earn tomorrow (or in future), and (2) “in what land a person will die”.
The first group has been introduced by saying that “Allah has the knowledge of …”, and the word “alone”, as shown in the above paragraph in Italics, has been added by the translators themselves without any justification. The addition of the word “alone” in “Allah alone has the knowledge of …..” is obviously wrong because out of the three things mentioned in this group, two things are already known to the human beings. Through the global network of weather satellites and computers the rainfall can be predicted quite accurately. And with the invention of ultrasonography it can be “seen” without any shadow of doubt what is in the wombs of mothers.
The second group is described in a different way from the first. In this group both the things mentioned here start with words “No soul knows (or will ever be able to know) …..”
So, grouping all five things together in this verse and interpreting in the same way is obviously wrong. The interpretation of the second group is quite clear and no soul will ever be able to know the two things mentioned therein, while in the first group Allah has not put any such restriction. Out of three things mentioned in the first group, two things, i.e. the dropping of “rainfall”, and “what is in the wombs” (of mothers) are already known. So, the third item of this group, i.e. “Hour” of Doomsday or the “end of the world” will also be known any time when Allah wills.
OTHER QUR’ANIC SIGNS OF THE END OF THE WORLD
The Creature From Earth
The Qur’an has predicted that at the right time Allah will produce a “creature” (Daabbah) that will be instrumental in unveiling Allah's signs. The relevant verse says:
(27:82): "When the time to fulfill our words comes to pass, we will bring out from the earth for them a creature that will speak to them, because the people did not have faith in our revelations."
We notice that the words “Daabbah” (meaning living creature) and “Dwabb” (Plural of Daabbah) occur in the Qur’an 18 times, and in all, except one, verses these words refer to the “living creature on the earth” However, when we look at verse 27:82 we find the wording is deliberately changed to ”creature from the earth”, making it different from other creatures. It probably points out to the invention of computers in which the base of all active elements is “silicon”, which is an earthly material. Anybody can see that this creature (the computer) “talks” to millions of persons at a time throughout the world in all major languages of the world, and has been instrumental in unveiling the numerical code of Qur’an, proclaiming to those who do not have faith in the revelation that this is the message from Allah. It happened because the computer was used as a tool in counting all the thousands of figures in unveiling the miracle in the Qur’an.
Note that the digits of verse 27:82 add up to (2 + 7 + 8 + 2) 19. For full text of “Miracle 19 of Qur’an”, see “Books on Qur’an and Science” on this website.
Let us now look at verse 27:82 one more time, but this time reverse the figures of the verse and the surah numbers. The 27 becomes 72, and the 82 becomes 28. In Verse 72:28 following words are included:
72:28 "….. He (Allah) has counted the number of all the things"
What a beauty! The verse 27:82 refers to the computers and the verse with reverse order of numbers, i.e. verse 72:28 refers to the counting of the numbers of all the things.
PREDICTION OF THE END OF THE WORLD
In verse 43:61 of Qur’an Allah says:
43:61 "He (Jesus) is, in fact, a sign for coming of the Hour of Doom (to serve as a marker for knowing the end of the world) so that you can no longer harbour any doubt about it.”
This verse probably points out that the year in the Gregorian calendar (which is related with the Jesus) will be known when the world will end.
In Surah 18, Surah “Kahf”, Allah has described the story of the “Companions of cave”. In Verse 18:21 Allah says:
18:21 “Thus did we reveal their secret to the people so that they might know that the promise of Allah is true and that there is no doubt about the coming of the Hour (End of the world), …..”
And in Verse 18.25 a number (309) has been mentioned in a peculiar way by saying:
18:25 “They stayed in their cave three hundred (300) years and add another nine (9)”.
Thus, it is expected that the end of the world and the number 309 are somehow related to each other.
In 1980 A.C. (After Christ) (Corresponding to1400 A.H.), taking guidance from these verses, a Qur’anic scholar has made a prediction that the end of the world will take place in 2280 A.C. i.e. 300 years after the secret has been disclosed. In these 300 solar years we have to add 9 more years to get the lunar years, and there are 309 lunar years in 300 solar years. As mentioned above, number 309 is a Qur’anic number which has been mentioned in a peculiar way in Verse 18:25, "Three hundred years and add another nine". This indicates that mentioning of 300 relates to solar years and 309 are lunar years. Adding this number (309) to the lunar year 1400 when this secret was unveiled, makes the number 1709. It is therefore predicted that the world will survive for 1709 lunar years from the time this prediction is made. This means that the world will end in the year 1710 A.H. corresponding to 2280 A.C
Note that:
1710 is a multiple of 19: 1710 = 19 x 90.
2280 is also a multiple of 19: 2280 = 19 x 120
The above conclusion is also supported by the following arguments:
1. Between the Jesus and the birth of Muhammad (pbuh) there are 570 years. 570 = 19 x 30. These two numbers “19” and “30” are very significant within the miracle of the Qur’an. We know that the code of the Qur’an, 19, is mentioned in verse 30 (Surah 74). (See “Books on Qur’an and Science” on this website).
2. The difference between 2280 (A.C.) and 1710 (A.H.) is: 2280 – 1710 = 570,
same as the difference between Jesus and the birth of Muhammad (pbuh).
3. Both numbers, 2280 and 1710 (which are multiples of 19, as shown above), are also multiples of 570:
2280 = 570 x 4
1710 = 570 x 3
Allah has counted the number of all the things (Verse 72:28)
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