Qiyaamah (Judgment Day) is real and true and is a fundamental belief of Islam. Verily, it will come in its appointed time and it will most definitely come. Allah Ta’ala says, “Verily the Hour (Qiyaamah) will come” [Surah 22, Verse 7].
Any person who rejects the reality of Qiyaamah or even has the slightest doubt regarding it, is a Kaafir (infidel) and is out of the folds of Islam. Allah Ta’ala has set aside a special day to give either the reward or punishment to His servants for their good and bad deeds. It is the day when He will give Jannat to the pious and Jahannam to the disobedient.
Qiyaamah is of three types:
1) Qiyaamat-e-Sughra
2) Qiyaamat-e-Wusta
3) Qiyaamat-e-Kubra
Qiyaamat-e-Sughra refers to death: “One who has died has had his Qiyaamah”. Qiyaamat-e-Wusta is when all the people of a certain era die and then new people are born in the next era. Qiyaamat-e-Kubra is that day when the skies, the earth and everything will cease to exist. [Al Malfooz Shareef ].
When will Qiyaamah come and after how long will it come? With the exception of blessing the knowledge of this to Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), Allah Ta’ala kept this information hidden from all His other servants. Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was commanded to keep this information hidden from his Ummah. It has been mentioned in the commentary of Jalaalain as follows: “Almighty Allah has blessed the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) with the knowledge about Jannat and Jahannam and all that which is in it, but He commanded him to keep certain information hidden.” [As Saawi ]
Thus, Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) did not inform any of his Ummah about when Qiyaamah will come and after how long it will come and in which year it will come. However, Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) did inform his Ummah about the month, day and date of when Qiyaamah will come. Actually even our children are aware of the fact that Qiyaamah will come in the month of Muharram, on the 10th of this month, on a Friday, and between the time of Zohr and Asr.
He even described all the signs that will take place before Qiyaamah. These prophecies and signs are broken up into two categories. One is called “Alaamaat-e-Sughra” (minor signs) and “Alamaat‑e‑Kubra” (major signs). Alamaat-e-Sughra are those signs that will become apparent long before the coming of Qiyaamah and Alaamaat-e-Kubra are those signs that will become apparent very close to Qiyaamah.
After the passing away of Hazrat Isa (Alaihis Salaam) from this mundane world, when the sweet fragrant breeze will blow causing all the believers souls to be easily removed, then only the kaafirs will be left on earth. After this, an era of forty years will pass over them wherein none will have any children and none will be less than forty years old. Not one of them will be even thinking of the coming of Qiyaamah. Some of them will be engrossed in eating, some will be cooking, some will be painting the walls of their homes etc.; in other words, each one of them will be engrossed in their daily chores as per their habit, when suddenly Hazrat Israfeel (Alaihis Salaam) will be commanded to blow the “Soor” (huge trumpet like object).
Initially, the sound will be very low and sweet and then the sound will become very loud and frightening. People will attentively listen to the sound and then faint and die. The sky will break into pieces. There will be such a powerful earthquake that the entire earth will tremble. The mountains will break down into particles and be blown away like dust. The sun, moon and stars will lose their brightness and disappear. Even Hazrat Israfeel (Alaihis Salaam) and the Soor will cease to exist. At that time, with the exception of Allah Ta’ala, there will be no one else in existence. Allah Ta’ala will say, “Whose Sovereignty is it today?” [Surah 40, Verse 16]
Where are those who used to cause oppression? Where are those who showed pride and arrogance? Where are those who showed tyranny and forcefulness? There will be none existing so who will be able to answer. Then Allah Ta’ala will say, “Today is only the Sovereignty of the One, The Qahhaar.” [Surah 40, Verse 16]
Then, when Allah Ta’ala wills, He will bring Hazrat Israfeel (Alaihis Salaam) into existence and He will bring into existence the Soor and command Hazrat Israfeel (Alaihis Salaam) to blow it. The moment the Soor is blown, all the creation from the beginning till the end will rise including the Jinns, Angels, humans, animals and all other living creatures will come into existence. On this day, the first person to rise from his grave will be Mustafa Jaan-e-Rahmat (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). In his right hand will be the hand of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and in his left hand will be the hand of Hazrat Umar Farooq (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). Then Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) will take with him all the Muslims who are resting in the graveyards of Makkah and Madinah Munawwarah towards Maidaan-e-Mahshar (the plains of Qiyaamah). This will take place in Syria.
Before the coming of Qiyaamah, numerous signs will become apparent. Allah Ta’ala informed only Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) of this in detail and he in turn informed his Ummah concerning these signs. Hazrat Huzaifa (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) reported, “Once the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) stood up and informed us of all which was to happen until Qiyaamah, which all these friends of mine are aware of. Thus, whoever remembered this, remembered it and whosoever forgot this, forgot it. When any one of these things (which was mentioned) occurred and my friends pointed it out, and I had clearly forgotten it, then I would remember it so clearly, like the face of a person who had disappeared was being explained and I was recognizing it by looking at him.” [Mishkaat Shareef ]
Verily, these things that were foretold by Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) are only one drop from the vast sea of knowledge he possesses and it is only a brief glance of “And we taught you all that you knew not.” [Surah 4, Verse 113]
May Allah Ta’ala grant us the Taufeeq to seek knowledge and to always seek His Pleasure, Ameen.
