Islamic eschatology

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Islamic eschatology (Arabic: عِلْم آخر الزمان في الإسلام, ‘ilm ākhir az-zamān fī al-islām) is a field of study in Islam concerning future events that would happen in the end times. It is primarily based on sources from the Quran and Sunnah. Aspects from this field of study include the signs of the final age, the destruction of the universe and Judgement Day.[1][2][3]

The general consensus among the Islamic authorities is that the end times will be preceded by a series of signs. However, Islamic texts from the Classical era, Middle Ages, and modern times have differed enormously as what those signs might include. Suggestions have included an era of trials and tribulations, immorality, mighty wars, unnatural phenomena, an invasion by Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog) into Arab lands, and/or the return of justice to the world.[4] Once all the events are completed, the universe shall be destroyed and every human being would be resurrected to be held accountable for their deeds.[5][6]

Muhammad says: `Your appointed time compared with that of those who were before you is as from the Asr prayer to the setting of the sun'".[7] Some "weak" hadith sources points out to a lifespan of 6 or 7 thousand years of the Earth, equated onset with the descent of Adam to the world, and its lifespan of 1400 or 1500 years after Muhammad.[8] In addition to this information, which also expresses the belief of the "first Muslim scholars", Michael Cook states that Ibn Ishaq calculated the period from Adam to the arrival of Muhammad as 5,432 years.[7]

The primary characters in apocalyptic Islamic narratives are: the Mahdi ("Guided One"), Isa (aka Jesus) who descends from heaven in a Second Coming, the Dajjal ("Deceiving Messiah" aka False Messiah, viewed as similar to the Antichrist figure in Christianity), and the Beast. Characters can also be used by some religious groups with some shifts; Said Nursi with the concept and meaning modifications in adapting to the time he lived in, highlights the concept of Sufyani instead of Dajjal and applies numerologic methods to some Āyah/hadith fragments, making signs of his followers community as Mahdi (Collective ID; Sahs al-manawi”)[9] and possible dates for apocalypse.[10]

In the apocalyptic scenes, clues and descriptions are included regarding the nature, structure and dimensions of the celestial bodies as perceived in the Quran: While the stars are lamps illuminating the sky in ordinary cases, turns into stones (Al-Mulk 1-5) or (shahap; meteor, burning fire) (al-Jinn 9) thrown at demons that illegally ascend to the sky; When the time of judgment comes, they spill onto the earth, but this does not mean that life on earth ends; People run left and right in fear.(At-Takwir 1-7) Then a square is set up and the king or lord of the day;(māliki yawmi-d-dīn)[i] comes and shows his shin;[11][12] looks are fearful, are invited to prostration; but those invited in the past but stayed away, cannot do this.(Al-Qalam 42-43)

  1. ^ Smith, Jane I. (2006). "Eschatology". In McAuliffe, Jane Dammen (ed.). Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān. Vol. II. Leiden: Brill Publishers. doi:10.1163/1875-3922_q3_EQCOM_00055. ISBN 978-90-04-14743-0.
  2. ^ Hasson, Isaac (2006). "Last Judgment". In McAuliffe, Jane Dammen (ed.). Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān. Vol. III. Leiden: Brill Publishers. doi:10.1163/1875-3922_q3_EQCOM_00105. ISBN 978-90-04-14743-0.
  3. ^ "Eschatology - Oxford Islamic Studies Online". Oxfordislamicstudies.com. 6 May 2008. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  4. ^ AbdulGhaffar, Suhaib Hasan. "50 Signs of the Day of Judgment from the Words of Allah and His Messenger - English - Suhaib Hasan AbdulGhaffar". IslamHouse.com. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Judgment Day in Quran". www.al-islam.org. 13 January 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  6. ^ [email protected]. "Belief in Judgement Day". Facts about the Muslims & the Religion of Islam - Toll-free hotline 1-877-WHY-ISLAM. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  7. ^ a b Cook, Michael (1983). Muhammad. Oxford University Press. p. 31. ISBN 0192876058.
  8. ^ ekinci, ekrem. "HOW LONG HAVE THE EARTH AND HUMANITY BEEN IN EXISTENCE?". www.ekrembugraekinci.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  9. ^ Even more important is the realization of some of the difficulties and needs of the modern era, the Mahdi thought, contrary to the classical sources are defended by a “person” from the “ spiritual personal” name is given to his community.https://isamveri.org/pdfdrg/D03701/2019_23/2019_23_DEMIRH.pdf
  10. ^ "The Apocalypse in the Teachings of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi - Risale-i Nur". risaleinur.com. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Beware of˺ the Day the Shin ˹of Allah˺ will be bared, and the wicked will be asked to prostrate, but they will not be able to do so""Surah Al-Qalam - 1-52". Quran.com. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  12. ^ Sahih al-Bukhari 7439 In-book reference: Book 97, Hadith 65 USC-MSA web (English) reference: Vol. 9, Book 93, Hadith 532 (deprecated numbering scheme)


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