In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…
In his explanation of Soorah an-Najm (pp.256-257), Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have Mercy on him) stated:
While we are in the fifteenth century and there have been fourteen centuries since the revelation of the Quran, Allaah has still mentioned the Hour (the Day of Judgment) as being close. From this, we can deduce that the entire lifespan of this worldly life is very long and far-reaching.
However, do we agree with those who falsely claim that the history of this world is such-and-such number of years?
The response: We do not accept their position. We do not believe them, nor do we declare them to be liars.
Sometimes they claim to have discovered some animal fossils or rocks that are such-and-such millions of years old. We do not believe these things nor reject them as lies, since they do not know the unseen matters of the past. They are merely making estimations based on modern observations of how things are influenced (i.e. what causes things to erode, decay, decompose, etc.). But who can tell us for sure that the modern things that influence matter (causing erosion and decomposition) are the exact same things that influenced matter in the past? We do not know!
The climate could have changed from warmer to cooler, or from cooler to warmer. Wind and rain conditions [could have changed as well], and other conditions.
Our stance on the claims we read and hear about from the scientific findings of those people is that we do not affirm nor deny them.
However, we must consider anyone who claims information about the future to be a liar, since he is claiming knowledge of the ghayb (unseen matters). Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, has said:
قل لا يعلم من في السماوات والأرض الغيب إلا الله
“Say: No one in the heavens or on earth knows the ghayb (unseen matters), other than Allaah.” [Soorah An-Naml, verse 65]
Based on this,
أزفت الآزفة
“The Aazifah (Near Event) has drawn close”
[Soorah an-Najm: verse 57]
This means that the Day of Judgment has drawn close. However, can we define its closeness (with a specific amount of time)? This is impossible. Anyone who claims that he knows when the Hour (the Last Day) will occur is someone who has rejected Allaah and His Messenger.
As for (his rejection of) Allaah, then Allaah, the Exalted, has said:
يسألك الناس عن الساعة قل إنما علمها عند الله وما يدريك لعل الساعة تكون قريبا
“They ask you about the Hour. Say: Knowledge of it is only with Allaah, and what will allow you to know that the Hour may be established soon?” [Soorah Al-Ahzaab, verse 63]
As for (his rejection of) the Messenger –may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace-, then Jibreel asked him about the Hour, and the Prophet –may Allaah raise his rank and gran thim peace- replied:
ما المسؤول عنها بأعلم من السائل
“The one being asked knows no more than the questioner.” [Agreed upon]
This means: Just as you do not know, I am like you (unaware of its appointed time).
So regarding anyone who claims that the Hour will be established after one million years, or 100,000 years, or more or less, we are required to consider him a liar and say: He is a kaafir (disbeliever), since he has rejected Allaah and His Messenger.
Translation by: Moosaa Richardson
Assalaamu alaykum.
Do you think this would be a better title for this article?:
“Anyone Who Claims that he Knows WHEN the End of the World will Occur is a Disbeliever.”
wa ‘alaykas-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. YES [title updated] Jazaak Allaahu khayran.
Could I ask as to what happened to your website: istijabah.com ? It is down at the moment.
We don’t have any website by that name.
Shaykh bin Uthaymin was the most knowledgeable of all the Saudi scholars in the depth of his understanding. But it appears he did not understand carbon dating, geologic cores, or half lives of elements which are very accurate ways of determining ages of fossils…
Alhamdulillaah, scholars and students understand the rate of decay and theological deterioration of those who follow and defend misguided people like Yasir Qadhi. This is the result of studying from Yasir, someone tries to find ways to disqualify the scholars of Islaam from very serious issues with the most scientific-sounding argument. May Allaah guide you.
Asslaam o Alaikum
I think the title should be
“Anyone Who Claims that he Knows WHEN the End of the World will Occur is a Kaafir.”
rather than
“Anyone Who Claims that he Knows WHEN the End of the World will Occur is a Disbeliever.”
I believe that “Kaafir” is much more to the point and straight forward description than “Disbeliever”.
Even though they both mean the same thing but “Disbeliever” is a soft word and people at large don’t take notice of it as they think that “yes, it might be…”
BUT “Kaafir” defines it in “no uncertain terms” and people in general understand the gravity of the matter much more clearly.
my tuppence worth.
Ustaadh, I thought to share this with you.
In an article on abukhadeejah.com, it says,
“Allaah has mentioned in the Qur’aan three blowings of the horn, as Shaykh al Fawzaan mentions, even though some scholars mention two.
The first blowing of the horn is the blowing of the terror which also has been mentioned in Surat an-Naml (verse 87): “And (warn of) the Day the Horn will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will be terrified except whom Allaah wills. And all will come to Him humbled.”
The second blowing is the blowing of death, as mentioned in Surat az-Zumar (verse 68) where Allaah says: “And the Horn will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will fall dead except whom Allaah wills.”
The third blowing is the blowing of the resurrection. Allaah has stated: “Then it will be blown again, and at once they will be standing, looking on.” (Qur’aan 39:68)”
I mentioned this because in audio number 29 (Belief in the Last Day (Part 1)) [time 3:45-3:53] of the 3 fundamental principles series, you mentioned that the first time the horn is blown, all the people will die.
I thought to just mention these additional benefits/details to u..
May Allaah bless u Ustaadh..
This is the source of the article I was referring to:
http://www.abukhadeejah.com/events-on-the-day-of-resurrection-the-rising-from-the-graves-to-entry-into-paradise/
Assalaam aleikum,
What is your opinion of Imran Hossein? He talks quite a bit about The End Times, and makes lots of predictions. I personally find him to be a bit wacky to say the least, but I am only a student of knowledge, not a scholar or something.
Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. He speaks out against the Muslim rulers, the methodology of the Khawaarij. I advise to learn from someone else. And Allaah knows best.
https://www.spreaker.com/user/radio1mm/trinidad-tobago-be-warned-of-imran-hosse