The concept of an apocalyptic end to the world has held interest for many people over the centuries; religious and non-religious people alike. As muslims, one of our main beliefs is in the Youm-Al-Qiayamah (Day of Judgement) and we center our lives around the fact that one day we will die and on the Day have to account for our deeds in this life. However, we also don’t believe in trying to figure out when it will be because Allah alone knows, and the point is we can die any day, and to spend our lives as well as we can instead of freaking out about the exact date.
Popular scares
Y2k
The most famous one I can remember is Y2K – the world was being convinced that as it became the year 2000, all computers would recognize the 00 in the year as nothing and technology would shut down, nuclear reactors might blow up, etc.
There was even a Hollywood movie about it, just to make it more real. Of course nothing happened, but it seems that we are doomed to have these scares until the actual day does happen.
There was even a Hollywood movie about it, just to make it more real. Of course nothing happened, but it seems that we are doomed to have these scares until the actual day does happen.
May 21,2011
This was the most recent one (see date of this post) and again nothing happened despite the Church responsible having put up various billboards about it. They believed the Bible foretold this due to some calculations they did. The funniest part is on May 22 they have updated their website saying God has given the world another 5 months, so now there’s a new date! This shows how hard it is to discourage ridiculous theories like this that are based on absolute drivel.
Dec 21,2012
Another one heading our way, because the Mayan calendar ends this day. Could just be that they ran out of space (see the cartoon on the left 
For whatever reason, people think the Mayans were predicting the end of times.
For whatever reason, people think the Mayans were predicting the end of times.This one did scare me a bit because it’s on a Friday and the one thing the Prophet did tell us was that the Day would start on a Friday.
Which leads me to my point that speculation on the day is futile because…
Only Allah knows when the Day is
This famous and important hadith tells us that the Prophet and Angel Jibrail didn’t know when the Hour is; if they didn’t know there is certainly no way that we can know:
Also from ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, there is that he said, “While we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless with him and grant him peace, one day a man came up to us whose clothes were extremely white, whose hair was extremely black, upon whom traces of travelling could not be seen, and whom none of us knew, until he sat down close to the Prophet, may Allah bless with him and grant him peace, so that he rested his knees upon his knees and placed his two hands upon his thighs and said, ‘Muhammad, tell me about Islam.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless with him and grant him peace, said, ‘Islam is that you witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and you establish the prayer, and you give the Zakat, and you fast Ramadan, and you perform the hajj of the House if you are able to take a way to it.’ He said, ‘You have told the truth,’ and we were amazed at him asking him and [then] telling him that he told the truth. He said, ‘Tell me about iman.’ He said, ‘That you affirm Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and that you affirm the Decree, the good of it and the bad of it.’ He said, ‘You have told the truth.’ He said, ‘Tell me about ihsan.’ He said, ‘That you worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you don’t see Him then truly He sees you.’ He said, ‘Tell me about the Hour.’ He said, ‘The one asked about it knows no more than the one asking.’ He said, ‘Then tell me about its signs.’ He said, ‘That the female slave should give birth to her mistress, and you see poor, naked, barefoot shepherds of sheep and goats competing in making tall buildings.’ He went away, and I remained some time. Then he asked, ‘Umar, do you know who the questioner was?’ I said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘He was Jibril who came to you to teach you your deen’.” Muslim
Signs for the last day
There are of course signs the Prophet told us such as the ones stated above and that it will fall on a Friday. To read more about these, please visit my site here.
How Muslims should handle these predictions
I think we should all focus on being good muslims and good people (the two go hand in hand) and to live each moment as if we can die in the next one. Being mindful of death is a good thing because it keeps us on our toes and self-aware. Being mindful of these predictions though is fruitless as there have been several proven false and they will always continue to be there. They are not based on anything Islamic and so do not apply to us.
We can watch out for the signs and pray to Allah when the Day comes that he have mercy on all of us, and to pray for protection from the Dajjal and the trials of the grave. Here are some nice duas to read.
Posted by , Published at 17:12:00