[Al-Quran 50:6-8] Have they not looked at the heaven above them - how We structured it and adorned it and how it has no rifts? And the earth - We spread it out and cast therein firmly set mountains and made grow therein [something] of every beautiful kind, Giving insight and a reminder for every servant who turns [to Allah].

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

The Muslim Concept of Rapture

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وَكَذٰلِكَ اَعۡثَرۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ لِيَـعۡلَمُوۡۤا اَنَّ وَعۡدَ اللّٰهِ حَقٌّ وَّاَنَّ السَّاعَةَ لَا رَيۡبَ فِيۡهَا ​ۚ اِذۡ يَتَـنَازَعُوۡنَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ اَمۡرَهُمۡ​ فَقَالُوۡا ابۡنُوۡا عَلَيۡهِمۡ بُنۡيَانًـا ​ ؕ رَبُّهُمۡ اَعۡلَمُ بِهِمۡ​ؕ قَالَ الَّذِيۡنَ غَلَبُوۡا عَلٰٓى اَمۡرِهِمۡ لَـنَـتَّخِذَنَّ عَلَيۡهِمۡ مَّسۡجِدًا‏ ٢١

And similarly, We caused them to be found that they [who found them] would know that the promise of Allāh is truth and that of the Hour there is no doubt. [That was] when they disputed among themselves about their affair and [then] said, "Construct over them a structure. Their Lord is most knowing about them." Said those who prevailed in the matter, "We will surely take [for ourselves] over them a masjid."

[Al-Quran 18:20, Translation: Sahih International]


Surah al-Kahf introductory ayaat (1-3) praise Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ for having revealed from Himself guidance to His servant in which there is no crookedness. They warn of a severe punishment from Him, and give glad tidings to the believers who reform, that for them is a great recompense, in which they will dwell forever.  

Ayaat 4-5 warn people who say that Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ has taken a son, calling it a lie that comes out of their mouths. 

Ayat 9 onwards we read about the Companions of the Cave (اَنَّ اَصۡحٰبَ الۡـكَهۡفِ وَالرَّقِيۡمِۙ). They were believers who took a stand for their faith, and then Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ caused them to sleep in a cave for several centuries. Thereafter, they were caused to wake up, so that people would know that the promise of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ is true, and the Hour (السَّاعَةَ) is definitely coming. The same ayat also informs that the people built upon that place and took it as a place of prostration (مَّسۡجِدًا‏), implying grave worship. This also implies that after waking them up and making them known, they died. 


According to the Hadith narrated from our Prophet Muhammad  , there would be no believer left before the last hour starts, and that the remaining people will eventually worship idols [text marked in bold; emphasis mine]: 

'Abdullah b. 'Amr reported that a person came to him and said:

What is this hadith that you narrate that the Last Hour would come at such and such time? Thereupon he said: Hallowed be Allah, there is no god but Allah (or the words to the same effect). I have decided that I would not narrate anything to anyone now. I had only said that you would see after some time an important event that the (sacred) House (Ka'ba) would be burnt and it would happen and definitely happen. He then reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: The Dajjal would appear in my Ummah and he would stay (in the world) for forty - I cannot say whether he meant forty days, forty months or forty years. And Allah would then send Jesus son of Mary who would resemble 'Urwa b Mas'ud. He (Jesus Christ) would chase him and kill him. Then people would live for seven years that there would be no rancour between two persons. Then Allah would send cold wind from the side of Syria that none would survive upon the earth having a speck of good in him or faith in him but he would die, so much so that even if some amongst you were to enter the innermost part of the mountain, this wind would reach that place also and that would cause his death. I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Only the wicked people would survive and they would be as careless as birds with the characteristics of beasts. They would never appreciate the good nor condemn evil. Then Satan would come to them in human form and would say: Don't you respond? And they would say: What do you order us? And he would command them to worship the idols but, in spite of this, they would have abundance of sustenance and lead comfortable lives. Then the trumpet would be blown and no one would hear that but he would bend his neck to one side and raise it from the other side and the first one to hear that trumpet would be the person who would be busy in setting right the tank meant for providing water to the camels. He would swoon and the other people would also swoon, then Allah would send or He would cause to send rain which would be like dew and there would grow out of it the bodies of the people. Then the second trumpet would be blown and they would stand up and begin to look (around). Then it would be said: O people, go to your Lord, and make them stand there. And they would be questioned. Then it would be said: Bring out a group (out of them) for the Hell-Fire. And then it would be asked: How much? It would be said: Nine hundred and ninty-nine out of one thousand for the Hell-Fire and that would be the day which would make the children old because of its terror and that would be the day about which it has been said: "On the day when the shank would be uncovered" (lxviii. 42).
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ يَعْقُوبَ بْنَ عَاصِمِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ الثَّقَفِيَّ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو، وَجَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ الَّذِي تُحَدِّثُ بِهِ تَقُولُ إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ تَقُومُ إِلَى كَذَا وَكَذَا ‏.‏ فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ - أَوْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ أَوْ كَلِمَةً نَحْوَهُمَا - لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ لاَ أُحَدِّثَ أَحَدًا شَيْئًا أَبَدًا إِنَّمَا قُلْتُ إِنَّكُمْ سَتَرَوْنَ بَعْدَ قَلِيلٍ أَمْرًا عَظِيمًا يُحَرَّقُ الْبَيْتُ وَيَكُونُ وَيَكُونُ ثُمَّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ يَخْرُجُ الدَّجَّالُ فِي أُمَّتِي فَيَمْكُثُ أَرْبَعِينَ - لاَ أَدْرِي أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا أَوْ أَرْبَعِينَ شَهْرًا أَوْ أَرْبَعِينَ عَامًا - فَيَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ كَأَنَّهُ عُرْوَةُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ فَيَطْلُبُهُ فَيُهْلِكُهُ ثُمَّ يَمْكُثُ النَّاسُ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ لَيْسَ بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ عَدَاوَةٌ ثُمَّ يُرْسِلُ اللَّهُ رِيحًا بَارِدَةً مِنْ قِبَلِ الشَّأْمِ فَلاَ يَبْقَى عَلَى وَجْهِ الأَرْضِ أَحَدٌ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ خَيْرٍ أَوْ إِيمَانٍ إِلاَّ قَبَضَتْهُ حَتَّى لَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ دَخَلَ فِي كَبَدِ جَبَلٍ لَدَخَلَتْهُ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى تَقْبِضَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ سَمِعْتُهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ فَيَبْقَى شِرَارُ النَّاسِ فِي خِفَّةِ الطَّيْرِ وَأَحْلاَمِ السِّبَاعِ لاَ يَعْرِفُونَ مَعْرُوفًا وَلاَ يُنْكِرُونَ مُنْكَرًا فَيَتَمَثَّلُ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَيَقُولُ أَلاَ تَسْتَجِيبُونَ فَيَقُولُونَ فَمَا تَأْمُرُنَا فَيَأْمُرُهُمْ بِعِبَادَةِ الأَوْثَانِ وَهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ دَارٌّ رِزْقُهُمْ حَسَنٌ عَيْشُهُمْ ثُمَّ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ فَلاَ يَسْمَعُهُ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ أَصْغَى لِيتًا وَرَفَعَ لِيتًا - قَالَ - وَأَوَّلُ مَنْ يَسْمَعُهُ رَجُلٌ يَلُوطُ حَوْضَ إِبِلِهِ - قَالَ - فَيَصْعَقُ وَيَصْعَقُ النَّاسُ ثُمَّ يُرْسِلُ اللَّهُ - أَوْ قَالَ يُنْزِلُ اللَّهُ - مَطَرًا كَأَنَّهُ الطَّلُّ أَوِ الظِّلُّ - نُعْمَانُ الشَّاكُّ - فَتَنْبُتُ مِنْهُ أَجْسَادُ النَّاسِ ثُمَّ يُنْفَخُ فِيهِ أُخْرَى فَإِذَا هُمْ قِيَامٌ يَنْظُرُونَ ثُمَّ يُقَالُ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ هَلُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ ‏.‏ وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ مَسْئُولُونَ - قَالَ - ثُمَّ يُقَالُ أَخْرِجُوا بَعْثَ النَّارِ فَيُقَالُ مِنْ كَمْ فَيُقَالُ مِنْ كُلِّ أَلْفٍ تِسْعَمِائَةٍ وَتِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ - قَالَ - فَذَاكَ يَوْمَ يَجْعَلُ الْوِلْدَانَ شِيبًا وَذَلِكَ يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَنْ سَاقٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏


References & Links 

First Hadith listed under Book 21: Chapter 41, Number 7023: 

https://www.iium.edu.my/deed/hadith/muslim/041_smt.html 


Rapture [Wikipedia] 


Blogposts

The Ayat about The Shin 

List of posts about Surah al-Kahf 

List of posts about Prophecies 







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