“The Hour/Qiyamat will not come until the sunrises from the West. When people will see it, then those who are one earth will become Muslims but that is the time when acceptance of Islam will not profit them. For, by then the door of Taubah (seeking forgiveness) will have already closed down on them.” [Narrated by Abu Huraira (RA) and reported by Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 4636].
Recently NASA confirmed sunrise from the west on Mars. Explaining the phenomenon of Retrograde Motion, a scientist said: “All the planets including earth will go through the same experience at least once.”
Nobody knows when exactly the Day of Judgment shall arrive. However, the holy Prophet (PBUH) has explained in detail the signs of the day. Sunrise on earth from the west is one of the signs of the Qiyamat. The phenomenon has already started and NASA has confirmed it recently. In near future the sun shall rise from the west on earth. This will be a day when people shall repent for their sins but it will do them no good. According to Hadith, the Satan will also seek pardon. He shall be seen in mosques weeping over his sins.
Some scholars have interpreted the Hadith quoted above differently. According to them, before the Qiyamat the sun of Islam will rise from the West. In other words, Islam will spread in the West also before Qiyamat. However research scholars have always scoffed on such liberal and Islamically unsubstantiated interpretation of this Hadith. They always held that the Sun will really rise from the West before the Doomsday.
The scholars on Ahadith have collected from the Quran and Sunnah around sixty signs of the Hour/Qiyamat. Some signs are quite disastrous, among them is “rising of the sun from the West”. When this happens, it would indicate that the end is very near. There are many Ahadith that speak about this sign of the Last Hour.
The Muslims should have firm belief in the sayings of the holy Prophet (PBUH). They must believe in the sunrise from the West as the sign of Qiyamat, trusting the divine revelation that descended on the noble Prophet (PBUH) whether NASA confirms it or refutes it, should not make any difference to us. The confirmation of the Prophet (PBUH) is enough.
Other predictions about the Day of Judgment have already come true. For example Hazrat Anas (RA) reports that the Prophet (PBUH) has said: “The Qiyamat will not occur till the time seems flying faster. A year will appear like a month and a month like a week, and a week like a day and a day like an hour and an hour like a fleck of fire” [Sunan At-Tirmizie, Hadis 2332]
Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RA) reports that the Prophet (PBUH) has said: “Towards the end of the world, the old people will try to look younger. They will not get even the smell of Paradise.” [Abu Dawood, Hadith No. 4212.]
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) reports that the Prophet (PBUH) has said: “The Qiyamat will not occur till the people specially shepherds (indicating perhaps to Arabs, the people of camels) compete in constructing tall buildings” [C & Q. Sahih Al-Bukhari)
Hazrat Anas(RA) reports that the Prophet (PBUH) has said: “One of the first signs of the Qiyamat will be the fire which will gather the people from the east to the west.” [Q.Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 3329.] Going by the figurative translation, it points to cultural influence of the west attracting the people of east to the West. Ironically many easterners become westernized even in their own lands.
The Muslims, therefore, have to hurry up before it is too late especially before sun rises from the west. Wake up and seek pardon from Allah the most exalted. He is oft forgiving.
-Agencies