Signs, Beliefs & How to Be Prepared
In Islam, this day is known as Youm-e-Qayamat. This is the day when every living and dead person will meet Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). According to Muslims, having faith in this day is the sixth pillar of Islam. Both humans and jinns will be judged on this day based on their good and bad deeds. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) will order the angel to blow the trumpet. The universe will collapse and no soul will be left to live.
On the sound of the second horn, every soul will rise from the dead. They will gather on the ground of Arafah. Everyone will be handed their books of the deed and walk through Sirat. If your book is handed in right hands, you’ll pass the test and drink from the Hoz-e-Kausar. Believers will then enter Jannah, but if the book is placed in the left hand, you won’t be able to cross the bridge of Sirat. Disbelievers won’t drink from the fountain and angels will drag them down to hell.
Signs of Judgment Day
The biggest sign is that Imam Mehdi will come to end the war. He will unite Muslims and bring peace. Another sign is the appearance of Dajjal, who will be the biggest fitnah for Muslim Ummah. He will give life to the dead and travel to almost every part of the world.
The biggest sign of the judgment day in Islam is the return of Hazrat Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ). Hazrat Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) will come to fight Dajjal and Yajooj Majooj and bring unity. Muslims believe that there is a wall that hides Yajooj Majooj. This wall will disappear when the day of judgment is near. It is said that smoke will cover the Earth before this day arrives. This sign is also mentioned in Surah ad-Dukhan (verse 10). Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) says:
“Wait then, O Prophet for the day when the sky will be veiled in haze, clearly visible, overwhelming the people. They will cry, “This is a painful torment.” (Surah Dukhan)
When the judgment day arrives, the Sun will rise from the West. Muslims believe that the doors of forgiveness will close at this time. Abu Hurairah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) narrates that the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
‘The Hour will not come until the sun rises from the West. When the people see it, whoever is living on earth will believe, but that will be the time when – No good will it do to a soul to believe in them then, if it believed not before.’ (Sahih Bukhari 6506)
The biggest sign of that day will be the trumpet blowing. There is an angel Israfil, who has a trumpet in His mouth. He doesn’t blink and is waiting for the order of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). Another sign is the appearance of the huge beast. This beast will rise from the Earth, and everyone will run from it. This sign is also mentioned in the Quran.
Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) said:
“And when the decree ‘of the Hour’ comes to pass against them, We will bring forth for them a beast from the earth, telling them that the people had no sure faith in Our revelations.” (Surah an-Naml)
Beliefs
Muslims have faith that they will be judged based on their actions. Muslims who do good deeds will enter Jannah and those who do sins will enter hell. Muslims believe that justice will prevail on judgment day. When the final hour is near, earthquakes will increase, immorality will increase and modesty will decrease. People will say bad words and wear revealing clothes. People will do drugs, dance, murder, and zina.
The biggest sign that judgment day has already begun is the rapid passage of time. We are starting to see the signs unfolding before us. The leaders of nations will be the biggest liars and oppressors. Muslims believe there will be so much wealth that no poverty will be left. There will be tall buildings and towers like Burj Khalifa. We can see how many tall buildings are built in every part of the world. There will be an increase in natural disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, famines, etc.
Muslims believe that there will be many separate religious groups (firqa). Almost seventy-three sects will form before the final hour comes. The population of men will decrease. There will be one man who will look after fifty women. Some of these minor signs are mentioned in one hadith reported by Qatida, who said that Anas bin Malik (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said:
“May I not narrate to you a hadith which I heard from Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) which no one would narrate to you after me who would have personally heard it from him (the Holy Prophet) (as I have the good fortune to do so)? -” It is from the signs of the Last Hour that knowledge would be taken away, ignorance would prevail upon (the world), adultery would become common, wine would be drunk, the number of men will fall short and the women would survive (and thus such a disparity would arise in the number of men and women) that there would be one man to look after fifty women.” (Sahih Muslim2671b)
How to Prepare Yourself for the Judgment Day?
Muslims believe that they will be asked a few questions about the pillars of Islam on this day. Prepare yourself to answer questions when you stand before your Creator. You should offer five obligatory prayers daily. Prayers will be the first question on judgment day.
Try to offer Nafal prayers and fast every day during Ramadan. You will be questioned about your source of income. Make sure you earn halal rizq. Give lots of charity to poor people. Do dhikr, seek Allah’s forgiveness, and increase the recitation of the Quran. Try to recite and learn the first ten verses of Surah Kahaf. This will protect you from Dajjal.
Conclusion
We are all humans, and we make mistakes. The belief in judgment day helps us prepare for our final test. Most signs are already there, so we should prepare for judgment day. We should repent and turn to Allah before our souls are taken away. We might not enter paradise only because of our few good deeds, but we’ll surely enter due to Allah’s mercy. We should try and spread Islamic teachings to our fellow non-Muslim brothers, too. You never know even the smallest of deeds might help you enter paradise on judgment day.
