Explanations (ta꜄wîl) On The End Of The World According To Basic Islamic Sources

BOZOK ÜNİVERSİTESİ İLAHİYAT FAKÜLTESİDERGİSİ

ISSN 2146-7846Cilt 2 Sayı 2 2012/2 [Yılda iki kez yayımlanır]

JOURNAL OF FACULTY OF THEOLOGY OF BOZOK UNIVERSITY

ISSN 2146-7846 Vol. 2 Issue 2 (2012/2) [Biannual]

I. The Matter of the End of the World in Islamic Sources

As the beginning, in Islamic sourc-es, contending

claims about the end of the world (also the end of the Universe) deal rather with history of hu-man-being. A great deal of information about the signs of the end of the World or occurrence of the Doomsday, have been registered in separate books and also sources of hadith examining this subject in detail; mainly in sections of al-fitan or al-malaḥim. Famous Is-lamic historian, al-Ṭabari (310/ 923) discussed this matter widely. Sim-ilar studies on “Islamic concept of Time” have

citation Öksüz, Adil ve Ahmet Bedir. “Explanations (ta’wîl) On The End of the World According to Basic Islamic Sources” Journal of Faculty of Theology of Bozok University. 2,2 (2012/2), pp. 21-36.

kaynakçaÖksüz, Adil ve Ahmet Bedir. “Explanations (ta’wîl) On The End of the World Accord-ing to Basic Islamic Sources” Bozok Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi. 2,2 (2012/2), ss. 21-36.

Explanations(ta꜄wîl) On The End Of The World According To Basic Islamic Sources

Adil ÖKSÜZ* ve **Ahmet BEDİR*Yrd. Doç. Dr., Sakarya Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi**Prof. Dr., Bozok Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi

Abstract

In Holy Qur’an, expressions like al-Qiyâmah, al-saatu are used for the end of the world. In many verses, it is stated that universe will certainly come to an end and this world will be turned into another world. However, the definite time of the Doomsday is dismissed as a mystery. It is asserted that the Last Day will have some signs; but definite time of it is not specified as a wisdom of Allah.

In an authentic (al-mutevātir) hadith of the Prophet Muāammad, He said “My Prophethood and the Doomsday are like my thumb and first finger,” implying that the doomsday is approaching. There are similar hadiths stating the same issue. However, the Prophet Muhammad’s talking on Doomsday by pointing his thumb and first finger in this hadith has given rise to comments for earlier and later commentators of hadith. These comments can be summarized as following: No other prophet will come after Him, the message He brought will survive until the Doomsday or His Prophethood came in a very close time to the Doomsday. Furthermore, we presume that the Prophet Muhammad referred (peace be upon Him) to the reckoning method by pointing his two fingers. (āisâb al-āUqûd) which is known both in the East and the West According to the mentioned reckoning method these two fingers signify numbers of 2, 20, 200, 2000. Taking into consideration of the history of prophets, the number of it is seen that the hadith refers the number of 2000 which isasign that Doomsday will occur in second thousand year of the Hegira.

In our study, we will examine this subject in detail and we will analyze theories about the end of the world in Islamic literature.

Keyword: āisâb al-āuqûd, the end of the world, doomsday, Qur’an, Hadith.

Bozok Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, 2, 2 (2012/2), s. 22

Adil Öksüz ve Ahmet Bedir

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been made in the West.01

The statements of Hadith and the Companions of the The Prophet Muhammad on this subject are divided into two main groups in their works. First group states on occurrence of the Doomsday in general words, on the other hand; the second group estimates/specifies the time of occurrence with numbers.

1. The Hadiths Which Were Specified Generally The Prophet Muhammad (peace

be upon Him) has declared hadiths meaning the same thing in different times; “I and the time were sent together (jamian)02” “I was sent when the footsteps of the Doomsday were being heard.’’03 Another hadith of Him stating: “In comparison to former societies’ time spans; your; my ummah’s time span (community of believers in Islam) is equal to the time passes from mid-afternoon prayer to sunset,’’ also belongs to the hadith group mentioned above.04 The time between mid-afternoon prayer and sunset is as much as ¼ or 1/5 of a day (in proportion to a day).05 In another context, it is stated that “the relation between Me and the Doomsday is like two racing horses.” Another hadith is “The relation between Me and 01. See. Gerhard Bövering, “The Concept

of Time in Islam”, American Philosophical Society , Vol. 141, No.1 (Mar. 1997), 55-66.

02. Aḥmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, V, 338 03. Tirmidhî, al-Sunan, “Fitan” 39. 04. Hakim, al-Mustadrak, IV, 551; al-āabarî, al-

Câmi al-Bayân an Ta꜄wîl al-Ây al-Qur’an, I, 15.

05. Ajlunî, Kashf al-Khafa, II, 417.

the Doomsday resembles the affair of a forewarners who indicates his dresses with telling his people ‘Enemy surpassed you, enemy surpassed you’ when he fears that enemy could fight down before he came, I am that forewarner.”06

In the hadith which serves as a basis to our subject, The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) referred the occurrence time of the Doomsday when he tells his hadith “I and the time of the Doomsday are like this” elongating/showing his thumb and forefinger.07 We will dwell upon this hadith in detail later on. Commentators of hadith interpret the way of elongation of hand and designation of two fingers in various meanings. Yazid, one of the companions, purposing to explain the matter, substituted middle finger to The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) and first finger to the Doomsday. He explained this substitution with the proportion in leading of one finger to other in the same proportion, meaning one comes before other historically.08 The middle finger is longer than the forefinger in the ratio of seventh.09

06. Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, V, 331; Ibn Ḥajar, Fath al-Barî, XI, 348.

07. Bukhari, “Riqaq” 39, “Talaq” 25, “Tafsiru Sura” 79. Most of the hadiths (Sayings of the Hadrat-i

Muhammad) regarding the “Signs of Qıyāma”(End of the World) are considered mutawatir

(Authentic). 08. al-Ṭabarî¸ (d.310) Tarikh al-Umam wa-al-

Mulûk, I, 18 09. al-Ṭabarî, Tarikh al-Umam wa-al-Mulûk, I,

Explanations (ta꜄wîl) On The End Of The World According To Basic Islamic Sources

Journal of Faculty of Theology of Bozok University, Vol. 2, No. 2 (2012/2), p. 23

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2. The Hadiths Which Include NumbersThe Prophet Muhammad (peace be

upon Him) expressed with numbers in his another hadith on the Doomsday; “Allah would not leave this ummah in insolvency/inability for half a day01 (500 years).”02 al-Ṭabari (d.310/ 923) expounded this 500 years as the time which ummah of Islam will live and he alleged that the duration from The Prophet Muḥammad’s Prophethood to the Doomsday can be 500 years. This subject is being discussed amoung the Muslim Historians on the basis of the thought reported by Ibn Abbas which says that the total history of humanity is 7000 years.03 This explanation is certainly wrong. However it will be more appropriate to define the time in the hadith mentioned, as “the most glorious periods”; “The Golden Age of Islam” that Allah has given to ummah of the Prophet Muḥammad.04

18. 01. When Ibn Abbas was asked what this half

day is; he answered that it is 500 years giving proof the verse of (Hac 22/47)

02. Hakim, al-Mustadrak, IV, 470; Abu Dawud, al-Sunan, “Malahim” 18. The same hadith is narrated as ‘’This ummah will not be helpless and weak for a half day (500)’’ (Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, IV, 193), in another context, it is narrated as ‘’ Dear Merciful Allah, I hope you won’t leave my ummah helpless and weak for 500 ages.’’ (See. Abu Dawud, al-Sunan, “Malahim” 18)

03. al-āabarî, Tarikh al-Umam wa-al-Mulûk, I, 18. According to same historian the age of the Earth is between 6,000 and 10,000 years. I think this is not age of The Earth, it is age of manhood. See. Philip H. Abelson, “Creationism and the Age of the Earth,” Science, New Series, Vol. 215, No. 4529 (Jan. 8, 1982), p. 119.

04. See. Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, IV, 193; Haythamî, al-Zawaid, I, 198.

Nonetheless, other commentators of the hadith, except al-Ṭabari, abstained from expressing a certain time and they have stated this kind of expressions that will come true in a close time to the Doomsday.05 For as much as, Ali al-Qari (1014/1606), famous commentator of hadith, stated that The Prophet Muḥammad (peace be upon Him) had alluded the 500 years after 7000 years, accepting the mentioned hadith as authentic.06 On the other hand, Ibn al-Ḥajar, claims that it is not an authentic hadith at all, and can not restrain himself from mentioning the opinions of the commentators who accept the hadith as authentic.07 Actually, there is no expression in the hadith meaning that the Doomsday will occur in next 500 years or Muslim nation (ummah) will live no longer than this time.

In another hadith reported by al-Ṭabari says: “Muslim nation will survive for 1000 years if they have good deeds; 500 years if they have bad deeds.”08 In another unauthentic hadith which al-Ṭabari didn’t clarify if it is authentic or not, it is alluded that lifetime of the World is 6000 years.09

As mentioned formerly, the information about “Your world, is as XXII, 214; Muhammed el-Azim Abadî, Awn al-

Ma’bud, XI, 341. 05. Muhammed el-Azim Abadî,Awn al-Mabûd,

XI, 341. 06. Muhammed el-Azim Abadî,Awn al-Mabûd,

XI, 343. 07. See. Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Barî, XI, 351. 08. al-Ṭabarî, Tarikh al-Umam wa-al-Mulûk, I,

18. 09. al-āabarî, Tarikh al-Umam wa-al-Mulûk, I, 18.



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much as a Friday from the other world’s Fridays; (i.e. seven days) which is equal to seven thousand years” attributed to Ibn Abbas, has been fundamental information / source for al-Ṭabari and early time historians to determine the history of humanity. Taking into account of the life-time of Ibn Abbas, it is reported that approximately 6200 (or 6100) years had passed from 7000 years, and 800 years left.01 Ka꜂b al-Aḥbar and Wahb b. Munabbih alleged that the life time of the World is 6000 years.02 Although the number Ibn Abbas mentioned doesn’t concur with the numbers of Ka꜂b al Aḥbar and Wahb b. Munabbih, (who reported Israiliyyāt mostly) can not prevent us from thinking that the informations had been taken from them.

al-Ṭabari affirms that Islam will endure until the Doomsday based on the meaning of the hadith which Omar narrated from The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) ال الساعة تقوم الحق حتى أمتي ظاهرين على A“ تزال طائفة من group of my ummah will apply the justice until the Doomsday.”03 He also stated different point of views of the hadith. Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (d.1960) who is worldwide well-known and contemporaneous scholar,04 01. al-āabarî, Tarikh al-Umam wa-al-Mulûk, I, 15. 02. al-āabarî, Tarikh al-Umam wa-al-Mulûk, I, 15. 03. al-āabarî, Tahzīb al-Âthār, III, 165. 04. Bediüzzaman Said Nursî, Risale-i Nur

Collection, II, 1581. It is known that Bediüzzaman is an authority on almost every Islamic subject. He has books also on this matter. In consequence, he had calculated how long Hadrat-i Muhammed had lived from the

calculated this hadith according to the “Ḥisāb al-Jafr”05 –Ṭabari emphasized it before- alleged that the Doomsday will occur in 1540 of the Hegira (in 2121 pertaining to Christian era) in probable words.

In most of the messages The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) mentioned about the occurrence time of the Doomsday, there is an ambiguity in definite rates. The primary cause of this is the informations about unknown (ghayb) are expressed in an esoteric form (as a mystery). However, Allah equipped The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) with acquirements of unknown as much as He (Allah) wishes.

II. The Prophet Muhammad’s Knowledge on UnknownIn many verses of Holy Qur’an, it

is asserted that unknown can only be known by Allah06 and The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) had told clearly that he doesn’t know about unknown.07 When the verses of

revelation date by counting letters of surah of Nasr. See. Bediüzzaman Said Nursî, Risale-i Collection Rumujat-i Thamāniyyah, pp. 166, 105-107.

05. al-Jafr: A science through which with different methods is believed to foretell about the various events that may occur in the future. It is believed that the descendants of Fatima, sister of Prophet of Muhammed, have inherited certain privileges inherent in Prophethood; prediction of the future and of the destinies of nations and dynasties is one of these privileges. See. Sayyid Muhammad Maāî Ebu al-꜂Azâim, el-Jafr (Third Pub. Dar al-Kitâb al-Ṣoufî, 1990), p. 35.

06. See, Surah al-An’am, 6/59. 07. Surah al-An꜂am, 6/50.



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Qur’an on this subject are examined, it can be seen that Allah didn’t informed anyone about unknown except some of his prophets.01

As this is the case; it will be going from one extreme to another to say that the Prophet Muhammad doesn’t know about unknown or he certainly had informations about it. The group who claim that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) didn’t know about ghayb because He was a mortal mankind. The other groups claim that the Prophet knows the ghayb was quoting the following hadith saying that He informed us about ghayb with many informations that Allah had let him know.02 Whatever He told about ghayb were emanated from the informations Allah had let Him know by inspiration. 03

We will not discuss on what The Prophet Muḥammad (peace be upon Him) told about the signs of the Doomsday. On the other hand, we will emphasize on general expressions which he implied without stating number as “I have been sent as a prophet when there is so and so time left for the Doomsday” which is 01. Surah al-An꜂am , 72/26-27. 02. See. Bukhari, “Adab”, 22, “Fadail al-

Madina” 8, “Manakib” 25; Muslim “al-Jannah” (Paradise), 76, 77; Ahmed b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, IV, 360.

03. Allah had informed some of His mortals –companions and saints- except his Haārat s on secret acquirements via inspiration. As a matter of fact, Hadrat-i Muhammed (peace be upon Him) had told that, ‘’There are mortals in my ummah (al-Mulhemûn) who were informed with secret acquirements.’ (Muslim, “al-Fadhail al-Sahaba” 23)

mentioned formerly. Before we go through the comment of the hadith which is about this matter, we will study about a method of calculating with fingers. Then we will turn back to the explanation of the hadith.

III. Calculating With FingersThe method of calculation by using

hands and fingers or finger nodes is called al- Ḥisâb al-Aqd/Uqûd or Ḥisâb al-Yad. 04 This method goes to very early times and therefore it is common in almost all cultures.05 East and West use the same calculating method as if they have agreed upon.06

Former Models in Method of Calculating with Fingers In early times, it was so common to

use fingers as a ‘calculator’ especially among Arabian merchants. Precisely, it wasn’t that they didn’t know how to calculate, in fact, it was used by them as a commercial secret. 07

There are many different ways of calculation, such as; shape of numbers from one to ten and also decimal, percentile, thousand values can be shown with right and also left hand by the same way.

For instance the same sign used for 04. Haji Khalifa, Mustafa b. Abdillah al-

Qustantini, Kashf al-Dhunun An Asma al-Kutub Wa’l Funun , I,

664. 05. Sıddık b. Hasan el-Kanawijî, Abjad al-̔Ulûm,

I, 67, II, 243. 06. See. Georges Ifrah, the Universal History of

Numbers, I, 147; Abdülkerim b. Yakub, Risala, Waraq. 135—

144. 07. See. Georges Ifrah,The Universal History of

Numbers , I, 133–134, 136.



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the number ‘one’ also were used for ten and multiples of ten. 01 We would like to deal with the signs of fingers which show thousands; because it is almost the center of our subject.

To show of thousands; the following shapes were being used; folding left or right hand internally, and then a half folding the little finger means the number 1000; and folding ring finger together with little finger internally means the number 2000; folding middle finger and little finger internally as they are competing means the number 3000; folding ring finger and middle finger internally means the number 4000; folding middle finger means 5000; folding only ring finger fully means 6000; folding only little finger fully means 7000; folding ring and little finger fully means 8000; 01. See. Georges Ifrah, The Universal History of

Numbers, I, 147–151.

folding ring finger and middle finger fully means 9000; and at last bonding ends of thumb finger and first finger and a part of second noble ( end of first finger should be faced with nail of

thumb, their ends should be aligned) and means 100000 .02

Heading The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him), companions of him and extant Muslims have used this method of calculation for tasbîḥ (praying) and other purposes. At the present day, Muslims use their finger nobles to remembering (tasbîḥ) of Allah.

The Prophet Muḥammad (peace be upon Him) had counseled his companions to use their finger nobles for worshiping.03 There are 02. See. Georges Ifrah, The Universal History

of Numbers, I, 151–52¸ Abdülkerim b. Yaqub, Risala, Waraq.

135- 144) 03. Ibn Hibban, Sahih, III, 122; Hakim, al-



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apparent applications of The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) on using his fingers with this aim; which everyone around him accepted. Then, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) raised his fingers of his two hands for two times to show the month of Ramaḍan can sometimes endure for 29 days, and as third time, expressed the number of 29 by folding his thumb internally.01 According to a hadith narrated by Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him), He used to use his fingers to perform his praying (tasbîḥ), and he calculated 100, 500, 1000 and 1500 by

Mustadrak, I, 732; Abu Dawud, al-Sunan, “Witr” 24; Darimî, al-Sunan, “Sahw” 91, 98; Ibn Majah, al-Sunan “Iqāma” 22; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, II, 61, 205; Tirmidhî, al-Sunan, “Da’awat” 6, 25, 71.In the sharih of hadith, Arabian’s counting with their fingers is considered in detail.

Mubarekfurî, Tuhfet al-Ahwazî, X, 31-32. 01. See. Bukhari, “Sawm” 11.

using his fingers.02 We can see that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) not only used this method himself, but also advised this to his Companions.03

It can be understood from this applications that, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) has applied this method of finger calculation in practice. To support our main idea, it will not be hard to denote that the Prophet Muhammad had implied with his fingers gestures about the time of Doomsday based on the information we have given before.

IV. The Prophet Muḥammad’s Implications on the Time of the End of the WorldIn an authentic hadith narrated by

as much as ten companions which also serves as a basis for our subject, The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) had told that “I have been sent as a prophet when there is only as much as time were left to the Doomsday”04 by showing his two fingers side by side. This hadith has caused different interpretations up until our time. Different and comparable meanings like; The Prophet Muhammad`s Prophethood will continue forever, the Doomsday and the Prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad is side by side, 02. Tirmidhî, al-Sunan, “Da’awât” 25; Abû

Dawud, al-Sunan, “Adab” 209; Nasaî, al-Sunan,

“Sahw” 90. 03. See. Tirmidhî, al-Sunan, “Da’awat” 71, 120;

Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, VI, 371. 04. Müslim, “Fitan”, 132; Nazm al-Mutanasir,

223–24.



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the time of the Doomsday is certainly coming near.01 The establishment of Prophethood has come to an end with The Prophet Muhammad, and no other prophet will be sent after Him, participate in this connection.02

On the other hand, the way of pointing two fingers in the mentioned hadith, has been conveyed in various expressions. These expressions are like making one finger close (qarana), elongated ( y a m u d d u ) 0 3 ,

01. There are hadiths expressing closeness of time and place in such signs of Hadrat-i Muhammad. In a hadith Hadrat-i Muhammed ( peace be upon Him) told that ‘’Me and the one who stands surety for orphan are like these two fingers.’’ putting his first finger and middle finger near by near . In another hadith , ‘’On the day of The doomsday , we will be together with the woman having dark scarlet fever dimples who rejects marriage to look after her orphans.’’ (Abu Dawud, al-Sunan, “Adab” 121; Ibn Ḥajar, al-Fatḥ al-Bârî, 11/349-50)

02. Although the implications of Hadrat-i Muhammad (peace be upon Him) about The doomsday can be understood as contradicting with the verse of ‘’ Only Allah knows when The doomsday will ocur.’’ (Luqman, 31/34) , aim of Hadrat-i Muhammad is not telling the exact time of The doomsday; he aimed to mean that He had been sent in a close time to The doomsday, this disapproval is not welcomed good.

It was considered as important to name his conveying time as ‘Age of Happiness’ and resembling his time to the setting of the sun of the world –like midafternoon – i.e. occurence of the The doomsday. (Muhammad b. al-Jarir al-Ṭabarî, Tarikh al-Umam wa-al-Mulûk, I, 18).

03. Bukhari, “Riqaq” 39, “Talaq” 25, “Tafsir of Surah:” 79.

gathering on (ẓamma)04, sum (cema꜂a)05, lift (refa꜂a) and diffuse (baṣaṭa)06. It is also narrated that two fingers are pointed in a way of separated from one another.07 One of

the companions, Samura, who was present at that time in person, narrated that “I saw the Prophet Muhammad had looked at his two fingers. He told that ‘My being sent and the time of Doomsday had came close to each other like the two fingers are close to each other.’ pointing at his first finger and middle finger’’ 08 Qatâda, from Tabiin, tried to determine the ratio of length between two fingers, and affirmed that the distance between the Doomsday and the Prophet Muhammad is as comparatively as the length of two fingers.

In addition to interpretations of 04. Müslim, “Juma” 42, “Fitan”, 132-135. 05. Ibn Majah, al-Sunan, “Muqaddima” 7. 06. Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, III, 123,131,

193, 218, 222, 237, 278, V, 103, 108, 330, 335. 07. Bayhaqî, al-Sunan, III, 206. 08. al-Ṭabarî, al-Tārikh, I, 16.

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000Total year

0

5108

1109

1.5109

2109latoT

noitalupoP



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hadith given above, by showing his two fingers together in the air as shown in the picture above, we can also claim that the Prophet Muhammad might have meant the year two thousand after the Hegira in an implicit way. Because half-folding of the ring finger together with little finger internally means two thousand, according to calculating with fingers method. The shape of the mentioned number can be seen when ring finger is folded together with little finger internally, because first and middle finger are left amid. (See, Picture)01

We witness some equivocal but right statements of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him). To express that the Doomsday and his Prophethood is very close to each other by pointing at His first finger and thumb, it is possible that He had indicated the year of two thousand as it was the common manner of calculation used in the East, especially in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. As an example of this; He told an old lady: “Old people would not go to Heaven.”02 In this hadith the Prophet referred to the fact that all people, male and female, will enter to the paradise only as young.

In addition to that, evolutionists and some of the anthropologists, 01. Muslim, “Fitan” 133. In some of the

narrations, it is taken into consideration that the pointed fingers were added by narrators. (Muslim, “Fitan” 134) However, Bukhari stated in tafsir of the hadith about the doomsday that this expression is clarified by Hadrat-i Muhammad. (Bukhari, “Tafsir of Surah: 79).

02. Fayā al-Qadîr, II, 279.

allege that history of humanity goes to very early times, and modern people have lived for at least 140 thousand or 200 thousand of years. The information given by scientists is not certain. Scientists accept this information as scientific and think the information based on Islamic culture is fabulous. There are many methods of giving date.03 On the other hand, creationists give less time for the age of history of humanity and think the numbers they gave are much exaggerated.04 Although methods of giving date have improved steady at the present day, ambiguousness 03. In methods of dating, it is resigned from

substances and compounds of Radyokarbon, Dendrokronoli, Thermoluminescence ve Optically Stimulated Luminescence (TL & OSL), ESR (Electron Resonance), Traces of fission, Hydration of Obsiden, Potassium-Argon (K/Ar), Arkeomanyetism and Amino Asit.

04. In 1862, Thompson told that the age of the World is 20 million years. After 35 years, in 1897, he increased this age to 40 million of years. J.Joly claimed 90 million of years for this. Rayleigh, calculated the year of the World as one billion of years in 1921. W.O Rayleigh calculated the age of the world as one billion. After eleven years. See. Stein B. Jacobsen, “How Old Is Planet Earth?,” Secience, New Series, Vol. 300, No. 5625 (Jun. 6, 2003), pp. 1513-1514; Randy Moore, “How Old Is Earth?,” The American Biology Teacher, Vol. 70, No. 6 (Aug., 2008), pp. 326-327.

W.O Hotchkiss increased this number to 1,6 billion. A. Holmes declared that the age of the World is 3,35 billions of years in 1947. He also increased this number to 4,5 billion in 1956. In present time, predictions on this number are about 5 billion of years. It is not obvious what these numbers will be in the future. (Richard Milton, Shattering the Myths Darwinism, (Vermont: Park Street Pres Rochester, 1997), p. 20-1; http://www.pathlights.com/ce_encyclopedia/sci-ev/sci_vs_ev_4b.htm



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on this matter continue to exist; like ambiguousness in other subjects of science.01 In spite of evolutionists’ affirmation on modern man had appeared between the years of 200.000 and 140 thousand (or 150 thousand) before Christ02; creationists defend that it is not more than 10 thousand or 20 thousand years.03 The dates given by scientists who don’t accept that humanity created from Adam and Eve are so astronomical. And these thoughts don’t have any true point mathematically. 01. Willard Libby, an American chemist,

his invention of a test ‘’Carbon-14’’( or radiocardon), 1949, had been a landmark in researches about before history also provided us to have a knowledge on past history to a certain extent. Other than this, many dating methods were found. However, their proportion of truth is still uncertain to use the dates given by them.

02. It also seems likely that many questions concerning the origins of the peoples of eastern Asia, Australasia, the Americas and even Europe will only be fully answerable when Asia yields up a later Pleistocene record to compare with that already recovered from Europe and beginning to be recovered from parts of Africa. See. Chris Stringer, “Modern Human Origins: Progress and Prospects,” Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences, Vol. 357, No. 1420, Reviews and a Special Collection of Papers on Human Migration (Apr. 29, 2002), p. 576.

03. Richard Overy, Complete History of the World (6th Ed., Newyork: Barnes & Noble Boks, 2004), p. 30-31; Cakir, S. ve Noyan O.F. , “Middle Eastern Origin Model for Homo sapiens (Modern & Neanderthals), Language and Modern Behaviour” İnternational Journal of Anthropology, volume 17 (October-December 2002), p. 206.

Growth of population between years of 1 and 1750 for Gregorian calendar is 0.56 per thousand.

The mathematical measurements based on the lowest growth of

population made his conclusion necessary. Namely, we can access this conclusion by showing the date 10 thousand years before Christ as a base (which is the date creationists rely on); we can access total population number in an ordinary year using geometric proportion if we call two people as Y with his couple and rate of increase as R. This equation will reason out if we formulize this.

According to evolutionists, the last form of man after he had evolutioned is called “modern man”. Celestial religions don’t have a problem like this. All researches made on theory of evolution are sentenced to be only a hypothesis because almost no fossil related to the root of kinds can be found and accepted as an evidence. Darwin stated himself that he didn’t base on even a source to decide the trustiness of his thought.04

In the first Equation (1) A is the total population in the year of n. Then the n shows the total year. We will give two people at the beginning. Total population will be 50 billion 04. See Jeremy Rifkin, Darwin’in Çöküşü,

Translator: Ali Köse, Istanbul: Da Pres, 2001, p. 99.

An=Y x [R + 1]n

(1)



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after 12000 years according to equation of 1 with a growth of two per thousand. With a growing proportion of thousand to two total populations will be 50 billion. This proportion is a rate per year; so a geometrical increase can be seen. There will be two people at first again. With a growth of thousand to two (rate: 0.002) total population will be approximately 10¹²¹ after 140 thousand of years. We can define the first equation as a function in program of Mathematica and we can see how total population has changed per year in Shape (1). In Shape (1) axis x shows year and axis y shows total population per year.

Although it is not real today, based on the Gregorian Calendar, taking into account the proportions of increase in population between years of 1 and 175001, humanity which has endured from the dates given by evolutionists should have reached to uncalculatable numbers like 10xx… 02 For believers 01. It is 4.4 per thousand between 1750 and 1800

that this increase had raised the population of the world to 1 billion after last 50 years. The population of world was 1,3 billion in 1850 and 1.7 billion in 1900. These increases gives conclusion in proportion of growth per year by order, 5,2 and 5,4. These totals are based on Durand’s forecasts. See Ansley J. Coale “The History of the Human Population” A Scientific American Book, Volume 231 (September, 1974), p. 43.

02. If we examine the population of growth at following, 2 people will be 50 billion people after 120 thousand of years with 0,002 geometrical growth speeds per year. If population of growth is 2 person per 100 years, (rate= 0,02) , total population will be approximately three trillion after 140 thousand of years. If the proportion is 0,003, total population will be approximately 51 billion after 8000 years. After 140 thousand

in the reality of creation, history of humanity can not be more than a few years before Christ apart from what evolutionists told. Because of this, scientists who examine the history of population growth had no choice more than by saying that humanity didn’t increase before Christ until ten thousand years.03

In Holy Qur’an, name of 28 prophets (prophethoods of three of them are disputed) are mentioned and it is told that many prophets whose names are not known have passed by. One of the mentioned prophets, Prophet Abraham is believed to live between XXII, and XX. Centuries (B.C. in the years 1900-1750 B.C.) The Prophet Abraham (who is regarded as Ulul꜂azm (one of strong-will prophets in Holy Qur’an) coincides with approximately the first terms of history of prophethood in compassion with the era he lived.04 There is no expression

of years, total growth population will be 10121 with a geometrical growth population of 0,002 after 140 thousand of years. Total population will be 400 quadrillion with a geometrical growth of 0,005.

03. See. Ansley J. Coale, “The History of the Human Population”, A Scientific American Book, Volume 231 (September, 1974), p. 42

04. The term before Haārat-i Moses is named ‘Kurun-i Ula’. (Taha 20/51; al-Qasas 28/43) These are people of Noah, Ad, Thamud, Lut and Hadrat-i Shuayb. (Ṭaberî, Tefsir, XX, 79) First generation comes to an end with destruction of Pharaoh’s people. (Qaṣâṣ 28/43) The time from the destruction of people of Pharaoh and sent of Old Testament to the birth of Islam is called ‘íurûn’i vusāâ (generations of the middle). ‘qurûn-i ukhrâ’ (last generations) begins with the birth of Islam. It means, first generations come to an end and middle-generations begin with the prophethood of Moses. Last generations begin



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in the Holy Qur’an about closeness of the Prophet Abraham to the Prophet Muhammad. However, the Prophet Jesus –who was sent as a prophet after him, about twenty centuries ago– is called “the harbinger/herald of The Prophet Muhammad”.01 Prophet Muhammad is called as “Last Prophet” in Holy Qur’an.02 If history of humanity was as old as evolutionists claim, –i.e. if it is taken into account of one hundred forty thousand years as evolutionists claim were true, dates of prophets who were mentioned in Qur’an should have been named as “Last Prophet” of “harbinger of the Last Prophets.” Since this occasion cannot be true, then it won’t be wrong to tell that the numbers evolutionists gave about the date of occurrence are so astronomical.

When we look at the (estimated) dates of prophets chronologically, it is understood that the period of time The Prophet Muhammad gave his ummah to endure in the world will occur in the year of two thousand of the Ḥijra.

In basic resources of Islam, it is believed that the Prophet Muhammad’s coming is the first sing of the Doomsday and he is regarded that day and many of the signs have come

with the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad. Time from Prophet Moses to Pharaoh’s destruction belongs to first generations and the time to Hegira of Prophet Muhammad belonged to middle generations, the beginning of Islam is Hegira. (Elmalılı, Hak Dini Kur’an Dili, VI, 190).

01. See.Saff 61/6. 02. Ahzâb 33/40.

true.03 When all of these are examined, it is probable that the Doomsday’s occurrence will come true in 2000 thousand of the Ḥijra (probably) and the Prophet Muhammad had signaled to this date in an implicit way when he was telling his mentioned hadith.

On the other hand, it is expressed both in the Holy Qur’an and hadiths that the occurrence of the Doomsday will happen in a time while normal life continues. “Truly the shaking time of the Doomsday is a dreadful event. At the day you live it; a mother who is nursing her baby will forget it and abandon her baby. Every pregnant woman will have an abortion. People are like to be drunk, however they will not be drunk in real. Perdition of Allah is very arduous.”04 It is stated in a hadith that “Qiyâmah will occur in a time when people were milking their camels and taking the milk into their mouths, buying dresses, plastering their pits.”05

As a consequence, in Islamic sources, the Doomsday and our world we live in (the entire universe) don’t have to live in a ruining period physically as evolutionists and other scientists claimed. The Doomsday and our world will ruin suddenly; not after a ruining period of time.

Although scientists claim that our world will live for 4,44 billion of years 03. Surah al-Hajj 22/1-2. 04. See. Abdullah b. Sulayman el-Ghufeylî,

Ashrât al-Sâat (1. Baskı. Makkat al-Mukarrama: Wizaret al-Shu’un

al-꜄Islamiyyah, h. 1422), s. 40. 05. Muslim, “Fitan” 134.



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(or 4,004)01, it won’t be true to say that it will have a life like we know. According to some researches, it appeared that the age of the earth was between 10 and 100 million years and that it might be possible by refining the methods used to narrow down the margin of uncertainty.02

Conclusion There are much information about

the occurrence of the Doomsday (collapsing of the World and Universe) in Holy Qur’an and hadiths. It is clarified that the Doomsday has become near in verses and hadiths in an implicit way. In some unauthentic hadiths, numerical information are given about the life time of the world (of the Universe). The most important information is the date Ibn Abbas gave about the lifetime of the world. Some of the Western scientists attribute this to Prophet Muhammad and criticized him unjustly. This is because they don’t know the meaning of the word of ‘’Hadith’’ means completely. In Islamic literature, Hadith means the statements of Prophet Muhammad, of Companions of Muhammad and 01. Frank L. Hess, “The Age of the Earth,”

The Scientific Monthly, Vol. 20, No. 6 (Jun., 1925), p. 598. Our world was created before 4,44 or 4,41 billion of years and sun before 4,6 billion of years according to datum reached today. See (The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Universe, Edit. Sir Martin Rees, Newyork: Watson-Guptill Puclications, 2001), p. 196, 208.

02. D. Ter Haar, “The Age of the Universe,” The Scientific Monthly. Vol. 77, No. 4 (Oct., 1953), p. 174.

people who saw the companions (Tabiîn).

On the other hand, in the meaning of hadith which is narrated as unauthentic which says: “Me and the time of the Doomsday are like these”, it is possible to think that he had implied the date of the Doomsday according to the method of calculation with fingers.

Although the lifetime of the universe is very long, according to some of the dating methods which are accepted as scientific; the left over time of the world (universe) is not very long. According to the information given in the Qur’an and Hadith, there is not much time for the collapse of the universe.

Özet[İslam’ın Temel Kaynaklarında

Dünyanın Sonu Üzerine Teviller]Kur’an-ı Kerim’de dünyanın sonu için el-

ḳıyâme, es-sâḳatü gibi bazı tabirler kullanılır ve mutlaka bu evrenin sona ereceği, bu dünyanın başka bir dünyaya dönüşeceği birçok ayette ifade edilir. Fakat bunun kesin olarak ne zaman vuku bulacağı bir sır olarak bırakılıp, kıyamet kopmasının bir kısım belirtileri olacağı beyan edilerek, Allah’ın bir hikmeti olarak kesin vakti belirtilmez.

Hz. Peygamber’den mütevatir olarak nakledilen şu hadiste “Benim peygamberliğim ve kıyamet, şu şahadet parmağı ile ortaparmak gibiyiz” buyrularak, imalı bir şekilde kıyametin yaklaştığı ifade edilir. Bunun benzeri hadisler de mevcuttur. Lakin bu hadiste, Hz. Peygamber’in şahadet parmağı ile orta parmağını işaret ederek kıyameti söylemesi, gerek önceki gerekse sonraki hadis şarihleri tarafından çeşitli



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yorumlara sahne olmuştur. Bu yorumlar, Hz. Peygamber ile kıyamet arasında başka peygamber gelmeyeceği veya onun getirdiği mesajın kıyamete kadar baki kalacağı veyahut onun risaletinin kıyamete çok yakın bir zamanda vuku bulduğu şeklinde özetlenebilir. Bundan öte, biz bu iki parmakla, Hz. Peygamber’in (s.a.v.) gerek Doğu’da ve gerekse Batı’da iyi bilinen “ḳİlmü ḳisâbi’l-ḳuḳûd” (Parmaklarla sayı sayma metodu) ile ilişkili olarak bir işarette bulunduğunu tahmin etmekteyiz.

Zira bu iki parmak, adı gecen hesap ilmine göre 2, 20, 200 ve 2000 gibi sayıları ifade etmektedir. Peygamberlik tarihi göz önünde bulundurulduğunda, bu sayılardan 2000 sayısının işaret edilmiş olduğunu, yani kıyametin hicrî ikinci bin yılı içinde kopacağına dair bir işaret söz konusudur.

Çalışmamızda bu konu detaylı olarak ele alınacak ve İslam literatüründe dünyanın sonu teorilerine işaret edilecektir.

Anahtar kelimeler Hḳisabu’l-uqḳûd, dünyanın sonu, kıyamet, Kur’an, ḳHadis.

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Documents

Explanations (ta꜄wîl) On The End Of The World According To Basic Islamic Sources