I am writing this article with the benefit of having read what the IB family here had to say about the end of the world. Perhaps it’s good that my article missed the deadline for last month’s OM. For better or for worse, here comes the revised draft.
In a nutshell, the contributors’ generally wrote about spending time with loved ones, seeking forgiveness and doing what they always wanted to do but never got round to doing. Viewing it from a logical or emotive perspective, it seems perfectly fine. They were cautious answers though. I expected to see some entries that spoke about throwing caution to the wind and doing whatever they wanted – a logical extension the “you only live once philosophy”. Perhaps OM is too tame a publication to jot down such thoughts!
What then happens if one appeals to faith to get an understanding about the end of the world before answering this question of “…what is the last thing you would do?” Such a phenomenal, all-ending occurrence, much-predicted event? Surely it deserves to be viewed from a religious perspective? I shall proceed to do so.
Let me warn you, this is not a pretty picture. Far from it, it is a picture of gloom and terror, and yet, joy for some. Hey? What else could it be like? It is after all the end of the world. The same message has been passed on to mankind through prophetic revelations, as mentioned in the following verse (all verses are from the Holy Quran, arguably the best translated version by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, more about him later):
87:18 to 19 – And this in the Books of the earliest (Revelations). The Books of Abraham and Moses.
In the following verse, God Almighty reminds mankind of origin before warning about them about Judgment Day.
80:17 to 19 – Woe to man! What hath made him reject God; From what stuff hath He created him? From a sperm-drop: He hath created him, and then mouldeth him in due proportions.
The following are descriptions of the end of the world:
80:33 to 37 – (33) At length, when there comes the Deafening noise, (34) that Day shall a man flee from his own brother, (35) And from his mother and father, (36) And from his wife and children. (37) Each one of them, that Day, will have enough concern (of his own) to make him indifferent to the others.
101:1 to 5 – (1) The (Day) of Noise and Clamour (2) What is the (Day) of Noise and Clamour? (3) And what will explain to thee what the (Day) of Noise and Clamour is? (4) (it is) a Day whereon men will be like moths scattered about (5) And the mountains will be like carded wool.
As is clear in the verses above, we do not have the luxury of choosing what we want to do. As sorry and as selfish as it sounds, it’s every man (or woman) for himself or herself. I suppose seeking forgiveness will be the only thing that anyone can think of in such a situation, but not from loved ones, rather from God himself.
I speak for Believers in God and Judgment Day, less I offend free thinkers, atheists, agnostics, existentialists etc.
God reminds us as to why we are here, for we are likely to forget in the rush of modern life and its demands.
75: 20 to 21– (20) Nay, (ye men!) but ye love the fleeting life (21) And leave alone the Hereafter.
75:36 to 37 – Does man think that he will be left uncontrolled, (without purpose)? (37) Was he not a drop of sperm emitted (in lowly form)?
36:59 to 62– (59) “And O ye in sin! Get ye apart this Day! (60) Did I not enjoin on you, O ye Children of Adam, that ye should not worship Satan; for that he was to you an enemy avowed? (61) And that ye should worship Me, (for that) this was the straight Way? (62) But he did lead astray a great multitude of you. Did ye not, then, understand?
Chapter 55 (Al Rahman, or The Most Gracious) is a personal favourite of mine for it (translator’s note) “…is highly poetical and most sublime, and the refrain “Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny” is interspersed 31 times among its 78 verses”.
55:19 to 21 – (19) He has let free the two bodies of flowing water, meeting together: (20) Between them is a Barrier which they do not transgress: (21) Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Note : The above verse speaks about two naturally-occurring phenomena – the meeting of fresh water and salt water, and the meeting of two great bodies of water e.g. Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean. Check out the scientific facts.
In conclusion, I think we should all bring forward our “doomsday plans”. Why wait? Spend time with loved ones, seek forgiveness from loved ones, do all the things you plan to do…and do it now.
by Muhammad Azhar Bin Abdullah
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