Saturday, August 13, 2011

Al-Qiyamah (The Resurrection)

Assalamu Alaikum,

Except for the theme of monotheism, the Qur'an speaks more of the coming Qiyamah - also known as the Resurrection, the Day of Judgment, Day of Gathering, and the Great Announcement - than of any other topic. "Confessing the Shahadah - "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Prophet of God" - and believing in the accountability of all humans before God are the cement which holds Islam together.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), among other things, came to warn us of a time when truth would be known, when the thoughts and intentions of the heart would be revealed. He earnestly proclaimed as inevitable a day when accounts would be settled and when scales would be balanced.

Fazlur Rahman, in an oblique paraphrase of sura 50:22, said that Judgment Day is the "Hour when every human will be shaken into a unique and unprecedented self-awareness of his deeds; he will squarely and starkly face his own doings, not-doings, and mis-doings and accept the judgment upon them. . . . "

Something like a Final Judgment or Day of Reckoning is a naturally corollary of monotheism. If there is one God who knows all and sets standards of behavior for the world, there must be a time of judgment, or the edifice crumbles of its own weight."

This major theme and promise is upheld not only in the Qur'an, but also in other religious scriptures. Though opinions may differ on precise details it is generally believed that it is connected to a time of momentous upheaval, calamity and the end of Earth.

Hundreds of interpreters have written commentaries on it during the 14 centuries of its existence, and none have claimed to understand all of its various aspects and meanings. This website is an attempt to examine in detail what different verses in the Qur'an tell us about Qiyamah and to reconcile what might appear as differing, even contradictory descriptions of the event. It contains hundreds of intellectually challenging and severely critical pages vigorously demanding answers pertaining to and upholding this central theme of Islam. The result of a five-year research, this study compels Muslims not to allow themselves to pick and choose verses that suit their doomsday notion of Al-Qiyamah. Rather we must take the Qur'an in its entirety and examine those resurrection-related surahs and Sure Signs that have challenged our scholars over the centuries. As a result of their admitted shortcomings and apparent incomprehension, the scattered verses relating to Al-Qiyamah have been disfigured beyond recognition by mistranslations that reflect the views of the ulema. (It must be strongly emphasized that this website exclusively deals with resurrection-related surahs and nothing else. Thus the ulema is openly challenged to respond and deny the Great News that the Ummah, and the rest of humankind, are called upon to participate in and bear witness to the Resurrection Day and the self-reproaching Spirit. Till date no Muslim scholar has risen to the challenge.)

SURE SIGNS OF DAY OF AL-QIYAMAH

The Sure Signs and descriptions of Al-Qiyamah in the Qur'an are generally agreeable as follows:

1) There is a set time for it;

He questions: "When is the Day of Resurrection?" At length, when the sight is dazed and the moon is buried in darkness, and the sun and moon are joined together that Day will Man say; "Where is the refuge?"

Qur'an 75.6-10

2) That this event is inevitable;

In that is a Sign for those who fear the penalty of the Hereafter: that is a Day for which mankind will be gathered together: that will be a Day of Testimony. Nor shall We delay it but for a term appointed.

Qur'an 11.102-7

3) The verses revealing Al-Qiyamah will be collected from all over the Qur'an, promulgated, recited and explained;

Move not thy tongue concerning the (Revelation of Al-Qiyamah), to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to promulgate it: But when We have promulgated it, follow thou its recital: Nay more, it is for Us to explain it.

Qur'an 75.16-19

Concerning what are they disputing?
Concerning the Great News. [5889]
About which they cannot agree.
Verily, they shall soon (come to) know!
Verily, verily they shall soon (come to) know!

surah 78:1-5 Al Naba' (The Great News)

"5889. Great News: usually understood to mean the News or Message of the Resurrection."

Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an, Amana Corporation, 1989.

4) Prophesied Sure Signs of Allah (SWT) will confirm Al-Qiyamah;

Nafas al Rachman, breath of Allah (SWT), experienced daily by those taking part in the Resurrection

Nafas al Rachman, breath of Allah (SWT), experienced daily by those taking part in the Resurrection

Nafas al Rachman, breath of the Merciful, experienced daily by those taking part in Al-Qiyamah (The Resurrection) (Photo taken 1st August 2008 in Russia of the Nafas al Rachman which, though invisible to the naked eye, can be felt as Cool Breeze or Wind of the Resurrection flowing from hands, head and other parts of the body.)

We will show them Our signs in all the regions of the earth and in their own souls until they clearly see that this is the truth.

Qur'an 41.53

It is Allah who sends forth the Winds so that they raise up the Clouds,
And We drive them to a Land that is dead,
And revive the earth therewith after its death:
Even so (will be) the Resurrection!

surah 35:9 Fatir

5) Qur'an to be used as Allah's (SWT) Warning to humankind;

We know best what they say; And thou are not one to overawe them by force. So admonish with the Qur'an such as fear My Warning!

Qur'an 50.45

6) During Al-Qiyamah Allah (SWT) will not address those who veil His Revelations by distorting the Qur'an;

Those who conceal Allah's revelations in the Book, and purchase for them a miserable profit - They swallow into themselves naught but Fire: Allah will not address them on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them: Grievous will be their Penalty. They are the ones who buy error in place of Guidance, and torment in place of Forgiveness. Ah! What boldness (they show) for the Fire!

Qur'an2.174-6

He will return you (on the Day of Judgment) reverted back to when you were first created. A section guided, and a section will go astray.

Qur'an 7.30

7) The messengers of Allah (SWT) on Earth will deliver Good News of Al-Qiyamah, and they must prevail;

Allah has decreed: "It is I and My messengers who must prevail": For Allah is One full of strength, able to enforce His Will. Thou will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, loving those who resist Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers or their kindred. For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a Spirit from Himself. And he will admit them to Gardens, beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein (forever.) Allah will be well pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the Party of Allah. Truly it is the Party of Allah that will achieve Felicity.

Qur'an 58.21

8) Believers will be bitterly divided over the Good News;

Concerning what are they disputing? Concerning the Great News about which they cannot agree. Verily, they shall soon (come to) know! Verily, verily they shall soon (come to) know!

Qur'an 78.1-5

So he gave nothing in charity, nor did he pray! - But on the contrary, he rejected Truth and turned away! Then did he stalk to his family in full conceit! Woe to thee, (O man!), yea, woe! Again, woe to thee, (O man!), yea, woe!

Qur'an 75.31-35

9) Jesus (pbuh) would be one of the Signs of the Hour;

And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment: therefore have no doubt about the (Hour), but follow ye Me: this is a Straight Way.

Qur'an 43.61

10) Qur'an to be used as proof of authenticity to humankind regarding the Message of Al-Qiyamah;

Verily in this (Qur'an) is a Message for people who would (truly) worship Allah. We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures.

Qur'an 21.106-7

11) There will be a Caller from a place quite near who will declare and commence the Resurrection;

Verily in this is a Message for any that has a heart and understanding, or who gives ear and earnestly witnesses (the Truth). . . And listen for the Day when the Caller will call out from a place quite near. The Day when they will hear a (mighty) Blast in Truth: That will be the Day of Resurrection.

Qur'an 50.37-42

12) Many humans will be unaware that Al-Qiyamah is taking place;

And on the day when the Hour riseth the guilty will vow that they did tarry, but an hour - Thus were they ever deceived. But those to whom knowledge and faith are given will say: "The truth is, ye have tarried, by Allah's decree, until the Day of Resurrection. This is the Day of Resurrection, but ye used not to know."

Qur'an 30.55-57

13) During Al-Qiyamah Allah (SWT) will not purify those who hide His Revelations by misinterpreting the Qur'an;

Those who conceal Allah's revelations in the Book, and purchase for them a miserable profit - They swallow into themselves naught but Fire: Allah will not address them on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them: Grievous will be their Penalty. They are the ones who buy error in place of Guidance, and torment in place of Forgiveness. Ah! What boldness (they show) for the Fire!

Qur'an 2.174-6

14) Faces of those who believe that Al-Qiyamah has commenced will be nadirah (shining and radiant), while those of disbelievers basirah (dark, gloomy, sad and frowning);

Some faces, that Day, will beam (in brightness and beauty) - Looking towards their Lord; And some faces, that Day, will be sad and dismal.

Qur'an 75.22-24

DISBELIEVERS OF THE SURE SIGNS OF AL-QIYAMAH

Despite all the above the Qur'an warns that most humans will neither be aware nor believe that this Great Event is taking place even after being warned that it is not about graves opening up but of all souls born again to participate in it!:

Warn them of the Day of Pining (distress) when all matters have been judged, though they would still be unaware of it, and unbelievers.

Qur'an 19.39

On the Day that the Hour (of Reckoning) will be established, the transgressors will swear that they tarred not but an hour: thus were they used to being deluded!
But those endued with knowledge and faith will say: "Indeed ye did tarry, within Allah's Decree, to the Day of Resurrection, and this is the Day of Resurrection: but ye - ye were not aware!"

Qur'an 30.55-6

Waqala allatheena ootoo alAAilma waal-eemana laqad labithtum fee kitabi Allahi ila yawmi albaAAthi fahatha yawmu albaAAthi walakinnakum kuntum la taAAlamoona (Translation of Al-Rum 30:56 only)

"But those who [in their lifetime] were endowed with knowledge and faith will say: "Indeed, you have been tardy in [accepting as true] what God has revealed, [Lit., "with regard to (fi) God's revelation (kitab)", i.e., that the dead shall be resurrected and judged by Him. It is to be noted that the verb labitha signifies "he waited [for something] or he was tardy [with regard to something]" as well as "he stayed [in a place]" or "he remained". Evidently, in verse 55 ma labithu has the meaning of "they had not stayed" or "remained", while in verse 56 labithtum denotes "you have been tardy" or "you have waited".] [and you have waited] until the Day of Resurrection: this, then, is the Day of Resurrection: but you - you were determined not to know it! [Lit., "you were wont not to know" - i.e., "you persistently closed your mind to this promise".] (Al-Rum 30:56)"

Muhammad Asad, The Message of The Qur'an

Increasing number of Muslims now express their belief, as do the believers of other traditions, that these events are imminent. Some are beginning to discern, and correctly so, that they are already upon us. The verses in the Qur'an also reflect the same expectations:

It is Allah Who has sent down the Book in Truth, and the Balance. And what will make thee realize that perhaps the Hour is close at hand?

Qur'an 42.17

Of what do they ask one another? About the Great Event, about which they differ? Nay! they shall soon come to know Nay! Nay! they shall soon know.

Qur'an 78.1-5

In fact 1,400 years ago there was widespread resistance against Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the following verse confirms the probability of disbelieve and ability to benefit when the Resurrection actually comes upon them:

Await they aught save the Hour, that it should come upon them unawares? But some of its portents (indications and signs) have already come, and when it (actually) is on them, how can they benefit then by their reminder?

Qur'an 47.18

Another Quranic prophecy clearly confirms that after the return of the exiled Jews to the Holy Land, the Day of Judgment will commence:

And We said unto the Children of Israel after him: Dwell in the land; but when the promise of the Hereafter (wa'dul akhirati) cometh to pass We shall bring you as a crowd gathered out of various nations.

Qur'an 17.104

THE UNIVERSAL EXPECTATION OF THE MAHDI (MESSIAH, COMFORTER)

Then there is expectation that "the Mahdi, according to Islam, and in particular its Shiite branch, is the Savior to come at the time of the Last Judgment to save the world. It is interesting to recall that Mahdi, in Sanskrit, is the contraction of Ma Adi (Primordial Mother) in the same way that the returning Savior according to Buddha, Maitreya, is a contraction of Ma Treya (Trigunatmika). The function of the Mahdi is similar to those attributed to the Kalki of the Hindus, the Maitreya of the Buddhists or the Christ King of the Christians."

In addition to verses of the Holy Qur'an there are many traditions, hadiths, sayings of Imams and Muslim scholars contributing to a common consensus of the signs of the "Hour" which, if taking the religious pulse of modern times, raises the question of whether these things are already upon us:

"The Apostle of God said: `There will come a time for my people when there will remain nothing of the Qur'an except its outward form and nothing of Islam except its name and they will call themselves by this name even though they are the people furthest from it. The mosques will be full of people but they will be empty of right guidance. The religious leaders (Fuqaha) of that day will be the most evil religious leaders under the heavens; sedition and dissension will go out from them and to them will it return.' " -ibn Babuya, Thawab ul-A'mal

All these momentous events are to be preceded by warnings and announcements attempting to bring people back to the religion of Allah (SWT) and the Straight Path, after they have divided themselves into factions and sects which, "disown each other and curse each other" (surah 29:25). A warning to precede the penalty, which must be delivered before any punishment is meted to the transgressors, is a cardinal sign of Allah's (SWT) mercy and justice. Any religious scholar preaching that Allah's (SWT) Wrath of Doomsday will erupt suddenly on this unsuspecting world is surely deceived by Iblis. The following verses assure the arrival of messengers or apostles before any chastisement:

Whoever goes aright, for his own soul does he go aright; and whoever goes astray, to its detriment only does he go astray: nor can the bearer of a burden bear the burden of another, nor do We chastise until We raise an apostle.

Qur'an 17.15

And if We had inflicted on them a penalty before this, they would have said: "Our Lord! If only Thou hadst sent us a messenger, we should certainly have followed Thy Signs before we were humbled and put to shame.

Qur'an 20.134

Nor was thy Lord the one to destroy a population until He had sent to its center a messenger, rehearsing to them Our Signs; nor are We going to destroy a population except when its members practice iniquity.

Qur'an 28.59

SO LITTLE AVAILABLE KNOWLEDGE OF AL-QIYAMAH

But there is scant information on Al-Qiyamah (The Resurrection), the heart and soul of Islam. Abdullah Yusuf Ali's The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary - by far the most known, studied and respected English translation of the Qur'an - devotes only five pages (inclusive of the entire text in Arabic and its English translation) to this central theme of Islam. And other Muslim scholars have done no better, although they have produced countless thesis after thesis on far pettier topics and hadiths.

According to Professor Mahmoud M. Ayoub "theology has confused the rank and file of Muslims. It has discouraged any kind of innovative thinking. It has paralyzed the intellectuals, preoccupying them with unsolvable questions."

Of all the chapters in the Qur'an, surah 75 Al-Qiyamah (The Resurrection) must have clearly confronted them with so frightening a prophecy and promise of Divine intervention to collect, promulgate, recite and explain in detail the only Surah entirely devoted to Al-Qiyamah, that it could only be explained away by vagueness, briefness, distortion, misinformation, untruth and outright deceit. But Allah (SWT) warned humans not to move "thy tongue concerning the (Resurrection), to make haste therewith" since "it is for Us to collect it and to promulgate it." Then, after having announced it they were to follow "its recital" And last, but not the least, the Resurrection is "for Us to explain" - leaving absolutely no ambiguity as to Allah's (SWT) Intention. This is referred as the Great News or Great Event in the Qur'an and was to coincide with specific Sure Signs absolutely beyond human manipulation or duplication Thus it is obvious that the announcement and detailed narration of the Resurrection to the entire human race was Allah's (SWT) sole and explicit prerogative.

But mere mortals with puny minds and huge egos have blabbed their tongues about this Surah for the last 1400 years. They collectively erased the mercy of the blessed Resurrection (Al Qadr or the Night of Power) for all humankind, substituting it with the nightmare of a Doomsday End (Al Qariah or the Day of Noise and Clamor)!

Now the question of making such serious allegations against so established a faith arises. How is it possible that so obvious and fundamental Truths be hidden from so many by so few for so long? Perhaps it must be asked: How was the Ummah deceived into speculating about Al-Qiyamah, despite Allah's (SWT) explicit, simple and clear Warning not to do so? This Al-Qiyamah website exposes the depth of deception that the Ummah has been indoctrinated over the centuries by their ulama, imams, ayatollahs, amirs, caliphs, mu'attilah, aalims, mujtahids, mullahs and muftis on this central theme of the Holy Qur'an.

"The Holy Quran is the final and highest authority for Muslims on all matters. It is the fundamental source of the teachings of Islam. When determining whether a certain belief or practice is a part of Islam or not, the verdict of the Quran has the highest priority and must be accepted even if it goes against common practice or one's own wishes. If a Muslim differs with us regarding the meaning of a verse of the Quran, we must still respect his views if he gives arguments from the Holy Book in his support."

www.tariq.bitshop.com

Thus, before we proceed, it will be fitting to introduce the sages' definition of the term truth. It has been earlier demonstrated that without such a definition men wander in a dry wilderness of hollow fancies, unfounded opinions, worthless theories and hypostatized words. This definition may sound quite simple, but it implications are most profound. It should be graven deeply on the heart. Here it is: "Truth is that which is beyond all contradiction and free from all doubt; which is indeed beyond the very possibility of both contradiction and doubt; beyond the changes and alternations of time and vicissitude; forever one and the same, unalterable and unaltering; universal and therefore independent of all human ideation."

REASONS AL-QIYAMAH (AL-QADR- NIGHT OF POWER) IS REGARDED AS DOOMSDAY (AL QARIAH- DAY OF NOISE AND CLAMOUR)

1. Ummah's inability to comprehend Al-Qiyamah

The first reason for the Ummah's inability to comprehend Al-Qiyamah beyond their doomsday mindset lies in the fact that about 90% of Muslims are unable to understand the Arabic Qur'an. For example, it is common knowledge that "many Pakistani and Indian Muslims are forced as children to read the Quran in Arabic and still as adults read the Quran in Arabic but they do not understand a single word of what they read." This leaves them at the mercy of religious zealots who exploit their illiteracy but, ironically, are themselves like the blind describing the elephant. Thus their mindset of a doomsday Al-Qiyamah predetermines the Ummah's responses to its interpretations. This classic case of collective scriptural illiteracy is the general malaise that plagues the Islamic nations.

2. Serious consequences of challenging established Islamic dogma

The second lies in the serious and sometimes fatal consequences for those who dare challenge the established Islamic dogma. Many do at their peril as the fatwa of blasphemy may bring about dire consequences. Sometimes even the slightest deviation or just plain honest interpretation of the Qur'an can bring the wrath of collective rage and mob violence to bear on the conscientious victim. In so volatile an atmosphere pervading the Islamic nations who will dare voice his or her disagreement with religious bodies over entrenched dogma and officially endorsed interpretation of the Qur'an?

"The death sentence imposed on liberal Iranian academic Hashem Aghajari has been confirmed, his lawyer has said. Saleh Nikbakht says he has been officially told of the re-imposition of the death penalty originally passed on his client in 2002. Mr Aghajari was charged with blasphemy for saying that Muslims should not blindly follow religious leaders. The Supreme Court later annulled the sentence and sent the case back to the provincial court for review. The provincial court, in the western city of Hamedan where Mr Aghajari made his comments, re-imposed the death penalty earlier in May. ...

As well as the death sentence for apostasy and insulting the early imams, he received further sentences of a 10-year ban on teaching, eight years in jail and 74 lashes for lesser offences. After student protests, Ayatollah Khamenei was forced to step in and order a review of his verdict. Hashem Aghajari is a war veteran who lost a leg in the 1980-88 war with Iraq."

BBC, Monday, 10 May, 2004

"Pakistani sentenced to death for blasphemy

A court in Pakistan has sentenced a medical lecturer, Dr Younus Shaikh, to death for blasphemy.

He had been accused of making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammad by suggesting he did not become a Muslim until he was 40 years old and that his parents were not Muslims either.

The case was registered by a local Mullah, after a complaint by some students. . . .

The doctor had maintained his words were twisted and he could not conceive of saying anything blasphemous. . . .

According to human rights groups, Dr Younus is the third Muslim to be sentenced to death for blasphemy."

BBC 18 August, 2001

3. Thousands of hadiths that obscure the mind

The third answer is the hundreds and thousands of hadiths that shape and mould Islamic thinking, obscuring the mind from getting a true message of the living Al-Qur'an. The Hadiths, collections of the sayings of Muhammad (pbuh), are regarded as an excellent guide to base one's life on. But Muslims are now unable to see the Divine Forest of the Qur'an because the dense thicket of hadith shrubs and trees are being examined and admired in the pettiest of detail. Alas, if only they had inspected the priceless mystical parables of the Qur'an with such meticulous admiration and faith.

"7. The rise and fall of Islam and its followers in history have close connections with the religion they practised. But why was it that when the ignorant Arabs adopted Islam they became such a dynamic group of followers? But in the later years, a lot of teachings deviating from Islam's true path were spread and more Muslims became involved in a power struggle while declaring that they were doing so in the name of Islam.

8. That is why three out of four Caliphs died through killings. Only the first Caliph, Saidina Abu Bakar, was not killed. Saidina Abu Bakar was known to be humble. When he was appointed Caliph, he told everyone that they could criticise him because he said he was a mere mortal and not a prophet. The killing of Saidina Omar and Osman was surely because there were followers of Islam who did not agree with their leadership.

9. But when Saidina Ali was appointed Caliph, the opposition to him was very strong. War ensued between Saidina Ali and the Muawiyah which eventually ended with the murder of Saidina Ali, resulting in a split among the Muslims - the Sunni and Shiite. The difference between the Sunnis and Shiites were great but both argued that their religion was Islam. How is it that the one religion brought by Prophet Muhammad SAW could become two with wide differences? Surely one of them is not Islamic, or probably each of them have different interpretations of the religion which are both correct and incorrect. What was clear was the fact that the different interpretations and teachings was a result of a political struggle, that is to become a Caliph by certain leaders.

10. But different interpretations on Islam continued to be made. Whether these were the results of problems brought by changing eras or the political leaderships in these two sides, scholars continued to make rulings (fatwas) all the time. At the same time, some scholars introduced their own ruling and formed groups or tariqat and others. To support them, many of them created hadiths which had no real basis.

11. Two hundred years after hijra, Bukhari collected a total of 600,000 hadiths. Out of these, he only verified 7,000 and rejected about 593,000 which he believed were false and not genuine.

12. Other hadith scholars such as Muslim and Tarmizi accepted even less than the 7,000. There were hadiths accepted by Bukhari but rejected by other scholars who also studied them, and vice versa.

13. This happened only 200 years after hijra. After this, a lot of hadiths were created by other people. There were many opinions, interpretations and fatwas made and supported by various means. Some of them were rejected by scholars who came much later but this did not deter anyone to continue to make fatwas without proper procedures approved by Islam. Hence, the different interpretations.

14. The truth is that in Islam's 1,400 years, they were exposed to a variety of teachings each claiming to be Islamic but were opposites of each other. There were 1,001 beliefs ranging from narrow interpretations which rejected the present world outright and a desire to bring Islam back 1,400 years before, to one that alienated Islam and accepted secularism. As a result, the followers became very confused....

Going by history, we can see that the progress and achievements of the Islamic Empire in its early days were due to the fact that there were not many differing interpretations of Islam, not many false hadiths, and not many shallow fatwas which could have confused the followers."

www.ikim.gov.my/

4. Qur'an is not chronologically written

The fourth is that the Qur'an is not chronologically written, and is arranged with the longest surahs (chapters) in the beginning and the least at the end. The longer surahs have many diverse topics unrelated to each other, topics also to be found in numerous other surahs - one has to go back and forth in order to pick and join them together under appropriate topics. Since is impossible to ascertain the flow of Divine Revelation that was received by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), it is just as difficult to link seemingly unrelated verses of Al-Qiyamah. Only by careful study and piecing together different ayats of scattered surahs is it possible to breathe life and vitality to this central theme of Islam, and transform the Qur'an into a living, life-sustaining divine guide for all humankind.

"Zaid and his coadjutors, however, do not appear to have arranged the materials which came into their hands upon any system more definite than that of placing the longest and best known Suras first, immediately after the Fatthah, or opening chapter (the eighth in this edition); although even this rule, artless and unscientific as it is, has not been adhered to with strictness. Anything approaching to a chronological arrangement was entirely lost sight of. Late Medina Suras are often placed before early Meccan Suras; the short Suras at the end of the Koran are its earliest portions; while, as will be seen from the notes, verses of Meccan origin are to be found embedded in Medina Suras, and verses promulged at Medina scattered up and down in the Meccan Suras. It would seem as if Zaid had to a great extent put his materials together just as they came to hand, and often with entire disregard to continuity of subject and uniformity of style. The text, therefore, as hitherto arranged, necessarily assumes the form of a most unreadable and incongruous patchwork; "une assemblage," says M. Kasimirski in his Preface, "informe et incohérent de préceptes moraux, religieux, civils et politiques, mêlés d'exhortations, de promesses, et de menaces"– and conveys no idea whatever of the development and growth of any plan in the mind of the founder of Islam, or of the circumstances by which he was surrounded and influenced. . . .

Another important merit of Rodwell's edition is its chronological arrangement of the Suras or chapters. As he tells us himself in his preface, it is now in a number of cases impossible to ascertain the exact occasion on which a discourse, or part of a discourse, was delivered, so that the system could not be carried through with entire consistency."

G. Margoliouth (Appraisal of J.M. Rodwell's The Koran)

5. Theologians who condition and mould the religious masses

The fifth answer may lie in Friedrich Nietzsche's scathing condemnation of theologians blindly defending their religious regimes, leaving little doubt as to how they condition and mould the masses into religious retards incapable of exercising their own mental faculties to ascertain Truth for themselves. This severe censure applies to theologians of all traditions and, as in the case of Al-Qiyamah, is more than justified.

"I make war on this theologian instinct: I have found traces of it everywhere. Whoever has theologian blood in his veins has a wrong and dishonest attitude towards all things from the very first. The pathos that develop out of this is called faith: closing one's eyes with respect to oneself for good and all so as not to suffer from the sight of incurable falsity. Out of this erroneous perspective on all things one makes a morality, a virtue, a holiness for one self, one unites the good conscience with seeing falsely - one demands that no other kind of perspective shall be accorded any value after one has rendered one's sacrosanct with the names 'God,' 'redemption,' 'eternity.' I have dug out the theologian instinct everywhere: it is most widespread, peculiarly subterranean form of falsity that exists on earth. What a theologian feels to be true must be false: this provides almost a criterion of truth. It is his deepest instinct of self-preservation which forbids any part of reality whatever to be held in esteem or even spoken of. Wherever the influence of the theologian extends value judgment is stood on its head, the concepts 'true' and 'false' are necessary reversed: that which is most harmful to life is here called 'true,' that which enhances, intensifies, affirms, justifies it and causes it to triumph is called 'false.' "

F. Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols

6. The Thieves of Truth who molested, raped and mutilated Surah 75 (Al-Qiyamah)

The sixth, and perhaps the most important reason, is that 1400 years ago the chapter of Al-Qiyamah foretold a Day of Judgment for all human beings. Embedded firmly in this particular surah, and safeguarded by a phalanx of parables and prophecies, were the Sure Signs of Allah that would trigger Al-Qiyamah. These preordained manifestations were to be absolutely beyond human manipulation. That was the time the Holy Qur'an was to burst into life and compel universal submission to its authority, barring none.

But, alas, over the centuries the Thieves of Truth numbering in the hundreds and thousands first molested, then raped, and finally mutilated the revelation of Al-Qiyamah beyond recognition, before leaving it pregnant with distortion, delusion and deceit. Till today the Ummah still recoils at it in fear and terror. From the wanton seed of their unforgivable collective orgy was born the satanic lie that the wrath of Allah (SWT) will descend suddenly on humankind without warning, and punish the sinners in a murderous rage of death and destruction - thus fulfilling Iblis' promise to Allah that he will mislead Adam's descendents till the Day of Resurrection.

(Allah) said: "O Iblis! what is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves?" (Iblis) said: "I am not one to prostrate myself to man, whom Thou didst create from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape." (Allah) said: "Then get thee out from here; for thou art rejected, accursed. "And the curse shall be on thee till the day of Judgment." (Iblis) said: "O my Lord! give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are raised." (Allah) said: "Respite is granted thee till the Day of the Time appointed." (Iblis) said: "O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong.

Qur'an 15.32-39

Allah (SWT) is Ar-Raheem, the Bestower of Mercy to disbelievers and believers alike, and to the more pious and the less pious among the believers.

"It is true that there is plenty of material in the Koran that is more egalitarian than the western Christian tradition, which was heavily influenced by the misogyny of Greek thought. Perhaps the most fundamental is that the Islamic God does not have a gender. Arabic may refer to him by use of the male pronoun, but he is never described as "father" or "lord" as he is in the Judaeo-Christian tradition. Indeed, the Islamic God has characteristics that are expressly feminine; one of his most important "names" is al-Rahman (the All-Compassionate) from the Arabic rahma , which comes from the word rahim , meaning womb. In Islamic mysticism, the divinely beloved is female."

The Guardian, Saturday December 8, 2001

Al-Qiyamah is now revealed as not the fiery End that those deceived by Iblis have the faithful believe, but as the most glorious era of inner peace, spiritual cleansing and priceless participation in the promised Resurrection for all humankind.

"But the Muslims do not want to talk about Resurrection (Al Qadr: The Night of Power) at all because they want to frighten people with the Doomsday (Al Qariah: Day of Noise and Clamor). They don't want to talk about the Resurrection Time which is going to come - which is the intermediary time (Al Qadr: The Night of Power) - because they want to use the time which will frighten people by saying that: 'Now your Doomsday is coming! Now your Doomsday (Al Qariah: Day of Noise and Clamor) is coming!'"

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

Only the Thieves of Truth are able to twist the words of Allah (SWT) regarding Al-Qiyamah, though they have no answers to the following clear questions and facts pertaining to that fateful Day:

Do they really believe that an all-encompassing punishment by God will not come upon them, or the Hour overtake them suddenly while they remain unaware of it?

Qur'an 12.107

We have not sent thee (Muhammed) but to the whole of mankind, as a giver of glad tidings and as a warner, but most of mankind still do not know.

Qur'an 34.28

On the Day that the Hour (of Reckoning) will be established, the transgressors will swear that they tarried not but an hour: thus were they used to being deluded! But those endued with knowledge and faith will say: "Indeed ye did tarry, within Allah's Decree, to the Day of Resurrection, and this is the Day of Resurrection: but ye - ye were not aware!"

Qur'an 30.55-6

WWW.AL-QIYAMAH.ORG CHALLENGES ALL

This non-profit Al-Qiyamah website not only answers the above quotes beyond any doubt, but also declares the Good News of the Qur'an and calls on every Believer (Muslim and non-Muslim) to bear witness to Al-Qiyamah. It is a no-holds-barred open book and challenge to all Islamic scholars - ulama, imams, ayatollahs, amirs, caliphs, mu'attilah, aalims, mujtahids, mullahs and muftis - to rebut and prove it false. Should they fail to do so, a forgone conclusion of which we are absolutely assured, they must submit to the Truth of the Qur'an. They can either accept or deny the Good News of Al-Qiyamah. In the Hereafter they will bear the consequences of their acts regarding the announcement of this Great Event and the universal declaration to bear witness to the Resurrection.

But with so many Thieves of Truth preaching their version of Islam, often in constant conflict with the rest, what are the chances of them humbling to the Good News?

"For example, as you well know, there are many competing groups of Muslims today in the ideological wars. There are the Saudi-funded Salafies, the Iranian funded Mullahs, the Egyptian/Syrian Brotherhood groups, the Tablighi Jamaati people, the mysterious Hizb at Tahreer, the Jamati Islami groups, the African American Muslim groups, the secularist Indo-Pak groups and about twenty others. Each group has its own scholars who "prove" to the faithful that the other groups are inferior. These same "scholars" often issue "Fatwas" or religious verdicts about items of concern for individual members and life goes on in the happy dreamland of exclusive truth.

These groups often issue contradictory Fatwas and rarely ever work together on anything. How many of you have been to a gathering of one of these or other groups where the "big scholar" is treated like a celebrity? Well-wishers and sycophants fawning all over him. (It's always a "him.") What's the average, concerned Muslim supposed to think when the "scholars" are often so full of pride and arrogance that they are repulsive? The hierarchy involved in the "scholar" system in amazing! The big Maulanas are usually the fattest. The medium Maulanas have shorter beards and smaller bellies, while the Maulana wanna-bees are thin and stand off in the fringes of the great procession. (Don't get angry at me for pointing out what everyone knows.)"

www.islamfortoday.com/

MAJOR DISBELIEFS THAT EXCLUDES ONE COMPLETELY FROM ISLAM

(a) "Al-Kufr-al-Takdhieb". This implies disbelieving the Divine Truth or denial of any of the Articles of Faith.

Almighty Allah says:

"Then who does more wrong than one who utters a lie against Allah and denies the Truth (the Qur'an) when it comes to him. Is there not in Hell an abode for the disbelievers?"

Holy Qur'an (39:32)

(b) "Al-Kufr-al-Aba was-Stakbara ma'at-Tasdeeq". This implies rejection and pride to bow to Allah's Commandments after conviction of their truth.

Almighty Allah says:

"And (remember) when We said to the angels: Prostrate yourself before Adam, and they prostrated save Iblis; he refused and was proud and was one to the disbelievers, (disobedient to Allah)."

(Holy Quran 2:34)

(c) "Al-Kufr-ash-Shak wa Az-Zan". This implies doubting or lacking of conviction in the six Articles of Faith.

Almighty Allah says:

"And he went into his garden while in a state, unjust to himself. He said: I think not that this will ever perish and I think not that the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back to my Lord (on the Day of Resurrection) I surely shall find better than these two (gardens) when I return to Him. His companion said to him during the talk with him: Do you disbelieve Him Who created you out of dust (i.e., your father Adam), then out of a drop of semen, then fashioned you into a man? But as for my part (I believe) that He is Allah, my Lord, and none shall I associate as partners with my Lord."

(Holy Qur'an 18:35-38)

(d) "Al-Kufr-al-Irad". This implies turning away from the Truth knowingly or deviating from the obvious Signs which Allah has revealed.

Almighty Allah says:

"We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except with Truth and for an appointed term. But those who disbelieve turn away from that whereof they are warned."

Holy Quran (46:3)

(e) "Al-Kufr-an-Nifaq". This implies hypocritical disbelief.

Almighty Allah says:

"They have made their oaths a screen (for their hypocrisy) thus they hinder (men) from the Path of Allah. Verily, evil is what they used to do. That is because they believed, then disbelieved, so a seal was set on their hearts, therefore they understand not."

Holy Quran (63:2-3)

Thus will these major disbeliefs fulfill the prophetic irony of Al-Qiyamah. Those who hear this Truth for the very first time ever will, on the contrary, reject it and return to their families in full conceit, i.e. brimming with their own ideas, thought, concepts, and personal opinions. And we challenge the Ummah to bear witness to their own disbelief, one that is clearly predicted for them in no uncertain terms:

But on the contrary, he rejected Truth and turned away! Then did he stalk to his family in full conceit! Woe to thee, (O man!), yea, woe! Again, woe to thee, (O man!), yea, woe!

Qur'an 75.32-35

And then one by one the phalanx of prophecies will rise to defend the Sure Signs of Al-Qiyamah from the enemies of Allah (SWT), who will be asked in the Afterlife:

"O ye assembly of Jinns and men! Came there not unto you messengers from amongst you, setting forth unto you My Signs, and warning you of the meeting of this day of yours?" They will say: "We bear witness against ourselves." It was the life of this world that deceived them. So against themselves will they bear witness that they rejected Faith. (The messengers were sent) thus, for thy Lord would not destroy, for their wrongdoing men's inhabitants, whilst their occupants were unwarned.

Qur'an 6.130-131

MESSENGERS SPREADING ALLAH"S (SWT) CALL TO WITNESS AL-QIYAMAH

Both Muslim and non-Muslim messengers from amongst us are now upholding the Qur'an and setting forth Allah's Signs, explicitly warning humankind of Al-Qiyamah. It is imperative that the Ummah in particular, and non-Muslims in general, now meticulously examine these pages with their hearts, minds and souls so that they may make an informed individual judgment. May Allah (SWT) be their indispensable Guide.

"The Qur'an's Addressees:

Another point that has to be inferred from the Qur'anic text during its analytical study, is to determine the identity of those who are addressed by it. There are certain expressions like "guidance for the God fearing," "guidance and good tiding for the believers," "to admonish and caution him who is alive," which often recur in the Qur'an. Here the question may arise: Of what need is guidance for those who are already guided, the pious and the righteous? Moreover, we see that the Qur'an describes itself in these words:

It is but a reminder unto all beings, and you shall surely know its tiding, after a while. (38:87-88)

Then, is this book meant for all the people of the world, or is it for the believers alone? In another verse addressing the Prophet, God the Most Exalted, says:

We have not sent thee, save as a mercy unto all beings. (21:107)A more detailed explanation of this matter would be undertaken during the course of later discussion regarding the historical aspect of the Qur'an. Here it is just sufficient to mention that the Qur'an is addressed to all the people of the world. It does not single out any particular nation or group. Everyone who accepts the invitation of the Qur'an is assured of spiritual salvation. However, the verses which mention the Qur'an as the book of guidance for the believers and the God-fearing (mu'minun and muttaqun), clearly specify the kind of people who will be attracted towards it and others who will turn away from it. The Qur'an never names any particular nation or tribe as being its devotees. It does not take sides with a specially chosen people."

www.al-islam.org

A common ground must be found for non-Muslims to confirm the central message of the Quran by presenting them with irrefutable evidence which they can cross-examine and, most important of all, not able to refute. The Al-Qiyamah website does exactly that, no matter how controversial some of the contents may be. Since this initial explosion of prophetic Truth is being heard for the very first time it is bound to cause adverse reactions but, just as Qur'an predicts, commences Al-Qiyamah: "The Day when they will hear a (mighty) Blast in Truth: That will be the Day of Resurrection." (Qaf)

Again it must be repeated, and one that the Ummah must understand with foresight, is that the Resurrection is for all humankind. Until and unless the traditions and scriptures of non-Muslims - who represent about 80% of the non-Ummah population - are related to this central theme of Islam they will not be interested. Thus another website upholding their religious traditions and eschatological expectations, anchored by the entire contents and central theme of this site, has been set up. This www.adishakti.org caters to Hindus, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Sikhs and other traditions.

Muslims should also understand that the Christian Last Judgment and the Islamic Al-Qiyamah or Resurrection are one and the same, and run parallel to each other.

ALLAH"S (SWT) PLAN FOR HUMANITY

14 centuries have passed the Holy Qur'an was revealed. Surely Allah (SWT) has a Plan for all humankind which lies hidden deep in the parables of the Holy Qur'an, camouflaged and safeguarded until the Sure Signs of Al-Qiyamah blasts them into submission!

“The importance of the ummah comes from the Koran, the collected writings that Muslim tradition says were revealed by Allah — God — to the Prophet Muhammad in seventh-century Arabia. For believing Muslims, the Koran is far more than a book written by divinely inspired humans, as orthodox Christians and Jews claim for the Bible. Rather, it is the literal word of God in God’s own voice. There is no room for error or academic historical revisionism. You either accept the Koran on its face or you don’t. If you do, all it says becomes religious obligation. Chapter two, verse 143 of the Koran makes clear that the ummah is God’s holy plan so "that ye might be witnesses over the nations."

"that ye might be witnesses over the nations."

But the centuries-old distortion of the Holy Qur'an by scholars and theologians alike will deceive many who will still wait for doomsday (Al Qariah or the Day of Noise and Clamour). Thus even after hearing this Good News of the living, breathing Qur'an to witness and participate in the Resurrection (Al Qadr or the Night of Power), they will reject and ridicule it! So it was prophesied in the Qur'an that Allah's (SWT) Holy Plan for humanity will be rejected and ridiculed, and so shall it begin to manifest in the hearts of the disbelievers!

And in the Hereafter they will be asked:

"O ye assembly of Jinns and men! came there not unto you messengers from amongst you, setting forth unto you My signs, and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?" They will say: "We bear witness against ourselves." It was the life of this world that deceived them. So against themselves will they bear witness that they rejected Faith."

Qur'an 6.130

"Say: "I know not whether the (Punishment) which ye are promised is near, [5748] or whether my Lord will appoint for it a distant term.
He (alone) knows the Unseen, nor does He make anyone acquainted with His Mysteries - [5749]
Except a messenger [5750] whom He has chosen:
And then he makes a band of watchers [5751] march before him and behind him,
That He may know that they have (truly) [5751-A] brought and delivered the Messages of their Lord:
And He surrounds (all the mysteries) that are with them, and He takes account of every single thing."

surah 72:25-28 Al Jinn (The Spirits)
(Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an, 1989.)

482. Man in his weak state would be most miserable if he could see the secrets of the future or the secrets of the Unseen. But things are revealed to him from time to time as may be expedient to him, by Messengers chosen for the purpose.

5751. Revelation is not a mechanical or material thing. It has to be safeguarded from being distorted or corrupted by ignorance, selfishness, or the powers of evil. How can its precious and subtle worth and the spiritual safeguards against its misuse by human folly or the perversity of evil be expressed in plain human words? We can imagine a very great treasure, which has to be transmitted. To guard it against evilly-disposed persons, a strong escort is required, to march in front and behind, so as to protect it from all sides. When it reaches its destination, the escort presents its credentials and an Invoice showing the Treasure being transmitted. Then the destined receiver knows that it has come intact and feels satisfied. So, about spiritual Revelation, the spiritual man recognises the credentials and checks the contents on the tablets of his own heart and insight. He has then no doubt that it is a true Message from Allah, and those who bring it are the true messengers of their Lord.

5751-A They: The band of watchers."

Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an
(Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an, 1989.)

Wa maa alainaa illa al-balaagh - there is nothing upon us except to convey (that it is a true Message from Allah, and that those chosen to escort it have indeed delivered this Great Treasure and protected it against the forces of Evil). It is your responsibility to check the contents with your own heart and insight to determine whether the Call to commence the Resurrection is a true Message from Allah. May none deny in the Hereafter that they were unaware of messengers on Earth setting forth Allah's (SWT) Signs of Al-Qiyamah and warning humanity to surrender to His Call to commence and bear witness to the Resurrection!

"And obey God and obey the messenger and be cautious; but if you turn back, then know that the sole duty of the messenger is the deliverance (of the message)" 5:92

"And obey God and obey the messenger, but if you turn back, then upon Our messenger is the sole duty of the clear delivery (of the message)" 64:12

Wasalam

25 February 2002

LAA UQSIM BI-YAWM AL-QIYAMAH;
WA-LAA UQSIM BI-AN-NAFSAL-LAWWAAMAH
I do call to witness the Resurrection Day;
And I do call to witness the self-reproaching Spirit.

Note: Al-Qiyamah (The Resurrection) © 2000 al-qiyamah.org. All rights reserved. Our materials may be copied, printed and distributed by referring to this site.

All articles are written with a non-Muslim audience also in mind. Thus all necessary care was taken to avoid any confusion to them. Muslim terms of respectability such as SWT, PBUH, SAWS, RA, and AS were thus omitted. Consequently, words familiar to non-Muslims have been used. Apologies if any of these shortcomings offend anyone.

COLLECTION, PROMULGATION, RECITAL AND
EXPLANATION OF SURAHS UPHOLDING ALLAH'S (SWT)
COMMAND TO WITNESS AL-QIYAMAH:

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