Allah said here,
[يَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ
السَّاعَةِ]
(They ask you about the Hour), just as He said in another Ayah,
[يَسْـَلُكَ النَّاسُ
عَنِ السَّاعَةِ]
(People ask you concerning the Hour) [33:63]. It was said that this Ayah was
revealed about the Quraysh or the Jews, although it appears that it was about
the Quraysh, because this Ayah was revealed in Makkah. The Quraysh used to ask
about the Last Hour, because they used to deny it and discount its coming. For
instance, Allah said in another Ayah,
[وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى
هَـذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ ]
(And they say: "When will be this promise (the torment or the Day of
Resurrection), if you speak the truth'') [10:48], and,
[يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا
الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مُشْفِقُونَ مِنْهَا
وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْحَقُّ أَلاَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُمَارُونَ فَى السَّاعَةِ
لَفِى ضَلَـلَ بَعِيدٍ ]
(Those who believe not therein seek to hasten it, while those who believe are
fearful of it, and know that it is the very truth. Verily, those who dispute
concerning the Hour are certainly in error far away) [42:18]. Allah said here
(that the Quraysh asked),
[أَيَّانَ
مُرْسَـهَا]
("When will be its appointed time'') in reference to its commencement,
according to `Ali bin Abi Talhah who reported this from Ibn `Abbas. They asked
about the Hour's appointed term and when the end of this world will begin;
[قُلْ إِنَّمَا
عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ رَبِّي لاَ يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَآ إِلاَّ هُوَ]
(Say: "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (Alone). None can reveal its
time but He.'') Allah commanded His Messenger that when asked about the
appointed term of the Last Hour, he referred its knowledge to Allah, the
Exalted. Only Allah knows the Last Hour's appointed term and when it will
certainly occur, and none besides Him has this knowledge,
[ثَقُلَتْ فِى
السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ]
(Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth) `Abdur-Razzaq
narrated that Ma`mar said that Qatadah commented on this Ayah,
[ثَقُلَتْ فِى
السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ]
(Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth) "Its knowledge is
heavy on the residents of the heavens and earth, they do not have knowledge in
it.'' Also, Ma`mar said that Al-Hasan commented on this Ayah, "When the Last
Hour comes, it will be heavy on the residents of the heavens and earth.''
Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn `Abbas explained this Ayah,
[ثَقُلَتْ فِى
السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ]
(Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth, ) saying, "All
creatures will suffer its heaviness on the Day of Resurrection.'' Ibn Jurayj
also said about this Ayah,
[ثَقُلَتْ فِى
السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ]
(Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth.) "When it commences,
the heavens will be torn, the stars will scatter all over, the sun will be wound
round (thus losing its light), the mountains will be made to pass away and all
of which Allah spoke of will occur. This is the meaning of its burden being
heavy.'' As-Suddi said that,
[ثَقُلَتْ فِى
السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ]
(Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth) means, its knowledge
is hidden in the heavens and earth, and none, not even a close angel or a sent
Messenger has knowledge of its appointed time.
[لاَ تَأْتِيكُمْ
إِلاَّ بَغْتَةً]
(It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden) indicating that the Hour
will start all of a sudden, while they are unaware. Qatadah said, "Allah has
decided that,
[لاَ تَأْتِيكُمْ
إِلاَّ بَغْتَةً]
(It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden.) He then said, "We were
informed that Allah's Prophet said,
«إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ
تَهِيجُ بِالنَّاسِ، وَالرَّجُلُ يُصْلِحُ حَوْضَهُ وَالرَّجُلُ يَسْقِي
مَاشِيَتَهُ، وَالرَّجُلُ يُقِمُ سِلْعَتَهُ فِي السُّوقِ وَيَخْفِضُ مِيزَانَهُ
وَيَرْفَعُه»
The Hour will start (suddenly) for the people while one is mending his
watering hole, giving water to his cattle, setting his goods in the market or
lowering his scale and raising it (selling and buying).''' Al-Bukhari recorded
that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
«لَا تَقُومُ
السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا، فَإِذَ طَلَعَتْ فَرَآهَا
النَّاسُ آمَنُوا أَجْمَعُونَ، فَذَلِكَ حِينَ لَا يَنْفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا
لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْرًا،
وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَقَدْ نَشَرَ الرَّجُلَانِ ثَوْبَهُمَا بَيْنَهُمَا،
فَلَا يَتَبَايَعَانِهِ وَلَا يَطْوِيَانِهِ. وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَقَدِ
انْصَرَفَ الرَّجُلُ بِلَبَنِ لِقْحَتِهِ فَلَا يَطْعَمُهُ، وَلَتَقُومَنَّ
السَّاعَةُ وَهُو يَلِيطُ حَوْضَهُ فَلَا يَسْقِي فِيهِ، وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ
وَالرَّجُلُ قَدْ رَفَعَ أَكْلَتَهُ إِلَى فِيهِ فَلَا يَطْعَمُهَا»
(The Hour will not commence until the sun rises from the west. When it rises
(from the west) and the people see it, then, all people will believe. However,
this is when faith does not benefit a soul that did not believe beforehand nor
earned good in faith. The Hour will (all of a sudden) commence while two men
have spread a garment between them, and they will neither have time to conclude
the transaction nor to fold the garment. The Hour will commence after a man
milked his animal, but he will not have time to drink it. The Hour will start
when a man is making his watering hole (for his animals), but will not have time
to make use of the pool. And the Hour will commence while a man has raised his
hand with a bite to his mouth, but will not eat it.) Al-`Awfi said that Ibn
`Abbas commented on the Ayah,
[يَسْـَلُونَكَ
كَأَنَّكَ حَفِىٌّ عَنْهَا]
(They ask you as if you have good knowledge of it.) "As if you have good
relations and friendship with them!'' Ibn `Abbas said, "When the people (pagans
of Quraysh) asked the Prophet about the Last Hour, they did so in a way as if
Muhammad was their friend! Allah revealed to him that its knowledge is with Him
Alone and He did not inform a close angel or Messenger of it.'' The correct
explanation for this Ayah is, as narrated from Mujahid, through Ibn Abi Najih,
[يَسْـَلُونَكَ
كَأَنَّكَ حَفِىٌّ عَنْهَا]
(They ask you as if you have Hafi of it.) means, `as if you had asked about
its time and so its knowledge is with you.' Allah said,
[قُلْ إِنَّمَا
عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللَّهِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ]
(Say: "The knowledge thereof is with Allah (Alone), but most of mankind know
not.'') When Jibril came in the shape of a bedouin man to teach the people
matters of their religion, he sat next to the Messenger of Allah asking him as
if to learn. Jibril asked the Messenger about Islam, then about Iman (faith)
then about Ihsan (Excellence in the religion). He asked next, "When will the
Hour start'' Allah's Messenger said,
«مَا الْمَسْؤُولُ
عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِل»
(He who is asked about it has no more knowledge of it than the questioner.)
Therefore, the Prophet was saying, `I have no more knowledge in it than you (O
Jibril), nor does anyone have more knowledge in it than anyone else.' The
Prophet then recited the Ayah,
[إِنَّ اللَّهَ
عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ]
(Verily, Allah, with Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour.) [31:34] In
another narration, Jibril asked the Prophet about the portents of the Hour, and
the Prophet mentioned them. The Prophet also said in this narration,
«فِي خَمْسٍ لَا
يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلَّا الله»
(Five, their knowledge is only with Allah) then recited this Ayah (31:34). In
response to the Prophet's answers after each question, Jibril would say, "You
have said the truth.'' This made the Companions wonder about this questioner who
would ask a question and attest to every answer he was given. When Jibril went
away, the Messenger of Allah said to the Companions,
«هَذَا جِبْرِيلُ
أَتَاكُمْ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ دِينَكُم»
(This is Jibril, he came to teach you matters of your religion.) In yet
another narration, the Prophet commented,
«وَمَا أَتَانِي فِي
صُورَةٍ إِلَّا عَرَفْتُهُ فِيهَا إِلَّا صُورَتُهُ هَذِه»
(I recognized him (Jibril) in every shape he came to me in, except this one.)
Muslim recorded that `Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said; "When the
bedouins used to come to the Prophet , they used to ask him about the Hour. The
Prophet would answer them, while pointing at the youngest person among them,
«إِنْ يَعِشْ هَذَا
لَمْ يُدْرِكْهُ الْهَرَمُ حَتَّى قَامَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ سَاعَتُكُم»
(If this (young man) lives, he will not become old before your Hour starts.)
The Prophet meant the end of their life that introduces them to the life in
Barzakh, which is between this life and the Hereafter. Muslim recorded that Anas
said that a man asked Allah's Messenger about the Hour, and the Messenger
answered,
«إِنْ يَعِشْ هَذَا
الْغُلَامُ فَعَسَى أَنْ لَا يُدْرِكَهُ الْهَرَمُ حَتَّى تَقُومَ
السَّاعَة»
(If this young boy lives, it might be that he will not become old before the
Hour starts.) Only Muslim collected this Hadith. Jabir bin `Abdullah said, "I
heard the Messenger of Allah saying, one month before he died,
«تَسْأَلُونِي عَنِ
السَّاعَةِ، وَإِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ اللهِ، وَأُقْسِمُ بِاللهِ مَا عَلَى
ظَهْرِ الْأَرْضِ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ نَفْسٍ مَنْفُوسَةٍ تَأْتِي عَلَيْهَا مِائَةُ
سَنَة»
(You keep asking me about the Hour, when its knowledge is with Allah. I swear
by Allah that there is no living soul on the face of the earth now will be alive
a hundred years from now.) Muslim collected this Hadith. A similar Hadith is
recorded in Two Sahihs from Ibn `Umar, but he commented, "The Messenger of Allah
meant that his generation will be finished by that time reach its appointed
term.'' Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said that the Prophet said,
«لَقِيتُ لَيْلَةَ
أُسْرِيَ بِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى، فَتَذَاكَرُوا أَمْرَ السَّاعَةِ
قَالَ فَرَدُّوْا أَمْرَهُمْ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيهِ السَّلَامُ، فَقَالَ: لَا
عِلْمَ لِي بِهَا، فَرَدُّوا أَمْرَهُمْ إِلَى مُوسَى فَقَالَ: لَا عِلْمَ لِي
بِهَا، فَرَدُّوا أَمْرَهُمْ إِلَى عِيسَى فَقَالَ عِيسَى: أَمَّا وَجْبَتُهَا
فَلَا يَعْلَمُ بِهَا أَحَدٌ إِلَّا اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَفِيمَا عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ
رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَّ الدَّجَّالَ خَارِجٌ قَالَ وَمَعِي قَضِيبَانِ، فَإِذَا
رَآنِي ذَابَ كَمَا يَذُوبُ الرَّصَاصُ، قَالَ: فَيُهْلِكُهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
إِذَا رَآنِي حَتَّى إِنَّ الشَّجَرَ وَالْحَجَرَ يَقُولُ: يَا مُسْلِمُ إِنَّ
تَحْتِي كَافِرًا فَتَعَالَ فَاقْتُلْهُ، قَالَ: فَيُهْلِكُهُمُ اللهُ عَزَّ
وَجَلَّ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ النَّاسُ إِلَى بِلَادِهِمْ وَأَوْطَانِهِمْ،قَالَ:
فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ يَخْرُجُ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ
يَنْسِلُونَ، فَيَطَأُونَ بِلَادَهُمْ لَا يَأْتُون عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِلَّا
أَهْلَكُوهُ وَلَا يَمُرُّونَ عَلَى مَاءٍ إِلَّا شَرِبُوه: قَالَ: ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ
النَّاسُ إِليَّ فَيَشْكُونَهُمْ فَأَدْعُو اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْهِمْ
فَيُهْلِكُهُمْ وَيُمِيتُهُمْ حَتَّى تَجْوَى الْأَرْضُ مِنْ نَتْنِ رِيحِهِمْ أَيْ
تُنْتِنُ، قَالَ: فَيُنْزِلُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْمَطَرَ فَيَجْتَرِفُ
أَجْسَادَهُمْ حَتَّى يَقْذِفَهُمْ فِي الْبَحْرِ. قال يزيد بن هارون: ثُمَّ
تُنْسَفُ الْجِبَالُ وَتُمَدُّ الْأَرْضُ مَدَّ الْأَدِيمِ، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى
حَدِيثِ هُشَيْمٍ، قَالَ: فَفِيمَا عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَّ
ذَلِكَ إِذَا كَانَ كَذَلِكَ، فَإِنَّ السَّاعَةَ كَالْحَامِلِ المُتِمِّ لَا
يَدْرِي أَهْلُهَا مَتَى تُفَاجِئُهُمْ بِوَلَادَتِهَا لَيْلًا أَوْ
نَهَارًا»
(During the night of Isra', I met Ibrahim, Musa and `Isa. They mentioned the
matter of the Last Hour, and they asked Ibrahim about it, who said, `I do not
have knowledge of it.' They asked Musa about it and he said, `I have no
knowledge of it.' They then asked `Isa about it, and he said, `As for when it
will occur, only Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, knows that. My Lord has
conveyed to me that the Dajjal (False Messiah) will appear, and I will have two
staffs (spears) with me. When he sees me, he will dissolve just as lead is
dissolved. Allah will destroy him when he sees me, and the tree and the stone
will say, `O Muslim! There is a disbeliever under (behind) me, so come and kill
him.' Allah will destroy them (the Dajjal and his army), and the people will
safely go back to their lands and areas. Thereafter, Gog and Magog will appear,
and they will be swarming from every mound, sweeping over the earth and
destroying everything they pass by. They will drink every water source they
pass. The people will come to me complaining about Gog and Magog and will invoke
Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, against them, and Allah will bring death to
all of them until the earth rots with their stinking odor. Allah will send down
rain on them and the rain will carry their corpses, until it throws them in the
sea... My Lord, the Exalted and Most Honored has conveyed to me that when this
occurs, the Hour will be just like the pregnant women when the term of pregnancy
is full, her family does not know when she will surprise them and give birth,
whether by night or by day.) Ibn Majah also collected a similar Hadith Therefore
these are the greatest of the Messengers but they did not have knowledge of the
appointed term of the Hour. They asked `Isa about it and he spoke about its
Signs, since he will descend in the last generations of this Ummah, implementing
the Law of Allah's Messenger , killing the Dajjal and destroying Gog and Magog
people by the blessing of his supplication. `Isa merely informed them of the
knowledge Allah gave him on this subject. Imam Ahmad recorded that Hudhayfah
said, "The Messenger of Allah was asked about the Hour and he said,
«عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ
رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَا يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَا إِلَّا هُوَ، وَلَكِنْ
سَأُخْبِرُكُمْ بِمَشَارِيطِهَا وَمَا يَكُونُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا، إِنَّ بَيْنَ
يَدَيْهَا فِتْنَةً وَهَرَجًا»
(Its knowledge is with my Lord, the Exalted and Most Honored, none can reveal
its time except Him. However, I will tell you about its portents and the signs
that precede it. Before it commences, there will be Fitnah (trials) and Harj.)
They asked, `O Allah's Messenger! We know the meaning of the Fitnah, so what is
the Harj' He said,
«بِلِسَانِ
الْحَبَشَةِ الْقَتْل»
(It means killing, in the Language of the Ethiopians. ) He then said,
«وَيُلْقَى بَيْنَ
النَّاسِ التَّنَاكُرُ، فَلَا يَكَادُ أَحَدٌ يَعْرِفُ أَحَدًا»
(Isolation and loneliness will be common between people, and therefore,
almost no one will be able to recognize any other.)'' None among the collectors
of the six Sunan collected this Hadith using this chain of narration. Tariq bin
Shihab said that the Messenger of Allah kept mentioning the Last Hour [for
people kept asking about it], until this Ayah was revealed,
[يَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ
السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَـهَا]
(They ask you about the Hour (Day of Resurrection): "When will be its
appointed time''). An-Nasa'i collected this Hadith, which has a strong chain.
Therefore, this unlettered Prophet , the chief of the Messengers and their Seal,
Muhammad, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him, Muhammad, the Prophet of
mercy, repentance, Al-Malhmah (great demise of the disbelievers), Al-`Aqib (who
came after many Prophets), Al-Muqaffi (the last of a succession) and Al-Hashir
(below whom will all people be gathered [on the Day of Gathering]) Muhammad who
said, as collected in the Sahih from Anas and Sahl bin Sa`d,
«بُعِثْتُ أَنَا
وَالسَّاعَةَ كَهَاتَيْن»
(My sending and the Hour are like this,) and he joined his index and middle
fingers. Yet, he was commanded to defer knowledge of the Last Hour to Allah if
he was asked about it,
[قُلْ إِنَّمَا
عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللَّهِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ]
(Say: "The knowledge thereof is with Allah (alone), but most of mankind know
not.'')
[قُل لاَ أَمْلِكُ
لِنَفْسِى نَفْعًا وَلاَ ضَرًّا إِلاَّ مَا شَآءَ اللَّهُ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ
الْغَيْبَ لاَسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِىَ السُّوءُ إِنْ أَنَاْ
إِلاَّ نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ]
(188. Say : "I possess no power over benefit or harm to myself except as
Allah wills. If I had the knowledge of the Ghayb (Unseen), I should have secured
for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but
a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe.'')
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