Many Muslims are obsessed with the end time Hadiths and prophecies. Many feel that the end is near, some groups and or Shuyukh actively recruit followers based on the certainly that we are living at the very end of history and Doomsday is well nigh upon us. That being the case, many Muslims seek to know the signs of the end and the sound Hadiths we can point to in this regard.

Dear believers, practically, we only need to know three Hadiths concerning the end of time. I will mention them here along with a brief explanation of their significance. Saying this is not to say that eschatological prophetic utterances have no place in our religion. Of course they do. Unfortunately, when their study leads to a morbid obsession with the end times, which can in turn paralyze an individual or render him unable to envision any improvement in his or his people’s lot, then such utterances are no longer serving their intended purpose and can even become dangerous.

1) When the Prophet (peace upon him) was asked by the Angel Gabriel, “Inform me of Doomsday, O Messenger of Allah!” He replied, “The one being asked about it is no more informed than the one asking.” If the Messenger of Allah claimed no definitive knowledge concerning the actual timing of Doomsday, how can any one of us be cocksure that its coming is immediate? This latter question is one we should ask ourselves and others and it should guide the weight we give to eschatological issues in our religion.

2) When asked by one of his companions, “When is Doomsday?” the Prophet (peace upon him) wisely responded, “What have you done to prepare for it?” In other words, were we to know with absolute certainty that Doomsday is tomorrow, would we be ready to meet our Lord? Would our house be in order? Hence, for the believer, knowing the timing of Doomsday is not the most important thing associated with the issue. The most important thing for us is that we are prepared to die in a state of Islam, because we are living in that state. What does it benefit us to know all of the signs of Doomsday, or even to know exactly when it will occur if we are not living a life that would allow us to succeed when our record is laid bare before us?

3) The Prophet (peace upon him) mentioned, “If Doomsday occurs and one of you has a seedling in his hand; let him plant it.” In other words, we are to be courageous; we are to keep working right up to the end; and we are to remain hopeful. As the horror of the day descends we should not allow the seedling to fall from our hands as we shiver in fright. We are to hold on to it and plant it firmly in the ground. Furthermore, we should be hopeful that we will one day eat of its fruits and rest in its shade. If Allah has decreed otherwise that is from His divine wisdom and wise ordainment.

In conclusion, let us remind ourselves that anyone who has ever predicted the immediate coming of Doomsday has always been proven wrong. This is true not only for Muslims, but also for adherents of other religions. One of the most prominent of these predictions, in recent times, was that of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who claimed that the current “system” would end January 1, 1976. Of course, their prediction came to naught as had previous ones. We would all do well to continue undertaking the good deeds that will help us to succeed, whether we live to witness the descent of the hour or not.