We did not will ourselves into
existence nor do we accept death willingly. Life seems almost endless especially
when things are going well. As we rush through our daily business we hardly
notice the irony, that all this must eventually end.
In the name of Allah The Beneficent,The
Merciful
INTRODUCTION TO COSMOLOGY To understand how the fiuture
of the universe is linked to the day of judgment we will need to know some
cosmology. We will in the next few pages learn, how the universe began,
what it is like now and what are the future possibilities in store for
us.
THE LIGHT YEARS The vastness of the universe
requires, that the distances be measured in "Light years." Light year is
the distance, traveled by light, in a year, at the speed of three hundred
thousand kilometers per second. The distance from the earth to the sun
is eight minutes at the speed of light. Compared to this the nearest star
from earth other than our sun is four light years away. Our galaxy, "The
Milky Way," is one hundred and fifty thousand light years across. This
means that traveling at the speed of light, it will take one hundred and
fifty thousand years to go from one side of it to the other. Average separation
of the galaxies is about ten million light years. Many hundred billion
such galaxies are part of the truly gigantic universe.
The creation of the heavens and
the earth is definitely greater thing than the creation of mankind, but
most of mankind knows not.
THE RECEDING GALAXIES When the light that is coming from galaxies other than our "Milky Way," is analyzed, using an instrument called the spectroscope, we find that they are moving away from us at tremendous speeds. The more distant a galaxy is the greater is its speed of recession. This motion of the galaxies is due to the expansion of the universe. The universe began in a tremendous explosion called "The big bang" and is expanding since then. The universe is not just a sphere of galaxies rushing away from each other into unending emptiness of space. It is like a balloon with many dots on it, each representing a galaxy. The surface of this balloon, that is two dimensional, represents all the three dimensions of our space, and is expanding into a higher dimension, that is beyond our imagination. THE FUTURE OF THE UNIVERSE It is not known if the universe
would expand for ever, or one day it uould start contracting. In either
case the future of all the inhabitants of the universe would be rather
bleak. If the expansion continues then aRer billions of years all the energy
of the sun and the stars will be exhausted and every thing will die a cold
death. After a while only expanding emptiness will remain. Alternatively
if there is enough mass then the gravity will one day stop the expansion
and the contraction will begin. A contracting universe will eventually
end in a very hot and compressed state called "The Big Crunch." This will
destroy all the life forrns as we know.
THE PHYSICS OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT For some, science has taken the
place of the miracles in the twentieth centurys and religion is nothing
more than an interesting cultural pastime. The commonly overlooked fact
is, that it is God who has made the laws of the universe upon which science
and technology is based.
We shall show them our signs
on the horizons and within themselves until it will become apparent to
them that it is the Truth. Is your lord not sufficient since He is witness
over all things?
RESURRECTION: IS LIKE. REVIVAL
OF BARREN LAND
And Allah it is Who sends the
winds and they raise a cloud; Then We lead it to a dead land and revive
the earth after its death. Such is the Resurrection.
Raising of clouds and growth of plants following rain are not miracles but are due to various laws of physics and biochemistry. The Quranic verses suggest that revival aRer death is also based on some physical laws, that we are not aware of as yet. We believe that Allah is the creator of all the laws of the universe. THE BIG BANG The universe came into existence
billions of years ago in a tremendous explosion called"The big bang."
This is mentioned in the Quran in the follosing verses:
have not "those who disbelieve
" known that heavens and earth were of one piece and We parted them and
We made every living thing of water. Will they not then believe?
The discovery of "The Big Bang" and of "The aquatic origin of life" was made by the non Muslims, ("those who disbelieve"). In the beginning all the matter and space (heavens) were at one point (one piece). Then every thing was separated in what the physicists describe as "The big bang." The evidence for "The big bang" is so overwhelming that it is now considered a fact and not a theory. THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE The Universe has been expanding since its creation. This great discovery was made by Hubble, an astronomer, in the early part of this century. It was also predicted by the Einstein's theory of "General Relativity." The expansion of the universe is clearly mentioned in the following Quranic verses: The heavens we have built with
power and We are expanding it.
THE CONTRACTION OF THE UNIVERSE AND REVERSAL OF TIME Time is one of the most elusive mysteries of the universe. No one knows what time really is. Albert Einstein said that time is the thing that we measure with the clock. Time passes slowly at high speeds and stops- altogether at the speed of light. Time has a direction, it always moves towards the filture. We see rain falling from the sky, objects breaking up, people getting older, and people dying. We never see a glass getting unbroken or any one coming back from the dead. Physicists like Michael BerTy, Thomas Gold, and Steven Hawking have proposed that-time may reverse then the universe starts contracting. Verses in the Quran suggest that one day the universe will start contracting and then the day of judgment will begin. The day when We shall roll up
the heavens as a recorder rolls up a written scroll. As We began the first
creation, We shall repeat it.
In the above verses the contraction of the universe is compared to the closing of a scroll. That is when time may reverse. Reversal of time will cause man to rise back from his grave and again become alive. Every event will happen again as every thing, is recorded in time. This book pronounces agains you
with truth. We have caused (all) you did to be recorded. (in time).
And there is nothing hidden in
the heavens or the earth but it is a clear record ( in time)
As the history of earth runs backwards, nations will retum one after another. All the good and evil deeds of the individual as well as the nations will become completely apparent as the time runs backwards. (time reversal)
Playing back of time will make people see what they had done before. They will have no control over their hands, feet, mouths, and eyes. All the wrong and right things that were done before will be repeated by them again. In this sense the hands, feet, etc., will become witness against them in front of all the angels and Allah. They will not be able to deny any of their wrong doings. (time reversal)
We warn you of doom at hand.
A day when a man will look on that his own hand has sent before, and desbelievers
will cry "Would that we were dust "
(Prophets will be returned into
their time as time runs backwards) And the messengers are brought into
their time appointed.
NO FREE WlLL IN THE CONTRACTING UNIVERSE Man is given free will to choose between right and wrong in the expanding universe. That is when all his deeds are recorded in time. In the contracting universe there will be no free will, and no one will have power to harrn or do good to others. A day when no soul has power
at all over any other soul. The absolute command on that day is Allah 's
REVERSAL OF GRAVITY Gravity is due to minute differences in time at different heights. Time passes at slightly faster rate at the top of a mountain as compared to sea level. This difference in time although imperceptible to us, can be measured with the aid of atomic clocks. If time reverses in the contracting phase of the universe then this time difference will also reverse. This will cause the gravity to reverse producing an earth quake of a magnitude never seen before. :
When the trumpet is blown one
blast. And the earth with the mountains shall be lifted and crushed with
one crash.
(Breaking up of mountains, throwing
out of molten lava) When the sky will be like molten copper and hills will
be like flakes of wool.
Despite reversal of gravity, mass of the earth will not disperse completely, as reversal of time will constantly direct all the matter to return to its previous position. EARTH: "EMPTY FROM INSIDE" The reversal of gravity will cause the earth to throw out all of its insides to become a gigantic empty ball. And when earth is spread out.
THE CENTER SKY IN THE HOLLOW EARTH. As reversal of gravity changx the eath into a hollow structure, sky or heaven will also ch~ so that it will be in the center of the hollow earth. On the day when the earth will
be changed to other than this earth, and the heavens also. And they will
come forth unto Allah, The One The Almighty.
The following verses describe the day of judgment in a comprehensive manner. The day of judgment will start with the final earthquake as the gravity reverses. The reversal of gravity will cause the earth to throw out all that was inside it to become completely empty. The people will come back alive one after another, (in scattered groups) inside this hollow earth that will have sky towards its center. The history of nations will be played back as time passes backwards. Nations as well as people will then see what they had done before, and they will be judged accordingly. 1. When earth is shaken with
her final earthquake.
To an inquiring mind it may occur now that reversal of time will lead to resutrection from the grave and then we should get younger, go through our childhood and regress into nothingness in our mothers wombs. This is what the time reversal theories would have us believe; again a purposeless exercise. Well not quite so. The great earthquake is not to scare us, it is part of the phenomenon that will make the higher dimensions, the beyond, accessible. That is where, is hell and the gardens of Eden. In the next few pages we will see how precisely God has designed the universe. Not only life is recreated, arrangements have been made for it to escape the collapsing universe, into the worlds that exist in the higher dimensions. THE HIGHER DIMENSIONS Mathematically there are infinite number of dimensions. However we live in only a three dimensional space. Every object in our daily lives, has a length, width, and height. The concept of dimensions more than our three is impossible to imagine. Near the sun the gravity is more intense and an extra curvature in the space in a higher dimension is present. This was first taken into account by Einstein to accurately calculate the orbit of the inner planet, Mercury. There was a time when people believed that the earth is flat. They were afraid of the possibility of falling off the earth if they traveled too far. This cannot happen because the surface of the earth is curved and continuous like that of a ball. To get off the earth we just need to move in a dimension (direction) that is perpendicular to the surface. That is straight up, from any where we are. We face a similar conceptual problem in understanding the higher dimensions. We may imagine that we can leave the universe only by traveling very far, and that is not true. Even if we travel billions of miles, we will still remain within the confines of our three dimensional space. And we know that we cannot escape
from Allah in the earth, nor can we escape by flight.
The only way to go beyond the universe is by moving into a higher dimension in a direction that is perpendicular to our three dimensional space, from right where we are. However that is also not possible as our space is not continuous with the higher dimensions. For that to occur, our space will have to be literally torn apart first and then get connected to the higher dimensions. This may happen only in the center of the black holes. And heaven is opened and becomes
as gates .
THE BLACK HOLES The opening of gates in the sky is a concept similar to that of black holes. Such openings can be the gate ways to beyond the universe through the higher dimensions. Massive stars that collapse inward under their own weight can form the black holes. Gravity in such objects is so strong that even light cannot escape and they become completely invisible. Hence the name black holes. Physicists believe that space time may be ripped apart in the black holes, producing gateways to beyond this universe. SQwever th~ mas of the black holes also obstructs the opening it is supposed to produce. In the contracting universe this problem will not exist. The reversal of gravity in the contracting phase will change all the heavenly bodies into massive hollow structures leaving ernpty skies towards the center, where even the reversed gravity of relatively lighter objects like earth, will have a run away effect. Thus the fabric of space time will be torn apart, forming portals or gateways to the higher dimensions in the center sky of the hollow earth. And the heavens will split asunder
For that day it will be frail. .
And think of the day when We
remove the hills and you see the earth emerging and we gather them together
So as to leave not one of them behind.
The collapsing universe will be ultimately destroyed in a fireball which physicists call the "Big Crunch." Every one will be gathered. Any one remaining behind will regress to nothingness, because the time will be running backwards. The gathering and removal of humans to "The beyond " would probably be accomplished by the angels of "the grand descent." In our final journey through the gates that will open in the center sky we would go across many planes or dimensions. The word "ride" is used in the Quran as if this journey will be accomplished by riding on "something." That you shall "ride" on from
plane to plane. .
WHEN WILL THE DAY OF JUDGMENT ARRIVE? Men ask you of the Hour. Say
the knowledge of it is with Allah only. What can convey to you it may be
that the Hour is Near.
They bid you to hasten on the
doom And if a term had not been appointed, the doom would have deSnitely
come on them. And it will come upon them suddenly when they perceive not.
Superficially it seems that if we knew the rate at which the expansion of the universe is slowing down then we should be able to predict when the day of judgment will begin. However if time is related to the expansion of space, then we cannot observe the slowing of the expansion. This would be like trying to measure the speed of a car with a clock that is connected to its wheels. As the car slows down the clock will also slow down and speed would always appear the same. The threatened hour is near.
None beside Allah can disclose it. Are you surprised then at this statement?
Even the most advanced civilization in the universe would always Observe that the universe is expanding at the same rate as it started with. This of course means that the day of judgment cannot be predicted by any one and may come at any time. Only God or the angels who are independent of our time will perceive the slowing of time in the universe as the day of judgment approaches. The concept of slowing of time and higher planes is implied in the following verses. 1. A questioner questioned concerning
the doom to fall.
The ascending stairways imply many levels, planes or dimensions, and Allah is the Creator of all the dimensions. As the day of judgment approaches, an observation made from outside our universe will suggest, that our time has slowed down as compared to some standard time that exists beyond our universe. The above verses do not say that human beings will make this observation. The observation that one day on earth has become like fifty thousand years appears to be made by Allah as the angels come back to him. WAITING IN THE GRAVE FOR THE DAY OF JUDGMENT TO ARRIVE? In the Quran the soul is compared to consciousness and death is compared to sleep. Once death overcomes us there is no perception of passage of time and next thing we would see will be the Day of Judgment. . And agony of death comes in
truth.
. And on The Day when the Hour
arrives the guilty will swear that they remained (dead) butfor an hour,
thus they were ever deceived. But to those to whom knowledge andfaith are
given will say: "The truth is that you have remained (dead) until the Day
of Resurrection By Allah 's decree. This is the Day of Resurrection, Butyou
used not to know.
On that Day, when the real truth will become apparent to every one, those who disbelieved will be regretful and full of remorse. They would wish that they had never existed; but then, there would be no room for a second chance on the Day of judgment. And to Allah belongs the Sovereignty
of heavens and the earth On the Day when the Hour rises, Those who follow
falsehood will be lost.
SUMMARY With the tremendous scientific advancements of the twentieth century, we have placed our trust in science and technology to solve all our problems. Daaled by the ability of technology to give quick results, our faith in Allah has become weak. Our actions are for worldly goals although a stronger belief in God and accountability in afterlife would have made better people out of us. We can see the results of this in the moral decay that is afflicting many societies all over the world. Allah has sent guidance to human beings according to the conditions existing at that moment in-history. When Pharaohs ruled, magic was a very popular past time. Then Moses (Peace be on him:Pbuh) came with miracles from Allah and defeated the magicians of the Pharaohs court. The people at the time of Jesus (Pbuh) were deep into miracle mongering, and we can see that life of Jesus (Pbuh) is full of miracles. When Mohammad (Pbuh) came, Arabic language and poetry was at the height of its development. Quran with its clear message was revealed in the most eloquent poetry with a unique unmatched style. Quran is a miracle and guidance for all times, therefore it is only appropriate to believe, that it may be the source of the most exciting discovery of the age of science. Science with help from Quran may discover, what religion has maintained all along, that rising from the grave is going to happen. There are many theories about the future of the universe. Despite a great deal of knowledge scientists are unable to decide which one of these is really correct. The belief that the universe has a purpose and the knowledge given in the Quran, may be the best guide in search for the truth. Hopefully Muslims will play a major role in any such future discoveries. Many verses in the Quran describe the day of judgment. We live in a universe that is expanding since its creation billions of years ago. Both the birth of the universe in the "Big Bang" and its expansion are described in the Quran. Scientists do not know if the expansion of the universe will continue for ever or one day it will start contwacting. Qur!anic verses suggest that the universe will not expand for ever and that the day of judgment will begin with the contraction of the universe. Similar to some theories of cosmology it appears that time and gravity will reverse with the contraction of the universe. Reversal of time will bring about the resurrection from the graves. In this time reversed world we will see again all the good and evil that we did in our life. Reversal of gravity will change the structure of the earth so that it will be turned inside out and will transform into a giant hollow ball. This event is clearly described in the Quran in many verses. Reversal of gravity will be the cause of the final earthquake, mentioned in the Quran. The reversed gravity focused towards the earth's hollow center will have a runaway affect on space. The space in the center of the hollow earth will be literally torn apart to produce openings or gates to the higher dimensions that are beyond our universe. Through these openings we will be able to escape the collapsing universe. Every one will be taken away to escape the unrelenting effect of time reversal that could take us back to nothingness in our mothers wombs. In the higher dimensions we will face the judgment for our deeds and hell or heaven. From the Quran it appears that the timing of the day of judgment will be never known and it may come at any time. However again I would like to add that the real knowledge of the day ofthe day of judgment is with Allah only. I hope this article would serve as a source of warning as well as encouragement for the believers. As for the non believers I hope this would become a starting point for further investigation into the world of Islam. End |
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