5) According to a tradition, the Prophet of Islam said, “There
will be a very great occurrence in future, that is, a huge house
will be burnt. This will surely happen.” Let us look at the wording
of this Hadith. This is not about burning a common house; it is
rather about the burning of a very big structure, the like of which
did not exist in ancient times. This prediction is perhaps about
the event which took place on September 11
th
2001, in New York,
USA, where the famous World Trade Centre, built in 1970-72,
once stood. With its 110 stories, it was Himalayan in stature. It
was just not possible to demolish it or burn it by ordinary
methods. On September 11
th
2001, two airplanes were hijacked
and then crashed at great speed into the World Trade Centre.
As a result, there was a big explosion, and the entire building
was reduced to ashes. Many factors were required for such a
happening to take place. For the first time in human history
these factors had become available to man. In such a situation,
the fulfillment of this unique prediction in the 21
st
century is a
certain sign that the hour of Doomsday has come very close.
6) According to another tradition, the Prophet of Islam said,
‘Qiyamat will take place only when there is no one left to
remember God.’ This hadith does not mean that the people will
stop taking God’s name. Rather what is meant here is the
remembrance of God, at the level of realization, as we find from
the Quran. (5:83) According to the Quran, “those who believe
love God most” (2:165), and “stand in awe of none but God.”
(9:18), “True believers are those whose hearts tremble with awe
at the mention of God.” (8:2) But when such people are not to
be found on earth as acknowledge God’s greatness in the real
sense of the word, then we may take it that Doomsday has come
very close.
Man’s existence and everything that has been given to him
are all gifts from God. Hence, not acknowledging God for all
His blessings is no simple matter. Such a state of affairs means
that people are partaking of God’s blessings to the fullest
possible extent, but they do not acknowledge their Benefactor.
When such a state of affairs prevails on earth, it means that
man has totally lost any justification for his being given any
60
The alarm of Doomsday
