"NO, MOTHER, NO! DON'T LEAVE US!" As I heard that mournful cry and looked out through my window towards the clinic across the way, I immediately understood what had happened. A patient had died. Despite the best efforts of the medical staff, death had come in like a thief and snatched a living soul away. Now the family was left behind to suffer the pain of losing a loved one.
This is a sad but true fact of life repeated daily. Whether we are rich or poor, healthy or sick, godly or sinner, one day we must pass through death's gate. This is very sad news. But even in the midst of such terrible tragedy, there is good news!
The good news is this -- one day, DEATH itself will DIE. That's right. Death will be utterly defeated and show its face no more. The time is coming when we will no longer lose loved ones to this dreaded enemy. The fear of death and of the pains of the grave will be gone because death itself will be gone, never to come again. Is that not wonderful news? Allah has revealed this truth in the writings of his holy prophets. He has appointed a day in which death will be destroyed, a day commonly known as qiyamat. That is the subject of this book.
The word "qiyamat" is an Arabic word meaning "rising (from the dead)". So when we say "qiyamat", we are actually saying "resurrection". Qiyamat is the day of resurrection. The dead will rise in that day, but more than that, in qiyamat, death itself will be thrown down never to rise again. It is written in one of the heavenly books,
The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (Injil, 1 Corinthians 15:26)
Not only that, but all the bad things that are associated with death like physical pain and sorrow, will also be finished forever. Allah's holy word says,
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Injil, Revelation 21:4)
Perhaps you have already learned about some of the events of qiyamat in the past. This book however, is different. Heavenly scriptures such as Tawrat, Zabur, and Injil, contain many details concerning qiyamat that you will want to know. Not only that, but from the reading of these portions of holy Scripture you will find encouragement as you face the future.
As you read this book you will notice that Hazrat Isa (Spirit of Allah), or Jesus Christ, is mentioned time and time again. As you perhaps already know, Hazrat Isa is sometimes called "the sign of qiyamat". His visible return to earth is the sign that the end is near. Many amazing events will happen during that time, some good, some very bad. But last of all, all creation will joyfully shout, as the proclamation goes forth that "death is no more".
In this book, the term "qiyamat" is used to refer to the entire period of time at the end of this age which includes not only the actual day of resurrection, but also the following events:
Is it possible that qiyamat will come soon? When will it be? How will it all happen? How will we know if the day has arrived? Is there some special thing we can do to prepare ourselves for that day? What happens to us after death? What can we do so that in death we can be sure to find rest instead of misery? We will try to answer some of these questions by means of Allah's holy word.
It is the prayer of this writer that in reading this book the reader may discover how to be ready for that day without fear of death. Instead, may you discover how to face the future with peace, joy, and confidence.
Hazrat Isa said to his followers, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (Injil, John 14:27)
And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the
garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you
eat of it you will surely die.
(Tawrat, Genesis 2:16,17)
In the beginning when Allah created heaven and earth, he made it a very beautiful place. All kinds of birds and animals lived together in harmony, enjoying the colorful flowers, delicious fruit and lush vegetation. But the most beautiful thing about His creation was that there was no death. Allah's original intention was that mankind would never die but live forever in Paradise (Ferdous). Hazrat Adam (a:) and Bibi Hawa (a:) were created innocent of sin. Allah had planned for them and their descendants to enjoy the pleasures of the garden forever. But one day Iblis, or Satan, came as a serpent to tempt Bibi Hawa (a:) to eat the fruit from "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil", the one which Allah had commanded them not to eat from. There were many other good fruit trees in the garden but Iblis wanted Adam and Hawa to eat from that tree. Why? Because in doing so, they would obey Iblis and disregard the command of Allah.
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Tawrat, Genesis 3:1-6)
By eating the fruit, our first parents sinned. This was the first time any human being ever sinned. Hazrat Adam (a:) and Bibi Hawa (a:) disobeyed a direct command of Allah, and so there was a penalty -- death. Those who had been created to live forever, would now be subject to death.
The consequence of their sin however, was much greater than just their own deaths. All of creation was affected by that one sin. Look at what Allah said to Adam (a:) and Hawa (a:) after they sinned:
Today, we have all of these troubles in daily life. These are the result of the sin of Hazrat Adam (a:) and Bibi Hawa (a:). But there is one more terrible thing that happened due to their sin:
This is the most serious result of Hazrat Adam (a:)'s sin. Death has come to all of his
descendants. Not only that, but we all deserve death because we all sin just as he did. As
the holy Injil says, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Allah" and
"The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 3:23, 6:23). Notice, that death is not the
creation of Allah. Allah never intended it to be a part of his creation. Rather, death is
the judgment of Allah on sin. Every time we are confronted with death, we should be
reminded of what bad people we are.
However, it is not only physical death of which we speak. Even more serious than physical
death is spiritual death. Because of Adam's sin, all men are spiritually dead, even while
they are physically alive! But what is meant by this?
Spiritual death means the following things:
"Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies." (Zabur, 58:3).
Lest we think that he wrote only of certain people, in another place he gave this testimony about himself,
"Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." (Zabur, 51:5).
If this is the condition of the prophet, then what is the condition of our own heart? The Injil, along with all the heavenly books, teaches that all men are rebellious toward Allah,
As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." (Injil, Romans 3:10-12)
But there is another meaning to the spiritual death that Adam's sin caused,
But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2)
How can we ever hope to have a place in heaven as long as this is our condition? Spiritual death has another meaning,
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where "their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched." (Injil, Mark 9:47,48)
Mankind, being spiritually dead and separated from Allah, is destined for the torments of hell.
Remember, we were talking about how the sin of Hazrat Adam (a:) brought death into this world. Physical death, spiritual death. If death is like this, then is there any hope for us? Yes, there is a great hope. In his matchless wisdom, Allah formed a plan by which he would forgive sins, cause man's desire to sin to disappear, and give men victory over death! The ultimate fulfillment of that plan will take place in the day of resurrection -- qiyamat. But there is more you must know, so continue reading.
Many of the prophets since the time of Hazrat Adam (a:) have spoken of the day when death will die. Hazrat Ayub (a:) was certain of his own resurrection from death in the last days:
I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes -- I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27)
In Al-Zabur, Hazrat Dawud (a:) expressed his joy about the day of resurrection in this way:
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Zabur 16:9-11)
Hazrat Daniel (a:) was given this message from Allah:
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake... You will rest, and then
at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.
(Daniel 12:2,13)
In the holy Injil we have a sure word in this matter:
There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of
things has passed away.
(Injil, Revelation 21:4)
What a wonderful prospect! The end of all pain, sorrow, and death. O that it was so even now! All of these words of the prophets speak of a time of great joy and happiness when death will be no more. They speak of qiyamat, the day when death will die.
Qiyamat has not yet come, and every day people die and are buried. What happens to these people as they wait in their graves for the day of resurrection? As far as the body is concerned, it remains unconscious in the grave and goes through the natural process of decay. Allah spoke of this to Hazrat Adam (a:) after the sentence of death came upon Adam for his sin,
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. (Tawrat, Genesis 3:19)
But everyone who has seen a dead body knows that there is more to life than the body. Something is missing from the dead body, something we call the soul. The body remains, but the soul is gone. Where has it gone to? According to the holy scriptures, different people go to different places depending on whether they are righteous or wicked.
Hazrat Isa once told a story about two men who died that helps us understand more about life after death,
"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with soresand longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' "He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' "'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'" (Injil, Luke 16:19-31)
There are several things we can learn from this story:
Those who do not listen to Allah's prophets such as Hazrat Musa (a:) and Hazrat Isa will end up in a place of torment like the rich man. But what of those who do listen? What will their condition be after death?
We have already seen from the story of the rich man and Lazarus, that Lazarus received comfort after death, the same comfort enjoyed by Hazrat Ibrahim (a:). There are other verses of Allah's Word that tell us much more:
For to me, to live is Christ [Isa] and to die is gain. I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far... (Injil, Phil. 1:21,23)
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be
present with the Lord.
(Injil, 2 Cor. 5:8)
These verses are written only about followers of Hazrat Isa Masih, not about everyone in general. Those who are his own disciples are given a very special arrangement after death. The prophet who healed the sick and raised the dead will give great comfort to his followers in their death:
The third statement is quite amazing. Most people do not have confidence about where they will go in the future life, and even think that it would be wrong to have such confidence. After all, almighty Allah decides our fate. Even though that is so, the followers of Isa are confident that they will go to heaven after death. This is not because they think they are better than other men, but because Hazrat Isa gave a special promise to them from Allah. Listen to what he says,
I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved. (Injil, John 10:9)
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find
rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
(Injil, Matt. 11:28-30)
...whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (Injil, John 6:37)
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (Injil, John 14:3)
Where is Hazrat Isa? In heaven, of course. Where will his followers be? In heaven also. What mercy and compassion Isa shows toward his people. Because he is a prophet, his word must be believed. If we choose to accept his word, we will receive rest and confidence about the future.
Friend, the question remains for you, "Where will you go after you die?" Will you enjoy the joy and peace of heaven because you are a follower of Hazrat Isa Masih? Or will you go to the place of torment as you wait for the day of judgment? Hazrat Isa is a special holy prophet, and as such as he has made a special arrangement for his followers. Believe and obey his words so that you may also find that peace he gives, and a place in heaven with him when you die.
One day, Hazrat Isa's disciples came to him and asked him, "what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" In response, Hazrat Isa gave them a very clear list of signs by which they would be able to understand whether qiyamat is near or not. This list is found in the Injil in Matthew 24:4-14, which is reproduced here for your convenience:
Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am Christ' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached to the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Injil, Matthew 24:4-14)
As we ponder these words of the holy prophet, several signs of the end are obvious:
the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." Everyday in the newspaper and on the television news, there are reports of "wars and rumors of wars". This situation was not always true. In the last century, it used to take weeks, even months for international news like this to arrive. In many cases, people never got to hear of events occurring in distant lands. Nowadays however, we hear of such events the same day they are happening, and sometimes even at the moment they are happening.
These nine signs of the end were spoken nearly two thousand years ago by a trustworthy prophet of Allah. In these days, every one of these signs is coming to fulfillment. Is qiyamat near? Yes, it seems to be so. But perhaps an even more important question is this, "Are you ready for qiyamat?" If the world was to end today, would you be ready to stand before Allah? You see, there is a connection between the spreading of Isa Masih's good news and the end times. Hazrat Isa Masih said that first, the preaching of the holy Injil would happen in all the world, and second, the end would come. Have you heard and believed the good news? If you have, you are ready for the end. If you have not, then continue to read, and as you read, pray that Allah will guide you into all truth so that you may understand how to become ready for qiyamat.
Death will certainly meet its end in the day of qiyamat, but before that finally happens, death will seem to stand strong for one last time. Just before Hazrat Isa Masih returns to earth out of the skies, there will be a seven-year period worse than any other time in the history of mankind. During that time, death will seem to reign supreme on this earth, so that it can be called the "seven-year kingdom of death". In the holy Injil it is written,
For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. (Injil, Matthew 24:21,22)
Hazrat Isa said that if this future time of great trouble would be allowed to continue, not even one person would escape the clutches of death; all would perish! For this reason, Allah will limit it to seven years duration (see Daniel 7:25; 9:27; 12:7; Injil, Revelation 11:2,3; 12:6,14; 13:5).
But why will Allah allow this terrible time to happen on earth? The holy Scriptures reveal two main purposes for this unprecedented time of distress -- judgment and mercy. It is not difficult to understand that the time of great trouble will be a judgment from Allah on a sinful world. The holy Injil says, "Fear God, and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come." (Revelation 14:7).
But how can such terrible events be described as mercy from Allah? Even in the midst of these judgments, people will have opportunity to repent of their sins and turn to Allah. One particular instance shows how that great catastrophe in that future time of trouble will encourage people to turn to Allah,
At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed.
Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and
gave glory to the God of heaven.
Injil, Revelation 11:13
This is a severe mercy, but mercy nonetheless if it results in tawbah (repentance).
The holy scriptures often mention the seven year period as two periods of three- and-one-half years. If you look at the references given, sometimes they say "3 1/2 years", sometimes "42 months", and sometimes "1,260 days". These all mean the same length of time, that is, 3 1/2 years according to a lunar calendar.
The great event marking the end of the Great Trouble will be the return of Hazrat Isa Masih to earth. But the time of Great Trouble itself will be marked by death and destruction on this earth. The Injil speaks of three series of terrible calamities associated with the Great Trouble. These three series are known as the Seven Seals, the Seven Trumpets, and the Seven Bowls. The last section of the Injil, known as Revelation, speaks in great detail concerning these things (see Revelation 6-16).
The Seven Seals - (Injil, Revelation 6:1-17; 8:1)
Beginning in Revelation chapter 6 of the Injil, Hazrat Isa Masih called by the title of "the Lamb" (cf. Injil, John 1:36), opens a seven-sealed book. As he opens each successive seal, something important happens relating to Allah's anger in the end times. As Hazrat Isa opens the fourth seal look at what happens:
I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and the Grave was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. Injil, Revelation 6:8
The judgment of the seven seals is the least severe of the three series of seven judgments. Even still, it is so terrible that one quarter of the world's population does not survive. The other seals result in calamaties such as international aggression and conquest, war, famine and rationing, religious persecution and martyrdom, and physical disturbances on earth and in the sky. Look at the sixth seal:
I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned
black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in
the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The
sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its
place.
Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every
slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to
the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on
the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and
who can stand?"
Injil, Revelation 6:12-17
A terrifying scene is painted for us of heaven and earth being shaken as a sign that the day of Allah's anger has arrived. Hundreds of years before the holy Injil was revealed, Allah spoke similar words through the prophet Hazrat Joel (a:):
I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of
smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the
great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved...
Joel 2:30-32
It can be seen that the seven seals is only the beginning of Allah's judgment in the seven years of great trouble. What follows may be much worse. But notice that even in judgment Allah shows mercy and calls us to repentance. He says, "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved". Allah wants to save all men from their sins. Not only that, but he promises to save anyone who calls on him as this verse states. This means that it is possible to be sure of having all your sins forgiven. This is not presumption or blasphemy. It is simply believing Allah's promise.
The opening of the seventh seal issues ultimately in the blowing of seven trumpets. As each trumpet is blown by a holy angel, a new judgment falls upon the earth. Some of the events that occur at that time include the following:
Although all the judgments are severe, the blowing of the sixth trumpet is especially bad:
The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns of
the golden altar that is before God. It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet,
"Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." And the
four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were
released to kill a third of mankind. The number of the mounted troops was two hundred
million. I heard their number.
Injil, Part 27, Revelation 9:13-16
Just as in the judgment of the seven seals, much destruction and death will take place. In the sixth trumpet judgment, 1/3 of all people will die! If you add up the number of deaths from the fourth seal and the sixth trumpet you find that half of all people on earth have died! The fourth seal takes one quarter. The sixth trumpet takes one third of the three quarters which remain. That leaves only two quarters or one half. If the world population at the time will be eight billion, then four billion will meet death as a result of those two judgments alone! Although this particular judgment is the result of the release of four evil angels, the actual killing will be accomplished by a huge army of 200 million human soldiers! People who live during the "seven-year kingdom of death" will be no strangers to war.
With the series of judgments called the seven bowls, Allah's anger against the people of the earth will be finished. The seven bowls are much more severe than the judgments of the seals or the trumpets. Some of the curses resulting from the seven bowls are:
The second and third bowls affect all water on the earth, whether fresh or salt:
The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Injil, Revelation 16:3-4
Obviously, if no good drinking water is available, many people will become ill or perish. But this is only preparatory to greater trouble coming later. Look at the sixth bowl:
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs... They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of Almighty God. Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. Injil, Part 27, Revelation 16:12-14,16
This refers to a terrible battle in the Middle East before Hazrat Isa will return from heaven. Armies will gather from all over the world to fight. World War I and II will seem small in comparison to this war. The Scriptures tell us that there will be so much human blood spilled that it will be several feet deep and extend to a distance of almost 200 miles (see Injil, Revelation 14:20)!
We can only thank Allah that the words of Hazrat Isa Masih are true that "those days will be shortened". Even in the midst of Allah's judgment of sin, he shows mercy by not destroying mankind completely. When we consider how hard Allah's judgment on sin will be, we should also consider how terrible our sins are and how corrupt our hearts are. Then we should cry out to Allah to guide us into the path by which we may be made clean and holy in his sight. We have already learned that Allah wants to save us from our sins, but we must truly want to be saved from our sins as well. Like Hazrat Dawud (a:) before us, we can pray:
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Zabur 51:1-7
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. Injil, 1 John 2:18
Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many." Injil, Matthew 24:4,5
In a previous chapter it was already seen that there are many imposters in the world claiming to be Allah's chosen messenger. This is what is meant by the word "dajjal" or "antichrist". It literally means "liar" or "imposter". All who claim to be the one who will lead mankind into a new world are just a foretaste of a great imposter who will yet come, called "Al-Masihu'd-Dajjal" (the lying or false Masih), or "Ad-Dajjal", or simply "Dajjal" (liar). When he shall come, he will lead the entire world into believing a lie. People will believe that Dajjal is the greatest leader the world has ever known, sent by Allah to lead men to peace and prosperity. In actual fact however, he will be sent by Satan to lead the whole world to war and misery, and finally to the fire of hell.
The very first judgment associated with the seven-year time of great trouble, is one which pictures a rider on a white horse:
...Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. Injil, Revelation 6:1-2
"As a conqueror bent on conquest". This phrase well describes Dajjal as he begins his rise to world domination. At the beginning of this present age's final seven years, Dajjal will go forth to conquer other nations in his quest for absolute power. Within 3 1/2 years the imposter can be said to be "world dictator". If there is any question that anyone could rise so quickly from insignificance to supremacy, consider Alexander the Great. He was one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known. At the age of 20, Alexander became king of the small kingdom of Macedonia. Within ten years, he conquered most of the civilized world of his day. In these days of modern travel and weapons of mass destruction it is quite possible that Satan's Dajjal could rise to power much more quickly.
At the height of his power, Dajjal will reveal his true character, that of a great liar:
He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is
worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. The
coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all
kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives
those that are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be
saved.
Injil, 2 Thessalonians 2:4,9,10
Dajjal will claim to be Allah himself and will deceive many. He will stand against every religion which does not recognize him as Lord. With the power of Satan helping him, he will be successful in causing most of the inhabitants of the earth to follow him. He will ruthlessly persecute or kill those who refuse to follow him. Just like a
"wild beast", he will recognize no authority but his own, as the following passage concerning him says:
The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. Injil, Revelation 13:5-7
As has already been mentioned, Dajjal can be called Al-Masihu'd-Dajjal, that is, the lying or false Masih (Antichrist). The heavenly books make a contrast between Dajjal and Hazrat Isa, the true Masih of Allah. In chapter three, "Is Qiyamat Near?", it was mentioned that "Masih" is the special title of Hazrat Isa only. It signifies that he is the one whom Allah sent to accomplish salvation so that men could be forgiven their sins. When Dajjal comes, people will hope that he is Masih. The world will look to him to save them from all their troubles and bring peace and prosperity. But the following chart shows some of the differences between Dajjal and Hazrat Isa:
| Dajjal | Hazrat Isa |
|---|---|
| false Masih (Antichrist) | true Masih (Christ) |
| speaks lies | speaks truth |
| sent by Satan | sent by Allah |
| works by Satan's power | works by Allah's power |
| does counterfeit miracles | does genuine miracles |
| hurts many people | helps many people |
| kills many people | raises people from death |
| brings war and destruction | brings peace and prosperity |
Whom would you rather follow? The very existence of a lying Masih in the future day of qiyamat teaches us what importance we should give to the true Masih. Satan is so concerned about Hazrat Isa Masih and what he will do in qiyamat, that he will send a false Masih first to try to fool people. And as we have seen, he will succeed in causing many people to follow Dajjal, but this success will be shortlived. At the end of the seven-year time of great trouble, Hazrat Isa will himself come from heaven and destroy Dajjal, and his followers:
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel [Injil] of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power. Injil, 2 Thessalonians 2:8; 1:8,9
It is only fitting that the one to stop Dajjal, the lying Masih, from bringing further death and destruction, should be none other than the true Masih, Hazrat Isa. In qiyamat, he will also punish all those who "do not obey the Injil of our Lord Isa", that is, those who are not his true disciples. Hazrat Isa is the "sign of qiyamat" and considered to be notable in the world to come. If qiyamat were to come today, what would happen to you? Would you like Dajjal, be judged by Hazrat Isa as an enemy? Would you be judged with that group of people who make little of his importance in Allah's plan for the world? Do you recognize him as Al-Masih whom Allah has sent to save men from their sins? Listen to the words of comfort that he gives to his true followers:
God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. Injil, 2 Thessalonians 1:6,7
You already know that Hazrat Isa, the "Masih", is coming back to earth. You also know that "Masih" means that he is the one whom Allah chose to be "Saviour". An important question is this--is he your Masih? Is he your Saviour? He is not only the Masih for the Jews or the Christians. He is the Masih for all people. He can be your Masih today, if you accept him as Saviour from all your sins.
After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So he named him Israel. Tawrat, Genesis 35:9,10
The people today known by the name "Israel" are a very ancient people, tracing their lineage back to Hazrat Yakub (a:), or Jacob. As can be seen in the above verse, Allah gave Yakub (a:) the new name, Israel. So when we speak of "the descendants of Israel", we are speaking of the descendants of Hazrat Yakub (a:), one of the ancient prophets. Hazrat Yakub (a:) was the grandson of Hazrat Ibrahim khalilullah, that is, the friend of Allah. Allah blessed Hazrat Yakub (a:) with twelve sons who became a great nation with many notable descendants. The most famous king of all time, Hazrat Sulayman (a:), known for his wealth and wisdom, and the builder of the Baitul Mukaddas in Jerusalem, was a descendant of Israel (a:).
Think of the many prophets who have come from this family. Hazrat Yusuf (a:), Hazrat Musa (a:), Hazrat Harun (a:), Hazrat Samuel (a:), Hazrat Ilyas (a:), Hazrat Al- Yasa (a:), Hazrat Dawud (a:), Hazrat Yunus (a:), Hazrat Zakaria (a:), Hazrat Yahya (a:), are just a few of the many prophets who came from the nation Israel. Allah gave to Israel a special ministry of prophethood. These holy men prophesied to the children of Israel about Al-Masih who would come one day. They said that he would be their king and their Saviour from sins. Allah would also bless the entire world through Al-Masih because he would one day rule a righteous kingdom in which there was peace and long life for all.
But what actually happened when Hazrat Isa, the Masih came? The children of Israel did not recognize him and so rejected him. This did not surprise Allah, for he knows all things. Hundreds of years before the rejection of Hazrat Isa Masih, the prophets said that this would happen:
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Isaiah 53:3
Hazrat Isa Masih also knew that the Jews would reject him and so he said:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'
A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' Injil, Matthew 23:37-39; Luke 23:27-29
Less than 40 years later, these words were fulfilled as the Roman armies surrounded and destroyed Jerusalem. The Jews were scattered throughout the world as a result of this, and remained so for almost 1,900 years. But why? Why did Allah bless them so much and then turn around and curse them? They rejected Allah's Masih, Hazrat Isa, their Saviour, and so rejected Allah's grace and mercy.
Even until the present time, most Jews continue to reject the claims of Hazrat Isa Masih. They think of him as an imposter, a Dajjal.
Arab people call it Palestine. Jews call it Israel. But no matter what you call it, the land which gave birth to Hazrat Isa Masih is a source of tension for many people around the world. And there appears to be no easy solution. Almost daily, you can read in the newspapers about Israelis killing Palestinians, or Palestinians killing Israelis, over that small piece of land. So many people ask, "Whose land is it really?"
As important as that question may be, there is a more important question in relation to the children of Israel. The question is, "What is their relationship to Allah?" The Jews claim to worship Allah correctly, and believe that they are following the truth. But even though the Jews now live in the holy land after 1900 years of exile, that which caused the exile in the first place has not been made right. Most Jews still reject Hazrat Isa Masih, the one whom Allah sent to them.
We know that Hazrat Isa is no ordinary prophet. He is unique in many ways. He is the only virgin-born person there has ever been. He has the distinction of being known as "the healing prophet". He has more followers around the world than any other religion. He is the only one who rightfully bears titles such as "Word of Allah", "Spirit of Allah", "Al-Masih", and "Saviour". Is it any wonder that Allah would show such great displeasure when Israel rejected such a one?
Israel then, is in one way an "enemy" of Allah (see Injil, Romans 11:28), but that is only half the truth. Allah still loves Israel, because of his relationship to Hazrat Ibrahim (khalilullah) and Hazrat Yakub Israel (a:). Even though the people of Israel are presently under the curse of Allah, the day will come in which Israel will once again receive Allah's blessing.
Before Israel can receive Allah's promised blessings, it must endure much more hardship. In the future seven-year time of great trouble, Jews will suffer terribly. It is common knowledge that during the era of Adolph Hitler in Nazi Germany, many many Jews died in concentration camps. However, Hitler may seem like a gentleman compared to the coming Dajjal. Dajjal will hate Jews intensely and even exceed the cruelty shown by Adolph Hitler. As Hazrat Isa said:
...then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now -- and never to be equaled again. Injil, Matthew 24:16-21
As terrible as this will be, Allah will use it in the lives of countless Jews to bring about repentance. In the day of qiyamat, the nation of Israel will have its eyes opened as to how it has rejected Allah's Masih for all these centuries. Israel shall repent and believe in Hazrat Isa Al-Masih. Allah in turn, will forgive them and give them new hearts to fully obey him:
And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. Zechariah 12:10,11; 13:1
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, O house of Israel! Ezekiel 36:26-32
Allah will bring blessing upon Israel in the future. He will bless them with eyes to see their wickedness. He will grant them repentance and faith concerning Hazrat Isa Masih. He will give them a new heart in exchange for their hard heart. He will let them live peacefully in the land promised to Hazrat Ibrahim (a:), and bless them with prosperity. What more could they ask for?
The call goes out to Israel today to "be ashamed and disgraced" for their conduct. But the same call goes out to us all to repent, and believe in Hazrat Isa, the Saviour. Then similar blessings can be ours. Allah will give us a new heart, forgiveness of sins, and a beautiful place of our own in paradise.
But the question still remains, "Whose land is it really?" It is Allah's land!
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed -- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. Injil, 1 Corinthinans 15:51,52
Did you know that there are some people who will never die? "We will not all sleep..." In the Injil, Allah's Word, it says that there is a group of people who will go directly from this mortal life to immortality without going through death. Perhaps these people are even alive today! From the above verse of Scripture it can be seen that these people will be changed in this way during the same time period in which the resurrection occurs, that is, the day of qiyamat.
The day of qiyamat is not just one 24-hour day in length. Qiyamat will actually be many years in length. Such events as the fearful rule of Dajjal, Allah's judgments, the glorious return of Hazrat Isa Masih, and then Hazrat Isa's kingdom of peace, are all part of the day of qiyamat. It is during this amazing time of qiyamat that this remarkable event will occur in which many people will be changed from mortal life to immortal life. They will never die.
Who are these special people? Why is it that they will never die? How can we possibly become worthy to be one of these people who will never die? First, let us note some things about these special people:
Characteristics of the People Who Will Never Die
Note that the people who will never die are people who will be alive when qiyamat arrives. It is possible that qiyamat will come soon, so then it is also possible that these people are now walking on the earth. Not all people who will be alive when qiyamat arrives will be a part of this group however. Only disciples of Hazrat Isa Masih who are alive at the approach of qiyamat will be part of this group of people who will never die. Hazrat Isa, called "Lord" by his followers, will do many amazing things when he comes again. One of them is that he will give life to his dead followers and give immortality to his living followers:
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Injil, 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17
By now, you have understood that being a follower of Hazrat Isa is more than just believing that he is a special prophet of Allah. Those who are his true followers, believe in him not only as prophet but as their intercessor and Saviour from sin. They believe in him and obey him even if it means they must endure trouble. It is because of their genuine faith in him that he will deliver them from having to face death in that day.
It is not to the followers of just any prophet, but only those of Hazrat Isa Masih the Saviour that this promise has been given. He is a special messenger of Allah and because of that has special arrangements for his disciples.
This group of people will escape death. They will also escape harm in qiyamat. As the Injil says:
Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. Injil, Revelation 3:10
Some believe that these people will be protected in the midst of the troubles of qiyamat. This belief states that those special followers of Hazrat Isa will undergo the great troubles of qiyamat like everyone else, but that they will receive miraculous protection from real harm.
Others, including this author, believe that these special believers will be protected from the troubles of qiyamat by actually being taken to heaven until the great troubles on earth are over. Before the onset of the time of great trouble, these believers will disappear from the face of the earth to meet Hazrat Isa their Saviour in the air to be taken to heaven. But no matter which of these two beliefs one holds, it is clear that Allah will protect his people from the judgments of qiyamat.
Hazrat Isa Masih himself said that when he returns he will take his people to a special place:
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going. Injil , John 14:3,4
Hazrat Isa here says not only that he "will come back" but that he will also "take" his people. Do you know the way to the place to which Hazrat Isa went? If you do not, then don't worry. Even one of his close companions did not know the way. Hazrat Thomas, one of his twelve disciples felt that it was not clear and so he asked a question:
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Injil, John 14:5
At that time Hazrat Thomas did not know where Hazrat Isa was going. We know today that Hazrat Isa went to heaven, and so the question is "What is the way to heaven?". Hazrat Isa Masih answered this question for Thomas and for us:
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Injil, John 14:6
Hazrat Isa himself claimed to be the way to heaven. He claimed that no one can go to the "Father" except through him. The "Father" spoken of here is of course, Allah, the creator of us all. One of the meanings of this term "Father" is that there exists a spiritual relationship between Allah and his people. He is their spiritual father and they are his children. In the same way, those who follow the path of evil can be called "children of Satan". Satan is the "father" of the wicked. Allah is the "father" of the godly.
Hazrat Isa said that he himself is the "way" to heaven. Not only that, but he said that no one can go to heaven except through him. This is because he is the one whom Allah chose to be the Saviour of mankind. He will come in the day of qiyamat and save his followers from death's grasp and from the troubles of qiyamat. However, you must be one of his true followers in order for him to come for you in that day. It is not enough to say that you believe him to be Allah's prophet. He is more than a prophet. He is the Saviour.
If you say that you believe in him, remember that your faith is proved by your godly behaviour. This is why there is a very stern warning to us about the importance of persevering in Allah's way:
Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day [qiyamat] will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man [Isa]. Injil, Luke 21:34-36
The warning given here is not for true believers who sometimes fail and sin. The warning is for those who are self-deceived. Those who say they are disciples of Hazrat Isa, but in actuality are not. There is a promise here though for his true followers. They will "escape all that is about to happen". They will escape the trouble that will "come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth."
In the present age, followers of Hazrat Isa Masih receive enough trouble. If you are one of followers, take courage. If people even say unkind words about you, or call you names then be happy! Your endurance now will mean comfort in the future, just as Hazrat Isa has said:
Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. Injil, Revelation 3:10
The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:6-8
Have you ever been to the zoo? Various animals and birds from all over the world are placed in cages or behind fences so that people can come and see. But why are the cages and fences necessary? For the safety of the visitors, AND for the safety of the animals. Imagine if the tigers were allowed to go into the cages where all the beautiful tropical birds live. What would you have? Soon, you would have tigers with full bellies, but no more birds.
Strange as it may seem, there was a time when a tiger could live side by side with a beautiful bird without trying to devour it. When Allah created the world, animals did not devour each other. All animals, even tigers and other now meat-eating beasts, ate vegetation only:
And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground--everything that has the breath of life in it--I give every green plant for food. Tawrat, Genesis 1:30
Here Allah is saying that at first, even tigers were to eat vegetables and no meat. It appears that in the beginning there was no death anywhere on earth amongst men or animals. Something happened however, to cause animals to kill and devour one another. Something happened to bring death into the world for the first time. Sin came, and brought death with it:
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin... Injil, Romans 5:12
For the wages of sin is death... Injil, Romans 6:23
When Hazrat Adam (a:) sinned, he brought death upon himself, but that's not all! He started a chain reaction which brought death into the whole creation. As a result, today, sickness and death are seen everywhere amongst man and beast.
However, when Hazrat Isa Masih returns to earth, this will change. He will set up a very special kingdom. In his kingdom, animals will no longer devour one another:
The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox... Isaiah 65:25
The short life span which man and beast have today, will be greatly enhanced:
Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. Isaiah 65:20
Death will be rare. This scripture says that someone who dies at hundred years of age will be considered a youth. If that is true, then how many years of age will old people be? When death does come, it will primarily come as a result of wickedness, that is, rebellion against the authority of the king. Who is this king? Hazrat Isa Masih, he is the king. The following description of his future coming shows how great will be his authority to deal with wickedness:
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of Almighty God. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Injil, Revelation 19:11-16
He will not be just a king among other kings. He will be the king over all other kings. His kingdom will be worldwide and full of peace and justice. The prophet Hazrat Isaiah (a:) was given the following prophecy over 700 years before Hazrat Isa was born:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6,7
In the above scripture, the word "peace" is repeated twice. Everyone in the world wants peace today, but how can it be obtained? Over the years, hundreds of peace treaties have been made, but wars continue. It will take a very powerful, but good leader to bring the kind of peace the world is seeking. That leader is Hazrat Isa, the "Prince of Peace". When he reigns as king, peace will be everywhere in his kingdom. There will be peace between nations, peace between people, and peace in men's hearts.
There are various opinions about how long this kingdom of Hazrat Isa Masih will be. The Injil however, is the one heavenly book which actually states how long it will be. Six times in one section of Allah's Word, it speaks about a period of a "thousand years". This portion immediately follows one which describes the return of Hazrat Isa to this earth in qiyamat:
And I saw an an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is
the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast [Dajjal]and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Injil, Revelation 20:1-10
According to the holy Injil then, Hazrat Isa Masih will reign for one thousand years. Several things are said here about the one thousand year period:
You will say, "I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people--all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land." Ezekiel 38:11,12
Imagine, a world at peace for 1000 years, with no war or strife. But then suddenly, a world war breaks out. What a shock it will be for the peace-loving people in Hazrat Isa's kingdom to be attacked without warning. The event marking the end of the peaceful kingdom of Hazrat Isa on earth will be the attack by Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog). Isa's capital city being Jerusalem, this will be the center of the attack. Yajuj, the ruler of the people of Majuj, will lead a coalition of nations against Jerusalem and surrounding area. These nations will come from every direction to make war on the followers of Hazrat Isa. The 38th chapter of Hazrat Ezekiel (a:)'s book names some of the nations which will be involved in this attack on Hazrat Isa's kingdom:
| Name of land in Ezekiel 38 | Modern-day equivalent | Direction from Isræl |
| Meshech and Tubal (v. 2) | eastern Turkey | north |
| Persia (v. 5) | Iran | east |
| Cush (v. 5) | Sudan or Ethiopia | south |
| Put (v. 5) | Libya | west |
| Gomer (v. 6) | south Russia, Ukraine | north |
Beth Togarmah (v. 6) Armenia north-east
Identifying the location of Majuj itself is difficult, although some have suggested Russia as a possibility. Even still, these present nations cannot be blamed for starting a war which will not happen for over a thousand years. Giving the names only shows that the enemies of Hazrat Isa's kingdom will come from all directions to attack Jerusalem.
Even though enemies surround Allah's people, no harm can come to them as long as Allah does not will it. The Almighty will see from heaven, and utterly destroy Yajuj and Majuj:
When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. Injil, Revelation 20:7-9
I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign Lord. Every man's sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him.
I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the Lord. Ezekiel 38:21-22; 39:6
The attack of Yajuj and Majuj seems to mark the end of Hazrat Isa Masih's kingdom, not because Yajuj is victorious, but because Hazrat Isa is:
Then will the end come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. Injil, 1 Corinthians 15:24-26
In one way, the end of Isa's kingdom marks the beginning of that which is best. The coming of the day when the "last enemy" will be destroyed--the coming of the day that death will die!
"I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death.
Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction? Hosea 13:14
This book began with the "birth of death" and now we come to the "death of death". Death will one day cease to exist, because death is unnatural. The main reason that it seems to be a natural part of life to us today is that we have lived all of our lives with death. We know nothing else, and so we think it is normal. But it is not normal.
Death is not a part of Allah's creation. Death is a sentence which Allah imposed on creation as a penalty for sin, as the Scriptures say:
The soul who sins is the one who will die. -- Ezekiel 18:20
The wages of sin is death. -- Injil, Romans 6:23
In this way death came to all men, because all sinned. -- Injil, Romans 5:12
Death has been with us ever since Hazrat Adam (a:) ate the forbidden fruit, disobeying Allah's direct command. Eternal life in Paradise had been offered to Adam (a:) and Hawa (a:), but by sinning they threw it away. There were two trees in the middle of Paradise which were very significant. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil contained the forbidden fruit which brought death. The other tree was the tree of life which could give them immortality. However, once Adam (a:) and Hawa (a:) sinned, they lost the right to eat from the tree of life:
And the Lord God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. Tawrat, Genesis 3:22-24
Even though our first parents lost the right to eat from the tree of life, Allah has been at work throughout the centuries to restore what was lost. In qiyamat this work of restoration will be completed. Hazrat John (a:), one of Isa's companions, was given a vision of the future in which he saw the tree of life restored:
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb [Isa] down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. Injil, Revelation 22:1-3
To each person a personal invitation goes out to partake of the tree of life, but conditions must be met:
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Injil, Revelation 2:7
With an obedient heart, we must listen to what Allah is saying through his holy word. We must be overcomers by means of our faith in Hazrat Isa Masih. He is the one whom Allah chose to die in our place as a substitute for our sins. He rose again and is a living Saviour. He will come again to judge and reward us. Do you believe this? If you have accepted Isa Masih as your Lord and Saviour, then you will have the right to eat from the tree of life in Allah's paradise.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Tawrat, Genesis 1:1,31
The present heaven and earth which were created "very good" and beautiful, have been scarred by sin, decay, and death. You can look in any direction and see a world which though beautiful, is infected with death and decay. Things don't get better and better. Left to themselves, they go from bad to worse. This is because death is everywhere present in our world. But look at what will happen to death in the day of judgment after Hazrat Isa's kingdom:
The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and the grave gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. Injil, Revelation 20:13,14
Death and the grave will be consumed in a fiery lake and never appear again. At the same time that Allah will destroy death, he will also remake his creation. The old heaven and old earth, will give way to a new heaven and new earth. Everything that is tainted by sin and death will be changed:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Injil, Revelation 21:1-5
Allah will make all things new. Death will die, and eternal life will be the portion of all those who trust in Hazrat Isa Masih as Saviour from sin. But wait! Allah has even now begun his new creation. His new creation exists in the hearts of his people, as it is written:
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! Injil, 2 Corinthians 5:17
Would you like all the "old" to be gone? The old sins, the old fears, the old shame, the old guilt? Then look to Hazrat Isa the Saviour and intercessor to make your life new. He can take away the shame and guilt of your sins. He can exchange the fear of death for courage and joy about the future. He came to give you eternal life, and is alive to intercede to Allah on your behalf. Welcome him into your life today.
Hazrat Isa said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Injil, John 10:10
Hazrat Isa is known as "the sign of qiyamat". This literally means that he is the "sign of the rising of the dead". But why should he have this special distinction? The most obvious reason is that he is coming to earth again in qiyamat, when the resurrection will occur. But there are other possible reasons why he should be called the "sign" of qiyamat.
One time Hazrat Isa arrived at the home of friends only to find that his sick friend Lazarus had died. The body of his friend had been in the tomb for four days already and many people were gathered mourning for the loss of this man. The dead man Lazarus, had two sisters, Martha and Mary:
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now that God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies." -- Injil, John 11:21-25
Hazrat Isa made an astounding claim for himself in this passage. He claimed to be "the resurrection and the life". Not only that, but those who believed in him, would be raised from death. Then to prove that he was not making a wild claim he told the people to remove the stone from the mouth of the tomb, then prayed and called out to the dead man in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" What happened?
The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." -- Injil, John 11:44
Who better to be the "sign of qiyamat"--the sign of the rising of the dead--than the one who can raise the dead?
Allah has sent many prophets to mankind down through the centuries. But among all the prophets who have lived and died, Hazrat Isa stands out as unique, because he is the prophet whom death did not defeat. Some people believe that he did this by being taken directly to heaven without seeing death. However, the holy Injil teaches that Hazrat Isa was victorious over death by another means. It teaches that he died, but because of his power and authority, he was able to rise again from the grave immortal, never to die again! Just as Isa said,
No man taketh it [my life] from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. (Injil, John 10:18)
Hazrat Isa's disciples, including this author, believe that in this way he was victorious over death. He faced death, and finally defeated death. He faced death for a reason though. He died so that men could be freed from death, and so that death and Satan could be destroyed:
...he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who
holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held
in slavery by their fear of death.
Injil, Hebrews 2:14,15
Are you afraid of dying? If so, then Hazrat Isa died to free you from your fear. You can believe that his death for you has inestimable value. But how did his death take place? What were the circumstances? In order to find out, we must look into the holy Injil, one of the heavenly books sent by Allah:
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the
place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him, and
with him two others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Near the cross of Jesus
stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When
Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his
mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your
mother." From that time on, the disciple took her into his home.
Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be
fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they
soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to
Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With
that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Injil, John 19:17-18, 25-30
Hazrat Isa's words from the cross, "It is finished", refer not to finishing the drink, but also to finishing his work of dying so that death would be destroyed. It is as though he was saying, "Death is finished! I have conquered it!" Afterward, we read not that his spirit was taken from him, but that Hazrat Isa willingly gave up his spirit. If Hazrat Isa of his own free will died so that death could be destroyed, then his death was not in vain. His death means he was victorious. The proof of his victory is that he did not stay dead. He arose from the grave:
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the
other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the
Lord came down from heaven, and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so
afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women,
"Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He
is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go
quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into
Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell
his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him,
clasped his feet and worshipped. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and
tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me. Then the eleven disciples went
to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they
worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations." Injil, Matthew 28:1-10, 16-19
Is it not interesting that the one who rose again from death, would be known as the sign of qiyamat, that is, the sign of the day of resurrection?
All the other notable prophets lie in their graves awaiting qiyamat so that they like us may be raised from the dead. But Isa, having once died, is now alive and will come back to earth to raise the dead to life. This is why he said:
I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. Injil, Revelation 1:18
When Hazrat Isa walked this earth, he proved his power and authority to give life to others by healing the sick and raising the dead. He will prove it again in the day of qiyamat by raising the dead to immortality. Listen to these words spoken about Hazrat Isa:
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. Injil, John 5:28,29
According to this, at the shout of Hazrat Isa the dead will rise. After this, each person will be judged according to his works.
Did you know that in the day of qiyamat, your judge will be Hazrat Isa Masih? Although it is widely believed that when Isa returns he will administer some sort of judgment, few people think about what that really means. It means that he is the one to whom we must answer for our sins and wrongdoing. He is also the one who will reward us for work well done. He is the one who will intercede for his own people. One time when Hazrat Paul was speaking to idolaters about the foolishness of worshipping idols, he spoke this message from Allah:
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead. Injil, Acts 17:30,31
Hazrat Isa is the one who has been raised from the dead. He is also the one Allah has appointed to judge all men, both those who are his disciples and those who are not. Listen to his words:
"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." Injil, Revelation 22:12
Isa is keeping a book called the "Book of Life". In this Book of Life the names of all his true disciples are recorded. In the day of judgment that book will be brought forward and opened. Those whose names are in the Book, will receive a place in heaven. Those whose names are absent, will be cast away from Allah's presence forever:
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and the grave gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Injil, Revelation 20:11-15
Hazrat Isa claimed to be the "resurrection and the life". He proved it by raising the dead and by rising from death himself. He will also cause all men to rise from their graves in qiyamat and then either accuse them or defend them. How will it be with you, friend? Are you his disciple? Have you believed that he gave his life so that you could receive salvation? Do you depend on him to save you in the day of judgment?
...if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Injil, Romans 10:9-11
Right now, you should accept him as your Lord and Saviour. He wants to save you. As Isa said,
...whoever comes to me I will never drive away. Injil, John 6:37
Seek out others who believe in him as well, and tell them of your faith. Then together you can look forward to the day when Hazrat Isa Masih will come again. Together you can look forward to THE DAY WHEN DEATH WILL DIE.