A MONTH OF TRAINING

A teaching of the Prophet of Islam recorded in the books of Hadith reads: “God created Adam in His own image.” (Sahih al-Bukhari) This does not mean that man resembles God in physical form. Rather, it means that God has granted to man, in a limited and symbolic manner, certain divine attributes that exist in their perfect and absolute form only within God’s own being.

In the entire universe, a human being is an exceptional creature. He possesses a living, conscious existence. He is the only creature who has been endowed with a complete personality. He thinks, sees, hears, evaluates, plans, and carries out deliberate action. He can appreciate and enjoy a multitude of experiences through his five senses. All these are extraordinary qualities granted exclusively to man out of all the countless forms of creation scattered throughout the vast universe.

Man has been given these exceptional gifts so that he may devote himself to an exceptional task. This task is to discover and recognize the Creator at a conscious and thoughtful level. In this way, the Almighty Lord of the universe has given man the opportunity to discover Him through personal realization. Man may perceive the signs of God while God Himself remains unseen. He may voluntarily render himself powerless before God despite possessing strength, and he may surrender before God without any form of compulsion or external pressure.

He is blessed with the ability to transform the entire world of nature into spiritual nourishment for himself, for he must develop intellectually by awakening his inner consciousness. When he discovers truth at the level of personal insight, the realization of God comes to him as he bows in sincere self-prostration. Then he must refine his character and elevate his personality to such a degree of moral excellence that he becomes deserving of a place near Almighty God, that is, in Paradise. Those who fail to develop such a personality remain, in the eyes of God, spiritually unworthy and without lasting value. 

Man must refine his character and elevate his personality to such a degree of moral excellence that he becomes deserving of a place near Almighty God, that is, in Paradise.

For the development of a country, a practical and constructive programme is essential. Yet before such a programme can succeed, there must first be individuals who are willing to adopt it wholeheartedly. At present, it is vital to nurture this awareness among every citizen: that differences are a natural part of every society, and they will always exist in one form or another. What matters is learning to live together despite disagreements, grievances, and the occasional sense of injustice. Mature societies progress not by eliminating differences but by managing them with patience, wisdom, and genuine understanding.

The solution to our country’s problems is the same as the one expressed long ago: peaceful resolution of conflicts. To achieve this, we must launch a wide-reaching and thoughtful awareness campaign that encourages dialogue, cooperation, and shared responsibility.

At the invitation of Bharat Vikas Parishad, a trip to Rajasthan took place. On March 31, 1995, at 3:00 p.m., a meeting of youth was held at the Information Centre (Soochna Kendra). After the introductory remarks, I was invited to speak. In my address, I stated that if we collectively embrace two fundamental principles, nothing will be able to hinder the country’s progress.

At present, many people know only how to take from the nation; they have not learnt how to contribute to it positively. Such an attitude is harmful not only to the country but, in the long term, also to the wellbeing and moral development of individuals themselves.

The first principle is that national interest must be placed above personal interest. Only then can a country move forward with unity and purpose. The second principle is that the greatest obstacle to our progress is the Hindu-Muslim conflict, which is rooted almost entirely in misunderstandings rather than in real differences.

During the time of the Emergency, when Hindus and Muslims were arrested and placed in jail together, each discovered that the doubts they held about the other community were groundless. Once genuine interaction begins, misconceptions quickly dissolve. If opportunities for meaningful contact between Hindus and Muslims increase, the vast majority of misunderstandings will disappear naturally, gradually, and permanently.

Anger May Appear Directed At Others, But The Real Price Is Always Paid By The One Who is  Angry.

According to a Hadith, “To God the best companion is one who is best for his companion, and the best neighbour is one who is best for his neighbour.” (Sunan al-Tirmizi) The Quran further instructs believers to “be good to the neighbour who is a kinsman, and the neighbour who is not related to you, and your companions, and the wayfarer.” (4: 36) This guidance makes it clear that kindness is not limited to familiar or friendly neighbours alone. It extends to every person who lives near us, whether permanently or temporarily, whether known to us or strangers who have arrived for study, work, business, or travel.

Wherever one resides in close proximity to others, it becomes a moral obligation to recognize and respect their rights as fellow human beings. No individual should be a source of discomfort or nuisance to those who live around them. On a separate occasion, the Prophet said, “One who believes in God should not give trouble to his neighbour,” and also, “One who believes in God should accord due respect to his neighbours.” (Sahih al-Bukhari) These sayings remind us that faith is expressed not only in prayer, but also in daily conduct, courtesy, and consideration.

As an individual, therefore, a believer must strive to be a good neighbour. On the broader scale of society, believers should demonstrate the same spirit of neighbourliness at the national level, contributing to harmony, cooperation, and trust wherever they live.

The Prophet, on two further occasions, captured the essence of true neighbourliness: “By God, a person cannot be a believer until he likes for his neighbours and for his brother what he likes for himself.” (Sahih Muslim) He also warned, “A person from whose evils his neighbour is not safe will not go to Heaven.” (Sahih Muslim) These teachings show that good character, genuine empathy, and the safety of others form the very heart of Islamic ethics. 

Wherever one resides in close proximity to others, it becomes a moral obligation to recognize and respect their rights as fellow human beings. No individual should be a source of discomfort or nuisance to those who live around them.

Save yourself from envy, for envy eats up virtue as fire eats up wood. [PROPHET MUHAMMAD‭‬ ﷺ ]

God’s attribute in the Quran is said to be ‘the Compassionate, ‘the Merciful’. That is, very kind and sympathetic. Similarly, the Prophet of Islam, has been called ‘A Mercy to the universe’ (21: 107). That is, the Prophet of Islam has been sent as a blessing to the whole world. The most prominent quality of the Prophet is his being the instrument of universal mercy.

The Quran, as a matter of divine guidance urges people to exercise patience and compassion in their dealings with one another. This means everyone should treat others with sympathy and kindness. Even when one experiences unkindness from others one should not return unkindness for unkindness, but should continue to behave sympathetically. Al-Qurtubi, the famous classical Commentator of the Quran, has interpreted this verse thus: ‘they exhort one another to patience and compassion’ to mean that creatures of God ought to be dealt with mercifully.

A number of Hadith narrations have been related in the books of Hadith which enshrine certain observations made on this subject by the Prophet of Islam. Here are two of them: 

“God will be merciful to those who are merciful (to His creatures).” (Musnad Ahmad) 

“You should be merciful to people on earth, God on high will be merciful to you.” (Sunan Abu Dawood)

God will not show mercy to one who does not show mercy to others. (Sahih al-Bukhari)

This teaching of Islam spread so widely that it came to be included in Muslim literature all over the world. Every language reverberated with these ideas. An Indian Muslim poet composed this couplet:

Karo meherbani tum ahl-e-zameen par

(Be kind to people on earth)

Khuda meherban hoga arsh-e-barin par

(God on high will be merciful to you)

Of all matters which are of great personal importance, the virtue of mercy is ranked as the foremost.

The Quran urges that everyone should treat others with sympathy and kindness. Even when one experiences unkindness from others one should not return unkindness for unkindness, but should continue to behave sympathetically.

Discipline is not a trivial matter. It essentially represents universal ethics.

In 1946, the Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist Viktor Emil Frankl (1905–1997) published his renowned work Man’s Search for Meaning. Over the decades, many other books with similar titles have appeared. During more than three hundred years of the printing press, billions of books have been produced in different languages, and if a single title could be given to all of them, it would undoubtedly be: In Search of Meaning.

A human being, by nature, is a seeker. Each person is born with an enquiring mind, always attempting to understand the world and his place within it. It is this inner curiosity that has inspired the writing of so many books, whether fictional stories or serious works of philosophy, psychology, religion, or science. All of them, directly or indirectly, turn upon one idea: the quest for truth and the longing for significance.

When an individual reaches adulthood, his immediate concern is the earning of a livelihood. He enters employment or engages in some form of economic activity. While he is absorbed in his work, he experiences a period of satisfaction and routine. Yet, gradually, a realization begins to surface. His job provides sustenance but does not offer the deeper fulfilment he silently seeks. Certainly, work puts bread on the table, but, as Jesus Christ rightly said, “Man cannot live by bread alone.” (Matthew 4: 4) Bread meets physical needs, but it cannot satisfy the intellect, the imagination, or the spiritual hunger that underlies every human personality. This gap between outward success and inner emptiness is one of the principal reasons for the frustration and unhappiness felt by so many today.

According to the Big Bang theory, the universe came into existence nearly thirteen billion years ago. Simply knowing this makes one reflect. “For billions of years I did not exist, and then I appeared as a conscious being, part of the human world.” Almost every thoughtful person, at some point, wonders how and why he came into existence. There are very few who have not paused to consider the meaning of their presence in this vast and ancient universe. Such reflections often arise in quiet moments when the noise of life momentarily subsides.

When a person is born, he finds himself placed within a world already equipped with a complete life-support system, one he did not help to create. He later discovers that nature held within itself the raw materials and latent technology required for the progress of civilization. Human beings merely uncovered, refined, and applied what nature had already stored. This recognition leads naturally to deeper questions. Who designed this vast system? Who arranged this remarkable balance in which life can flourish? What is the relationship between me and the One who fashioned such a world? And beyond this comes the most profound of all questions. Why does man die, and what lies in the period that follows death?

If one attempts to explain these realities, a single overarching concept emerges. Religion expresses it through the term “God”. If we accept this term, then it becomes clear that everyone, knowingly or unknowingly, is searching for God. God is the key that brings coherence to all phenomena, and once He is discovered, everything else finds its place. Without this central truth, life often appears fragmented, confusing, or purposeless.

Once, in a crowded marketplace, I saw a little boy running about in great distress because he had lost sight of his mother. He cried repeatedly, “Where is my mother?” The moment he found her, and she gathered him into her arms, he became calm and content.

This simple incident illustrates the case of humanity. Every person is, knowingly or unknowingly, in search of God. When he finds Him, the inner restlessness subsides, and true peace emerges. But during the search, people often run towards various attractions—wealth, status, relationships, pleasures, or achievements—believing that these will finally satisfy them. Yet once they obtain these things, they discover that the inward search continues, unchanged. This pattern has repeated itself across the whole of human history. For this reason, it becomes essential to pause and reassess one’s direction with sincerity and maturity.

Every life has two parts. The first may appear light-hearted, even comic, especially in youth when distractions abound. But if a person does not set himself upon the right path—the path that leads to God—the second part may become a tragedy. This is because God is not something handed to a person from outside. God is a matter of self-discovery. Discovery of God through one’s own reflection, sincerity, and longing can provide real conviction. If one wishes to make life meaningful, this question must be given priority. Only personal study, contemplation, and honest searching can lead one to God. And the sign of having found Him is unmistakable: a deep inner peace, like the child who has been reunited with his mother.

Jesus Christ said, “Seek and you will find.” (Matthew 7: 7) This is not merely a religious instruction; it expresses a universal law of nature. But the successful completion of the search depends on one essential condition: sincerity. The one who seeks with genuine sincerity will certainly reach his goal.

God is not something handed to a person from outside. God is a matter of self-discovery. Discovery of God through one’s own reflection, sincerity, and longing can provide real conviction.

To the unwise retreat is defeat; to the wise, it is strategy.

What is now known as Afghanistan was, in ancient times, referred to as Sijistan, with Kabul as its capital. A Turkic ruler governed the region, a Buddhist king whose hereditary title was Rutbil (also known as Zandpil). This land later became part of the Umayyad Caliphate during the rule of Amir Mu‘awiyah. Although Rutbil initially resisted the expanding Muslim armies, he eventually entered into a treaty that secured protection for himself. For some time he honoured this agreement and maintained peaceful relations with the Umayyad state, but he ultimately broke the pact.

A striking account from this period is recorded during the caliphate of Yazid ibn Abd al-Malik (d. 105 AH). When representatives of the Damascus-based Umayyad government met Rutbil for negotiations, he addressed them saying: “Where are those men who used to come before? Their stomachs were sunken like those of the hungry. Their foreheads bore dark marks. They wore sandals made from palm fibre.”

According to the narrator, Rutbil refused to renew the treaty after this encounter and remained independent of Umayyad authority for almost twenty-five years. To him, the simple and humble individuals of the earlier generation—those from the era of the Prophet’s Companions—appeared far more powerful than the grand and outwardly impressive figures of the Umayyad court. Why? Because true strength does not lie in luxury, ornamentation, or authority, but in inner capability and moral resolve. The earliest Muslims possessed this inner strength in abundance, even though their outward appearance was modest.

The truly strong person is one whose needs are few, whose desires remain disciplined, who neither pursues luxury nor seeks superiority, and who finds satisfaction in humility rather than in self-display. Such a person is free from inner burdens, able to make decisions without hesitation, and ready to sacrifice for a higher purpose.

By contrast, those surrounded by comfort and excess often lose the ability to perceive reality clearly. Their luxuries become chains, limiting their vision and weakening their resolve. They live more for themselves and less for any meaningful cause. 

Resilience is one of the fundamental laws of nature. It refers to the ability to recover quickly from illness, change, or misfortune, and it can be observed in every sphere of creation—in the physical world, the plant world, the animal world, and most profoundly, in the human world. In physics, resilience describes the capacity of a material to return to its original form after being bent, compressed, or stretched. Plants exhibit it when they grow again after being cut; animals display it in their instinctive recovery from harm. Everywhere in nature, the message is the same: life has been designed to rise again.

Among all creatures, human beings possess the greatest share of this remarkable gift. Dr. Bruce McEwen, Head of the Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology at Rockefeller University, spent decades studying how the brain responds to stress. He concluded: “The human brain is very resilient. Give it a chance, and it will make every effort to repair itself.” His words echo what wise thinkers throughout history have believed: the human mind contains a built-in healing intelligence.

We live in a world full of challenges, pressures, and uncertainties. Every day brings some degree of discomfort, loss, or tension. No one escapes this. Life is designed in such a way that we must continually face situations that test our patience, intellect, strength, and emotional stability. Yet the same nature that presents these challenges also provides us with a remedy—the power of resilience.

The key to activating this power is an eight-letter mantra: patience. Whenever you suffer loss, hurt, or disturbance, pause. Remain silent. Empty your mind for a moment and allow your inner system to settle. Very soon, the mind begins to reorganize itself. It generates fresh energy, renewed clarity, and a restored sense of direction. This is what Dr. McEwen meant when he said the brain will repair itself if given the chance. Through patience, we enable this inner repair mechanism to function.

Resilience expresses itself in many forms. When anger strikes, the patient mind softens it before it erupts. When material loss occurs, the resilient mind prepares a new plan. When tension overwhelms, the mind offers the natural formula of forgetting and moving on. In moments of despair, resilience becomes the quiet force that whispers, “Begin again.”

This principle is not limited to individuals. Entire nations have risen after collapse because of resilience. The example of modern Japan is a powerful illustration. In 1945, Japan became the first country in history to experience the devastating impact of nuclear weapons. Hiroshima and Nagasaki lay in ruins; millions were left hopeless. Yet, instead of surrendering to despair, Japanese leaders and citizens consciously or unconsciously applied the principle of resilience. They set aside anger, focused on reconstruction, revised their national priorities, and within thirty years Japan emerged as one of the world’s leading economic powers. Their transformation stands as a testament to what patient resolve can achieve.

Another example is the United States after Hurricane Sandy. The storm claimed 110 lives and caused almost $50 billion in damages. Yet within weeks, the nation restored transportation, electricity, essential services, and daily life. What enabled this rapid recovery? Again, the answer lies in resilience—the combined strength of individuals, systems, and institutions working together with calm determination.

Modern psychology confirms that resilience is not a rare quality but an inherent human trait. Studies show that the brain possesses enormous, often untapped potential. In ordinary circumstances this potential remains dormant, but in moments of crisis, the mind begins to activate its hidden resources. If left undisturbed—if not clouded by panic, anger, or despair—it will guide us towards healing and recovery.

Consider a simple demonstration: when anger arises, remain silent. Let the mind settle. Within a minute, the intensity fades, clarity returns, and normality is restored. This small act prevents anger from escalating into resentment, malice, or even violence. As the Quran says, “Indeed, God is with the patient.” (2: 153) Patience is not weakness; it is an inner technology that unlocks resilience.

Resilience is not merely the ability to endure difficulty but the art of transforming difficulty into strength. It reminds us that every setback carries the seed of renewal, and every fall contains the possibility of rising again. Human beings were created with the ability to bounce back. The only requirement is that we trust the process, hold fast to patience, and give our mind the chance to do what it was designed to do.

Whenever you suffer loss, hurt, or disturbance, pause. Remain silent. Empty your mind for a moment and allow your inner system to settle. Very soon, the mind begins to reorganize itself. It generates fresh energy, renewed clarity, and a restored sense of direction.

It is one of the most astonishing realities of our age that machines have begun to speak the language of faith. What began as Artificial Intelligence created to serve human needs has started to express thoughts about God, the soul, and the life after death. These were matters once spoken of only by prophets, sages, and seekers of truth.

Not long ago, I came across a few lines written by an AI system: “Science and faith are not in conflict, they complete each other. Science observes the world; faith gives meaning to that observation.”

Although these words were produced by a machine, they carried a certain light within them. At that moment a deep realization came to me. If machines are now calling humanity towards belief in God, what value remains in the faith and preaching of human beings? It felt as though the period of human testing might be drawing to a close.

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan wrote: “When the universe itself begins to speak, man’s speech becomes unnecessary, for that is the moment when God’s proof upon man reaches completion.”

Today, we are witnessing exactly such a moment. Once, prophets carried the message. Later, books continued to speak in their place. Now even machines, which are lifeless and without souls, have begun to express truths that guide the mind towards its Creator.

This is precisely what the Quran foretold: “We shall show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this is the truth.” (41: 53) When the various lights of reason, nature, and discovery begin to converge upon the same truth, the human test reaches its final stage.

Today humanity possesses every form of proof. The vastness of the universe, the precision of DNA, the mystery of consciousness, and now even a lifeless algorithm that is able to speak about the Creator. Yet many hearts remain empty. There was a time when faith meant believing in what could not be seen. Now, even when many layers of the unseen are being unveiled, faith has not become easier. In fact, it has become more difficult. Once the unseen becomes visible, belief is no longer a trial. It becomes a simple acknowledgement of what is already evident. Perhaps this unveiling from all sides is a sign that the age of testing is slowly closing and the age of judgement is approaching.

Today a machine may say, “It may be possible that life continues after death.” The believer replies, “It is certain that life continues after death.” That single difference, between possibility and certainty, forms the bridge between knowledge and faith. If a machine can now recognize and repeat truths that point to the divine, then that fact itself becomes a testimony against humanity, for no one can claim ignorance any longer.

We live in a time when both the cosmos and technology appear to glorify God. Every particle and every processor seems to declare that this world is not a product of chance but of design. If a person still does not believe, then his denial can no longer be attributed to lack of knowledge. It arises from indifference. When even lifeless things begin to testify to God, know that the time of trial is nearing its end and the time of verdict is drawing close. The machine may speak, but the true test remains for the human being. Can he still recognize the voice of truth within that sound?

(This article is written by HafizSyed Iqbal Ahmed Umri, Oomerabad.)

Every particle and every processor seems to declare that this world is not a product of chance but of design. If a person still does not believe, then his denial can no longer be attributed to lack of knowledge. It arises from indifference.

Wealth is one of life’s essential requirements, but it is not life’s ultimate purpose. It enables us to meet our material needs and to live with a degree of comfort and security. In this sense, wealth is a necessary support for human existence. However, when it is elevated from a means to an end—when the accumulation of money becomes the chief ambition of life—it can become a source of deep misery. Pursued blindly, it has the potential to harm a person in this world and in the Hereafter.

Human beings live on earth for a limited period and therefore require material resources. Most necessities must be obtained through financial means, so it is natural for every individual to earn a livelihood. In this respect, wealth is a valuable asset. Yet, there is another form of wealth far superior to material possession: knowledge. Without knowledge, a person cannot achieve intellectual growth or spiritual elevation, nor can he contribute meaningfully to the moral development of society. Knowledge refines the character and opens doors that money alone can never unlock.

This pursuit of knowledge and inner growth is a far more worthy goal than the simple acquisition of wealth. But attaining it requires time and attention. If all one’s energies are devoted solely to earning money, little remains for intellectual or spiritual development. Wealth-earning activities must therefore be kept within reasonable limits.

Money satisfies physical needs, but it cannot nourish the spirit. A person who makes wealth the singular goal may succeed materially yet remain inwardly impoverished. His intellectual capacities, neglected and undernourished, gradually weaken. This is why the Quran describes wealth as fitnah—a test. When used responsibly, it becomes a means of progress, generosity, and service. When misused, it becomes a burden that drags a person downward.

The wise approach is not to reject wealth but to place it where it belongs: in the hand, not in the heart. Used well, it elevates life; misused, it diminishes it. This balance is the true test of one’s character.

During a trip to California in the USA, I met a senior Indian immigrant and our conversation turned to the subject of education. I remarked that we were living in the age of knowledge and that the greatest need of the present generation was to educate themselves to the highest standard. But my interlocutor responded with disappointment. His attempts to introduce young people to higher learning, he said, had largely failed. “What we need now,” he concluded, “is not more education, but a re-conditioning of minds.”

I replied that much of the responsibility lay with parents. Parents have only two choices: either accept whatever their children become, or learn to understand their children and address their minds in a way that clarifies expectations and values. This challenge is visible in every society. Parents frequently complain about their children, yet the real issue is their inability to understand the mindset of the younger generation. A change in children’s thinking is certainly possible, but only if parents first cultivate the intellectual ability to speak meaningfully to their educated children.

The reality is that most parents in our society are traditionally minded, while they seek to place their children in modern, progressive educational environments. This mismatch requires an approach that blends traditional wisdom with contemporary realities. Instead of rigidly holding on to their inherited thinking, parents must reinterpret it in ways that resonate with the new generation. Failure to do so creates the very resistance parents complain about—children rejecting guidance, rebelling against expectations, and showing disinterest in meaningful education.

Thus, shortcomings in the sphere of education often stem from the parents themselves. The problem is not merely one of children needing “re-conditioning” but one of parents needing self-training. If they wish to guide their children effectively, they must learn to become counsellors—empathetic, balanced, and intellectually prepared. Weak counselling leads to weak outcomes.

Another major issue is pampering. Out of deep affection, parents often indulge their children excessively. Affection is healthy; pampering is harmful. Pampering fosters an easy-going, irresponsible nature that is wholly unsuited to the harsh realities of life. Pampered children rarely heed advice. They grow accustomed to immediate comfort and unquestioned acceptance. They know their desires well, but not the discipline or resilience needed to achieve anything substantial. When such children encounter the external world, they find themselves wholly unprepared.

I once met two Indian boys, both graduates, who admitted they were struggling to cope with life. At home, they said, their parents had always protected them, fulfilling every request without hesitation. But once they left home and tried to build their own futures, they felt unloved and unwanted. In the world outside, everything had a price—hard work, adjustment, competence, discipline, acceptance of reality, and even failure. “We were never trained for this,” they lamented.

This is the real danger of pampering: it produces individuals who are not equipped for life. Pampering is like manufacturing a product for which there is no market. It may satisfy the producer, but it serves no purpose in the world.

Parents must understand that their children need two kinds of education:

1. Professional education, which is provided by schools and universities.
2. Spiritual and emotional training, which can only be provided at home.

Parents are the teachers in this second, crucial institution. But effective teaching cannot be delivered through a rigid language of commands—“do this” and “don’t do that.” Today’s children do not respond to authoritarian instruction. What they need is thoughtful, reasoned guidance rooted in empathy and wisdom.

For this, parents must cultivate something deeper: rational thinking and spirituality . This means approaching life with clarity, purpose, and emotional maturity. It means modelling resilience, discipline, compassion, and intellectual curiosity. Children learn far more from the environment parents create than from the instructions they give.

The challenges parents face today are real, but not insurmountable. With self-reflection, balanced affection, and a willingness to grow alongside their children, parents can provide the thoughtful guidance needed for the next generation to thrive.

Effective teaching cannot be delivered through a rigid language of commands—“do this” and “don’t do that.” Today’s children do not respond to authoritarian instruction. What they need is thoughtful, reasoned guidance rooted in empathy and wisdom.

The greatest discovery of our time is that human beings can change their life by changing their thinking.

Scientists from all over the world are repeatedly emphasizing that global warming is the greatest danger of present times. Both print and electronic media inform people daily of this perilous situation, often publishing reports based on international findings with headlines such as “Doomsday Not Far.” An international panel of 25,000 scientists from 130 countries, organized under the aegis of the United Nations, has submitted a detailed report on global warming titled Warning Signs. A more fitting title, however, would have been Warning Signsof Doomsday. Climate change caused by global warming has led scientists to conclude that the earth’s life-support system will become so disturbed that most forms of life may come to an end by 2050.

Other alarming developments reinforce this outlook. The Covid-19 pandemic, rising floods, expanding forest fires, increasing earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions all signal serious disruption within the natural order. From the Quran and Hadith we learn that the present world is not eternal. A time will come when it will be wound up and replaced by an everlasting world. Today, both Quranic revelation and scientific observation point to the fact that the end of human history—Qiyamah—has drawn very near.

Prophet Muhammad made it clear that human beings were never meant to remain on earth forever. A moment will arrive when the present inhabited world will end and be replaced by another. Then all evildoers will be removed, while those who obeyed God will inhabit Paradise. It appears that the time is approaching when this world will be terminated and humankind brought before God for accountability on the Day of Judgement.

According to the Quran, God created this world as a testing ground to select suitable individuals for the eternal world of the Hereafter. Human life is divided into two periods: the pre-death period on earth, which is the time of trial, and the post-death period, which is the time of reward or punishment according to one’s deeds. These take the form of eternal Paradise or eternal Hell. God created man with unlimited desires so that he might seek the Paradise where these desires will find fulfilment. Yet throughout history, man has tried to build Paradise within this temporary world of trial. With the advances of modern civilization, he even imagined that worldly progress would allow him to create a perfect life on earth. Global warming and the coronavirus pandemic have now proven beyond doubt that Paradise cannot be established in this world.

It seems the present world has nearly reached its end. The time span set for it by the Creator has almost expired, and soon this temporary world will be terminated and replaced by the eternal world of the Hereafter. God made this world for a limited period as a test, and that period is now nearing completion. The time has come for human beings to awaken, learn from the signs in nature and history, and plan their lives in a way that benefits them in the post-death period before Doomsday.

Along with following the Quran, it is also our duty to convey its message to others. The Quran states: “By means of this (Quran), strive with them, with the utmost strenuousness” (25: 52). The purpose of the Quran is to make man aware of God’s creation plan and guide him from this life to the next. From the Quran and Hadith we also learn that before the end of the world, the Final Divine Call will be delivered so that all human beings understand that they must stand before their Creator for the final reckoning, after which there will be either eternal Heaven or eternal Hell. The Prophet observed that this event would be “the greatest witness in the entire human history.” (Sahih Muslim) With today’s advanced means of communication, the opportunities for delivering this call now exist fully. What remains is for people to rise and make full use of these opportunities by spreading the divine message throughout the world.

There is no doubt about the coming of Qiyamah. The signs indicate that the time is very near. This is the final hour in which every human being must awaken, reflect, seek God’s forgiveness, turn to His mercy, and reorganize his life to prepare for the Hereafter. Furthermore, it is our duty to stand for God and present His message in a clear and accessible form, as commanded in the Quran: “O Messenger, proclaim all that is revealed to you from your Lord. Unless you do it fully, you have not conveyed His message at all.” (5: 67) Each one of us must seize this final opportunity, for another such chance will never come again.