Surah Al-A'raf 7:187

The Last Hour and its Portents

Allah said here,

يَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ

(They ask you about the Hour), just as He said in another Ayah,

يَسْـَلُكَ النَّاسُ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ

(People ask you concerning the Hour) 33:63. It was said that this Ayah was revealed about the Quraysh or the Jews, although it appears that it was about the Quraysh, because this Ayah was revealed in Makkah. The Quraysh used to ask about the Last Hour, because they used to deny it and discount its coming. For instance, Allah said in another Ayah,

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَـذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ

(And they say: "When will be this promise (the torment or the Day of Resurrection), if you speak the truth") 10:48, and,

يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مُشْفِقُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْحَقُّ أَلاَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُمَارُونَ فَى السَّاعَةِ لَفِى ضَلَـلَ بَعِيدٍ

(Those who believe not therein seek to hasten it, while those who believe are fearful of it, and know that it is the very truth. Verily, those who dispute concerning the Hour are certainly in error far away) 42:18. Allah said here (that the Quraysh asked),

أَيَّانَ مُرْسَـهَا

("When will be its appointed time") in reference to its commencement, according to `Ali bin Abi Talhah who reported this from Ibn `Abbas. They asked about the Hour's appointed term and when the end of this world will begin;

قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ رَبِّي لاَ يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَآ إِلاَّ هُوَ

(Say: "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (Alone). None can reveal its time but He.") Allah commanded His Messenger that when asked about the appointed term of the Last Hour, he referred its knowledge to Allah, the Exalted. Only Allah knows the Last Hour's appointed term and when it will certainly occur, and none besides Him has this knowledge,

ثَقُلَتْ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ

(Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth) `Abdur-Razzaq narrated that Ma`mar said that Qatadah commented on this Ayah,

ثَقُلَتْ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ

(Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth) "Its knowledge is heavy on the residents of the heavens and earth, they do not have knowledge in it." Also, Ma`mar said that Al-Hasan commented on this Ayah, "When the Last Hour comes, it will be heavy on the residents of the heavens and earth." Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn `Abbas explained this Ayah,

ثَقُلَتْ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ

(Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth, ) saying, "All creatures will suffer its heaviness on the Day of Resurrection." Ibn Jurayj also said about this Ayah,

ثَقُلَتْ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ

(Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth.) "When it commences, the heavens will be torn, the stars will scatter all over, the sun will be wound round (thus losing its light), the mountains will be made to pass away and all of which Allah spoke of will occur. This is the meaning of its burden being heavy." As-Suddi said that,

ثَقُلَتْ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ

(Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth) means, its knowledge is hidden in the heavens and earth, and none, not even a close angel or a sent Messenger has knowledge of its appointed time.

لاَ تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلاَّ بَغْتَةً

(It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden) indicating that the Hour will start all of a sudden, while they are unaware. Qatadah said, "Allah has decided that,

لاَ تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلاَّ بَغْتَةً

(It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden.) He then said, "We were informed that Allah's Prophet said,

«إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ تَهِيجُ بِالنَّاسِ، وَالرَّجُلُ يُصْلِحُ حَوْضَهُ وَالرَّجُلُ يَسْقِي مَاشِيَتَهُ، وَالرَّجُلُ يُقِمُ سِلْعَتَهُ فِي السُّوقِ وَيَخْفِضُ مِيزَانَهُ وَيَرْفَعُه»

The Hour will start (suddenly) for the people while one is mending his watering hole, giving water to his cattle, setting his goods in the market or lowering his scale and raising it (selling and buying)."' Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«لَا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا، فَإِذَ طَلَعَتْ فَرَآهَا النَّاسُ آمَنُوا أَجْمَعُونَ، فَذَلِكَ حِينَ لَا يَنْفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْرًا، وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَقَدْ نَشَرَ الرَّجُلَانِ ثَوْبَهُمَا بَيْنَهُمَا، فَلَا يَتَبَايَعَانِهِ وَلَا يَطْوِيَانِهِ. وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَقَدِ انْصَرَفَ الرَّجُلُ بِلَبَنِ لِقْحَتِهِ فَلَا يَطْعَمُهُ، وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَهُو يَلِيطُ حَوْضَهُ فَلَا يَسْقِي فِيهِ، وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَالرَّجُلُ قَدْ رَفَعَ أَكْلَتَهُ إِلَى فِيهِ فَلَا يَطْعَمُهَا»

(The Hour will not commence until the sun rises from the west. When it rises (from the west) and the people see it, then, all people will believe. However, this is when faith does not benefit a soul that did not believe beforehand nor earned good in faith. The Hour will (all of a sudden) commence while two men have spread a garment between them, and they will neither have time to conclude the transaction nor to fold the garment. The Hour will commence after a man milked his animal, but he will not have time to drink it. The Hour will start when a man is making his watering hole (for his animals), but will not have time to make use of the pool. And the Hour will commence while a man has raised his hand with a bite to his mouth, but will not eat it.) Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,

يَسْـَلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِىٌّ عَنْهَا

(They ask you as if you have good knowledge of it.) "As if you have good relations and friendship with them!" Ibn `Abbas said, "When the people (pagans of Quraysh) asked the Prophet about the Last Hour, they did so in a way as if Muhammad was their friend! Allah revealed to him that its knowledge is with Him Alone and He did not inform a close angel or Messenger of it." The correct explanation for this Ayah is, as narrated from Mujahid, through Ibn Abi Najih,

يَسْـَلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِىٌّ عَنْهَا

(They ask you as if you have Hafi of it.) means, `as if you had asked about its time and so its knowledge is with you.' Allah said,

قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللَّهِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

(Say: "The knowledge thereof is with Allah (Alone), but most of mankind know not.") When Jibril came in the shape of a bedouin man to teach the people matters of their religion, he sat next to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asking him as if to learn. Jibril asked the Messenger about Islam, then about Iman (faith) then about Ihsan (Excellence in the religion). He asked next, "When will the Hour start" Allah's Messenger ﷺ said,

«مَا الْمَسْؤُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِل»

(He who is asked about it has no more knowledge of it than the questioner.) Therefore, the Prophet was saying, `I have no more knowledge in it than you (O Jibril), nor does anyone have more knowledge in it than anyone else.' The Prophet then recited the Ayah,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ

(Verily, Allah, with Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour.) 31:34 In another narration, Jibril asked the Prophet about the portents of the Hour, and the Prophet mentioned them. The Prophet also said in this narration,

«فِي خَمْسٍ لَا يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلَّا الله»

(Five, their knowledge is only with Allah) then recited this Ayah (31:34). In response to the Prophet's answers after each question, Jibril would say, "You have said the truth." This made the Companions wonder about this questioner who would ask a question and attest to every answer he was given. When Jibril went away, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to the Companions,

«هَذَا جِبْرِيلُ أَتَاكُمْ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ دِينَكُم»

(This is Jibril, he came to teach you matters of your religion.) In yet another narration, the Prophet commented,

«وَمَا أَتَانِي فِي صُورَةٍ إِلَّا عَرَفْتُهُ فِيهَا إِلَّا صُورَتُهُ هَذِه»

(I recognized him (Jibril) in every shape he came to me in, except this one.) Muslim recorded that `Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said; "When the bedouins used to come to the Prophet , they used to ask him about the Hour. The Prophet would answer them, while pointing at the youngest person among them,

«إِنْ يَعِشْ هَذَا لَمْ يُدْرِكْهُ الْهَرَمُ حَتَّى قَامَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ سَاعَتُكُم»

(If this (young man) lives, he will not become old before your Hour starts.) The Prophet meant the end of their life that introduces them to the life in Barzakh, which is between this life and the Hereafter. Muslim recorded that Anas said that a man asked Allah's Messenger ﷺ about the Hour, and the Messenger ﷺ answered,

«إِنْ يَعِشْ هَذَا الْغُلَامُ فَعَسَى أَنْ لَا يُدْرِكَهُ الْهَرَمُ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَة»

(If this young boy lives, it might be that he will not become old before the Hour starts.) Only Muslim collected this Hadith. Jabir bin `Abdullah said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, one month before he died,

«تَسْأَلُونِي عَنِ السَّاعَةِ، وَإِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ اللهِ، وَأُقْسِمُ بِاللهِ مَا عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْأَرْضِ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ نَفْسٍ مَنْفُوسَةٍ تَأْتِي عَلَيْهَا مِائَةُ سَنَة»

(You keep asking me about the Hour, when its knowledge is with Allah. I swear by Allah that there is no living soul on the face of the earth now will be alive a hundred years from now.) Muslim collected this Hadith. A similar Hadith is recorded in Two Sahihs from Ibn `Umar, but he commented, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ meant that his generation will be finished by that time reach its appointed term." Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said that the Prophet said,

«لَقِيتُ لَيْلَةَ أُسْرِيَ بِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى، فَتَذَاكَرُوا أَمْرَ السَّاعَةِ قَالَ فَرَدُّوْا أَمْرَهُمْ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيهِ السَّلَامُ، فَقَالَ: لَا عِلْمَ لِي بِهَا، فَرَدُّوا أَمْرَهُمْ إِلَى مُوسَى فَقَالَ: لَا عِلْمَ لِي بِهَا، فَرَدُّوا أَمْرَهُمْ إِلَى عِيسَى فَقَالَ عِيسَى: أَمَّا وَجْبَتُهَا فَلَا يَعْلَمُ بِهَا أَحَدٌ إِلَّا اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَفِيمَا عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَّ الدَّجَّالَ خَارِجٌ قَالَ وَمَعِي قَضِيبَانِ، فَإِذَا رَآنِي ذَابَ كَمَا يَذُوبُ الرَّصَاصُ، قَالَ: فَيُهْلِكُهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِذَا رَآنِي حَتَّى إِنَّ الشَّجَرَ وَالْحَجَرَ يَقُولُ: يَا مُسْلِمُ إِنَّ تَحْتِي كَافِرًا فَتَعَالَ فَاقْتُلْهُ، قَالَ: فَيُهْلِكُهُمُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ النَّاسُ إِلَى بِلَادِهِمْ وَأَوْطَانِهِمْ،قَالَ: فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ يَخْرُجُ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ، فَيَطَأُونَ بِلَادَهُمْ لَا يَأْتُون عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِلَّا أَهْلَكُوهُ وَلَا يَمُرُّونَ عَلَى مَاءٍ إِلَّا شَرِبُوه: قَالَ: ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ النَّاسُ إِليَّ فَيَشْكُونَهُمْ فَأَدْعُو اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْهِمْ فَيُهْلِكُهُمْ وَيُمِيتُهُمْ حَتَّى تَجْوَى الْأَرْضُ مِنْ نَتْنِ رِيحِهِمْ أَيْ تُنْتِنُ، قَالَ: فَيُنْزِلُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْمَطَرَ فَيَجْتَرِفُ أَجْسَادَهُمْ حَتَّى يَقْذِفَهُمْ فِي الْبَحْرِ. قال يزيد بن هارون: ثُمَّ تُنْسَفُ الْجِبَالُ وَتُمَدُّ الْأَرْضُ مَدَّ الْأَدِيمِ، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى حَدِيثِ هُشَيْمٍ، قَالَ: فَفِيمَا عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ إِذَا كَانَ كَذَلِكَ، فَإِنَّ السَّاعَةَ كَالْحَامِلِ المُتِمِّ لَا يَدْرِي أَهْلُهَا مَتَى تُفَاجِئُهُمْ بِوَلَادَتِهَا لَيْلًا أَوْ نَهَارًا»

(During the night of Isra', I met Ibrahim, Musa and `Isa. They mentioned the matter of the Last Hour, and they asked Ibrahim about it, who said, `I do not have knowledge of it.' They asked Musa about it and he said, `I have no knowledge of it.' They then asked `Isa about it, and he said, `As for when it will occur, only Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, knows that. My Lord has conveyed to me that the Dajjal (False Messiah) will appear, and I will have two staffs (spears) with me. When he sees me, he will dissolve just as lead is dissolved. Allah will destroy him when he sees me, and the tree and the stone will say, `O Muslim! There is a disbeliever under (behind) me, so come and kill him.' Allah will destroy them (the Dajjal and his army), and the people will safely go back to their lands and areas. Thereafter, Gog and Magog will appear, and they will be swarming from every mound, sweeping over the earth and destroying everything they pass by. They will drink every water source they pass. The people will come to me complaining about Gog and Magog and will invoke Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, against them, and Allah will bring death to all of them until the earth rots with their stinking odor. Allah will send down rain on them and the rain will carry their corpses, until it throws them in the sea... My Lord, the Exalted and Most Honored has conveyed to me that when this occurs, the Hour will be just like the pregnant women when the term of pregnancy is full, her family does not know when she will surprise them and give birth, whether by night or by day.) Ibn Majah also collected a similar Hadith Therefore these are the greatest of the Messengers but they did not have knowledge of the appointed term of the Hour. They asked `Isa about it and he spoke about its Signs, since he will descend in the last generations of this Ummah, implementing the Law of Allah's Messenger ﷺ, killing the Dajjal and destroying Gog and Magog people by the blessing of his supplication. `Isa merely informed them of the knowledge Allah gave him on this subject. Imam Ahmad recorded that Hudhayfah said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about the Hour and he said,

«عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَا يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَا إِلَّا هُوَ، وَلَكِنْ سَأُخْبِرُكُمْ بِمَشَارِيطِهَا وَمَا يَكُونُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا، إِنَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا فِتْنَةً وَهَرَجًا»

(Its knowledge is with my Lord, the Exalted and Most Honored, none can reveal its time except Him. However, I will tell you about its portents and the signs that precede it. Before it commences, there will be Fitnah (trials) and Harj.) They asked, `O Allah's Messenger! We know the meaning of the Fitnah, so what is the Harj' He said,

«بِلِسَانِ الْحَبَشَةِ الْقَتْل»

(It means killing, in the Language of the Ethiopians. ) He then said,

«وَيُلْقَى بَيْنَ النَّاسِ التَّنَاكُرُ، فَلَا يَكَادُ أَحَدٌ يَعْرِفُ أَحَدًا»

(Isolation and loneliness will be common between people, and therefore, almost no one will be able to recognize any other.)" None among the collectors of the six Sunan collected this Hadith using this chain of narration. Tariq bin Shihab said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ kept mentioning the Last Hour for people kept asking about it, until this Ayah was revealed,

يَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَـهَا

(They ask you about the Hour (Day of Resurrection): "When will be its appointed time"). An-Nasa'i collected this Hadith, which has a strong chain. Therefore, this unlettered Prophet , the chief of the Messengers ﷺ and their Seal, Muhammad, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him, Muhammad, the Prophet of mercy, repentance, Al-Malhmah (great demise of the disbelievers), Al-`Aqib (who came after many Prophets), Al-Muqaffi (the last of a succession) and Al-Hashir (below whom will all people be gathered on the Day of Gathering) Muhammad who said, as collected in the Sahih from Anas and Sahl bin Sa`d,

«بُعِثْتُ أَنَا وَالسَّاعَةَ كَهَاتَيْن»

(My sending and the Hour are like this,) and he joined his index and middle fingers. Yet, he was commanded to defer knowledge of the Last Hour to Allah if he was asked about it,

قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللَّهِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

(Say: "The knowledge thereof is with Allah (alone), but most of mankind know not.")

Allah dalam ayat ini menegaskan bahwa hanya Dialah yang mengetahui saat terjadinya hari Kiamat itu. Kepastian terjadinya hari Kiamat dan apa yang terjadi pada hari Kiamat sudah banyak dijelaskan oleh Al-Quran. Akan tetapi khusus yang berkenaan dengan saat terjadinya hari Kiamat itu tidak ada dijelaskan dalam Al-Quran. Hal itu hanya berada dalam ilmu Allah semata-mata.

Kita dapat menarik pelajaran dari peringatan ini, bahwa tak seorang manusia pun yang tahu, kapan akan terjadi pada hari Kiamat. Dengan demikian berarti kita tidak boleh mempercayai ramalan orang atau berita bahwa hari Kiamat akan terjadi pada hari, tanggal, bulan dan tahun sekian atau saat tertentu. Peringatan ini berlaku umum untuk masa kapan pun. Ternyata sampai masa kita sekarang hal ini memang sering terjadi, entah di dunia Barat, di Afrika atau di tanah air kita sendiri, ada saja orang atau golongan yang percaya, bahwa hari Kiamat sudah dekat, akan terjadi pada waktu-waktu tertentu dengan menyebutkan saat akan terjadinya. Banyak orang yang percaya dan tertipu dengan ramalan atau berita yang dibuat orang dengan mengaku pemuka agama, akibatnya ada yang sampai menelan korban.

Yang menanyakan saat terjadinya hari Kiamat itu ialah orang Quraisy. Ayat ini turun di Mekah. Di Mekah tidak ada orang Yahudi yang memberitahukan dan mengajarkan kepada orang-orang Quraisy tentang kerasulan, hari berbangkit, surga dan neraka. Berbeda halnya dengan orang Arab Medinah yang sudah banyak bergaul dengan bangsa Yahudi. Mereka sudah mempunyai pengertian tentang kenabian dan hari berbangkit.

Jika orang Quraisy menanyakan tentang hari Kiamat itu maka sebenarnya pertanyan itu dilatar belakangi anggapan mereka bahwa hari Kiamat itu tidak mungkin terjadi dan merupakan suatu berita bohong, Allah menggambarkan pikiran mereka dengan firman-Nya:

Orang-orang yang tidak percaya adanya hari Kiamat meminta agar hari itu segera terjadi, dan orang-orang yang beriman merasa takut kepadanya dan mereka yakin bahwa Kiamat itu adalah benar (akan terjadi). Ketahuilah bahwa sesungguhnya orang-orang yang membantah tentang terjadinya Kiamat itu benar-benar telah tersesat jauh. (asy-Syura/42: 18)

Karena isi pertanyaan itu merupakan keingkaran, maka Nabi Muhammad disuruh untuk menjawabnya dengan jawaban yang sangat bijaksana, Nabi menjawab bahwa persoalan kapan terjadinya hari Kiamat itu bukan persoalan manusia, bukan pula persoalan Nabi, tetapi persoalan itu kepunyaan Allah semata-mata. Hanyalah Dia yang mengetahui saat terjadinya peristiwa kiamat itu, dan bagaimana proses terjadinya. Nabi ditugaskan oleh Allah, untuk memperingatkan tentang kepastian hari Kiamat dan kedahsyatan yang terjadi pada waktu itu sesuai dengan berita Al-Quran.

Orang Quraisy ingin memancing jawaban dari Rasulullah saw, dan dari jawaban itu mereka bermaksud mencemoohkan dan mendustakannya. Dirahasiakannya saat terjadinya hari Kiamat mengandung hikmah yang besar bagi orang-orang yang beriman. Mereka dengan hati pasrah menyerahkan persoalan yang bakal terjadi pada hari Kiamat itu hanya kepada Allah. Dialah yang akan membuka tabir kerahasiaan itu, tak ada orang lain yang menyertainya ataupun yang menjadi perantara dengan hamba-hamba-Nya untuk memberitahukan saat terjadinya hari Kiamat itu. Para nabi hanya bertugas memperingatkan tentang adanya hari Kiamat.

Memang hari Kiamat merupakan beban yang berat bagi penduduk langit dan bumi, karena pada hari itu segala amal perbuatan mereka akan diperhitungkan. Dan juga sukar bagi mereka, karena mereka tidak mengetahui saat kiamat itu terjadi. Kiamat itu akan terjadi dengan tiba-tiba pada saat mereka lalai dan tidak menyadarinya. Bagi orang yang sibuk dengan amal kebajikan, serta tawakal kepada Allah untuk menghadapai hari akhir itu. Kapan pun terjadi peritiwa dahsyat itu, dia sudah siap sedia menghadapinya.

Kemudian Allah menegaskan lagi kepada Nabi Muhammad, bahwa orang-orang musyrik itu bertanya kepada beliau tentang hari Kiamat, karena mereka menganggap seakan-akan Nabi mengetahuinya. Jika Nabi tidak mengetahunya, Nabi dapat langsung bertanya kepada Allah. Maka Allah memerintahkan kembali kepada Nabi untuk menandaskan bahwa saat terjadinya hari Kiamat itu tetap rahasia Allah, Dia sajalah yang mengetahui saat terjadinya kiamat itu. tidak ada orang lain yang mengetahuinya, dan tidak ada orang yang akan diberi ilmu untuk mengetahui mengapa Allah merahasiakan terjadinya kiamat itu dan apa hikmat yang terkandung dalam merahasiakan itu. Dan banyak manusia yang tidak tahu mana yang patut ditanyakan dan mana yang tidak patut ditanyakan.

Menurut Zahir, Nabi Muhammad, tidaklah mengetahui saat hari Kiamat itu, beliau hanya mengetahui dekatnya hari Kiamat.

Nabi Muhammad saw bersabda:

"Aku diutus dan datangnya hari Kiamat itu seperti dua ini, sambil memperlihatkan telunjuknya dan jari tengahnya". (Riwayat at-Tirmizi)

Maksudnya jarak waktu antara beliau dengan hari Kiamat amat dekat seperti jarak antara dua jari tersebut. Meski pun Allah merahasiakan saat terjadinya hari Kiamat itu, namun Allah telah memberitahukan kepada Nabi Muhammad tanda-tanda sebelum kiamat terjadi. Sebagaimana firman Allah swt:

Maka apa lagi yang mereka tunggu-tunggu selain hari Kiamat, yang akan datang kepada mereka dengan tiba-tiba, karena tanda-tandanya sungguh telah datang. Maka apa gunanya bagi mereka kesadaran mereka itu, apabila (hari Kiamat) itu sudah datang? (Muhammad/47: 18)

Maka suatu tanda yang nyata bahwa kiamat itu sudah dekat, ialah diutusnya Nabi Muhammad sebagai Nabi terakhir kepada umat manusia. Dengan kebangkitan beliau itu sempurnalah bimbingan keagamaan oleh Allah kepada manusia, berarti sempurna pula kehidupan kerohanian dan kehidupan materil namun sesudah kehidupan materi itu mencapai puncaknya tibalah kehancuran dan kemusnahan.

Dalam hadis banyak pula tanda yang menerangkan tentang terjadinya hari Kiamat itu. Di antaranya ialah keinginan manusia memiliki harta-benda atau kebutuhan materinya saling bertentangan dengan keinginannya kepada kepuasan rohani. Pada suatu masa manusia mengutamakan kebutuhan spiritual yang diutamakan, dan kebutuhan materi yang dikalahkan. Kemudian dimenangkan lagi kebutuhan materil bersamaan dengan perkembangan kesesatan, kejahatan, kemungkaran dan kekufuran, hingga datanglah hari Kiamat pada saat manusia bergelimang dalam kejahatan.