INTRODUCTION

And the Moon is eclipsed, and the Sun and the Moon are fused together, on that Day man will ask: "Where can I run?" No indeed! There will be no safe place. That Day, the only resting place will be your Lord. (Surat al-Qiyama, 8-12)

Consider the people and events that shape your life. You are working hard to get somewhere, trying to find your place in the struggle for a good life. You are very attentive to some matters and reflect deeply upon them. At the same time, you carefully avoid thinking about other matters and, as it happens, many people close to you do the same. Everyone knows what subjects to avoid in conversation and thought. Death is one of these, perhaps the most important one. For them, death is an end to which there is no solution.

The Day of Judgment, which will bring "death" to the universe just like the death of people, is a matter that people do not like to think about; rather, they consider it as a remote and distant matter. They have a vague idea of what will happen on that Day, but since the thought of it scares them, people are inclined to forget about it. Rather than facing up to it, they just get on with their lives instead.

People are most affected by the final day aspect of this Day for all beings, whether living or non-living. The Day of Judgment is the final day of life on Earth and for the universe. But at the same time, it is the beginning of the eternal life in the Hereafter. On that Day, people will be resurrected, created anew. Believers in Allah and the Hereafter will be hosted in Paradise, whereas unbelievers will be driven to Hell. Therefore, for those who expect such a Day, fully aware of what this event means, it is meaningless to run away from death, the Day of Judgment, and the Hereafter. To the contrary, the reality of death and the events of that Day will lead people to do good in the cause of Allah, direct them to believe in the Hereafter, and bring them closer to Allah. Only the believers will be spared the great fear on that Day, on which previously unseen events will take place, for Allah reveals that they will have no cause for fear or sadness, for:

Not so! All who submit themselves completely to Allah and are good-doers will find their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and know no sorrow. (Surat al-Baqara, 112)

Those who believed in this Day and in the Qur'an, as well as that the real life is in the Hereafter, while alive and lived accordingly will be safe. They did not disregard the existence of death and were not too vain to worship Allah. Such people will be received in the most pleasant way in the Hereafter, and Allah's guiding light will be with them on the Day of Judgment. The faithful are given the good news in the Qur'an, as follows:

… on the Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed along with him. Their light will stream out ahead of them and on their right. They will say: "Our Lord, perfect our light for us and forgive us! You have power over all things." (Surat at-Tahrim, 8)

This book reveals the Day and its events, and warns of its difficulties. What matters most is that the Day of Judgment is a reality for all people and, as such, should not be ignored. This book will help you to think about its existence and reality in the light of the Qur'an's verses.

The purpose here is to warn you of a Day on which you will meet whatever happens, and to guide you to safety and the eternal life in Paradise. The reality of this Day's mind-blowing events is an important factor in driving people to reflect upon it. For this reason, throughout this book we will describe the details of the time leading up to the Day of Judgment and investigate its reality.