ÂKHIRZAMAN - آخر الزمان
The end of the time of the world. The end of time. Last period of the earth’s life, which is near to qiyâmah.
Question: It is said that the Sahabah saw Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm, then they believed. However, we have believed without seeing him. In which case, our îmân is stronger. Also, there are riwâyât that indicate the strength of our îmân.
The Answer: While the general thoughts of the world were antagonistic and against the haqiqahs of Islam at that time, by only seeing Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm in the form of a human being, sometimes without miracles, the Sahabah gained such an îmân that all the general thoughts of the world could not shake their îmân and did not even give any waswasa to some of them, let alone doubts. As for you, you compare your îmân with the îmân of the Sahabah. There is no comparison between your îmân that falls into doubt and waswasa at the word of a European philosopher, although the general thoughts of Islam give strength to your îmân and are the proofs of your îmân and you see not the humanity and bodily form of Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm, which is the seed of the tûbâ-tree of nubuwwah but rather, with the mind's eye, his magnificent and luminous ma’nawî collective personality, which is illuminated through all the nûrs of Islam and haqiqahs of the Qur'an and surrounded by a thousand miracles, and with the îmân of the Sahabah that has not shaken in the face of the attacks of the entire world of kufr, Christians, Jews and philosophers. O the one who makes such a claim, there is no comparison between your faint îmân, which does not demonstrate the fardh completely on you due to being extremely weak, and with the intense taqwâ and perfect righteousness of the Sahabah, which demonstrate the strength of their îmân. But the hadith: "Those at the âkhirzaman who do not see me and believe are more acceptable" is about particular fadhîlah. It is about certain special individuals, while our discussion is in regard to general fadhîlah and the majority.
The Addendum to the Twenty-Seventh Word
“There are riwâyât which say: "At the âkhirzaman, no one will remain who will say: Allah! Allah!" 1 لاَ يَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ اِلاَّ اللّٰهُ , an interpretation of this must be as follows: the takkas2 , the places of dhikr, and the madrasas will be closed, and a name other than 'Allah' will be used in the shaâ’er, such as the adhan and iqâmah. It does not mean that all mankind is going to fall into kufr al-mutlaq, for denial of Allah is as irrational as denying the universe. It is not reasonable to suppose it should be thus even with the majority of people, let alone all of them. The kâfirs do not deny Allah, they are in error only concerning His attributes.
Another interpretation is this: so that they do not experience its terror, the rûhs of the mu’mins will be seized a little previously to the qiyâmah. Qiyâmah will erupt over the heads of the kâfirs.” The Rays ( 104 )