A verse of the Quran states: “Corruption has set in on land and sea because of the evil which men’s hands have done; and so He will make them taste the fruit of some of their doings, so that they may turn back from evil.” (30: 41)

This is a declaration by the Creator that, according to His plan, this period of the world has come to its end. According to this plan, the first phase has expired. Now the time is not far away when the present world will be replaced by its second phase. The first phase meant purely as a test for humankind, was temporary. The second phase will be for the result of that test, and it will be eternal.

In the present world, man has been given freedom of action. This is not because he deserves freedom on account of his general prowess: it was allotted to him temporarily for the purpose of testing him. It was meant to see who makes the proper use of freedom and who misuses it. According to the system of nature, the record of every person is being prepared. This record will be presented before the Creator in the next stage of life. Those whose records show that they made proper use of their freedom “will find a place in Paradise where they will live eternally.” (Quran) They will be accorded by their Creator a place where they will lead an eternal life of comfort and happiness. On the contrary, those whose record shows that they misused their freedom will be consigned by their Creator to punishment where in the words of Jesus Christ: “There will be wailing and weeping for all eternity.” (Matthew 13: 42).

Now the time has finally come for all humankind to arise from their slumber. By engaging themselves in introspection they must reform themselves. They must make the attainment of a successful life in the next phase of life their sole concern. Everyone must know that the chance they have been given in the present world is the first and last chance. No other chance awaits them. Global warming tells us that the point of no return has already been reached. Let us avail of this opportunity before the time is up. After this, no one will be given any further opportunity to come back to the present world. Nor will there be any opportunity in the next world to atone for one’s misconduct or be rewarded for the belated performance of worthy deeds.

Source: Spirit of Islam December 2018

After studying the laws of nature, the founder of modern science, Sir Isaac Newton (d. 1727) predicted in 1704 that the present world would end in 2060. (The Times of India, June 18, 2007) Based upon pure observations, scientists all over the world are now stating that as a result of global warming, the end of the world has become certain. Further evolution of civilization is not possible here at all.

Alvin Toffler’s book, Future Shock, was first published in 1970. Alvin Toffler predicted that the world is moving from an industrial to a super-industrial age. The next era of civilization will be the era of complete automation. The push-button culture will progress to the point that everything will start happening automatically. But the problem of global warming arrived with the message of the end of history, instead of the culmination of history.

This predicament of human history is undoubtedly the biggest question of today. A satisfactory explanation can be found only in the theory of universe with God. From the point of view of ‘universe without God’, a satisfactory explanation for this question is entirely impossible.

The certain annihilation of the world human inhabits today is undoubtedly the biggest question of today. A satisfactory explanation can be found only in the theory of the universe with God. Such examples clearly prove that there is a great void in the theory of universe without God. If this theory is followed, a very meaningful universe seems to end in an extremely meaningless end.

The theory of universe with God is completely devoid of this flaw. Believing in this theory means a meaningful culmination of the meaningful universe. This fact is strong proof for the theory of universe with God; it completely satisfies the demands of both reason as well as logic.

Source: Spirit of Islam December 2020

The Times of India of October 26, 2018, has the following report under the heading “Air scrubbed off CO2 could be a reality soon—A radical idea takes shape in race to stop global warming. With time running out to avoid dangerous global warming, America’s leading scientific body urged the federal government to begin a research programme focused on developing technologies that can remove vast quantities of carbon‒dioxide from the atmosphere to help slow climate change".

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. Reports based on the findings of international scientists, such as “Doomsday Not Far” (Hindustan Times, December 8, 2007) and ‘Five Years to Doomsday’ telecast on December 20, 2007, on an Indian TV programme warned that climate change is now turning into climate disaster. As a result, the day is fast approaching when human beings, regardless of where they are living, will no longer be able to inhabit this planet earth.

As we all know, there are huge ice caps at both the north and south poles. These are vast reservoirs of fresh water, but they are now melting at an alarming rate. Also, there are huge, mountain-top glaciers,—gigantic storehouses of drinking water—which, as a consequence of global warming, are likewise rapidly melting and their stored water is draining off into the oceans through the rivers.

This is going to result in two unbearable situations. On the one hand, very soon the level of water in the seas will rise, inundating coastal cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, etc. On the other hand, the non-coastal areas will suffer from an intolerable water shortage. It is predicted by some scholars that the shortage of water will become so acute that even a Third World War might take place over this issue.

The rivers are always full of water because the ice in the mountains keeps gradually melting the whole year round and this water continuously comes to the rivers through tributaries. But when all this ice has melted, naturally the rivers will run dry. And all their fresh water will be mixed with the salty water of the ocean. The ocean will be full of water but, being too salty, it will be fit neither for irrigation nor for drinking. The situation prevailing will be somewhat like that portrayed by Samuel Coleridge in his poem ‘The Ancient Mariner’: “Water, water, everywhere; nor any drop to drink”.

God’s prophets have constantly told us that the present world will not be eternal, that it is perpetually on its countdown, and that a time will come when its term will expire and it will come to its end. All the scientific evidence tells us that this countdown is approaching its final number. The scientists of the 20th century discovered the law of entropy and concluded that the world’s energy is continuously on the decrease and that this process cannot be reversed. Therefore, it is certain that after a fixed period of time, the present world will come to an end. Now the scientists of the 21st century have told us, according to their researches, that the time for the end of the present world has come very close. It could even be a mere 10 to 20 years. All these revelations which are being covered in the media under the heading of ‘global warming’ are in fact ‘divine warning’.

Source: Spirit of Islam December 2018

We must understand the seriousness of the issue of global warming in order to be more sensitive toward practicing sustainable living. A recent news report from the Independent says: “Enormous Antarctic glacier on brink of collapse could raise sea levels by half a metre alone, scientists warn.” (The Independent, 9th July 2019)

Global warming is regarded as the greatest problem besetting humankind in the present times. Scientific investigations have revealed that the earth’s life support system dependent upon the balance of nature is fast falling apart. It is greatly feared that soon a time will come when nothing will be left on earth to ensure the survival of life.

The present age has been one of an explosion of divine blessings in the form of scientific discoveries leading to advanced technology, covering every aspect of our life. But the abundance of these blessings has only increased humankind’s arrogance. While making full use of these blessings, humankind is distancing itself to a great extent from the Giver of these blessings. Perversion in the name of freedom has become the general culture today.

In the 7th century, the Prophet of Islam made it clear that human beings were not being settled on earth for eternity; a time would come when the present inhabited world would come to an end and be replaced by another world where we will have to give an account of every deed, which will either make us deserving of the perfect world of Paradise or make us deserving of punishment. Evil will be separated from the good in that world of the Hereafter.

The phenomenon of Global warming is showing that perhaps the time for this to happen is nearing. Man has to change himself; he has to abandon the way of disobedience to God and opt for the path of obedience to Him. Nature is silently calling upon man to mend his ways before he finds that he has no further opportunity to do so. Nevertheless, the news of the end times being near is not to be considered as a loss of hope, for the Prophet of Islam said: “If the Hour (the end of this world) is about to be established and one of you was holding a palm shoot, let him take advantage of even one second before the Hour is established to plant it.”

Source: Spirit of Islam September 2019