Is Doomsday contrary to science?

- Allah states that all galaxies will fade and disappear after Doomsday.
- However, science says there will be recreation (resurrection) after trillions and zillions of years.

Dear Brother / Sister,

No, Doomsday is not contrary to science because Allah is the owner of the universe and the owner of science in this universe. The one who will make Doomsday strike and resurrect people is not science but the owner of that science.

If there are those who object to Doomsday by using science as an excuse, it may be because they deny the owner of knowledge.

First of all, we should state that Doomsday will strike through Allah’s creation. Just as a person who is healthy in all aspects dies, it is possible for the universe, whose system continues in all aspects, to die because Allah is the owner of man, the universe, and everything in it; and He can make Doomsday strike whenever He wishes.

It should not be forgotten that both the owner of knowledge and the owner of the universe are Allah. We will definitely acquire all kind of knowledge, but we need to illuminate this knowledge with belief. Otherwise, it is against both reason and logic as well as belief to think that knowledge is unowned and to attribute it to nature or to oneself.

Besides, Doomsday can be thought of as follows: The owner of a factory that works with everything and is thought to continue in terms of knowledge can close down that factory.

There are many verses describing the horror of the first blowing of the Trumpet (Sur) and hence of the changes that will occur in the cosmic order. According to the declaration of such verses,

- When the Trumpet is blown once, the earth will be removed from its orbit together with its mountains, and they will be crushed to powder; on that day, the Great Event will definitely take place and the sky will be rent asunder; it will be flimsy. (see al-Haqqa 69/13-16)

- On that day, the sun will be folded up, the stars will fall, losing their luster, the mountains will vanish, wild beasts will be herded together and the oceans boil over with a swell. (see at-Takwir 81/1-6)

- People will be like moths scattered about, and the mountains will be like carded wool. (see al-Qaria 101/4-5)

Although the nature of the cosmic change that these verses describe by emphasizing that it will definitely happen is not known, a realm consisting of matter and having volume will be formed as it is declared in the Quran. The verse in the chapter of Ibrahim (14/48), which states that the earth will be another earth and the heavens will be other heavens, is partially clarified by the following verses in the chapter of Taha. (20/105-107):

“They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say, ‘My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will leave them as plains smooth and level; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place.’”

“When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up; When the stars fall, losing their luster.” (at-Takwir, 81/1-2)

It is indicated in the verses above that the solar system will be destroyed. What is meant by the sun’s being folded up is either the sun’s light going out or the complete dispersion of its mass, losing its form that we know and function.

The stars’ falling and losing their luster, on the other hand, indicates that other stars, some of which get their brightness from the Sun, will also die out.

In addition, it can be thought that when the cosmic system is destroyed due to Doomsday, the stars will lose their current order and functions and scatter into the space due to colliding with one another, moving away from their orbits, getting rid of gravity, etc. (Ibn Ashur, 30/141-142; see also al-Infitar, 82/2)

First of all, it is certain based on experience that the predictions of science are not always correct. Therefore, the divine revelation coming from Allah’s infinite knowledge is always more accurate than scientific data. The opposite is incompatible with the consciousness of belief.

If this determination of exact sciences turns out to be correct, there will still be no objection to the Quran because, two nafkh as-sur (blowing the trumpet) is mentioned in Islam. In the first blowing, everything will disappear and in the second one, everything will come into being again.

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