Q. I have heard different reports about the time preceding the Day of Judgment, with one saying that the whole world would be corrupt and people would not remember God at all. The other report states that the Prophet Jesus would come again and kill the Impostor and establish an Islamic state. Which is true? If the first one is the correct answer, then does this mean that Islam is ultimately a failure?
Tahsin
A. There is no conflict between the two reports which you have heard. But before I explain how this is so, I would like to say that many of the Hadiths that speak of future events, particularly those relating to the Day of Judgment and its signs and the events that precede it are not at the highest level of authenticity. Some of them are of the grade of sahih, or authentic, and some are hasan, or acceptable, while others are poor in authenticity. Moreover, many accept a figurative interpretation.
The two reports should be read as speaking of events that occur in succession. The earth would be first full of corruption, that people would be so used to it that they do not even think about God or their religious duties. When things reach this stage and the Impostor arrives to try to remove all goodness from human life, the second coming of the Prophet Jesus Christ takes place. He would gather around him some believers who would be dedicated to the cause of the divine faith. He fights the Impostor and kills him to establish a world order based on the divine faith in its final form, i.e. complete human submission to God alone, which is the essence of Islam.
Islam is certainly not a failure. It is always victorious. Its victory is seen every day in the behavior of many a Muslim who disdains all temptation, forsaking wealth, position, power and other worldly values for God’s sake. Its ultimate victory is seen when such people are of sufficient numbers to organize the life of their community on the basis of Islamic values. This has happened many times in history and will continue to happen again and again until the end of human life on earth.
The middle night of Shaaban
Q. Is it obligatory to spend the middle night of Shaaban, which is known as Baraat, in worship? Is it obligatory or recommended to fast the day that follows it?
Saba
Riyadh
A. No, it is neither obligatory nor recommended to give any such status to the middle night of Shaaban or to fast on 15 Shaaban. Any suggestion to the contrary does not rely on firm evidence.
All that we have concerning this night and its following day is a Hadith which mentions that Aishah, the Prophet’s wife, woke up at night and found that the Prophet had gone out. When he returned, she inquired where he had been. He told her that he went to the graveyard to pray for forgiveness for the dead. He also told her that it was a night when God releases from hell a number equal to the number of cattle a certain tribe had. The Hadith is not highly authentic. However, assuming that it is acceptable, it does not mention that the Prophet encouraged Aishah to do anything on that night, although she was awake and there was time before Fajr. He did not wake her up before he left, nor ordered her to spend the next hour or so in worship. He did not tell his companions the following day to fast or to observe that night with worship the following year. All this makes it clear that no special worship is due on that night or the day following it.