The Prophet (saas) Reminded People of Death

Dying is one of the foremost fears of those who doubt or do not believe in the hereafter. Since they believe that death will mean the end of everything, they therefore cling desperately to this world. Yet, everyone will die at the moment decreed for him by Allah, and there is no means of escape from it. The Prophet (saas) also told people that there was nothing to be gained by trying to avoid death, and called on them instead to consider their real life, which comes after.

Say: "Flight will not benefit you if you try to run away from death or being killed. Then you will only enjoy a short respite." (Surat al-Ahzab: 16)

Say: "You have a promised appointment on a Day which you cannot delay or advance a single hour." (Surah Saba': 30)

The Prophet (saas) recommended to people they think about death, and said:

"Those who are most aware of death and prepare themselves for it. They are the wisest of people."45

Who is better: someone who founds his building on heeding and pleasing Allah, or someone who founds his building on the brink of a crumbling precipice so that it collapses with him into the Fire of Hell? Allah does not love wrongdoers. (Surat at-Tawba: 109)

He Revealed That Only Allah Has Knowledge of the Hour

One of people's main concerns is the time and the hour of the Day of Judgment. Allah has revealed that none but He can know of it:

People will ask you about the Last Hour. Say: "Only Allah has knowledge of it. What will make you understand? It may be that the Last Hour is very near." (Surat al-Ahzab: 63)

As revealed in the verse, nobody can have knowledge of the Last Hour unless Allah wills otherwise. However, one can make an estimate as to its century based on the hadiths of the Prophet (saas) and signs in the Qur'an, and say "the Last Hour may come when there are no believers left and disbelief reigns." As a matter of fact, the great Ahl al-Sunnah scholars al-Barzanji and as-Suyuti state, based on the hadiths of the Prophet (saas), that the life span of the Ummah will not exceed the Islamic year 1500, in other words it will end before Islamic 1600s. Bediuzzaman Said Nursi says, again according to the information given in the hadiths, that Muslims will remain on Allah's true path and will be victorious until around Islamic year 1506 with the Last Hour probably taking place in 1545 (2120 according to the Gregorian calendar). (Allah knows the truth.) (For detailed information on the subject, see www.awaitedmahdi.com)