Why "Qiyamat" is Our Ascent, Not Our End

The Awakening of Humanity: Why “Qiyamat” is Our Ascent, Not Our End

(sūrat l-muṭafifīn)Verse (83:4-6): أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ أَنَّہُم مَّبۡعُوثُونَ (٤) لِيَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٍ۬ (٥) يَوۡمَ يَقُومُ ٱلنَّاسُ لِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ
Sahih International: Do they not think that they will be resurrected. For a tremendous Day. The Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the worlds?

In today’s world, religious fanatics across all faiths spread a dark message: they speak of massacres, global destruction, Armageddon, and the end of days. They paint a picture of a Creator who destroys His own creation just to save a small group of “elect.” However, when we use the Quran as our criterion and apply our reason, we realize these depressing scenarios are man-made. The Quran offers us evolution, not an apocalypse.

1. The Legacy of Fear: Three Religions and the “Savior Complex”

Where did the idea come from that the world must end before good can triumph? This thought is deeply rooted in biblical traditions, describing a time when God restores a “Paradise on Earth” through an external savior. But we must understand: these narratives were part of a long, arduous process of human maturation.

The Evolution of Morality

From Noah and Abraham to Moses and Jesus (Esa ibn Maryam), humanity underwent a massive moral development. Through revelations and historical interventions, human societies were formatted. Without this tremendous work of the Prophets, the world today might still be a place of unbridled violence and cannibalism. God filtered the “evil” out of the human gene pool step by step to prepare us for the Final Testament.

The Quran as the “Final Codec”

With the Quran, humanity was declared “of age.” It is the final codec, the ultimate diploma for a matured species. Yet, instead of accepting this freedom, many religions clung to old patterns of dependency:

Judaism rejected the new codec and continues to wait for a political Messiah.
Christianity developed the idea that Jesus must descend from heaven to rescue humanity.
The Paradox of Muslims: Tragically, many Muslims began to copy these stories, inventing tales of a “Mahdi” and a “Dajjal” that leave no trace in the Quran. They chose to wait for a savior instead of living the Quranic principle of self-responsibility. As Surah 13:11 states: “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.”

2. The Warning Against Meaninglessness: The Parable of the Old Woman

The Quran describes the state of a society that destroys its own values with a brilliant metaphor in Surah 16, Verse 92:

“And do not be like she who untwisted her spun thread into pieces after it was strong…”

For millennia, humanity built a fabric of morality and civilization. But those who long for an apocalypse act like this woman: they want to tear apart what has been molded over ages. A God of Wisdom commands us to build, not to unravel. He did not create the world as a game: “And We did not create the heaven and earth and that between them in play.” (Surah 21:16)

3. Qiyamat: The Great Revolution of Humanity

The word “Qiyamat” is often mistranslated. Its Arabic root q-w-m means to stand up, to establish, to be upright.

A Necessary Distinction: While the physical destruction of the universe is a separate scientific and Quranic truth (Haqq), the concept of Qiyamat discussed here refers to a massive revolution of humanity. It is not the immediate annihilation of the planet, but the moment when humanity wakes up from the sleep of lies. It is the end of shackles, tyrants, and false dogmas.

The Root of Liberation: Removing the Shackles of Injustice

To truly understand this revolution, we look at the linguistic root of the word Mab’uthun (مَّبۡعُوثُونَ) in Surah 83:4. According to classical lexicons like Lane’s and Taj al-Arus, the triliteral root B-A-TH (ب ع ث) means to remove a hindrance or to untie a knot that prevents movement. It is used to describe untying the ropes of a camel to set it free (Ba’atha Naqata).

In Surah 83 (Al-Mutaffifin), verses 1-3, the Quran identifies a specific, daily evil: the corruption of those who cheat in measures and exploitation. Verse 4 then poses a powerful question: Do these oppressors think that this evil system will never be dismantled?

“Do they not think that they will be Mab’uthun (released/raised)?” (83:4)

Linguistic Deep Dive: The Power of the Passive Participle

(sūrat l-muṭafifīn)Verse (83:6): وَيۡلٌ۬ لِّلۡمُطَفِّفِينَ (١) ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ٱكۡتَالُواْ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَسۡتَوۡفُونَ (٢) وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمۡ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمۡ يُخۡسِرُونَ (٣) أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ أَنَّہُم مَّبۡعُوثُونَ (٤) لِيَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٍ۬ (٥) يَوۡمَ يَقُومُ ٱلنَّاسُ لِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ
Sahih International: Woe to those who give less [than due],Who, when they take a measure from people, take in full. But if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss. Do they not think that they will be resurrected. For a tremendous Day. The Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the worlds?

To understand how this revolution manifests, we must look at the grammar of the word Mab’uthun (مَّبۡعُوثُونَ). In Arabic morphology, this word is an “Ism al-Maf’ul” (Passive Participle). This grammatical structure carries a profound meaning for the context of social change:

The Subject (Those in Verses 1-3): The “nominative masculine plural” refers to the oppressors and cheaters mentioned in the opening of the Surah.
The Passive State: Because it is passive, it implies that these oppressors are not the ones initiating the change. They are the objects of the action.
The Force of Change: The use of the passive voice indicates that a higher law—the Divine Law of Justice—will act upon them. It suggests an inevitable consequence. Just as a tied camel is “released” (Ba’ath) by an external hand, the corrupt systems built by these people will be forcibly “untied” by the power of Truth (Al-Haqq) and the rising of the people.

Grammatical Conclusion: The oppressors will not choose to change; they will be forced into accountability by the irresistible momentum of the “Great Day” of Justice. It is a “forced awakening” from the illusion of their own power.

The “Great Day” (83:5) is the moment of a massive revolution on Earth where the “ropes” of injustice are untied. Verse 6 explains the goal:

“The Day when mankind will stand Li-Rabbi (for the sake of the Lord/Providence) of the worlds.”

Standing “for the Lord” means standing for the universal values of justice and equity (made by Allah) that sustain all of creation. It is the start of a world free from the “daily evil” of exploitation.

Note on Physical Resurrection:

While the physical rising of the dead is a final truth (Haqq), it does not fit the immediate context of Surah 83. Here, the Quran is warning that the “ropes” of the corrupt will be cut, and their unjust world order will be overturned by a grand revolution of justice.

4. Humanity No Longer Needs a “Guardian”

The Quran is the “Seal of Prophecy” because it declared humanity adult. We no longer need prophets to lead us by the hand because we now have the tools: Reason (‘Aql) and the Code of Universal Principles. If every religion insists on enforcing its own order through a longed-for savior, global destruction becomes an inevitable consequence of their conflict. The Quran warns us against this. Humanity will find its way; the “Good” is already waiting to rise.

Conclusion: A Fresh Breath of Hope

The “Hour” is not a threat; it is the promise of a world where Truth (Al-Haqq) finally overcomes Falsehood (Al-Batil). As the Quran says: “Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart.” (Surah 17:81)

Qiyamat is not the end of the journey, but the beginning of our true destiny as free, responsible beings on this Earth. The light of reason will dispel the darkness of the fanatics. with these Beautiful Quranic Words: “The Day when mankind will stand for the Lord of the worlds.”