Question: It is declared in ahadith that the sun will rise in the west, that the beast called Dabbat-ul-ard will emerge and stamp people as Muslim or non-Muslim with the seal in his hand, and that Hadrat Mahdi, Hadrat 'Isa, and Dajjal will appear. Some people, however, interpret them in a different way, saying, "Such manifest things and supernatural phenomena are contrary to the trial, for all people would become Muslims then." Since none of the Islamic scholars interpreted the major signs of Doomsday as they do, aren't their interpretations out of place?
ANSWER
Of course they are out of place. Mu'jizat and karamat are supernatural events. About a thousand mu'jizat of our master the Prophet were witnessed; nevertheless, people like Abu Jahl did not believe in him. Despite the fact that 'Isa alaihis-salam, too, performed many mu'jizat, such as curing the blind and revivifying the dead, no one, except 12 apostles, believed in him. These 12 apostles believed in him not because they witnessed his mu'jizat, but because they believed in his prophethood.

Similarly, dear slaves of Allahu ta'ala (the Awliya-i kiram) displayed thousands of karamat. Of the non-Muslims who saw them, there were many who did not believe. This means to say that such events as mu'jizat and karamat do not spoil the trial. Moreover, it is not said that people must believe when the signs of Doomsday appear. On the contrary, it is said that at that time the period allotted for the trial will come to an end and that from then on believing will no longer be accepted.

It is purported in the Qur'an al-karim:
(On the day when some of the signs of your Lord come, believing then will be of no avail to a person who did not believe before, or who did not earn some good through his faith.) [Surat-ul-An'am 158]

Our master the Prophet explained three of the signs stated in this verse as follows:
(Doomsday will not come before the sun rises in the west. All people will believe then, but their belief will be of no avail to them.) [Bukhari, Muslim]

(When these three things appear, believing then will be of no avail to a person who did not believe before or who did not earn some good through his faith: the sun’s rising in the west, Dajjal, and Dabbat-ul-ard.) [Tirmidhi]

The purpose of those who make such interpretations is not the sun's rising in the west or Dajjal's and Dabba's appearance. Actually, their primary purpose is to reject the coming of Hadrat Mahdi and Hadrat 'Isa and to convince people that those whom they present is Mahdi. They resort to this stratagem because they will not be able to make people believe their leader to be Mahdi if they do not provide such interpretations.

Misinterpretations
Question: Is it permissible to interpret the sun's rising in the west and the emergence of Dabbat-ul-ard, which are of the major signs of Doomsday, as the Islam's spread from the west and as the AIDS virus respectively?
ANSWER
It is purported in the Qur'an al-karim:
(On the day when some of the signs of your Lord come, believing then will be of no avail to a person who did not believe before, or who did not earn some good through his faith.) [Surat-ul-An'am 158]

A hadith-i sharif mentions three of the some signs as follows:
(When these three things appear, believing then will be of no avail to a person who did not believe before or who did not earn some good through his faith: the sun’s rising in the west, Dajjal, and Dabbat-ul-ard.) [Tirmidhi]

It is again stated in another hadith-i sharif:
(Doomsday will not come before these presages appear: The sun will rise in the west. The ground will sink down at three places. 'Isa will descend. The Smoke, Dabbat-ul-ard, Dajjal, Gog and Magog will appear. A fire will break out in Aden [which is in Yemen].) [Muslim]

The purport of a hadith-i sharif which is germane to our topic is as follows:
(Doomsday will not come until the sun rises in the west. All people will believe then, but their belief will be of no avail to them.) [Bukhari, Muslim]

If Europeans convert to Islam, will they not benefit from the faith? It is logically and scientifically possible for the sun to rise in the west. No interpretation is needed. Allahu ta’ala may disrupt the Earth’s usual orbit and create a new orbit for it. When its path is changed, the sun is seen as having risen in the west.

It is incorrect to say that the disease called AIDS is the beast mentioned in the Qur'an al-karim because it is made known in the Qur'anic verse that Dabbat-ul-ard is a talking beast:

(When that Word befalls them, [when the signs of Doomsday appear], We will bring forth for them a beast from the earth. That beast will tell them that humans did not firmly believe in Our âyât.) [Surat-un-Naml 82, Tafsir-i Qurtubi]

In fact, it is logically possible for this beast to talk because Allahu ta'ala is Able to endow the faculty of speech upon an animal. (Sawab-ul kalam fi akaid-il Islam)

There are many hadith-i sharifs about Dabbat-ul-ard. Of the hadith-i sharifs written in the books Faraid-ul-fawaid, Mukhtasar-i Tadhkira-i Qurtubi, Magharib-uz-zaman and Al-Qawl Al-Mukhtasar fi Alamat Al-Mahdi Al-Muntazar, some are as follows:

(Dabbat-ul-ard has four feet like the feet of a camel and wings like a bird. Its head is like the head of an ox. Its ears are like the ears of an elephant. Its tail is like the tail of a ram.)

(Dabbat-ul-ard will touch a Believer with the staff of Musa. Then “He is destined for Paradise” will be written on his forehead, and his face will be illuminated. It will hit a disbeliever with the seal of Sulaiman. Then “He is destined for Hell” will be written on his forehead, and his face will blacken.)

(People will get away from this beast. Some people, being afraid of it, will begin to perform salat. The beast will come up to him and stamp his face, saying, "O the person, are you performing salat now?" Thus, Believers will be distinguished from disbelievers, and they will be recognized.)

The sun's rising in the west
Question: The sun's rising in the west is one of the major signs of Doomsday, which were stated in a hadith-i sharif. The door of repentance will be closed then. Today, according to scientists, in order for the sun to rise in the west, the earth must stop rotating altogether for a moment and then must restart rotating in the reverse direction, which is physically impossible. Accordingly, doesn't the sun's rising in the west refer to that Europe, which is in the western part of the world, will convert to Islam?
ANSWER
It in no way refers to it. Does the concept of impossibility apply to Allah? It is Allah who will do it. Can it be said that Allah cannot do it? Can Allah not disrupt the usual orbit of the earth and create a new one for it? When its path is changed, the sun is seen as having risen in the west.

Our master the Prophet said that hadith-i sharif in Arabia. Considering the geographical location of Arabia, the west to it is not Europe, but Africa. If it were given the meaning that people in Africa will become Muslims, at least it would be less wrong. Europe lies to the west of Turkey, and Turkey lies to the west of Asia. For each country, the country that lies to the west of it is different. The West's converting to Islam means the whole world's converting to Islam. There is not a country that is not in the western part of the world because the earth is spherical. It is obvious how illogical and nonsense this interpretation is.

The hadith-i sharif says, "Once the sun rises in the west, the door of repentance will be closed. Faith will be of no avail to a person who believes then." Now, according to the nonsense interpretation, why will the door of repentance be closed when Africa or Europe or the whole world convert to Islam? [According to their interpretation] The door of repentance is closed, and faith is of no avail to person when he or she believes. Then how can they become Muslims? Surely a person who has provided a different interpretation for the former can also find one for this hadith-i sharif as well. However, the ahadith of our master the Prophet are not like crosswords or riddles. All of them, except mutashabihat, are as they were stated. They are not of the type, "If I say 'an apple', understand it as a banana. If I say 'an old woman', understand it as a girl." Did our master the Prophet talk in riddles (never!)?

Dabbat-ul-ard
Question: Some people claimed that Dabbat-ul-ard, which falls under the heading of major signs of Doomsday, referred to the disease called AIDS. Now, some people are saying that it refers to the computer and internet. If teleportation becomes possible in practice someday, then will they say that Dabbat-ul-ard refers to it? Are these claims not wrong?
ANSWER
Of course they are wrong, terribly wrong. It means rejecting the Qur'anic verses and traditions with absolutely clear and obvious meanings.

Dabbat-ul-ard is a beast that will emerge in the time period close to Doomsday. The Qur'an al-karim states that it is a beast. If a person says, "This beast refers to the computer," we say regarding his statement, "It is no use trying to make sense out of a statement that is, in essence, nonsense." A Qur'anic verse purports as follows:
(When that Word befalls them, [when the signs of Doomsday appear], We will bring forth for them a beast from the earth. That beast will tell them that humans did not firmly believe in Our âyât.) [Surat-un-Naml 82, Tafsir-i Qurtubi]

Two hadith-i sharifs purport:
(Dabbat-ul-ard will touch a Believer with the staff of Musa. Then “He is destined for Paradise” will be written on his forehead, and his face will be illuminated. It will hit a disbeliever with the seal of Sulaiman. Then “He is destined for Hell” will be written on his forehead, and his face will blacken.) [Tirmidhi]

(When these three things appear, believing then will be of no avail to a person who did not believe before or who did not earn some good through his faith: the sun’s rising in the west, Dajjal, and Dabbat-ul-ard.) [Tirmidhi]

One must be either insane or an innovator to able to interpret the meanings of these texts, which are so clear and obvious, into different things. A normal person cannot call an animal a computer.

It is stated [in the hadith-i sharif] that believing will do no good when Dabbat-ul-ard emerges. The reason is that it is one of the major and evident signs of Doomsday. When people see it, no one will be able to disbelieve any longer. If it referred to AIDS or the computer or the internet, as it is claimed, then believing would have been of no avail with the advent of them. Because believing will do no good when Dabbat-ul-ard appears, then why are those who interpret Dabba as the computer still striving so that disbelievers may become Believers?

Hadrat Imam-i Rabbani states:
The beast called Dabbat-ul-ard will appear, and the sky will be covered with smoke. This beast will reach all people and will hurt them; because of its pain everybody will pray, "O my Lord! Remove this torment from us. We now believe in You." (Vol. 2, Letter 67)