Qiyamat

Qiyamat, from the Arabic القيامة, meaning the Resurrection or the Day of Resurrection, is a central concept in Islamic eschatology describing the event when all beings are raised from the dead and judged by God. In the Qur’an and hadith, qiyamat marks the final, universal turning point after which the world will be renewed and final destinies assigned. Muslims hold that the exact time of qiyamat is known only to God; believers are advised to prepare through faith and good deeds.

Eschatology in Islam often divides signs preceding qiyamat into minor and major categories. Minor signs include moral decay, social upheaval, and natural disasters. Major signs, reported in various hadiths, include the appearance of the Mahdi, the return of Isa (Jesus) to defeat al-Dajjal (the false messiah), the emergence of Gog and Magog, and extraordinary cosmic events such as the sun rising from the west. Different traditions also mention fires, the appearance of a beast from the earth, and other dramatic occurrences.

After these events, the dead are resurrected and brought before God for judgment. Individuals are rewarded or punished based on faith and deeds. The afterlife generally includes paradise (Jannah) and hell (Jahannam), with some traditions describing intercession by prophets under certain conditions. The concept of Barzakh refers to the intermediate state between death and resurrection.

Within Sunni and Shia Islam, qiyamat is acknowledged as a decisive divine act that concludes this world’s course. The specific roles and timelines of figures such as the Mahdi and Isa vary between traditions, but the core belief in a final Day of judgment remains shared.