Everything has an end
This is one of the traditions of Allah, the Almighty, that every servant of His should pray to avoid. The arabic word for this divine tradition is, "istidraaj", which linguistically means movement from one stage to another.
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Technically, it means the length of period given to a sinner to perpetrate in his/her bad acts till the person reaches a point where the Almighty Allah intervenes to punish him/her appropriately.
Indeed, Almighty Allah's apparent delayance in meting out punishment to the sinner instantly give him/her a false sense of hope that he/she is on the right track.
The Qur'an points out this tradition in the following words in relation to sinners and those who willfully repudiate Almighty Allah's message:
"....We will progressively lead them (to punishment) from where they do not know. And I give them time. My plan is firm". Qur'an 68: 44-45
"But those who deny them time. Indeed, my plan is firm". Qur'an 7:82-83
Yes, indeed, Allah, the Almighty, will give them time. The sinners and perpetrators of evil are given a long rope by the Creator. This length of time given the sinners indicates the unlimited patience of Allah, the Almighty.
Also that length of time means that they were given enough time to repent and change from their bad ways, giving a clear justification for the punishment Allah, the Almighty, metes out to them eventually.
In practical historical lives of those who perpetrate in sin, they exhibit so much pride and arrogance. But Allah, the Almighty, is patient with them because He knows their end will come. This point leads us to another tradition of Allah, the Almighty, in creation and that tradition is "Everything has an end".
This tradition is vividly indicated by the Holy Qur'an :
"Everyone upon it (ie. The earth) will perish. And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honour". Qur'an 55: 26-27
In his commentary on the above text, Imam Ibn Katheer (kw 1994; Vol. 4 P349) states:
"The Almighty Allah informs us that all creatures on earth shall pass away including those of the Heavens except that which Allah, the Almighty wills. None will remain except His Generous Face". The above commentary appropriately fits the text in Holy Qur'an 28:88 which states, among other things:
".... Everything wil be destroyed except His Face. His is the judgement, and to Him you will be returned".
Yes, the life span of every creature on earth has an appointed time. The world of man; the world of plants; and the world of animals have all been given a time that they will cease to exist.
It is not only life on earth that has an end. Every creature of Allah, the Almighty, shall be destroyed by Him on the Day of judgement and He will appropriately ask:
"To whom belongs (all sovereignty) this Day"? Qur'an 40: 16
In the view of the fact that all creatures will be dead at the time Allah, the Almighty poses the above question, none will be the there to provide an answer. Allah, the Almighty, rightly answers this:
"To Allah, the One, the Prevailing" Qur'an 40: 16
In the above lessons are lessons for those who reason and those who are blessed with unique wisdom by the Creator.
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The writer is a Theologian/ Educationistishaakn25@yahoo.com