It is a common observation and a fact hard to deny that everything created meets its end. Then what will happen to the universe, will it continue to exist forever or will it come to an end? This question has been haunting the minds of philosophers and scientists since centuries.

Heat Death of the Universe:

In view of the law of entropy, the universe should one day meet its end. This phenomena is better illustrated by the help of an example: The chemical energy stored up in petrol is converted into heat by combustion and then into mechanical energy in (the engine. The organised mechanical energy so produced results in the controlled and organised motion of the car, but an appreciable amount of the energy supplied is irrevocably dissipated in heating the roads as a result of friction of the tyres, heating the air through exhaust gases, and by overcoming air resistance, i.e. most of the energy is lost for ever in a disorganised manner. The extent to which energy is in a state of disorganisation is measured by a quantity called ‘Entropy’. The higher the state of disorganisation, higher the entropy and the lower the state of disorganisation, lower the entropy. At absolute zero i.e. -273 degrees centigrade, when all atomic vibrations and motions stop, there is no disorder, consequently the entropy is zero. It is an observed fact that the total energy of the universe lends to become more and more disorganised and consequently we may say that the entropy of the universe is always increasing. If every part of the universe is at the same temperature there will be no energy for use, because heat flows from hotter to colder bodies and not vice-versa without application of external energy. This would be the ultimate state of disorganisation or degree of disorder of energy in the universe, because all molecular and atomic motions would be at random and they would be unable to impart a uniform motion to other atoms of matter. Were this to happen, the entropy, i.e., the degree of disorder of the universe would be at its maximum. This condition is known as the ‘Heat death of the universe’. If the universe is regarded as a closed system subject to the second law of thermo – dynamics, it not only follows that it will have a finite end but also that it had a finite beginning, for had it been created an infinite time ago it would have by now inevitably suffered its Heat Death. According to the Steady State Theory, which we briefly discussed earlier, the universe neither had a beginning nor has an end, but according to the theory of Oscillating Universe, which is more in agreement with Quranic facts on the subject of the origin of the universe, the universe will come to an end and will be recreated. The Quran, on the end of the universe, in no uncertain term states:

“We did not create the skies and the earth and what is between them save with truth and (for) an appointed term…” (Chapter: 46 Verse 3)

“Allah is He with Whom is the knowledge of the hour…” (Chapter: 31 Verse 34)

“And Allah’s is the unseen of the heavens and the earth and the matter of the hour (end) is but as the twinkling of an eye or it is nearer still, Allah certainly has power over everything.”(Chapter: 16 Verse 77)

It was reported in New Scientist of 19th Jan. 1991, page 21. The crunch (final collapsing of all galaxies) will happen within a period of one divided by ten followed by 42 zeros of a second.’

The Earth: The earth, it is said is passing through a revolutionary epoch when its crust trembles and crumbles under the action of the accumulating internal stress. We expect but are unable to predict the date of the future catastrophe that hangs over our head, nor can we say much about the symptoms that will announce its approach. These symptoms, it is believed, will consist of strong earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and general motion of the ground. What scientists predict is confirmed by the Quran in the following words:

“When the earth will be shaken with a (severe) shaking, and the mountains will be made to crumble with (an awful) crumbling, so that they shall be as scattered dust.” (Chapter: 56 Verses 5 to 6)

“The day on which the earth shall cleave asunder under them, they will make haste; that is a gathering together easy to Us.” (Chapter: 50 Verse 44)

“And the mountains shall pass away, passing away (altogether) (Chapter: 52 Verse 10).

“And they ask you about the mountains. Say: My Fosterer will carry them away from the roofs, then leave it a plain smooth level. You will not see therein any crookedness or unevenness. (Chapter: 20 Verses 105 to 107)

“And when the trumpet is blown with a single blast, and the earth and the mountains are borne away and crushed with a single crushing, on that day shall the great event come to pass, and the heavens shall cleave asunder, so that on that day it shall be frail.” (Chapter: 69 Verses 13 to 16)

The Moon:

The moon may be strongly dragged towards the earth. It may take more than 100 billion years before moon comes close to the earth and breaks to pieces by strong gravitational forces and forms something like the Saturn’s ring around the earth.

The Sun:

Based on studies of life histories of stars, scientists predict that the sun. which is a typical star, will become more and more brilliant from century to century. Towards the end of about 10 billion years the sun will be about hundred times brighter than it is now. By that time, the surface of our planet would be heated to about the boiling point of water, the oceans would have evaporated and the earth’s atmosphere would be heated to such a degree that most of it would probably escape into interplanetary space. No life will be possible on earth and all inhabitants will perish. The sun will once more demonstrate its might and burst into a brilliant display of fire works. But this later effort of the sun will last for a few days and after the explosion, the star, in this case, the sun as we call it, proceeds only more rapidly towards its ultimate state of darkness and a lifeless celestial body. A few years later after the smoke of the explosion is cleared off, we will find the dying sun surrounded by its family of cooling planets, The Quran summarises the whole affair as follows:

“And the moon becomes dark and the sun and moon are brought together.” (Chapter: 75 Verses 8 & 9)

The Universe:

It was seen earlier that the universe consists of countless number of galaxies and each galaxy contains Millions and Millions of stars, die sun being only one of them. The description of the fate of the sun given above therefore, holds good for all the stars. The Quran on (the fate of the stars, states:

“What you are threatened with must come to pass, when the stars are made to disappear, and when the sky is rent asunder, and when the mountains are carried away as dust.” (Chapter: 77 Verses 7 – 10)

“When the sky becomes cleft asunder, and when the stars ‘become dispersed.” (Chapter: 82 Verses 1 & 2.)

“When the sun is covered, and when the stars darken, and when the mountains are made to pass away.” (Chapter: 81 Verses 1 to 3.)

“For they think it to be far off, and We (Allah) see it near. On the day when the sky shall be as molten brass, and the mountains shall be as tuffs of wool;” (Chapter: 70 Verses 6 to 9)

At present the universe is expanding i.e. various groups of galaxies are receding away from each other, just as spots on a balloon recede away from each other when the balloon is inflated, each spot representing one group of galaxies. The problem before scientists is; Will the universe continue to expand forever? The answer to this question depends upon how much matter there is in the universe. If the mass of the universe is less than a certain critical mass, then the gravitational force between the heavenly bodies will be insufficient to halt the expansion and the galaxies will continue to recede away from each other forever. But if the amount of matter in the universe actually exceeds the critical mass, as indicated by some recent measurements which need more confirming evidence, gravity will eventually stop the expansion and the universe will begin to collapse upon itself i.e. all galaxies containing all the stars, planets, satellites etc., will start traveling back towards a common center and the universe will then concentrate itself in a very narrow space (the crunch). The mechanism of the collapsing galaxies can be understood by means of the example of (the inflated balloon with spots representing groups of galaxies. If the inflated balloon is cut with a sharp blade, the whole balloon will suddenly collapse and the spots representing groups of galaxies, which were quite far off from each other would suddenly get concentrated in a very narrow space. In the case of the universe, the collapsing galaxies may clash with each other with such tremendous force that everything will perish in fiery chaos. All bodies, including of course mankind and their dead bodies, and all atoms of the world will dissolve into a nuclear fluid of the primeval atom. Does the following verse of the Quran refer to this state of affairs:

“And there is none of you but shall come to it (hell); this is an unavoidable decree of your Fosterer. Again, We will deliver those who guard (against evil), and We will leave the unjust therein on their knees.” (Chapter: 19 Verses 71 & 72.)

The above description of the collapsing universe serves to be a sort of explanation of the following verses of the Quran:

“And when the sky has its covering removed. ” (Chapter: 81 Verse 11)

“On the day when the sky shall move from side to side.” (Chapter: 52 Verse 9)

“When the sky becomes cleft asunder and the stars become dispersed.” (Chapter: 82 Verses 1 & 2)

“The day of decision is appointed, the day on which the trumpet shall be blown so you shall come forth in hosts, and the skies shall be opened so that it shall be all openings.” (Chapter: 78 Verses 17-19)

“And they have not honoured Allah with the honour that is due to Him; and the whole earth shall be in His grip on the day of resurrection and the skies rolled up in His right hand.” (Chapter: 39 Verse 67)

“……And Allah’s is the heritage of the skies and the earth……” (Chapter: 3 Verse 179.)

Recreation of the Universe:

It is further predicted by scientists, that the single super dense ball of matter and energy i.e. the primeval atom (the crunch) formed from collapsing galaxies will rebound and the explosive expansion will produce a new generation of galaxies, stars, etc. as before. The Quran has its own majestic way of describing this event:

“The day We will roll up the sky, like the rolling up of the sheet for writings. As We began the first creation, We will get it reproduced, a promise (binding) on Us: We will certainly do it.” (Chapter: 21 Verse 104).

Could there be a better agreement between the Quran and science as on this subject? Human mind is sometimes doubtful, sometimes astonished and puzzled how will such a great event take place are these facts or fairy tales? The Quran replies:

“Do they not consider that God Who created the skies and (the earth is able to create their like….” (Chapter: 17 Verse 99)

The universe seems to be oscillating i.e. expansion followed by contraction and vice versa. The duration of one expansion and contraction is said to be 30,000 Million years. In each oscillation, all structural phases of the previous cycle repeat themselves, without however an eternal recurrence of all things. It is quite possible that the universe has already started collapsing but we have not yet received the signal because of the distances of the further most galaxies, light from which would take Millions of years to reach us. Scientists, while predicting the time of this great event i.e. the end of the present phase of the universe, speak of Millions of years whereas the Quran states:

“For they think it to be far off, and We see it near.” (Chapter: 70 Verse 6 & 7)