Friday Sermon: Islam rejects doomsday, Friday, 13 November, A.D. 2026 Superstition!, By Murtadha Gusau

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, Master of the Day of Judgment, the Creator of time, space, and every atom in existence, who commands justice and excellence and forbids oppression and tyranny. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without any partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah send abundant blessings and peace upon him. To proceed:

Dear servants of Allah! Tonight, across the screens of the world, a 66-year-old headline has resurfaced to stir curiosity and fear: “Doomsday: Friday, November 13, A.D. 2026.” Tomorrow—Friday, November 13—was mathematically calculated in a famous 1960 study published in the journal Science by physicist Heinz von Foerster and his colleagues as the exact day human population growth would hit mathematical infinity and humanity would “squeeze itself to death.”

As Muslim believers standing on the threshold of tomorrow’s Jumu’ah, how does the heart of a Muslim believer respond to scientific doomsday models, human calculations, and the true reality of the Hour? Let us reflect deeply through the lens of the Qur’an and Sunnah as follows:

1. The Knowledge of the Hour Belongs Exclusively to Allah

Human science is a magnificent gift from Allah Almighty, allowing us to observe patterns, measure creation, and study trends. Yet, human models operate on assumptions, whereas Allah operates on Absolute Decree, the Qadar.

When the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was questioned by Angel Jibril about when the Final Hour would occur, he gave the timeless answer that humbles every equation ever written. He said:

“The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner.” [Sahih Muslim]

Allah Almighty declares in the Noble Qur’an:

“They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the Hour: when is its arrival? Say, ‘Its knowledge is only with my Lord. None will reveal its time except Him. It lays heavily upon the heavens and the earth. It will not come upon you except unexpectedly.'” [Qur’an, 7:187]

No physicist, no supercomputer, and no mathematical singularity can pin a date on the end of time. The 1960 paper projected past growth rates into a straight line, assuming human behaviour would never change—forgetting that Allah is Al-Mudabbir, The Disposer of Affairs, who shifts hearts, alters birth rates, and governs the cosmos with wisdom beyond human formulas.

2. Why Islam Rejects “Friday the 13th” Superstition — and Honours Friday

Notice the date chosen by the researchers: Friday, November 13—a date wrapped in Western superstition of bad luck and dread, which also happened to be the lead author’s 115th birthday.

In Islam, there is no such thing as an unlucky number or an ominous calendar date. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) abolished superstition, teaching us that neither numbers nor days carry harm or benefit except by Allah’s will. More importantly, Friday is not a day of dread for the Muslim believer—it is the master of all days!

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:

“The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he was expelled from it, and the Last Hour will take place on no day other than Friday.” [Sahih Muslim]

We do not fear Friday because a 1960 equation pointed to it. Rather, we revere every Friday because our Creator honoured it, and we prepare for the Hour not with panic, but with prayer, charity, and remembrance of Allah (Zikr).

3. The Real Lesson of the 1960 Study: Stewardship (Khilafah) Over Panic

While the 1960 study’s doomsday date failed because global birth rates slowed dramatically after the 1960s, its underlying warning holds a profound Islamic truth. The scientists wanted to wake humanity up to the consequences of unchecked consumption, environmental strain, and resource limits.

Islam taught this over 1,400 years ago. Allah Almighty placed us on this Earth as Khulafah, the stewards and caretakers, commanding us:

“And do not cause corruption upon the earth after its reformation.” [Qur’an, 7:56]

And our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) taught us to be responsible even if the real Doomsday were unfolding before our eyes. He said:

“If the Final Hour comes while you have a palm-cutting in your hands and it is possible to plant it before the Hour comes, you should plant it.” [Musnad of Imam Ahmad]

Think about the psychological power of that Hadith! While sensational headlines tell people to panic or give up because “the world ends tomorrow,” Islam commands you to plant a seed today. Faith does not paralyse you with fear; faith activates you with purpose.

4. Your Personal Doomsday is Closer Than Any Headline

Respected brothers and sisters! Let us ask ourselves a soul-stirring question: Why do people obsess over when the world will end, while forgetting that their own world can end at any heartbeat?

Imam Al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) used to say:

“O son of Adam! You are nothing but a collection of days. Whenever a day passes, a part of you has gone.”

Yes, tomorrow is Friday, November 13, 2026. The sun will rise, the birds will glorify their Lord, and life will continue by the mercy of Allah. Yet for thousands of souls across this earth, tomorrow truly will be their final day—their personal Qiyamah, when the angel of death arrives and the scroll of deeds is sealed.

When a Bedouin once asked the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him):

“When is the Hour?” the Prophet (Peace be upon him) redirected his psychology from speculation to preparation. He said: “What have you prepared for it?” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

Dear brothers and sisters! Let tomorrow’s Jumu’ah be a day of awakening, not anxiety. Let us use science as a tool to marvel at Allah’s creation and care for His earth, while anchoring our certainty solely in the Unseen Knowledge of Allah.

● Purify your intentions tonight before you sleep.

● Send abundant Salawat upon the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) as Friday enters.

● Walk to Jumu’ah tomorrow with a heart full of Taqwa, Allah-consciousness, gratitude, and readiness to meet your Lord.

Respected brothers and sisters! No doubt, there is the Day of Judgment, the Day when Allah will settle all disputes and judge between His creation.

On the Day of Resurrection, all creation will hear a mighty call. Do you know who will be calling? It will be Allah Himself!

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:

“People will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection naked, uncircumcised, and possessing nothing. Then Allah will call out to them in a voice that those far away will hear just as clearly as those nearby: ‘I am the King! I am the Judge! No one among the people of the Fire shall enter the Fire while he has a right owed to him by someone among the people of Paradise, until I have secured that right for him. And no one among the people of Paradise shall enter Paradise while someone among the people of the Fire has a right against him, until I have secured that right from him—even for a slap!’”

The Companions asked:

“How will that be, when we will come before Allah, the Almighty, naked, uncircumcised, and possessing nothing?”

He replied:

“Through good deeds and bad deeds.” [Narrated by Imam Ahmad].

“Even for a slap!” These words bring comfort to wounded hearts and assure the oppressed that their prayers for justice will be answered. For Allah has never been absent, nor has He ever forgotten. He is the One who says:

“Do not think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them until a Day when eyes will stare in horror, rushing forward with their heads raised, their eyes unable to blink, and their hearts empty.” [Surah Ibrahim: 42–43]

Allah’s perfect justice on the Day of Resurrection will extend to restoring every right to its rightful owner—even among animals. You may witness a passing scene in which two animals fight and one attacks the other. You might think that the incident is over and will simply be forgotten. No, by my Lord!

That incident is not over. There is another part to the story, when Allah resurrects them and judges between them on the Day of Resurrection. Do not be surprised!

Abu Zarr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that he was once with the Prophet (Peace be upon him) when the Prophet saw two sheep butting heads. He asked:

“O Abu Zarr, do you know why they are butting heads?”

Abu Zarr replied: “No.”

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“But Allah knows, and He will judge between them.” [Narrated by Imam Ahmad]

What remarkable words:

“But Allah knows, and He will judge between them.”

If Allah will judge between animals, then what will be the situation of human beings on that Day?

On the Day of Resurrection, every person will be held accountable for their deeds, whether they concern their relationship with Allah or their dealings with other people.

This is why the first deed for which a servant will be brought to account is the prayer, while the first matter to be judged between people will be cases of bloodshed.

Yes, the very bloodshed that so many people have come to treat so lightly, until human lives have lost their value in their eyes and innocent people are killed without having committed any crime.

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:

“The first matters to be judged between people on the Day of Resurrection will be cases of bloodshed.” [Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The rights of a murdered person whose life was unjustly taken will never be lost. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) tells us:

“On the Day of Resurrection, the murdered person will come with his killer, holding him by his forelock and head, while blood gushes from the murdered person’s neck. He will say: ‘My Lord, ask this man why he killed me!’” [Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and al-Nasaʾi]

Allah will then ask the killer:

“Why did you kill him?”

He will reply:

“So that power and honour would belong to so-and-so.”

Allah will say:

“But they do not belong to so-and-so.”

The killer will then bear the burden of his sin. [Narrated by al-Nasa’ī]

And the matter does not end with bloodshed. Every act of injustice or aggression committed against another person without right will be brought before Allah on the Day of Resurrection. Every servant will be questioned about it and will have to repay whatever rights they owe, whatever those rights may be.

Abdullah Ibn Masʿud (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“On the Day of Resurrection, a male or female servant will be taken by the hand before all generations, past and present. A caller will announce: ‘This is so-and-so, the son of so-and-so! Whoever has a right against this person, let him come forward and claim it!’ On that Day, a woman will rejoice to have a claim against her son, her father, her brother, or her husband.” Then he recited:

“On that Day, there will be no ties of kinship between them, nor will they ask about one another.” [Surah al-Muʾminun: 101]

“The Lord, Blessed and Exalted, will then say to the servant: ‘Give these people their rights.’” [Narrated by al-Tabarī]

But how will these rights be restored when this worldly life has ended and all wealth has disappeared?

Through good deeds and bad deeds. For everything has a precise value with Allah, and no one’s rights will ever be lost. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“Whoever has wronged his brother regarding his honour or anything else should seek his forgiveness today, before a Day comes when there will be neither dinar nor dirham. If he has good deeds, they will be taken from him according to the extent of his wrongdoing. And if he has no good deeds, some of the sins of the person he wronged will be taken and placed upon him.” [Narrated by al-Bukhari]

How many people, then, will be bankrupt on the Day of Resurrection! They will be bankrupt in good deeds—deeds that were righteous and accepted, but which they lost when those deeds were used to repay the rights of people they had wronged.

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) once asked his Companions:

“Do you know who the bankrupt person is?”

They replied:

“The bankrupt person among us is someone who has neither money nor possessions.”

He said:

“The bankrupt person from my nation is the one who will come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers, fasting, and zakah, but he will also come having insulted one person, falsely accused another, unlawfully consumed another person’s wealth, shed another person’s blood, and struck another person. This person will be given some of his good deeds, and that person will be given some of his good deeds. If his good deeds run out before he has repaid everything he owes, the sins of those he wronged will be taken and placed upon him. Then he will be thrown into the Fire.” [Narrated by Muslim]

Does the oppressor think that he will escape the consequences of his injustice? No, by my Lord! The injustices he has committed will cause him to be thrown into the blazing Fire. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“A man’s record of deeds will be presented to him on the Day of Resurrection until he thinks that he has been saved. But the claims of those he wronged will continue to follow him until he has no good deeds left, and the sins of those people will be added to his own.” [Narrated by al-Hakim]

In this world, disputes have arisen between people. Lives have been taken, wealth has been seized, and people’s honour has been violated.

Criminals have managed to escape justice. Oppressors have presented themselves as victims. Some of the oppressed have even died overwhelmed by grief and anguish.

But one thing is certain: their cases have not been closed! Another court will be established, and the Judge on that Day will be the Lord of all worlds.

The Day of Resurrection is the Day of just retribution. It will be a Day of perfect and just retribution, extending even to the smallest ants. On that Day, Allah will judge between His creation. Neither social status nor family lineage will offer anyone an advantage. There will be no bribery and no deception.

Even a slap will be repaid, as the oppressed person receives justice from the one who wronged him. Glory be to the One who honours the oppressed through His power and subdues the oppressor through His might!

We are a nation (Ummah) of justice! Our Lord has commanded us to uphold justice and has prescribed for us a religion through which justice is established.

Whoever wishes to be saved on the Day of Resurrection must therefore act with justice, give people their rights, and restore what has been wrongfully taken from others before the Day of Judgment arrives—a Day when neither wealth nor authority will be of any benefit.

Ya Allah, help us and do not help others against us. Grant us victory and do not grant others victory over us. Plan in our favour and not against us, and grant us victory over those who wrong us.

Ya Allah, grant us safety in our homelands, reform our leaders and those in authority over us, and place authority over us in the hands of those who fear You, are mindful of You, and seek Your pleasure.

Ya Allah, support our oppressed brothers in Nigeria, in Gaza and everywhere, and grant them victory and relief soon.

Ya Allah, make the best of our deeds their endings, and the best of our days the day we meet You. Protect us from baseless fears, grant us beneficial knowledge, make us faithful stewards of Your Earth, and admit us into Your Paradise without reckoning. Ameen Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum.

Dear servants of Allah! Remember Allah often and glorify Him in the morning and evening. And our final prayer is: All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all worlds.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: [email protected] or +2348038289761 or +2348024192217.

This Jumu’ah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today, Friday, Jumadal Thani 03, 1448 AH (13 November, 2026).