77 Preface وَلِلَّهِ غَيبُ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ ۚ وَما أَمرُ السّاعَةِ إِلّا كَلَمحِ البَصَرِ أَو هُوَ أَقرَبُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلىٰ كُلِّ شَيءٍ قَديرٌYusuf AliTo God belongeth the Mystery1 of the heavens and the earth. And the Decision of the Hour2 (of Judgment) is as the twingkling of an eye, or even quicker: for God hath power over all things.The key to all things?### not only those which we see and understand, but those which we do not see or of which have no idea?is with God, Whose knowledge and power are supreme.Lures of this world and its fleeting pleasures often make man forget that the life of the hereafter is an imminent reality. Many of those who claim to believe in the life to come act and behave as if it belonged to a distant future, and had no relevance to their present activities and mode of living. The Qur-ān repeatedly reminds man that the Hour of Reckoning is not a distant possibility, but very close to man, and could come to pass any moment. The wisest course for man, therefore, is to be always alert and watchful and steer clear of all forms of sin and impiety, for when the Promised Hour comes it will come all of a sudden and without any prior notice. See also 10:45; 30:55, 45:32. (Eds.)