The Quran

Preface

۞ إِلَيهِ يُرَدُّ عِلمُ السّاعَةِ ۚ وَما تَخرُجُ مِن ثَمَراتٍ مِن أَكمامِها وَما تَحمِلُ مِن أُنثىٰ وَلا تَضَعُ إِلّا بِعِلمِهِ ۚ وَيَومَ يُناديهِم أَينَ شُرَكائي قالوا آذَنّاكَ ما مِنّا مِن شَهيدٍ

Yusuf Ali

To Him is referred¹ the Knowledge of the Hour (of Judgment: He knows all): No date-fruit comes out of its sheath, nor does a female conceive (within her womb) nor bring forth the Day that (God) will propound to them the (question),² “Where are the partners (ye attributed to Me?” They will say, “We do assure thee not one of us can bear witness!”

There are profound mysteries which the knowledge of man cannot fathom but which are all open knowledge to God, because He plans, guides and controls all things. The precise time of the Hour of Judgment is one of these. We are not to dispute about matters like these, which are matters of speculation as far as human intelligence is concerned. Such speculations ruined the Ummah of Moses, and set them on the arid path of doubts and controversies. Our task is to do our duty and love God and man (see the last two verses). Cf. also 21:4.
When the final restoration of true values comes, all falsehood will be exposed openly and publicly. The false gods will vanish, and their falsehood will be acknowledged by those who had lapsed from true worship. But it will be too late then for repentance.