A full lunar eclipse visible in the Americas , Europe , Africa and western and southern Asia took place on Sunday Nov. 9, 2003 – 14 Ramadaan 1424. The moon remained covered for an unusually brief 25 minutes as it skimmed barely inside the southern edge of our planet's shadow – the umbra. During this total eclipse of the moon, the only illumination reaching our satellite comes from the sunsets and dappled dawns that are going on at the time all around the rim of our planet. Even where local skies are crystal clear, a total lunar eclipse appears fiery orange, murky brown or dusky red-grey according to the net effect of clouds and haze elsewhere around the globe. On our continent of Africa , this lunar eclipse appeared before sunrise on Sunday at 3.13 a.m. The partial eclipses lasted for 3 hours 32 minutes as the moon moved across the umbra's edge, but the duration of the total eclipse was only 25 minutes.

Two weeks later, on Sunday 23 November, 2003 – 28 Ramadaan, 1424, there will be partial phases of a solar eclipse over Australia, New Zealand, and the southern tip of South America, but this solar eclipse will be total in a fairly wide swath that cuts across Antarctica. In this way, during Ramadaan of 1424 A.H. there will have been two total eclipses, a lunar and a solar eclipse.

This is not all that is happening this Ramadaan. The heavens are alive with major celestial movements and galactic events. There are unprecedented asteroid groups being formed. The clearest grouping in the entire 21 st century takes place in November 2003 – Ramadaan 1424. On November 9 – Ramadaan 14, at the time of the lunar eclipse, 5 minor asteroids named Melmopene, Hersilia, Marianna, Beagle and Francette, formed a compact group, a rare and unusual event for asteroids smaller than 50 kilometres. The numbered asteroids in the skies are 65,634. The next quintuple grouping is in May 2006, and then in 2073.

Many questions arise in the mind. What do these rare and unusual celestial events foretell, if any? Does it bode good for the world or bad? Where do Muslims stand on this matter? Does it mean that the end of time has come? Is planetary transformation about to take place? Is spiritual transcendence in the offing? Does it usher in an era of energy activation upon the earth to raise human galactic consciousness? Is the appearance of Imam Mahdi and Nabi Isa [as] imminent? Are the Signs of Qiyamah about to unfold?

All these and many more questions and queries are in our minds. How do we answer them?

The answers are clear, because ISLAM is not a mystery Religion. RASUL'ULLAH [SAW] was the FINAL MESSENGER OF ALLAH [SAW]. He disclosed many minor and major Signs of the Hereafter, which have already begun to appear. The upheavals in the heavens are also among the Signs of the coming of Qiyamah. They are inevitable. That we know. What we do not know is the date and time of these appearances. Only ALLAH knows that.

When these Signs appear, we have to prepare ourselves for the Hereafter through self-reformation, moral regeneration and spiritual discipline. There are too many distractions, too many temptations, and too many evils in the world, and Muslims are falling for these sins very easily and going astray. We are turning away from ALLAH [SWT] to intense love for the world, and overshadowing SUNNAH with BID'AH. Apostasy, heresy, dissent and non-conformity is creeping into our midst. We have more time for Dunya and no time for ALLAH. Greed has replaced charity. Selfishness has given way to empathy. Desire has overtaken ALLAH-consciousness. Defiance has taken the place of TAQWA. IMAAN has given way to NI-FAAQ. Money has replaced meditation. Possession has taken the place of contemplation. Secular knowledge has replaced Islamic knowledge.

Celestial phenomena excite us. What is in it for us? Fear of the colossal POWER of ALLAH [SWT] does not impress us. IMAAN is at its weakest. What is the answer?

TURN TO ALLAH! WORSHIP ONLY ALLAH! PRAISE ONLY ALLAH! BOW, PROSTRATE AND BESEECH ONLY ALLAH! GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF AND PRACTICE THE DEEN OF ISLAM! MEDITATE AND CONTEMPLATE! THE WONDERS AND MARVELS OF THIS UNIVERSE ARE MANY, BUT THEY ALL TEACH US ONE LESSON:

LA ILAAHA ILLALLAH MUHAMMADUR RASULULLAH!