The short answer
The universe will not last forever. On the Day of Judgment the sky will split open and be folded like a scroll, the sun will be wrapped up, the stars will scatter, and the seas will erupt. Allah will hold the earth and roll up the heavens in His right hand, and the earth and heavens will be replaced by others.
Nothing in the universe lasts forever, and the Quran describes what happens when its term ends.
The sky. "The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a [written] sheet for the records. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it" 1. The sky "breaks apart" 2 and "splits open" 3.
The sun, stars and seas. "When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness], and when the stars fall, dispersing, and when the mountains are removed" 4. The Prophet ﷺ said the sun and the moon will be folded up on the Day of Resurrection 5. The seas are "erupted" 2 and "filled with flame" 4.
In Allah's hand. The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah will take hold of the earth and roll up the heavens in His right hand and say, "I am the King; where are the kings of the earth?" 6 All the power people chased in this world is shown for what it was.
A new creation. The earth "will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens [as well]", and all creatures will come out before Allah, "the One, the Prevailing" 7. Everyone on the earth perishes, and only the Face of your Lord remains, full of majesty and honour 8.
These verses are not meant to frighten us into despair. Allah describes the end of the universe so that we prepare for the only thing that lasts: our meeting with Him. The best preparation is the one the Quran keeps repeating: faith and righteous deeds.
Allah will fold the heaven like a written scroll and repeat creation as He began it.
يَوۡمَ نَطۡوِي ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَطَيِّ ٱلسِّجِلِّ لِلۡكُتُبِۚ كَمَا بَدَأۡنَآ أَوَّلَ خَلۡقࣲ نُّعِيدُهُۥۚ وَعۡدًا عَلَيۡنَآۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا فَٰعِلِينَ ١٠٤
The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a [written] sheet for the records. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. [That is] a promise binding upon Us. Indeed, We will do it
The sky breaks apart, the stars scatter and the seas erupt.
إِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ ٱنفَطَرَتۡ ١ وَإِذَا ٱلۡكَوَاكِبُ ٱنتَثَرَتۡ ٢ وَإِذَا ٱلۡبِحَارُ فُجِّرَتۡ ٣
1 When the sky breaks apart 2 And when the stars fall, scattering 3 And when the seas are erupted
The sky splits open, obeying its Lord.
إِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ ٱنشَقَّتۡ ١ وَأَذِنَتۡ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتۡ ٢
1 When the sky has split [open] 2 And has responded to its Lord and was obligated [to do so]
The sun wrapped up, stars falling, mountains removed, seas set aflame.
إِذَا ٱلشَّمۡسُ كُوِّرَتۡ ١ وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتۡ ٢ وَإِذَا ٱلۡجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتۡ ٣ وَإِذَا ٱلۡعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتۡ ٤ وَإِذَا ٱلۡوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتۡ ٥ وَإِذَا ٱلۡبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتۡ ٦
1 When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness] 2 And when the stars fall, dispersing 3 And when the mountains are removed 4 And when full-term she-camels are neglected 5 And when the wild beasts are gathered 6 And when the seas are filled with flame
The sun and moon will be folded up on the Day of Resurrection.
Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The sun and the moon will be folded up (deprived of their light) on the Day of Resurrection
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ الْمُخْتَارِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ الدَّانَاجُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ مُكَوَّرَانِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ".
Allah will hold the earth and roll up the heavens in His right hand, saying "I am the King".
Narrated Abu Huraira:I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "Allah will hold the whole earth, and roll all the heavens up in His Right Hand, and then He will say, 'I am the King; where are the kings of the earth?
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ خَالِدِ بْنِ مُسَافِرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " يَقْبِضُ اللَّهُ الأَرْضَ، وَيَطْوِي السَّمَوَاتِ بِيَمِينِهِ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ أَنَا الْمَلِكُ، أَيْنَ مُلُوكُ الأَرْضِ ".
The earth and the heavens will be replaced by others, and all will stand before Allah.
يَوۡمَ تُبَدَّلُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتُۖ وَبَرَزُواْ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡوَٰحِدِ ٱلۡقَهَّارِ ٤٨
[It will be] on the Day the earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens [as well], and all creatures will come out before Allah, the One, the Prevailing
Everyone on earth perishes and only the Face of your Lord remains.
كُلُّ مَنۡ عَلَيۡهَا فَانࣲ ٢٦ وَيَبۡقَىٰ وَجۡهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو ٱلۡجَلَٰلِ وَٱلۡإِكۡرَامِ ٢٧
26 Everyone upon the earth will perish 27 And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor
This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-25