Portents of the Hour

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs about the most wicked people; they are those who will be alive and witness the advent of the Hour, as well as those who take the graves as places of worship and pray at or towards them.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs his Companions about the Anti-Christ and his descriptions and signs that no other prophet before him had spoken of. This includes: The fact that he is one-eyed. Allah Almighty gave him something like Paradise and Hellfire that the eyes would perceive as such. His Paradise will, in fact, be Hellfire, and his Hellfire will be Paradise. He admits those who obey him to this Paradise, which looks to be as such to people but is actually a scorching fire; and those who disobey him, he will admit him to Hellfire, which appears to be as such to people but is actually a beautiful Paradise. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then warned us against his trial just as Noah had warned his people against him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the place of Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) terrified and afraid, while he was saying: There is no god but Allah, indicating the expectation of something unpleasant happening, and that there is no escape from it except by seeking refuge in Allah Almighty. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Woe to the Arabs from an evil that is about to happen. Today, a hole has been opened in the dam of Gog and Magog, which was built by Dhu al-Qarnayn, like this, as he made a circle with his thumb and the one next to it. Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) said: How can Allah send destruction upon us when there are righteous believers among us? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) responded to her, saying: If evil, such as immorality, debauchery, sins, adultery, alcohol, and other things, becomes widespread, destruction will befall everyone.

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We would say when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was alive: "What is the Farewell Hajj? We did not know what it meant." The Farewell Hajj was the Hajj that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed in the tenth year after Hijrah, when he bid farewell to the Muslims. He mentioned the Anti-Christ and warned extensively of him. Then, he mentioned that all the prophets had warned their followers of the Anti-Christ, raising their awareness of him by giving many descriptions of him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that the Anti-Christ should not be unknown, because Allah is not one-eyed, whereas the Anti-Christ is and his right eye is like a protruding grape. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that Allah forbade the shedding of blood and the seizing of property without a right, in the same way He had made the Day of An-Nahr, Makkah, and the month of Dhu al-Hijjah inviolable. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then asked the Companions if he had conveyed the message that he had been ordered to communicate, and they said that he had. Upon that, he asked Allah, the Almighty, three times to witness their testimony. he then ordered them to not become disbelievers, killing each other, after his death.

Each and every Prophet that was sent by Allah warned his people of the Anti-Christ because they knew that he will appear and how severe his temptation/tribulation is. The Prophets described some of his features to their people. This Hadīth mentions that he is one-eyed, and Allah is far Exalted above that. Another of his features is that the letters 'k', 'f', and 'r' are written between his eyes. These letters (in Arabic) form the word disbelief, which means disbelief.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that among the virtues of Madīnah is the presence of angels at its entrances and roads in order to guard it so that the plague and the Antichrist do not enter it.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us in this Hadīth about the approach of the Day of Judgment. The start of His mission and the Day of Judgment are as close as his two fingers are to each other, and he pointed with them, stretching them out, to make them distinct from his other fingers. In some other Hadīths, it was mentioned that those two fingers were the index and middle fingers, which are very close when joined, with only the length of a nail or even half a nail between them. The index finger is called Sabbābah because if one wants to insult (Sabb) someone, he points at him with that finger. Moreover, it is also called Sabbāhah because one raises that finger when he glorifies Allah, Exalted and Glorified, pointing at the sky. The Hadīth highlights, in brief, the fact that the worldly life is short and will soon come to an end.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that this religion will prevail all over the globe and will reach every single place that has been reached by night and day. Allah Almighty will not leave a dwelling in the city, village, wilderness, or desert except that He will bring this religion thereto. Whoever accepts and believes in this religion will be honored with the honor of Islam, and whoever rejects and denies it will be disgraced and humiliated. Then Tamīm ad-Dāri, the Companion (may Allah be pleased with him), informed that he saw this statement of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) coming true, particularly with members of his family. Those of them who embraced Islam were in a state of well-being, honor, and high standing; and those who disbelieved led a life of humiliation and disgrace, along with the money they had to pay to the Muslims.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swears by Allah that there will come a time when murder would be so widespread that the killer would not know the reason he killed and the killed would not know the reason he was killed for.

The Hadīth states that honesty shall be gradually uprooted from people’s hearts. As the first part of honesty leaves, the heart loses its light leaving a faint trace of darkness, different in color from the color preceding it. Further loss of honesty leaves a substantial irremovable mark, except for after a period of time. This darkness is denser than the previous one. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) likened the elimination of the deep-rooted light from the heart and its replacement with darkness to an ember rolling down a man’s leg and leaving a mark on it. The ember rolls away, but the blister remains. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) picked up a small stone and rolled it over his leg to make his point clearer. After the sleep during which honesty is removed, people who are trading will rarely be willing to return the things that they were entrusted with, let alone actually return them in reality. Due to such rarity, very few people will be labeled as honest and trustworthy. You may even see a man who is hardworking and intelligent, but there will be no grain of faith in his heart, let alone honesty, which is a branch of faith. The narrator reflected on a past time in his life when he would carry out transactions with anyone, without caring who they were, because he was certain that honesty was flourishing and people would fulfill their promises. Fully trusting people’s honesty, he used to trade with anyone, without investigating their situation. Later, however, when honesty disappeared, except in rare cases, he would only conduct transactions with those he knows and trusts.

The noble Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that at the end of time, a man will pass by the grave of another man and roll over in the dirt, wishing to be in his place because of the worldly hardships and the immense trials and tribulations that have afflicted him. This is because the dead are relieved of the worldly hardships and distress. The Hadīth does not encourage wishing for death; rather, it is a report of what will happen at the end of time.

Our noble Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that close to the establishment of the Hour, the River Euphrates will uncover a treasure of gold or a mountain of gold, meaning the gold will come out as a mountain; and people will fight over it because it is one of the trials. Then he forbids those who witness that incident from taking out of it, because no one will be saved from it. Perhaps some of those who witness that event interpret this Hadīth in a way that alters its true meaning, in order to justify for himself taking from it, we seek refuge with Allah from trials.

The noble Prophet informs us in this Hadīth that, at the end of time, Madīnah (may Allah increase it in honor and nobility) will be deserted by its residents and nothing will remain there, except wild animals and birds. Two shepherds will drive their sheep from Muzaynah to Madīnah and will come to find it desolate and empty. They will be the last to die; when they reach Thaniyyat al-Wadā‘, they will fall dead.

Money will increase so abundantly that no one will be found to take it. Men will decrease and women will increase, either due to wars or because more women will be born, to such an extent that for one man, there will be forty women, including daughters, sisters, and relatives, who will depend on him.

The noble Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that at the end of times, Allah will take the souls of righteous people; while other people will survive whom Allah will not raise in status or value, nor will have mercy upon them. Indeed, they are the most wicked creatures in His sight. The Hour will occur while they are alive.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that a huge army will invade the Sacred House of Allah. When they reach an open desert area, Allah will make the earth swallow them up. The Mother of the Believers ‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked him about the ones who came for buying and selling, without any evil intention to invade the Ka‘bah, and the people who followed them, but did not belong to them or know their evil plan. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed her that the earth would swallow them up because they were in their company. Later, they will be resurrected and judged according to their intentions, and everyone will be dealt with according to one's good or evil intentions.

One of the major signs of the Hour is the emergence of the Anti-Christ, as reported in the Hadīth. This is one of the matters of the unseen in which we must believe exactly as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told about them. His characteristics were fully mentioned so that nothing of them would be hidden to any Muslim. Allah, the Exalted, endowed him with amazing and supernatural powers as a test for the people. He will pass by all parts of the globe save for Makkah and Madīnah. His end will be at the hands of Prophet ‘Īsa (peace be upon him). Then Gog and Magog will emerge and spread corruption all over the world. Their emergence is also one of the signs of the run-up to the Hour. Then Prophet ‘Īsa (peace be upon him) and the believers will implore Allah, the Exalted, till He saves them from these evil beings. Following these weighty events, the Hour will take place, as Allah will have taken the lives of His believing slaves. Thus, the Hour will come while only the most wicked people are left on earth.

‘Awf ibn Mālik went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the battle of Tabūk, while he was sitting in a leather tent. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Count six signs that indicate the approach of the Hour: my death, the conquest of Jerusalem." Jerusalem was conquered during the reign of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb. Then the Prophet spoke of a sweeping plague and increase of money. It is said there was a surplus of money during the time of ‘Uthmān because of the conquests. The Prophet further spoke of a great trial that would enter each Arab house. This was probably the assassination of ‘Uthmān and the subsequent tribulations. Then he spoke of a truce between the Muslims and the Romans. However, the Romans will betray the truce and attack the Muslims under eighty flags. Under each flag will be twelve thousand soldiers, totaling 960,000.

The Hour will not be established until a fire comes out of Makkah, Madīnah, and the surrounding area. It will illuminate the necks of camels in the city of Busra in Sham. In the year 654 A.H., a fire came out in Madīnah, and it was a great fire that came out from the eastern side of Madīnah behind Al-Harrah. All the people of the Levant and all other lands learned about that fire. Contemporary scholars at that time, like An-Nawawi, Al-Qurtubi, and Abu Shāmah, mentioned it in their books.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that Muslims will conquer Iraq, and a certain measure and weight will be levied on properties of its people to be given to the Muslims. This amount levied on people will be prevented at the end of time due to invasion of these lands by the non-Arab disbelievers. The disbelievers will prevent it from reaching the Muslims. The Prophet also informs that the Muslims will also conquer the Levant, and a certain measure and weight will be levied on properties of its people to be given to the Muslims. This amount levied on people will be prevented at the end of time due to invasion of these lands by the Romans. The Romans will prevent it from reaching the Muslims as well. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) talked about a caliph emerging in the last periods of the Muslim Ummah who would freely give handfuls of wealth to the people without counting it due to its abundance resulting from expansion of his conquests. This caliph will throw money to people as he throws dust away from his hands. The narrator mentioned that when he asked some scholars of the Tābi‘is if this caliph was ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azīz, and they answered in the negative.

Before the advent of the Hour, the Muslims will fight the Turks, who are distinguished by their small eyes; white reddish faces, because of the cold weather; and short, flat noses. Their faces resemble a shield for being broad and round and seem hammered for being plump and fleshy. And before the advent of the Hour, the Muslims will fight people who wear shoes made of hair. They are the same Turks who were previously mentioned, but they are mentioned with a different description here.

The Hour will not appear until the Muslims fight the people of Khudh and Kirman from the non-Arab lands. They are described as having white reddish faces, due to the effect of the cold on their bodies. Their noses are flat and their eyes are small. Their faces are like flat round shields “coated with leather,” to indicate their chubbiness and they walk in shoes made of hair.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told Khālid ibn ‘Urfutah that there will be differences, wars, and trials in the future. For example, the Muslim Ummah will not have a ruler at all, or there will be a leader for each territory. Therefore, dissensions and wars will arise among them. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Khālid to isolate himself from such temptations and not engage in them; to be killed unjustly would be better for him than to kill a Muslim. In this case, it is recommended to confine oneself to one's house or to completely move from the affected country. However, there is a proof that one may defend oneself, one's family, and one's property at times of tribulation. He is to be excused for killing or being killed, unless corruption and conflicts arise from that. If the Muslims are united around an Imām, regardless of whether he is just or despotic, and a group of people rebel against him, and they have some power and want to create dissension, then the Imām should communicate with them. If they refuse to obey him and scared the Muslims, then the Imām should fight them so as to restrain their evil. The people should side with the Imām in fighting those rebels until they come back in conciliation, return to Allah's commands, and obey the leadership. This applies to oppressors as well as those who rebel against the ruler and leave his obedience.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that at the end of times, a Muslim caliph will generously distribute money countlessly. Indeed, there will be then huge amounts of wealth and spoils of war.

The Companion Nāfi‘ ibn ‘Utbah relates that he was with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during a battle. Some people clad in woolen clothes came from the direction of the west to meet the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who was sitting on a high place, and they were standing. Nāfi‘ said to himself that he should not leave the Prophet alone with those strangers, so he should go and stand with them, so that they would not kill the Prophet unnoticed. Then he said to himself that the Prophet was probably having a private conversation with them and did not want anyone to hear or know about it. However, he went to where they were standing and stood between them and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then Nāfi‘ said that he memorized from the Prophet four sentences that he could count on his fingers. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that Muslims after him would fight the disbelieving Arabs. All Arabs would enter Islam, and the whole Arabian Peninsula would be under the rule of Muslims. Then he said that they would fight the Persians and conquer all the Persian territories. Then they would fight the Byzantines, defeat them, and open their lands. Then they would fight the Anti-Christ, and Allah would vanquish him. Then Nāfi‘ said to Jābir ibn Samurah that the Anti-Christ would emerge only after the Byzantines are conquered. These four things happened except the fighting of the Anti-Christ, which will take place just before the advent of the Hour.

Two groups from the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) will be saved from Hellfire: a group that invades the lands of India and fights the disbelievers in the cause of Allah, and a group that will be with ‘Īsa ibn Maryam when he comes down to earth at the end of the time, after the appearance of the Anti-Christ, whom ‘Īsa (peace be upon him) will kill.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that whoever memorizes ten verses from the beginning of Surat al-Kahf by heart will be protected, guarded, and shielded from the trial of the Antichrist, who will appear at the end of time and claim divinity. His trial will be the greatest trial on Earth from the time of Adam's creation until the advent of the Hour, due to the supernatural events that Allah Almighty will allow him to perform to deceive his followers. This is because the beginning of Surat al-Kahf contains wonders and signs that are greater than what the Antichrist will use to deceive the people. Therefore, whoever reflects upon it will not be deceived by the Antichrist. Another version reads: The last ten verses of the Surah from His statement: {Do the disbelievers think that they can take My slaves...}.