Signs of the Hour
- Categories: Aqeedah (Islamic Faith) -
Q: There are various sites regarding
prophesies on the last days. The sites give very precise locations
and happenings before the last day. Are they true?. However in
Quran there are prophesies but it does not mention the places. If
there are any clear indications in Quran or in Hadith about Last
Days, can you kindly tell.
A: Praise be to Allaah.
The Signs of the Hour are the signs that will precede Yawm
al-Qiyaamah (the Day of Judgement) and indicate that it is
nigh.
The Hour (al-Saa'ah) means the time of
reckoning, and is either:
1. Saa'ah sughra (the lesser hour), which is a
person's death, whereupon his reckoning starts when he leaves this
world and passes into the Hereafter.
2. Or Saa'ah kubraa (the greater Hour), which is
when mankind will be resurrected from their graves to be judged and
rewarded or punished accordingly.
When the word al-saa'ah is used on its own in the Qur'aan, it
refers to the greater reckoning (the Day of Judgement), as in the
aayah (interpretation of the meaning): "People ask you concerning
the Hour…" [al-Ahzaab 33:63].
{يَسْأَلُكَ النَّاسُ عَنِ
السَّاعَةِ...}
Transliteration: Yas'aluka An-Nāsu `Ani As-Sā`ati
The Signs of the Hour (i.e., the Day
of Judgement) are of two types:
1. Ashraat al-Saa'ah al-Sughra (Minor signs of the
Hour)
These are signs that will appear a long time before the Hour
approaches, such as the decline of knowledge, the spread of
ignorance, drinking of wine or alcohol, competition in the
construction of tall buildings, and many others. The scholars have
listed almost sixty signs, some of which will accompany the major
signs, or will appear afterwards.
2. Ashraat al-Saa'ah al-Kubraa (Major Signs of the
Hour).
These are major signs that will appear
shortly before the Day of Judgement comes. These extraordinary
events will be:
(1) The appearance of the
Mahdi.
At the end of time, a man from the descendents of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) will appear, and Allaah
will help him to make His religion prevail. He will take control of
the land (or the earth) and fill it with justice just as it had
previously been filled with wrongdoing and oppression. Under his
rule, the ummah will be blessed as it has never been blessed
before.
This man's name will be like the name of the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and his father's
namewill be like the Messenger's father's name. He will be a
descendant of Faatimah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), through the line of
al-Hasan ibn 'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him). He will appear
from the East. A number of saheeh ahaadeeth refer to the appearance
of the Mahdi, including the following:
1. Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased
with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: «During the last days of my ummah, the Mahdi
will appear. Allaah will send rain for him, and the earth will
bring forth its produce. He will give money sihaahan
(according to one report», the Prophet was asked, "What is
sihaahan?" and he said, «Equally among
people» [Reported by Ahmad], «and livestock will increase… He will live
for seven or eight - meaning years». [Reported by al-Haakim, 4/557; he
said it is saheeh according to the conditions of the two shaykhs
[al-Bukhaari and Muslim]. Al-Dhahabi agreed with him. Shaykh
al-Albaani said: its sanad is saheeh. Al-Silsilah al-Saheehah,
711].
2. Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her)
said: "I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) say: «The Mahdi
will be of my family» (according to one report: of the
people of my household) [Reported by Ibn Hibbaan and by al-Haakim
in al-Mustadrak. He said: this hadeeth is saheeh according to the
conditions of the two shaykhs, but they did not report it.
Al-Dhahabi agreed with him] «from the
children of Faatimah» [Reported by Abu Dawood, 11/373 and
Ibn Maajah, 2/1368. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Jaami', section 6610].
Al-'Allaamah al-Safaareeni
said: "So many reports were narrated concerning the
appearance of the Mahdi that they reached the level of Tawaatur in
meaning, and this became so well known among the scholars of Sunnah
that it is counted as one of their basic beliefs." (Lawaami' al-Anwaar al-Bahiyyah,
2/84).
[Tawaatur: a mutawaatir hadeeth is one that was narrated by so many
people and transmitted by so many people that it is inconceivable
that they could all have agreed on a lie. Translator].
Imaam al-Shawkaani said: "The
mutawaatir ahaadeeth about the awaited Mahdi, which we managed to
find and examine, number fifty, including saheeh, hasan and da'eef
munjabir (weak ahaadeeth that are supported by corroborating
evidence) reports. They are mutawaatir beyond any shadow of a
doubt… The reports from the Sahaabah that speak about the Mahdi are
also very many and are judged as having the status of marfoo'
ahaadeeth (i.e., ahaadeeth whose isnaads go back to the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because this is not an
issue in which they would have made ijtihaad." (For more
information, see Question #1252).
(2) Al-Maseeh al-Dajjaal (The
"Antichrist")
Al-Maseeh al-Dajjaal is a man from the sons of Aadam. He has a
number of features which were mentioned in the saheeh ahaadeeth,
including the following: he will be a young man with a ruddy
complexion and curly hair, and will be one-eyed, with his right eye
looking like a floating grape. Between his eyes will be written
"ka' fa' ra'" (in unjoined letters) or "kaafir" (disbeliever),
which every Muslim, literate or illiterate, will be able to read.
Another of his attributes will be that he is sterile, and will have
no children. Among the ahaadeeth that describe him are the
following:
1. Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them
both) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: «Whilst I
was sleeping, (I dreamt that) I was doing Tawaaf around the House
(the Ka'bah)». He mentioned that he saw 'Eesaa ibn Maryam,
upon whom be peace, then he saw the Dajjaal, and he described him:
«He is a well-built man, with a ruddy
complexion and curly hair. He is one-eyed, with his eye looking
like a floating grape». (Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said in
al-Fath, 6/485: i.e., it is sticking out. The word yatfaa, with no
hamzah, is used to describe something that is on top of something
else. It is likened to a grape which is part of the bunch but
sticks out from the rest. Al-Nawawi said: the word has been
narrated both with the hamzah and without the hamzah. With the
hamzah it means that the light has gone out of the eye, and without
the hamzah it means that it is sticking out.) They said: "This is
the Dajjaal…" [Reported by al-Bukhaari, 13/90, and Muslim,
2/237[.
2. Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them
both) also reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) described the Dajjaal as living
among people, and said: «Allaah, may
He be exalted, is not one-eyed, but al-Maseeh al-Dajjaal is
one-eyed, and his right eye looks like a floating grape»
[Reported by al-Bukhaari, 13/90, and Muslim, 18/59].
3. 'Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: "I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) say: «Between the
creation of Aadam and the onset of the Day of Judgement, there will
be a creation greater than the Dajjaal» [Reported by Muslim,
18/86]. [This means that] the Dajjaal will appear from the East,
from Khurasaan, from among the Jews of Isfahaan, then he will
travel around the world, leaving no country but he will enter it,
except for Makkah and Madeenah, which he will not be able to enter
because the angels are guarding them, as is reported in the hadeeth
of Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased with him): "The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
told us that the Dajjaal would appear from a land in the East
called Khurasaan" [Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 6/495); classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami', section 3398].
The fitnah (trial, tribulation) of the Dajjaal will be the greatest
fitnah ever, seen from the time that Allaah created Aadam until the
onset of the Day of Judgement, and this will be because of the
power that Allaah will permit him to have, of working great
miracles that will amaze and confuse the people. There are
ahaadeeth that describe how he will have a "paradise" and a "hell",
but his paradise will in fact be a hell, and vice versa. He will
have rivers of water and mountains of bread. He will command the
sky to rain, and it will rain, and he will command the earth to
bring forth its produce, and it will bring forth its produce. The
treasures of the earth will follow him, and he will travel though
the earth at great speed, like rain driven by the wind.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught his
ummah how they can protect themselves from the evil of the fitnah
of the Dajjaal, as is reported in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah, may
Allaah be pleased with him, who said that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: «When any one of you pronounces the
Shahaadah, let him seek refuge with Allaah from four things, and
let him say: 'Allaahumma innee a'oodhu bika min 'adhaab jahannam,
wa min 'adhaab al-qabr, wa min fitnati'l-mahyaa wa'l-mamaat, wa min
sharri fitnati'l-maseeh al-dajjaal (O Allaah, I seek refuge with
You from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave,
from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the
tribulation of the Dajjaal)» [Reported by Muslim,
5/87].
Another way of protecting oneself is by memorizing the first aayaat
of Soorat al-Kahf. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) enjoined reciting the first verses of Soorat al-Kahf
against the Dajjaal, by reciting the first ten verses, as was
reported by al-Nawwaas ibn Sam'aan, who said that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: «Whoever of you encounters him (the
Dajjaal), let him recite the first verses of Soorat al-Kahf against
him» [Reported by Muslim, 18/65].
Abu'l-Dardaa' (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: «Whoever memorizes ten aayaat from the
beginning of Soorat al-Kahf will be protected from the
Dajjaal» [Reported by Muslim, 6/92].
The destruction of the will come at the hands of 'Eesaa ibn Maryam,
upon whom be peace, as is indicated in the saheeh ahaadeeth.
'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Amr (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said:
"The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: «The Dajjaal will emerge
among my ummah… and Allaah will send 'Eesaa ibn Maryam… and he will
pursue him and destroy him» [Reported by Muslim,
18/75].
(3) The descent of 'Eesaa ibn
Maryam, upon whom be peace
After the Dajjaal has appeared and spread corruption throughout the
earth, Allaah will send 'Eesaa ibn Maryam, upon whom be peace, who
will descend to the earth, coming down to the white minaret in the
East of Damascus, Syria, resting his hands on the wings of two
angels. When he lowers his head, drops will fall, and when he
raises it, drops like large pearls will fall (these are like grains
of silver in the shape of big pearls, and it means that drops of
water as pure as pearls will fall. The water is described as pearls
because of its purity). No kaafir will smell his breath except he
will die, and his breath will reach as far as his eyes can see. He
will come down to the victorious group that is fighting for the
truth and has come together to fight the Dajjaal. He will descend
at the time when the iqaamah for prayer is being given, and he will
pray behind the leader of that group.
The reports about his descent are
many, including the following:
1. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: «By the One in Whose hand
is my soul, it is nearly time for the son of Maryam to descend upon
you, to judge fairly. He will break the cross, kill the pigs and
put an end to war. Wealth will increase so much that no-one will
accept it, and one prostration to Allaah will be worth more than
the world and all that is in it». Then Abu Hurayrah said:
"Recite, if you wish: 'And there is none of the people of the
Scripture (Jews and Christians) but must believe in him ('Eesaa -
as a human Messenger of Allaah) before his ('Eesaa's) death. And on
the Day of Resurrection, he ('Eesaa) will be a witness against
them." [Al-Nisaa' 3:159 - interpretation of the meaning]. {وَإِن مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ إِلاَّ
لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكُونُ
عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيداً}, Transliteration: Wa 'In Min 'Ahli
Al-Kitābi 'Illā Layu'uminanna Bihi Qabla Mawtihi Wa Yawma
Al-Qiyāmati Yakūnu `Alayhim Shahīdāan' [Reported by al-Bukhaari,
6/490, and Muslim, 2/189].
2. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
also reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: «How will you be when
'Eesaa ibn Maryam descends to you and your leader is one of
you?» [Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6/491, and Muslim,
2/193].
Imaam Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his
Tafseer (7/223): "Mutawaatir ahaadeeth from the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) describe how 'Eesaa ibn
Maryam will descend before the Day of Judgement as a just leader
and fair ruler."
(4) Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj (Gog
and Magog)
Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj are human beings, descended from Aadam and
Hawwa, upon whom be peace. According to the descriptions of them
given in the ahaadeeth, they belong to the Turkic Mongol race,
having small eyes, small, flat noses and wide faces. Their faces
look like hammered-out shields (their faces are likened to shields
because they are wide and round).
Their appearance at the end of time is one of the signs of the
Hour, as indicated in the Qur'aan (interpretation of the meaning):
"Until, when Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj are let loose (from their
barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every mound. And the true
promise (Day of Resurrection) shall draw near (to fulfilment). Then
(when mankind is resurrected from their graves, you shall see the
eyes of the disbelievers fixedly stare in horror. (They will say):
'Woe to us! We were indeed heedless of this; nay, but we were
zaalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.)." [al-Anbiyaa'
21:96-97].
{حَتَّى إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ
وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُم مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُونَ (96) وَاقْتَرَبَ
الْوَعْدُ الْحَقُّ فَإِذَا هِيَ شَاخِصَةٌ أَبْصَارُ الَّذِينَ
كَفَرُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا قَدْ كُنَّا فِي غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَذَا بَلْ
كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ}
Transliteration: Ĥattá 'Idhā Futiĥat Ya'jūju Wa Ma'jūju
Wa Hum Min Kulli Ĥadabin Yansilūna, Wāqtaraba Al-Wa`du Al-Ĥaqqu
Fa'idhā Hiya Shākhişatun 'Abşāru Al-Ladhīna Kafarū Yā Waylanā Qad
Kunnā Fī Ghaflatin Min Hādhā Bal Kunnā Žālimīna
In the story of Dhoo'l-Qarnayn, Allaah tells us (interpretation of
the meaning): "Then he followed (another) way, until, when he
reached between two mountains, he found, before (near) them (those
two mountains), a people who scarcely understood a word. They said:
'O Dhoo'l-Qarnayn! Verily! Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj are doing great
mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute in order that
you might erect a barrier between us and them?' He said: 'That
(wealth, authority and power) in which my Lord has established me
is better (than your tribute). So help me with strength (of men), I
will erect between you and them a barrier. Give me pieces (blocks)
or iron,' then, when he had filled up the gap between the two
mountain-cliffs, he said, 'Blow,' till when he had made it (red as)
fire, he said, 'Bring me molten copper to pour over it.' So they
[Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj] were made powerless to scale it or dig
through it. (Dhoo'l-Qarnayn) said: 'This is a mercy from my Lord,
but when the Promise of my Lord comes, He shall level it down to
the ground. And the Promise of my Lord is ever true.' And on that
Day [i.e., the day Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj will come out], We shall
leave them to surge like waves on one another, and the Trumpet will
be blown, and We shall collect them all together." [al-Kahf
18:92-99].
{ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَباً (92) حَتَّى
إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ السَّدَّيْنِ وَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمَا قَوْماً لَّا
يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلاً (93) قَالُوا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ
إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ
نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجاً عَلَى أَن تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ
سَدّاً (94) قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّي فِيهِ رَبِّي خَيْرٌ فَأَعِينُونِي
بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْماً (95) آتُونِي
زُبَرَ الْحَدِيدِ حَتَّى إِذَا سَاوَى بَيْنَ الصَّدَفَيْنِ قَالَ
انفُخُوا حَتَّى إِذَا جَعَلَهُ نَاراً قَالَ آتُونِي أُفْرِغْ
عَلَيْهِ قِطْراً (96) فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَن يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا
اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْباً (97) قَالَ هَذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّي
فَإِذَا جَاء وَعْدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاء وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي
حَقّاً (98) وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعْضٍ
وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَجَمَعْنَاهُمْ جَمْعاً}
Transliteration: Thumma 'Atba`a Sababāan, Ĥattá 'Idhā
Balagha Bayna As-Saddayni Wajada Min Dūnihimā Qawmāan Lā Yakādūna
Yafqahūna Qawlāan, Qālū Yā Dhā Al-Qarnayni 'Inna Ya'jūja Wa Ma'jūja
Mufsidūna Fī Al-'Arđi Fahal Naj`alu Laka Kharjāan `Alá
'An Taj`ala Baynanā Wa Baynahum Saddāan, Qāla Mā Makkananī Fīhi
Rabbī Khayrun Fa'a`īnūnī Biqūwatin 'Aj`al Baynakum Wa Baynahum
Radmāan, 'Ātūnī Zubara Al-Ĥadīdi Ĥattá 'Idhā
Sāwá Bayna Aş-Şadafayni Qāla Anfukhū Ĥattá
'Idhā Ja`alahu Nārāan Qāla 'Ātūnī 'Ufrigh `Alayhi Qiţrāan, Famā
Asţā`ū 'An Yažharūhu Wa Mā Astaţā`ū Lahu Naqbāan, Qāla Hādhā
Raĥmatun Min Rabbī Fa'idhā Jā'a Wa`du Rabbī Ja`alahu Dakkā'a Wa
Kāna Wa`du Rabbī Ĥaqqāan, Wa Taraknā Ba`đahum Yawma'idhin Yamūju Fī
Ba`đin Wa Nufikha Fī Aş-Şūri Fajama`nāhum Jam`āan
Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj are also mentioned
in the Sunnah, in more than one hadeeth, including the
following:
1. Umm Habeebah bint Abi Sufyaan reported from
Zaynab bint Jahsh that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) entered upon her one day in a nervous state,
saying, «La ilaaha ill-Allaah! Woe to
the Arabs from the evil that has approached! Today a hole this big
has appeared in the barrier of Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj," and he made a
circle with his thumb and forefinger». Zaynab bint Jahsh
said, "O Messenger of Allaah, will we be destroyed even though
there are righteous people among us?" He said, «Yes, if evil becomes widespread»
[Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6/381, Muslim, 18/2].
2. Al-Nawaas ibn Sam'aan (may Allaah be pleased
with him) reported a long hadeeth describing several signs of the
Hour. In this hadeeth, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: «… and Allaah will
send Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj, swiftly swarming from every mound. They
will pass the lake of Tiberias [in Palestine] and will drink
everything that is in it. Then the last of them will pass by and
will say, 'There used to be water here once.' The Prophet of
Allaah, 'Eesaa, and his companions, will be besieged until a bull's
head will be more precious to one of them than a hundred dinars are
to any of you today. 'Eesaa and his companions will pray to Allaah,
and Allaah will send a kind of worm (like that found in the noses
of camels and sheep) on their (Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj) necks, and they
will fall down dead, all at once. Then 'Eesaa and his companions
will come down out of the place where they were besieged, and they
will find hardly a handspan of land that is not filled with the
stench (of Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj), so 'Eesaa and his companions will
pray to Allaah, and He will send birds like the necks of camels to
carry them away and throw them wherever Allaah wills»
[Reported by Muslim, 18/68].
(5) The swallowing up of the
earth
This means that a place is swallowed up in the earth and disappears
into it, as is described in the Qur'aan (interpretation of the
meaning): "So We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling
place…" [al-Qasas 28:81]. {فَخَسَفْنَا
بِهِ وَبِدَارِهِ الْأَرْضَ}, Transliteration: Fakhasafnā
Bihi Wa Bidārihi Al-'Arđa, Among the major signs of the Hour will
be three such events, as described in the hadeeth of Hudhayfah ibn
Usayd (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: «The Hour will not begin until
you see ten signs… (including) three events where the earth
swallows up, one in the East, one in the West, and one in the
Arabian Peninsula» [Reported by Muslim, 18/27].
These events, like other major signs of the Hour, have not happened
yet. Although other instances of places being swallowed up by the
earth have occurred at various times and in various places, they
did not cover so wide an area as to include both East and West.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said: "There have been instances of places
being swallowed up by the ear, but it could be that what is meant
by the three events referred to is events that are worse than
anything yet seen, which could be more intense and cover a larger
area." (Fath al-Baari,
13/84).
(6) The smoke
Another of the major signs of the Hour will be the appearance of
the smoke. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Then wait
you for the Day when the sky will bring forth a visible smoke,
covering the people, this is a painful torment." [al-Dhukhaan
44:10-11].
{فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاء
بِدُخَانٍ مُّبِينٍ (10) يَغْشَى النَّاسَ هَذَا عَذَابٌ
أَلِيمٌ}
Transliteration: Fārtaqib Yawma Ta'tī As-Samā'u Bidukhānin Mubīnin,
Yaghshá An-Nāsa Hādhā `Adhābun 'Alīmun
A definition of the smoke was narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas, who
explained that it is one of the Signs of the Day of Judgement, as
was narrated by Ibn Jareer and Ibn Abi Haatim from 'Abd-Allaah ibn
Abi Maleekah, who said: "I went to Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be
pleased with him) one day, and he said: 'I did not sleep at all
last night.' I asked him, 'Why not?' He said, 'They said that a
star with a tail (a comet) had appeared, and I was afraid that the
smoke had started, so I could not sleep at all.'"
Imaam Ibn Katheer commented:
"This is a saheeh isnaad, going back to Ibn 'Abbaas, the scholar of
the ummah and the interpreter of the Qur'aan. This is also the
opinion of all the Sahaabah and Taabi'een who agreed with him, in
addition, there are many ahaadeeth going back to the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) - saheeh, hasan and others -
which state the same thing. This is convincing evidence that the
smoke will be one of the expected signs, as is also clear from the
text of the Qur'aan." (Tafseer Ibn
Katheer, 7/235).
Among the ahaadeeth that describe the appearance of the smoke as
one of the signs of the Hour is the following:
1. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: «Hasten to do good deeds before
six things appear: the Dajjaal, the smoke…» [Reported by
Muslim, 18/87].
(7) The rising of the sun from
the West
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "… The day that some
of the Signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a person
to believe then, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by
performing deeds of righteousness) through his faith…" [al-An'aam
6:158]. {يَوْمَ يَأْتِي بَعْضُ آيَاتِ
رَبِّكَ لاَ يَنفَعُ نَفْساً إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِن
قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْراً},
Transliteration: Yawma Ya'tī Ba`đu 'Āyāti Rabbika Lā Yanfa`u
Nafsāan 'Īmānuhā Lam Takun 'Āmanat Min Qablu 'Aw Kasabat Fī
'Īmānihā Khayrāan.
Most of the mufassireen (commentators)
state that one of these signs is the rising of the sun from the
West. Among the reports that indicate this are:
1. The hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be
pleased with him) according to which the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: «The Hour will not begin until the sun rises
from the West, and when it rises and the people see it, they will
all believe, but that will be when it will do a person no good to
believe, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by performing
deeds of righteousness) through his faith» [Reported by
al-Bukhaari, 11/352, and Muslim, 2/194].
2. The hadeeth of 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'Aas
(may Allaah be pleased with them both), who said: "I learned from
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
a hadeeth that I have never forgotten since. I heard the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: «The first of the signs of the Hour to
appear will be the rising of the sun from the West»"
[Reported by Muslim, 18/78].
(8) The appearance of the
Beast
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "And when the Word (of
torment) is fulfilled against them, We shall bring out from the
earth a beast to them, which will speak to them because mankind
believed not with certainty in our aayaat." [al-Naml 27:82].
{وَإِذَا وَقَعَ الْقَوْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ
أَخْرَجْنَا لَهُمْ دَابَّةً مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ تُكَلِّمُهُمْ أَنَّ
النَّاسَ كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا لَا يُوقِنُونَ}
Transliteration: Wa 'Idhā Waqa`a Al-Qawlu `Alayhim 'Akhrajnā Lahum
Dābbatan Mina Al-'Arđi Tukallimuhum 'Anna An-Nāsa Kānū Bi'āyātinā
Lā Yūqinūna
Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: «There are three things which, once they
happen, it will do a person no good to believe, if he believed not
before, nor earned good (by performing deeds of righteousness)
through his faith: the rising of the sun from the West, the
Dajjaal, and the Beast of the earth»" [Reported by Muslim,
2/195].
Abu Umaamah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: «The Beast will emerge, and it will mark all
the people on their noses, and this mark will last, so that if a
man buys a camel, and is asked who he bought it from, he will say,
'From the man with the mark on his nose» [Reported by Ahmad
and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, no.
322].
According to some reports, when the Beast appears, it will mark the
believers and the kaafirs. As for the believer, it will make his
face shine brightly, as a sign of his faith, and as for the kaafir,
it will mark his nose with a sign of his disbelief.
The Qur'aan tells us that the Beast will speak to people, as Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning): "And when the Word (of
torment) is fulfilled against them, We shall bring out from the
earth a beast to them, which will speak to them because mankind
believed not with certainty in our aayaat." [al-Naml 27:82].
{وَإِذَا وَقَعَ الْقَوْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ
أَخْرَجْنَا لَهُمْ دَابَّةً مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ تُكَلِّمُهُمْ أَنَّ
النَّاسَ كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا لَا يُوقِنُونَ}
Transliteration: Wa 'Idhā Waqa`a Al-Qawlu `Alayhim 'Akhrajnā Lahum
Dābbatan Mina Al-'Arđi Tukallimuhum 'Anna An-Nāsa Kānū Bi'āyātinā
Lā Yūqinūna
This kalaam may refer to actual speech, whereby the Beast will
address people, which is supported by the reading of Ubayy ibn Ka'b
(tunabbi'uhum, i.e., tell them), or it may convey the other meaning
of the word kalaam, to wound, which is supported by the alternative
reading (taklamuhum, i.e., mark them by cutting them) reported from
Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him).
(9) The fire which will gather
the people together
Another of the signs of the Hour is the great fire which will
appear from the direction of Yemen, from the bottom of 'Aden, from
the Sea of Hadramawt. Among the ahaadeeth that describe this are
the following:
1. The hadeeth of Hudhayfah ibn Usayd which
mentions the major signs of the Hour, in which the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: «… The last of them will be a fire which
will emerge from Yemen, and will drive the people to their
gathering place». According to another report: «… and a fire which will emerge from the
bottom of 'Aden and drive the people (ahead of it)»
[Reported by Muslim, 18/27].
2. The hadeeth of Anas (may Allaah be pleased with
him) which states that when 'Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam embraced Islam,
he asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
about a number of issues, including the first sign of the Hour. The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: «The first sign of the Hour will be a fire
which will drive the people from East to West» [Reported by
al-Bukhaari, 6/362].
3. Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them
both) said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: «Fire will emerge
from Hadramawt or from the sea of Hadramawt (according to another
report: from the direction of Hadramawt or from Hadramawt -
Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh) before the Day of Judgement, and it will
drive the people (ahead of it)»" [Reported by Ahmad, 7/133;
classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami', 3603].
A number of saheeh ahaadeeth describe how this fire will gather the
people together. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: «The people will be
gathered in three ways, willingly or by force, two on one camel, or
three or four or even ten on one camel. The rest of them will be
gathered together by means of a fire, which will stay with them
whenever they stop to rest or to sleep, no matter what the time of
day or night» [Reported by al-Bukhaari, 11/377, Muslim,
17/194].
Finally, it should be noted that belief in the
signs of the Hour is part of our belief in the Unseen (al-ghayb),
without which the belief of the Muslim is incomplete. And Allaah is
the Source of Strength..
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid