The Signs Before the Day of Judgement 1

[bamalli]

The Signs Before the Day of Judgement
By Imâm ibn Kathîr rahimahullâh

Ayat and Ahadîth about the Hour

Allâh - subhânahu wa Ta'âla - said:

"They ask thee about the Hour, 'When will be its appointed time?' Wherein art thou (concerned) with the declaration thereof? With thy Lord is the Limit fixed thereof. Thou art but a Warner for such as fear it. The Day they will see it, (it will be) as if they had tarried but a single evening, or (at most till) the following morn!" (an-Nâzi'at 79:42-46)

"They ask thee about the (final) Hour - when will be its appointed time? Say: 'The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (alone): none but He can reveal as to when it will occur. Heavy were its burden through the heavens and the earth. Only, all of a sudden will it come to you.' They ask thee as if thou were eager in search thereof: say: 'The knowledge thereof is with Allâh (alone), but most men know not.' " (al-A'râf 7:187)

There are many Âyat and Ahadîth concerning this subject: Allâh said:

"The Hour (of Judgement) is nigh, and the moon is cleft asunder." (al-Qamar 54:1)

The Prophet - sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam - said, whilst pointing with his index and middle fingers, "The time of my advent and the Hour are like these two fingers." In another report he said, "The Hour almost came before me." This indicates how close we are, relatively speaking, to the Hour.

Allâh said: "Closer and closer to mankind comes their Reckoning: yet they heed not and they turn away." (al-Anbiyâ' 21:1)

"(Inevitable) cometh (to pass) the Command of Allâh: seek, ye not then to hasten it." (an-Nahl 16:1)

"Only those wish to hasten it who believe not in it: those who believe hold it in awe, and know that it is the Truth." (ash-Shûra 42:18)

In Sahîh al-Bukhârî, there is a Hadîth which states that a Bedouin asked the Prophet about the Hour. He said, "It will surely come to pass. What have you prepared for it?" The man said, "O Messenger of Allâh, I have not prepared much in the way of prayer and good works, but I love Allâh and His Messenger." The Prophet said, "You will be with those you love." The Muslims had never rejoiced as much they did when they heard this Hadîth.

Some Ahadîth report that the Prophet was asked about the Hour. He looked towards a young boy and said, "If he lives, he will not grow very old before he sees your Last Hour coming to you." By this he meant their death and entering the Hereafter, because everyone who dies enters the Hereafter; some people say that when a person has died, his Judgement has begun. This Hadîth with this meaning is "correct" (Sahîh). Some heretics comment on this Hadîth and give it an incorrect meaning. The exact timing of the Great Hour (as-Sâ'at al-'Uzma) is something which Allâh alone knows and which He has not revealed to anyone, as is clear from the Hadîth in which the Prophet said: "There are five things which nobody knows except Allâh;" then he recited, "Verily the knowledge of the Hour is with Allâh (alone). It is He Who sends down rain, and He Who knows what is in the wombs. Nor does anyone know what it is that he will earn on the morrow: Nor does anyone know in what land he is to die. Verily with Allâh is full knowledge and He is acquainted (with all things)." (Luqmân 31:34)

When Gabriel (Jibrîl) - 'alayhis salâm - came to the Prophet in the guise of a Bedouin, he asked him about Islâm, Îmân (faith) and Ihsân (excellence of faith); and the Prophet answered his questions. But when he asked him about the Hour, he said, "The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner." Jibrîl said, "Tell me about its signs." Then the Prophet described them, as we shall see later when we quote this Hadîth and others in full.

Hudhayfah said: "The Prophet stood up one day to speak to us, and told us everything that was going to happen until the Hour, and left nothing unsaid. Some of the listeners learnt it by heart, and some forgot it; these friends of mine learnt it. I do not remember it completely, but sometimes it springs to mind, just as one might remember and recognise the face of a man whom one had forgotten, when one sees him." (Abû Dâwûd, Muslim)

Imâm Ahmad reported via Abû Nudrah that Abû Sa'îd said: "One day the Prophet led us in praying the afternoon prayer (Salâtul-'Asr). Then he stood and addressed us until sunset. He mentioned everything that was to happen until the Day of Resurrection, and left nothing unsaid. Some of us remembered it, and some of us forgot it. One of the things he said was: 'O people, this world is full of attractive temptations. Allâh has appointed you as vicegerents (Khalîfah) in this world, and He will see how you will act. So guard yourselves against the temptations of this world and of women.' Towards the end of this speech, he said, 'The sun is about to set, and what remains of this world, compared to what has passed, is like what remains of this day compared to what has passed.' "

'Alî ibn Zayd ibn Jad'an al-Timi narrated some Gharîb and Munkar Ahadîth - which could bring into question the validity of this Hadîth. But there are some reports which are similar to this Hadîth, and which were transmitted with different isnâds. Part of this Hadîth is in Sahîh Muslim, through Abû Nudrah on the authority of Abû Sa'îd. This Hadîth refers to something which is beyond any doubt: what remains of this world, compared to what has passed, is very little. In spite of that, no-one can know exactly how much time is left except Allâh, and no-one can know exactly how much time has passed, except Allâh.

General Description of the Fitan (Tribulations) (Back to Contents)

Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman said, "People used to ask the Prophet - sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam - about good things, but I used to ask him about bad things because I was afraid that they might overtake me. I said, 'O Messenger of Allâh, we were lost in ignorance (Jahiliyyah) and evil, then Allâh brought this good (i.e. Islâm). Will some evil come after this good thing?' He said, 'Yes' I asked, 'And will some good come after that evil?' He said, 'Yes, but it will be tainted with some evil' I asked, 'How will it be tainted?' He said, 'There will be some people who will lead others on a path different from mine. You will see good and bad in them." I asked, 'Will some evil come after that good?' He said, 'Some people will be standing and calling at the gates of Hell; whoever responds to their call, they will throw him into the Fire.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allâh, describe them for us.' He said, 'They will be from our own people, and will speak our language.' I asked, 'What do you advise me to do if I should live to see that?' He said, 'Stick to the main body (jama'ah) of the Muslims and their leader (Imâm). I asked, What if there is no main body and no leader?' He said 'Isolate yourself from all of these sects, even if you have to eat the roots of trees until death overcomes you while you are in that state.'"

'Abdullâh ibn Mas'ud said: "The Prophet said, 'Islâm began as something strange, and it will revert to being strange as it was in the beginning, so good tidings for the strangers.' Someone asked, 'Who are the strangers?' He said, 'The ones who break away from their people (literally, 'tribes') for the sake of Islâm.' "

This Hadîth was narrated by Ibn Majah on the authority of Anas and Abû Hurayrah.

Divisions Within the Main Religious Groups

Abû Hurayrah reported that the Prophet - sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam - said: "The Jews have split into seventy-one sects, and my Ummah will divide into seventy-three."

'Awf ibn Malik reported that the Prophet said: "The Jews split into seventy-one sects: one will enter Paradise and seventy will enter Hell. The Christians split into seventy-two sects: seventy-one will enter Hell and one will enter Paradise. By Him in Whose hand is my soul, my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects: one will enter Paradise and seventy-two will enter Hell." Someone asked, "O Messenger of Allâh, who will they be?" He replied, "The main body of the Muslims (al-Jama'ah)." 'Awf ibn Malik is the only one who reported this Hadîth, and its isnad is acceptable.

Anas ibn Malik said, "I shall tell you a Hadîth which I heard from the Messenger of Allâh, and which no-one will tell you after me. I heard him say, 'Among the signs of the Hour will be the disappearance of knowledge and the appearance of ignorance. Adultery will be prevalent and the drinking of wine will be common. The number of men will decrease and the number of women will increase until there will be fifty women to be looked after by one man.' " This Hadîth was reported in the two Sahîhs from the Hadîth of 'Abd Rabbihi.

'Abdullâh said, "The Prophet said, 'Just before the Hour, there will be days in which knowledge will disappear and ignorance will appear, and there will be much killing.' " (Ibn Majah; also narrated by al-Bukhârî and Muslim, from the Hadîth of al-A'mash.)

Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman said, "The Prophet said, 'Islâm will become worn out like clothes are, until there will be no-one who knows what fasting, prayer, charity and rituals are. The Qur'ân will disappear in one night, and no Ayah will be left on earth. Some groups of old people will be left who will say, 'We heard our fathers saying La ilaha illa Allâh, so we repeated it.' Silah asked Hudhayfah, "What will saying La ilaha illa Allâh do for them when they do not know what prayer, fasting, ritual and charity are?" Hudhayfah ignored him; then Silah repeated his question three times, and each time Hudayfah ignored him. Finally he answered, "O Silah, it will save them from Hell", and said it three times. (Ibn Majah)

This indicates that in the last days, knowledge will be taken from the people, and even the Qur'ân will disappear from the Mushafs and from people's hearts. People will be left without knowledge. Only the old people will tell them that they used to hear people saying La ilaha illa Allâh; and they will repeat it to feel close to Allâh, so it will give them some blessing, even if they do not have any good deeds or beneficial knowledge. Knowledge will be taken away from men and ignorance will increase during the last days, and their ignorance and misguidance will increase until the end, as in the Hadîth of the Prophet: "The Hour will not come upon anyone who says, 'Allâh, Allâh'; it will only come upon the most evil of men."

The Evils Which Will Befall the Muslim Ummah During The Last Days

'Abdullâh ibn 'Umar said, "The Prophet - sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam - came to us and said, 'O Muhajirun, (emigrants from Makkah to al-Madînah) you may be afflicted by five things; God forbid that you should live to see them. If fornication should become widespread, you should realise that this has never happened without new diseases befalling the people which their forebears never suffered. If people should begin to cheat in weighing out goods, you should realise that this has never happened without drought and famine befalling the people, and their rulers oppressing them. If people should withhold Zakat, you should realise that this has never happened without the rain being stopped from falling; and were it not for the animals' sake, it would never rain again. If people should break their covenant with Allâh and His Messenger, you should realise that his has never happened without Allâh sending an enemy against them to take some of their possessions by force. If the leaders do not govern according to the Book of Allâh, you should realise that this has never happened without Allâh making them into groups and making them fight one another.' " (Ibn Majah).

'Alî ibn Abi Talib said, "The Prophet said: 'If my Ummah bears fifteen traits, tribulation will befall it.' Someone asked, 'What are they, O Messenger of Allâh?' He said, 'When any gain is shared out only among the rich, with no benefit to the poor; when a trust becomes a means of making a profit; when paying Zakat becomes a burden; when a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother; and treats his friend kindly whilst shunning his father; when voices are raised in the mosques; when the leader of a people is the worst of them; when people treat a man with respect because they fear some evil he may do; when much wine is drunk; when men wear silk; when female singers and musical instruments become popular; when the last ones of this Ummah curse the first ones - then let them expect a red wind, or the earth to swallow them, or to be transformed into animals.'" (at-Tirmidhî)

'Alî ibn Abi Talib said, "The Prophet led us in praying Salat al-Fajr (the morning prayer). When he had finished, a man called to him: 'When will the Hour be? The Prophet reprimanded him and said 'Be quiet!' After a while he raised his eyes to the sky and said, 'Glorified be the One Who raised it and is taking care of it.' Then he lowered his gaze to the earth and said, 'Glory be to the One Who has outspread it and has created it.' Then the Prophet said, 'Where is the one who asked me about the Hour?' The man knelt down and said, 'I asked you.' The Prophet said, 'The Hour will come when leaders are oppressors, when people believe in the stars and reject al-Qadar (the Divine Decree of destiny) when a trust becomes a way of making a profit, when people give to charity (Sadaqah) reluctantly, when adultery becomes widespread - when this happens, then your people will perish.'"

'Imran ibn Husayn said, "The Prophet said, 'Some people of this Ummah will be swallowed up by the earth, some will be transformed into animals, and some will be bombarded with stones.' One of the Muslims asked, 'When will that be, O Messenger of Allâh?' He said, 'When singers and musical instruments will become popular, and much wine will be drunk.'" (Narrated by at-Tirmidhî)

[Note: "The main body of the Muslims (al-Jama'ah) means the people of the Qur'ân, Hadîth, Fiqh and other sciences, who have agreed to follow the Traditions of the Prophet in all circumstances without introducing any changes or imposing their own confused ideas.]

Greater Signs of the Hour

AFTER the lesser signs of the Hour appear and increase, mankind will have reached a stage of great suffering. Then the awaited Mahdi will appear; he is the first of the greater, and clear, signs of the Hour. There will be no doubt about his existence, but this will only be clear to the knowledgeable people. The Mahdi will rule until the False Messiah (al-Masih al-Dajjal) appears, who will spread oppression and corruption. The only ones who will know him well and avoid his evil will be those who have great knowledge and îmân (faith).

The false Messiah will remain for a while, destroying mankind completely, and the earth will witness the greatest Fitnah (tribulation) in its history. Then the Messiah Jesus (alayhe sallam) will descend, bringing justice from heaven. He will kill the Dajjal, and there will be years of safety and security.

Then the appearance of Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog) will take mankind by surprise, and corruption will overtake them again. In answer to Jesus faithful prayer to Allâh (Subhanahu wa Taala), they will die, and safety, security, justice and stability will return.