What are we told about End of Time?
In Sunni Islam, a number of greater and lesser signs
foretell the end of days. There is debate over whether they could occur
concurrently or must be at different points in time, although Islamic scholars
typically divide them into three major periods.
Greater signs
Sexual immorality appears among people to such an extent
that they commit it openly, except that they will be afflicted by plagues and diseases
unknown to their forefathers;
People cheat in weights and measures (business, trades,
etc.) and are stricken with famine, calamity, and oppression as a result;
They withhold charity and hoard their wealth, and rain is
withheld from the sky from them;
They break their covenant with God and His Messenger and God
enables their enemies to overpower them and take some of what is in their
hands;
Men and women partake in sihr and shirk; they
travel the world through attaching themselves to djinn, causing mischief;
Unless their leaders rule according to the Book of Allah and
seek all good from that which Allah has revealed, Allah will cause them to
fight one another.
The conquest of Constantinople (Istanbul)
The sun would rise from West that Friday (It is the day when
the world has began to be over) [15]
A first trumpet will sound, and all remaining humanity will
die, followed by a period of forty years, at the end of which smoke will
envelope the world for forty days
The Qur'an will be taken to heaven and even the huffaz will
not recall its verses
Lesser signs
The coming of fitna (tribulations)
and removal of khushoo (fearfulness of God,
reverence of God, etc.)
The coming of Dajjal, presuming himself as an apostle of God.
A person passing by a grave might say to another the following:
"I wish it were my abode."
The loss of honesty, as well as authority put in the hands
of those who do not deserve it.[note 5]
The loss of knowledge and the prevalence of religious
ignorance.
Frequent, sudden, and unexpected deaths.
Increase in pointless killings.
Acceleration of time.
Rejection of the Hadith.
The spread of riba (usury,
interest), zina (adultery, fornication, prostitution, rape, sodomy, pedophilia and pederasty, homosexuality,[] incest,[note 14] and bestiality),
and the drinking of alcohol.[
Widespread acceptance of music.
Pride and competition in the decoration of mosques.
Women will increase in number and men will decrease in
number so much so that fifty women will be looked after by one man. To
interpret further, polygamy will become standard, unfettered by age, race,
gender, class, location or sexual orientation.
Abundance of earthquakes.
Frequent occurrences of disgrace, distortion, public
humiliation and defamation.
When people wish to die because of the severe trials and
tribulations that they are suffering.
Jews fighting Muslims.
When paying charity becomes a burden.
Nomads will compete in the construction of very tall
buildings.
Women will appear naked despite their being dressed.[
People will seek knowledge from misguided and straying
scholars.
Liars will be believed, honest people disbelieved, and
faithful people called traitors.
The death of righteous, knowledgeable people.
The emergence of indecency (obscenity) and enmity among
relatives and neighbours.
The rise of idolatry and polytheists within
the Ummah.
The Euphrates will uncover a mountain of gold.
The land of the Arabs will return to being a land of rivers
and fields.
People will increasingly earn money by unlawful (Haram)
ways.
There will be much rain but little vegetation.
Evil people will be expelled from Medina.
Wild animals will communicate with humans, and humans will
communicate with objects
Lightning and thunder will become more prevalent.
There will be a special greeting for people of distinction.
Trade will become so widespread that a woman will help her
husband in business.
No truly honest man will remain and no one will be trusted.
Only the worst people will be left; they will not know any
good nor forbid any evil (i.e. No one will say there is no god but Allah).
Nations will call each other to destroy Islam by any and
every means.
Islamic knowledge will be passed on, but no one will follow
it correctly.
Muslim rulers will come who do not follow the guidance and
tradition of the Sunnah. Some of their men will have the hearts of devils in a
human body.
Stinginess will become more widespread and honorable people
will perish.
A man will obey his wife and disobey his mother, and treat
his friend kindly while shunning his father.
Voices will be raised in the mosques.
The leader of a people will be the worst of them.
People will treat a man with respect because they fear the
evil he could do.
Much wine will be drunk.
Muslims shall fight against a nation who wear shoes made of
hair and with faces like hammered shields, with red complexions and small eyes.
The emergence of the Sufyani within
the Syria region.
The truce and joint Roman-Muslim campaign against a common
enemy, followed by al-Malhama al-Kubra (Armageddon),
a Roman vs. Muslim war.
The Black
Standard will come from Khorasan (see Hadith of black flags), nothing shall turn
them back until it is planted in Jerusalem.
Mecca will
be attacked and the Kaaba will be destroyed.
Emergence of an army, from Yemen, that will
make Islam dominant.
An Arab king will die. There will be disagreement concerning
succession. Then a man will emerge from Medina. He will hurry to Mecca, and the
people of Mecca will come out to him and urge him and try to force him to accept
the Bai'aa.[note 57] One
of the last of the lesser signs, and which will signal the coming of the 10
major signs is the appearance of the Mahdi.
The Mahdi
Main articles: Mahdi, Reappearance of Muhammad al-Mahdi,
and Signs of the
reappearance of Muhammad al-Mahdi
Mahdi (Arabic: مهدي) meaning
"guided one," is a messianic figure in Islamic tradition. He makes
his first appearance in the hadiths and is thought as the first sign of
the third period. Hadith reports state that he will be a descendant of Muhammad
through Muhammad's daughter Fatimah and cousin Ali's son Hassan. The
Mahdi will be looked upon to kill al-Dajjal,[citation needed] to end the
disintegration of the Muslim community, and to prepare for the reign of Jesus,
who will rule for a time thereafter. The Mahdi will fulfill his prophetic
mission, a vision of justice and peace, before submitting to Jesus'
rule. The physical features of Mahdi are described in the hadith—he will
be of Arab complexion, of average height, with a big forehead, large eyes, and
a sharp nose. He will have a mole on his cheek, the sign of the prophet on his
shoulder, and be recognized by the caliphate while he sits in his own home. As
written by Abu Dawud, "Our Mahdi will have a broad forehead and a pointed
(prominent) nose. He will fill the earth with justice as it is filled with
injustice and tyranny. He will rule for seven years." In some accounts,
after the seven years of peace, God will send a cold wind causing
everyone with the smallest measure of human-kindness or faith, to die and carry
them straight to heaven. Therefore, only the wicked will remain and be victims
of terrible animals and Satan, until the day of resurrection. Otherwise, the Mahdi will
kill Satan before the last day, in most Shia accounts.
Though the predictions of the duration of his rule differ,
hadith are consistent in describing that God will perfect him in a single
night, imbuing him with inspiration and wisdom, and his name will be announced
from the sky. The Mahdi will bring back worship of true Islamic values, and
bring the Ark of the Covenant to light. He will
conquer Constantinople and Mount
Daylam and will regard Jerusalem and the Dome as his home. His banner
will be that of the prophet Muhammad: black and unstitched, with a halo. Furled
since the death of Muhammad, the banner will unfurl when the Mahdi appears. He
will be helped by angels and others that will prepare the way for him. He will
understand the secrets of abjad.
Descent of Jesus
While the Quran is not explicit about Jesus'
return, many Muslims believe that at least two Quranic verses refer to his
second coming during the end times. The probably most significant verse is
Surah 4:157: "And [for] their saying, 'Indeed, we have killed the Messiah,
Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.' And they did not kill him, nor
did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And
indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge
of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for
certain." The other states: "And indeed, Jesus will be [a sign for]
knowledge of the Hour, so be not in doubt of it, and follow Me. This is a
straight path". (43:61)." The Arabic language is not clear, as
to who the people of the book have to believe in. Tabari author
of one of the most important Sunni Tafsirs argues, the verse refers to Jesus,
who will unite all believers under the banner of Islam. Hadiths further
elaborate the events following Jesus arrival. According to Sahih
al-Bukhari, Jesus will descend among Muslims, break the cross, kill the pig
and abolish the Jizya. Although
traced back to Abu Hurairah, one of the sahaba, such
hadiths might actually have been introduced later during civil wars in the
early Abbasid Caliphate, when a savior was expected.
While for Shias, the Mahdi will be the savior, some Sunnis tended to expect
Jesus' return. During the early Abbasid
Caliphate, wearing crucifixes in processions and holding pigs in public,
was forbidden. Otherwise, the breaking of the cross, might reflect general
disapproval of this symbol by Muslims, and slaying pigs a reference to Jesus
exorcism of Legion.
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