Ayat and Ahadith about the Hour

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) 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 therefor. 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!" (Al-Nazi'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 wert eager in search thereof: say: 'The knowledge thereof is

with Allah (alone), but most men know not.'" (Al-A'raf 7:187)

There are many Ayat and Ahadith concerning this subject:

Allah said: "The Hour (of Judgment) is nigh, and the moon is cleft

asunder." (Al-Qamar 54:1)

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe 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.

Allah said: "Closer and closer to mankind comes their Reckoning: yet they

heed not and they turn away." (Al-Anbiya' 21:1)

"(Inevitable) cometh (to pass) the Command of Allah: seek, ye not then to

hasten it.'" (Al-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.'" (Al-Shura 42:18)

In Sahih al-Bukhari, there is a Hadith 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 Allah, I have not

prepared much in the way of prayer and good works, but I love Allah 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 Hadith.

Some Ahadith 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 judgment has

begun. This Hadith with this meaning is "correct" (Sahih).

Some heretics comment on this Hadith and give it an incorrect meaning. The

exact timing of the Great Hour (al-Sa'at al'Uzma) is something which Allah

alone knows and which He has not revealed to anyone, as is clear from the

Hadith in which the Prophet said: "There are five things which nobody

knows except Allah;" then he recited, "Verily the knowledge of the Hour is

with Allah (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 Allah

is full knowledge and He is acquainted (with all things)." (Laqman 31:34)

When Gabriel (Jibreel) (alayhe salam) came to the Prophet in the guise of

a Bedouin, he asked him about Islam, Iman (faith) and Ihsan (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." Jibreel said, "Tell me about its signs." Then the Prophet

described them, as we shall see later when we quote this Hadith 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." (Abu Dawud,

Muslim.)

Imam Ahmad reported via Abu Nudrah that Abu Sa'id said: "One day the

Prophet led us in praying the afternoon prayer (Salat al'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. Allah has appointed

you as vicegerents (Khalifah) 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.'"

'Ali ibn Zayed ibn Jad'an al-Timi narrated some Gharib and Munkar Ahadith

- which could bring into question the validity of this Hadith. But there

are some reports which are similar to this Hadith, and which were

transmitted with different isnads. Part of this Hadith is in SMuslim,

through Abu Nudrah on the authority of Abu Sa'id. This Hadith 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 Allah, and no-one can know exactly

how much time has passed, except Allah.

General Description Of The Fitan (Tribulations)

Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman said, "People used to ask the Prophet (sallallahu

alayhe 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 Allah, we were lost in ignorance (Jahiliyyah) and evil, then

Allah brought this good (i.e. Islam). 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 Allah,

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 (Imam). 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.'"

'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud said: "The Prophet said, 'Islam 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 Islam.' "This Hadith was narrated by

Ibn Majah on the authority of Anas and Abu Hurairah.

Divisions Within The Main Religious Groups

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe 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 Allah, 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 Hadith, and its isnad is

acceptable.

Anas ibn Malik said, "I shall tell you a Hadith which I heard from the

Messenger of Allah, 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 Hadith was reported in the two Sahihs from the

Hadith of 'Abd Rabbihi.

'Abd Allah 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 Bukhari and

Muslim, from the Hadith of al-A'mash.)

Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman said, "The Prophet said, 'Islam will become worn

out like clothes are, until there will be no-one who knows what fasting,

prayer, charity and rituals are. The Qur'an 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 Allah, so we

repeated it.' Silah asked Hudhayfah, "What will saying La ilaha illa Allah

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'an 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

Allah; and they will repeat it to feel close to Allah, 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 Hadith of the Prophet: "The Hour will not come upon anyone

who says, 'Allah, Allah'; it will only come upon the most evil of men."

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

'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar said, "The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) came

to us and said, 'O Muhajirun, (emigrants from Makkah to al-Madinah) 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 Allah and His Messenger, you should

realise that his has never happened without Allah sending an enemy against

them to take some of their possessions by force. If the leaders do not

govern according to the Book of Allah, you should realise that this has

never happened without Allah making them into groups and making them fight

one another." (Ibn Majah).

'Ali 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 Allah?' 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.'"

(Tirmidhi)

'Ali 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 Psaid, 'Some people othis 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 Allah?' He said, 'When singers and musical instruments

will become popular, and much wine will be drunk.'" (Narrated by Tirmidhi)

[Note: "The main body of the Muslims (al-Jama'ah) means the people of the

Qur'an, Hadith, 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.]