The world has become heavy with burdens of wars that don’t seem to end, natural calamities occurring frequently, and distrust among individuals. There is a feeling that something major is about to happen. For a Muslim, the above-mentioned things cannot simply be passed off as news. Rather, they correspond to “the end of the world signs” explained by Allah through his messenger.
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) clearly explained the signs of the end hours. He did not talk about the signs to scare us, but rather to prepare us for them.
What Islam Teaches About the End Times?
Understanding the sign of the final day – Qiyamah is not to awaken fear, but to open the eyes of believers that there is a short time left. They need to establish their relationship with Allah and prepare themselves through righteous actions and deeds. As we do not know when the world ends.
According to the Holy Qur’an, regarding the knowledge of the ending hours,
They ask about the Hour; When will be her appointed time? Say: “The knowledge thereof is with my Lord only.” (79:42-44)
And in another place in the Qur’an:
“Only Allah knows the time of the Hour.” “No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow and where it will die.” (Quran 31:34)
Minor Signs of the Judgement Day
Minor signs are now part of our daily lives. Some of the signs are mentioned in this Hadith,
“It will not take place till knowledge is decreased, earthquakes are increased, times pass swiftly, murders increase, and poverty spreads among my followers.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Knowledge and Ignorance
Ignorance will increase among people. People trust things without knowing anything about them. They blindly believe things without analyzing them.
In this context, the Prophet said:
“Allah does not take knowledge out of the hearts of people, but He does so by taking away the scholars till none of them is left.” (Bukhari)
Truth Will Not Be Easy to Find
According to the Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (RA), the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stated,
“There will come years in which the people who will lie are taken for the people of truth, and those who will tell the truth will be taken as liars. It will be decided by the foolish men (Ruwaibidah), and the falsehood will be regarded as the truth, and the truth will be regarded as the falsehood.” (Sunan Ibn Majah 3959)
Material Wealth and Time Pass Quickly
He explained a time when the purpose of life would be to accumulate material wealth. Today, it is seen in the way wealth is in the possession of very few people, whereas the rest are facing poverty and struggling on a daily basis. Big companies have too much share in the natural resources of the world, and they use all means to dominate governments to further their self-interest.
Time passes rapidly is also a sign of judgment day. Days would fly by. What used to seem like a lifetime is now condensed into years. He said at the end of time,
Time will pass quickly, and good actions will diminish. (Sahih Bukhari 6037)
Conflict and Violence
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) stated that there will be wars that will be so horrific that people will want to die. He said:
“There will be much Al-Harj.” His companions asked, “Oh, Allah’s Apostle! What is “Al-Harj?” “Killing! Killing!” he said. (Sahih al-Bukhari 7061)
Today, we are already seeing mass killing in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. Other minor signs of the end of the world in Islam are:
- Tall Building
- Popularity of singing and music
- Alcohol, Gambling, and Adultery
- There will be more women than men
- Frequent Natural Disasters and Earthquakes
The Major Signs
There are major signs along with the minor ones that appear gradually. There are ten major signs of Qiyamah (Judgment Day), which occur before the end of the world comes. Once they occur, they take place in a manner similar to pearls dropping from a broken necklace.
The Sun Rising from the West
One of the most important signs of Qiyamah. After the sun will rise from the west, there will be no more opportunities for anyone to convert to Islam. There will be no more opportunity for forgiveness.
When this happens, repentance will no longer be accepted. (Bukhari, Sahih 4635)
Smoke and Three Earthquakes
The other sign is the smoke. It has been mentioned in both the Holy Quran and the Hadith. It will spread on the earth like a house enveloped by smoke. For the believers, the impact shall be as though they are suffering from a fever or some kind of cold. However, for those people who do not believe and are hypocrites, the same shall enter their ears and leave through all their body parts.
Earthquakes are some of the worst natural calamities that can happen to mankind because they bring about great destruction. There have been earthquakes at different places throughout history; however, these three earthquakes were much more disastrous. The Prophet said,
It will not come until these sign fulfill, and among these he mentioned the smoke, the Dajjal, the Beast, the appearance of the Sun from the West, the descent of Jesus son of Mary, Gog and Magog, and three land-slides, one in the East, one in the West, and one in Arabia, after which fire will flare up in Yemen. (Sahih Muslim 2901)
The Emergence of Al-Mahdi
According to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),
“The Mahdi is one of us, the Ahl al Bayt (hereditary descendant of the Prophet). Allah will perfect his faith in one night.” (Abu Dawood)
Al-Mahdi is a figure who is supposed to appear before the Day of Judgment. He will bring justice to the world and solve the issues faced by the people. It is believed that he belongs to the family lineage of Prophet Muhammad and will be guiding Muslims during tough times.
The important sign of the end of days is the arrival of Prophet Jesus (AS). He will descend upon a spot near Damascus and battle the Dajjal along with Al Mahdi.
“When Dajjal comes out, Jesus will kill him at the gate of Ludd” (Sahih Muslim 2937)
The Appearance of the Beast (Dabbatul Ard)
According to Allah in the Holy Qur’an:
“And when Our sign comes to pass upon them, We will produce from the earth a beast for them which will speak to them.” (Quran 27:82)
This beast will be counted as one of the signs of the Day of Judgment. The Dabbat al-Ard is a beast that will be produced from the earth to speak to human beings.
The Appearance of the Dajjal and Prophet Jesus (AS)
The appearance of Dajjal, who is so powerful that most people would fall for his manipulations, is one of the most significant signs. He will do miracles and will use both psychological and technological tricks.
The Prophet (PBUH) discussed the Dajjal in great detail. He said:
There will be no hardship on Earth as Allah produced Adam’s descendants, which will be greater than the tribulation of Dajjal. (Sunan Ibn Majah 4077)
The Emergence of Gog and Magog
The Quran mentions people who are restrained by a wall, and that will ultimately be freed during the final days, when they will invade the world and create destruction. They are specifically mentioned in Surah Al-Kahf, Dhul-Qarnayn, who builds the great wall to hold them back. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said:
“Allah would send worms in their necks, and they would die like only one person dies.” (Sunan Ibn Majah 4079)
The Sound of the Horn
Israfil is the name used for the Angel of the Trumpet; he is the angel who blows the horn. In the Holy Quran, it says:
“The Trumpet will be blown. Then whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is on earth will faint, except whom Allah wills. Then will be blown a trumpet blast again, and behold they will arise staring.” (Qur’an 39:68)
This is the last sign, and everything will come to an end. The Day of Judgment plays a vital role in the life of all believers, as Allah will evaluate the deeds of everyone on that day.
Although the time of the destruction of the world cannot be known, it is characterized by certain signs that signal its arrival. Thus, being aware of them and following the teachings of Islam allows one to be prepared for that big day.
