Signs of the Hour

Signs of the Hour




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].

( 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