The signs of the end of times in Islam: minor and major signs

The sending of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is itself the first sign that the Hour is near. The Prophet said: “I and the Hour have been sent like these two”, holding up his index and middle fingers together.

The death of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the year 11 of the Hijra is the second major sign fulfilled. His passing opened the door to all the other signs.

The Prophet ﷺ foretold the conquest of Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem). It was accomplished under the caliphate of 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab in the year 16 of the Hijra (637 AD).

The Prophet ﷺ foretold a great epidemic after the conquest of Jerusalem. The plague of Amwas (639 AD) killed more than 25,000 Muslims, among them Abu 'Ubayda ibn Al-Jarrah.

The Prophet ﷺ foretold that a time would come when people would not know to whom to give their zakat, so great would the abundance be. Our own age, with the wealth of the oil countries, is a striking example.

The Prophet ﷺ foretold the multiplying of wars, discord and disorder. Groups will fight one another and great massacres will take place. This sign is clearly being fulfilled.

The Prophet ﷺ announced that earthquakes would multiply as the Hour drew near. Modern statistics confirm a marked rise in earthquakes of great magnitude.

The Prophet ﷺ said that time would seem to grow short: the year would be like a month, the month like a week, the week like a day. In our hyper-connected age, many feel this acceleration.

The Prophet ﷺ foretold that religious knowledge would decline and that ignorance would spread. The scholars would disappear and people would take the ignorant as their spiritual guides.

The angel Jibril questioned the Prophet ﷺ about the signs of the Hour. Among them: “You will see the barefoot, the destitute and the shepherds competing in raising tall buildings.” Dubai, Doha and Riyadh illustrate this prophecy perfectly.

The Prophet ﷺ foretold that some thirty false prophets would appear, each claiming to be a messenger of Allah. Musaylima Al-Kadhdhab, Al-Aswad Al-Ansi, and in our own time many sects, illustrate this sign.

Allah revealed that the Romans (Byzantines), after their defeat, would defeat the Persians within a few years. This prophecy came true exactly as foretold, in 7 years. One of the scientific miracles of the Quran.

A smoke will fill the earth and strike the believers like a head cold, while it will bring out the organs of the hypocrites. Some scholars hold it to be a major sign, others a minor sign already past. The majority class it among the major signs still to come.

The Mahdi is a man from the lineage of the Prophet ﷺ (through Fatima). His name will be Muhammad ibn Abdullah. He will appear in Mecca, will be recognised by the believers despite his reluctance, and will rule with justice for 7 to 9 years. He will unite the Muslims and prepare for the coming of Issa عليه السلام.

The Dajjal is the greatest fitna of history. He will be blind in the right eye, and between his eyes will be the mark “Kafir”, readable by every believer. He will travel the earth in 40 days (1 day = 1 year, 1 day = 1 month, 1 day = 1 week, the other 37 = our normal days). He will be unable to enter either Mecca or Medina. He will finally be killed by Issa عليه السلام.

Issa ibn Maryam عليه السلام will descend from heaven onto the white minaret of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, his hands resting on the wings of two angels. He will kill the Dajjal near Lod (Palestine), break the cross, kill the swine, apply the Islamic law and rule with justice. He will die and be buried in Medina.

Ya'juj and Ma'juj are two immense peoples currently shut in behind a barrier built by Dhul-Qarnayn. They will come out after the descent of Issa عليه السلام and will ravage the earth, drinking every lake dry. They will all die at one stroke through a worm sent into their necks, by the decree of Allah.

Three gigantic collapses of the earth will occur: one in the East, one in the West, and one in Arabia. Whole regions will be swallowed up. These disasters will mark the end of an age.

One day the sun will rise in the West. After this sign, the door of repentance will close for good. No new faith and no repentance will be accepted. It is the point of no return in human history. Only those who already believed will find their faith of use.

A gigantic beast will come out of the earth, endowed with speech. It will address the people and will mark the believers with a shining sign and the disbelievers with a dark one. It will carry the staff of Musa عليه السلام and the ring of Sulayman عليه السلام. No one will be able to hide his faith or his disbelief.

A fire will spring up from Yemen (or from the region of Aden) and will drive the people towards their place of gathering — Syria (Ash-Sham). This fire will be the last of the ten major signs. It will push mankind towards the place of the Final Judgement.

Before the total end of the world, a gentle wind will blow from the direction of Yemen. This wind will carry away the soul of every believer who has even the weight of a grain of faith in his heart. Only the disbelievers will remain alive to witness the final destruction.

Israfil عليه السلام will blow into the Trumpet (As-Sur). At the first blast, every living thing will die. At the second blast, all the dead will rise for the Judgement. It is the absolute end of this world and the beginning of the Hereafter.