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1.The Matchless Appearance of Our Prophet (saws) Narrated by Ibrahim b. Muhammad (ra), one of the grandchildren of Ali KarmAllahuwahju
1.The Matchless Appearance of Our Prophet (saws) Narrated by Ibrahim b. Muhammad (ra), one of the grandchildren of Ali KarmAllahuwahju
1.The Matchless Appearance of Our Prophet (saws) Narrated by Ibrahim b. Muhammad (ra), one of the grandchildren of Ali KarmAllahuwahju
One who strove to convey his superior traits and impressive qualities simply confessed his impotence and incompetence in describing him by stating that he has never before him or after him seen anyone comparable to him.
2. The Beauty of Our Prophet (saws)
His companions described the beauty of the Prophet (saws) in these terms:
“The Prophet (saws) had a most handsome constitution. Some likened the beauty of his smile to that of the full moon . . . His nose was thin . . . His face was smooth . . . His beard was thick . . . His neck was most beautiful . . . If the rays of the Sun fell on his neck, it appeared like a cup of silver mixed with gold . . . The expanse between his shoulders was wide.”
3. The Majesty of Our Prophet (saws)
Narrated by Hasan:
“Our Messenger of God was, by nature, imposing and magnificent.”
4. The Radiant Face of Our Prophet (saws)Anas bin Malik (ra) says:
“The Prophet (saws) was neither tall nor short. He was handsome. His hair was neither delicate nor curly. On the other hand, the color the face of Mubarak (upon whom Divine goodness is bestowed, one who is given abundantly, the Beneficial, the Auspicious), was of a splendorous white.”
5. The Powerful Body of Our Prophet (saws)
“His neck was most beautiful, neither long, nor short. If the rays of the Sun fell on his neck, it appeared like a cup of silver mixed with gold. His chest was broad. It was even like a mirror and white like the moonlight... His shoulders were wide. His palms were softer than wool.”
6. The Stature of Our Prophet (saws):
Baraa bin Aazib (ra) relates:
“I never saw someone more handsome than the Messenger of God. His hair reached his shoulders. The portion between his two shoulders was wide. He was neither very tall nor very short.”
7. The Beautiful Eyes of Our Prophet (saws):
Abu Huraira (ra) describes him:
“His forehead was wide, and the place between his eyebrows was bright like pure silver, and his eyes were very beautiful and his eyes’ pupils were black. The hairs of his eyelashes were profuse . . . ”
8. The Complexion of Our Prophet (saws):
Abu Huraira (ra) reports:
“He was reddish-white . . .”
9. The Hair of Our Prophet (saws):
Aisha (ra) reports:
“The blessed hair of The Messenger of God (saws) was longer than those that reached the earlobes, and shorter than those that reached the shoulders.”
10. The Beard of Our Prophet (saws):
“He had a thick, dense beard.”
11. The Beautiful Mouth of Our Prophet (saws):
“His teeth were as white as pearls and bright, and the light gleamed from his front teeth as he spoke. When he laughed, it was as if his mouth gave off rays like soft lightning .
12. The Manner of Dress of Our Prophet (saws):
Jundub ibn Makith (ra) said:
“Whenever a delegation came to meet the Messenger of God, he would wear his best clothes and order his leading companions to do likewise.”Another hadith relates:
“You are going to visit your brothers, so repair your saddles and make sure that you are dressed well.”
13. The Manner of Sitting of Our Prophet (saws):
Qaylah bint Makhramah (ra) reports:
“I saw the Messenger of God (saws) in the mosque (in a very humble posture) sitting. Due to his awe-inspiring personality, I began shivering.”
14. The Manner of Speaking of Our Prophet (saws):
“The Prophet (saws) was the greatest of the Arabs in oratory and beauty of speech. He said: ‘I am the greatest orator among the Arabs.’”
15. The Smiling Face of Our Prophet (saws):
As recalled by Ali:
“The Messenger of God (saws)... was the one who smiled the most and the most joyful of all.”
16. The Glances of Our Prophet (saws):
Hasan, the grandson of our Prophet (saws), described the way he looked at things as follows:
“The way he looked was extremely expressive . . .”
17. The Pleasant Scent of Our Prophet (saws):
Jaabir bin Samura (ra) states:
“Whenever the Holy Prophet tread on any path, when someone passed by later, they could recognize that the prophet had passed by there because they could smell the fragrance of his body.”
18. The Affection for Others of Our Prophet (saws)
Anas bin Malik (ra) relates: “I remained in the service of the Messenger of God (saws) for ten years. He never once told me ‘Ugh.’ When I did something, he never asked me, ‘Why did you do so?’ When I failed to do a certain task, he never asked me why I did not do it.”
19. The Superior Moral Values of Our Prophet (saws):
“God’s Messenger (saws). When he shook hands with anyone, he did not withdraw his hands till the other man withdrew his. Similarly, he did not turn away his face from anyone till that man turned his face to the other side. And he was never seen to put forward his knees in front of one with whom he was sitting.”
“. . . He used to call his companions by their surnames with honor and he used to give one surname who had no surname.”20.
The Modesty of Our Prophet (saws):
“. . . Everyone thought that the Prophet honored him more. Whoever came to him could see his face . . . Yes, the way he sat, listened, his words, graceful jests and attention were always for those with him. Besides, the meetings he held with friends was marked by decency, modesty and security
One who strove to convey his superior traits and impressive qualities simply confessed his impotence and incompetence in describing him by stating that he has never before him or after him seen anyone comparable to him.
2. The Beauty of Our Prophet (saws)
His companions described the beauty of the Prophet (saws) in these terms:
“The Prophet (saws) had a most handsome constitution. Some likened the beauty of his smile to that of the full moon . . . His nose was thin . . . His face was smooth . . . His beard was thick . . . His neck was most beautiful . . . If the rays of the Sun fell on his neck, it appeared like a cup of silver mixed with gold . . . The expanse between his shoulders was wide.”
3. The Majesty of Our Prophet (saws)
Narrated by Hasan:
“Our Messenger of God was, by nature, imposing and magnificent.”
4. The Radiant Face of Our Prophet (saws)Anas bin Malik (ra) says:
“The Prophet (saws) was neither tall nor short. He was handsome. His hair was neither delicate nor curly. On the other hand, the color the face of Mubarak (upon whom Divine goodness is bestowed, one who is given abundantly, the Beneficial, the Auspicious), was of a splendorous white.”
5. The Powerful Body of Our Prophet (saws)
“His neck was most beautiful, neither long, nor short. If the rays of the Sun fell on his neck, it appeared like a cup of silver mixed with gold. His chest was broad. It was even like a mirror and white like the moonlight... His shoulders were wide. His palms were softer than wool.”
6. The Stature of Our Prophet (saws):
Baraa bin Aazib (ra) relates:
“I never saw someone more handsome than the Messenger of God. His hair reached his shoulders. The portion between his two shoulders was wide. He was neither very tall nor very short.”
7. The Beautiful Eyes of Our Prophet (saws):
Abu Huraira (ra) describes him:
“His forehead was wide, and the place between his eyebrows was bright like pure silver, and his eyes were very beautiful and his eyes’ pupils were black. The hairs of his eyelashes were profuse . . . ”
8. The Complexion of Our Prophet (saws):
Abu Huraira (ra) reports:
“He was reddish-white . . .”
9. The Hair of Our Prophet (saws):
Aisha (ra) reports:
“The blessed hair of The Messenger of God (saws) was longer than those that reached the earlobes, and shorter than those that reached the shoulders.”
10. The Beard of Our Prophet (saws):
“He had a thick, dense beard.”
11. The Beautiful Mouth of Our Prophet (saws):
“His teeth were as white as pearls and bright, and the light gleamed from his front teeth as he spoke. When he laughed, it was as if his mouth gave off rays like soft lightning .
12. The Manner of Dress of Our Prophet (saws):
Jundub ibn Makith (ra) said:
“Whenever a delegation came to meet the Messenger of God, he would wear his best clothes and order his leading companions to do likewise.”Another hadith relates:
“You are going to visit your brothers, so repair your saddles and make sure that you are dressed well.”
13. The Manner of Sitting of Our Prophet (saws):
Qaylah bint Makhramah (ra) reports:
“I saw the Messenger of God (saws) in the mosque (in a very humble posture) sitting. Due to his awe-inspiring personality, I began shivering.”
14. The Manner of Speaking of Our Prophet (saws):
“The Prophet (saws) was the greatest of the Arabs in oratory and beauty of speech. He said: ‘I am the greatest orator among the Arabs.’”
15. The Smiling Face of Our Prophet (saws):
As recalled by Ali:
“The Messenger of God (saws)... was the one who smiled the most and the most joyful of all.”
16. The Glances of Our Prophet (saws):
Hasan, the grandson of our Prophet (saws), described the way he looked at things as follows:
“The way he looked was extremely expressive . . .”
17. The Pleasant Scent of Our Prophet (saws):
Jaabir bin Samura (ra) states:
“Whenever the Holy Prophet tread on any path, when someone passed by later, they could recognize that the prophet had passed by there because they could smell the fragrance of his body.”
18. The Affection for Others of Our Prophet (saws)
Anas bin Malik (ra) relates: “I remained in the service of the Messenger of God (saws) for ten years. He never once told me ‘Ugh.’ When I did something, he never asked me, ‘Why did you do so?’ When I failed to do a certain task, he never asked me why I did not do it.”
19. The Superior Moral Values of Our Prophet (saws):
“God’s Messenger (saws). When he shook hands with anyone, he did not withdraw his hands till the other man withdrew his. Similarly, he did not turn away his face from anyone till that man turned his face to the other side. And he was never seen to put forward his knees in front of one with whom he was sitting.”
“. . . He used to call his companions by their surnames with honor and he used to give one surname who had no surname.”20.
The Modesty of Our Prophet (saws):
“. . . Everyone thought that the Prophet honored him more. Whoever came to him could see his face . . . Yes, the way he sat, listened, his words, graceful jests and attention were always for those with him. Besides, the meetings he held with friends was marked by decency, modesty and security
The Prophet’s (saws) sayings (hadiths) regarding the signs of the end times
Many details of what the Prophet (saws) said would happen before the last days have reached us. These events are happening one by one in our own time, proving to be yet another miracle of the Prophet (saas). These events, that are happening 1,400 years after the Prophet Muhammad (saas), were explained in great detail, as if he had witnessed them himself.
These are the Prophet (saas)'s prophecies regarding the signs of the end times and the last day, taken from the hadiths:
The Last Hour will not come unless there is much bloodshed.227
Near the establishment of the Hour there will be much Al-Harj, and Al-Harj means killing...228
The day of Judgment will not come until people openly deny Allah.229
Great cities will be ruined, and it will be as if they had not existed the day before.230
Gains will be shared out only among the rich, with no benefit to the poor.231
People will indulge in homosexuality and lesbianism.232
These are the Prophet (saas)'s prophecies regarding the signs of the end times and the last day, taken from the hadiths:
The Last Hour will not come unless there is much bloodshed.227
Near the establishment of the Hour there will be much Al-Harj, and Al-Harj means killing...228
The day of Judgment will not come until people openly deny Allah.229
Great cities will be ruined, and it will be as if they had not existed the day before.230
Gains will be shared out only among the rich, with no benefit to the poor.231
People will indulge in homosexuality and lesbianism.232
There will be prevalence of open illegal intercourse.233
The Hour (Last Day) will not be established until murders will increase.234
Pity poor Taliqan (a region in Afghanistan) that at that place are treasures of Allah, but these are not of gold and silver but consist of people who have recognised Allah as they should have.235
There is an indication in the hadith that Afghanistan will be occupied during the end times. The Russian invasion of Afghanistan took place in 1979, or 1400 according to the Hijri calendar. In other words, it coincided with the start of the fourteenth century under the Hijri calendar
It (Euphrates) will uncover a mountain of gold (under it).236
Soon the river "Euphrates" will disclose the treasure (the mountain) of gold, so whoever will be present at that time should not take anything of it.237
The rebuilding of the ruined places in the world, and the ruination of constructed places are signs and portents of Doomsday.238
There are two signs of our Mahdi; ...and those signs are that moon will eclipse in the first night of its fixed nights of eclipse and sun will be eclipsed in the middle of the fixed days for its eclipse, during the month of Ramadhan.239
There will be two eclipses of the sun in Ramadan before the Mahdi emerges.240
The Hour (Last Day) will not be established until murders will increase.234
Pity poor Taliqan (a region in Afghanistan) that at that place are treasures of Allah, but these are not of gold and silver but consist of people who have recognised Allah as they should have.235
There is an indication in the hadith that Afghanistan will be occupied during the end times. The Russian invasion of Afghanistan took place in 1979, or 1400 according to the Hijri calendar. In other words, it coincided with the start of the fourteenth century under the Hijri calendar
It (Euphrates) will uncover a mountain of gold (under it).236
Soon the river "Euphrates" will disclose the treasure (the mountain) of gold, so whoever will be present at that time should not take anything of it.237
The rebuilding of the ruined places in the world, and the ruination of constructed places are signs and portents of Doomsday.238
There are two signs of our Mahdi; ...and those signs are that moon will eclipse in the first night of its fixed nights of eclipse and sun will be eclipsed in the middle of the fixed days for its eclipse, during the month of Ramadhan.239
There will be two eclipses of the sun in Ramadan before the Mahdi emerges.240
There will be two eclipses of the Moon in Ramadan...241
The common points emerging from the above three hadiths are:
1. There will be solar and lunar eclipses during the month of Ramadan.
2. These will be spaced about 14-15 days apart.
3. The eclipses will be repeated twice.
In line with those calculations, there was a lunar eclipse in 1981 (Hijri 1401), on the 15th day of Ramadan, and a solar eclipse on the 29th day of the month. There was a "second" lunar
eclipse in 1982 (Hijri 1402) on the 14th day of Ramadan, and a solar eclipse on the 28th day of the month.
It is also particularly significant that in that particular instance, there was a full lunar eclipse in the middle of the month of Ramadan, a most striking prophecy.
Before he comes, a comet spreading light will come from the East.242
The birth of that star will follow the eclipse of the Sun and Moon.243
A tailed star will be born from the East and spread its light. Its daily direction will be from East to West.244
A tailed star will be born from the East and spread its light. Its daily direction will be from East to West.244
- In 1986 (Hijri 1406), in other words at the start of the 14th century, Halley's comet passed by the Earth. The comet is a bright, shining star.
- It travels from East to West
This happened after the lunar and solar eclipses of 1981 and 1982 (1401-1402)
People will go on the hajj with no imam at their head. When they descend to Mina, the tribes will savage each other like dogs and there will be great wars. To such an extent that feet will be covered in a lake of blood.245
A fire will appear in the sky from the East and a redness will cover the sky for three or seven days in a row.246
A fire will enfold you. That fire is currently extinguished in the valley called Berehut. People will be enfolded in that fire with terrible suffering. That fire will burn and destroy people and belongings. For eight days it will rage over the world like wind and cloud. The heat of night will be fiercer than that of day. That fire will stretch from the heads of man to the highest heavens, and there will be a terrible noise like thunder between the earth and sky, he said.247
- The burning oil in Kuwait led to the deaths of people and animals. According to experts, half a million tons of oil went up into the atmosphere as smoke. Every day, more than 10,000 tons of soot, sulphur, carbon-dioxide and large quantities of hydrocarbons with their carcinogenic properties hang suspended over the Gulf. It is not just the Gulf, but the world itself that is burning.248
- Two wells that were set alight produced as much oil as Turkey does in one day, and the smoke from them can be seen from Saudi Arabia, 55 kilometres away.249
- Continuing news of disaster from the Gulf: Hundreds of oil wells set alight in Kuwait are still burning fiercely. Experts say it will be "exceedingly difficult to put those fires out," and it is said that the fires will affect a wide area from Turkey to India for the next 10 years.
The fire and smoke coming from the wells constantly pollute the atmosphere. Daytime resembles night in Kuwait. The brown smoke that rises together with the flames remind one of the sky as the autumn turns into winter ... It will take at least a century for Kuwait to be completely habitable again. The smoke that rises with the flames is visible from miles away, totally blocking out the sky and making the country unfit to live in. The wealthy are abandoning Kuwait.250
He(The Mahdi) will not come until there is a portent from the Sun.251
The solar eclipse of August 11, 1999 was the last of the century. During this eclipse, the likes of which take place only every 400 years, the sun, the moon and the world align. It was the first time that so many people had been able to watch and study an eclipse for so long a duration. Below are some newspaper headlines regarding the phenomenon. This can be interpreted as the "portent from the Sun" referred to in the hadith. (Allah knows best, of course).
Before the Hour comes, there will be a tribulation like patches of dark night...252
The word "tribulation (fitna)" implies anything that turns peoples' reason and hearts away from the true path, or war, incitement, chaos, disorder and conflict. The tribulation in the hadith will leave smoke and dust behind it, we learn.
Furthermore, the way that tribulation is described as "darkness" in the hadith, can be seen as an indication that its origins are unclear, that it is unexpected. Looking at it from that regard, it is probable that the hadith is referring to the world's worst terrorist attack, on the cities of New York and Washington in the United States on September 11, 2001.
The inhabitants of Egypt and Sham would kill their ruler and his commands...253
The common points emerging from the above three hadiths are:
1. There will be solar and lunar eclipses during the month of Ramadan.
2. These will be spaced about 14-15 days apart.
3. The eclipses will be repeated twice.
In line with those calculations, there was a lunar eclipse in 1981 (Hijri 1401), on the 15th day of Ramadan, and a solar eclipse on the 29th day of the month. There was a "second" lunar
eclipse in 1982 (Hijri 1402) on the 14th day of Ramadan, and a solar eclipse on the 28th day of the month.
It is also particularly significant that in that particular instance, there was a full lunar eclipse in the middle of the month of Ramadan, a most striking prophecy.
Before he comes, a comet spreading light will come from the East.242
The birth of that star will follow the eclipse of the Sun and Moon.243
A tailed star will be born from the East and spread its light. Its daily direction will be from East to West.244
A tailed star will be born from the East and spread its light. Its daily direction will be from East to West.244
- In 1986 (Hijri 1406), in other words at the start of the 14th century, Halley's comet passed by the Earth. The comet is a bright, shining star.
- It travels from East to West
This happened after the lunar and solar eclipses of 1981 and 1982 (1401-1402)
People will go on the hajj with no imam at their head. When they descend to Mina, the tribes will savage each other like dogs and there will be great wars. To such an extent that feet will be covered in a lake of blood.245
A fire will appear in the sky from the East and a redness will cover the sky for three or seven days in a row.246
A fire will enfold you. That fire is currently extinguished in the valley called Berehut. People will be enfolded in that fire with terrible suffering. That fire will burn and destroy people and belongings. For eight days it will rage over the world like wind and cloud. The heat of night will be fiercer than that of day. That fire will stretch from the heads of man to the highest heavens, and there will be a terrible noise like thunder between the earth and sky, he said.247
- The burning oil in Kuwait led to the deaths of people and animals. According to experts, half a million tons of oil went up into the atmosphere as smoke. Every day, more than 10,000 tons of soot, sulphur, carbon-dioxide and large quantities of hydrocarbons with their carcinogenic properties hang suspended over the Gulf. It is not just the Gulf, but the world itself that is burning.248
- Two wells that were set alight produced as much oil as Turkey does in one day, and the smoke from them can be seen from Saudi Arabia, 55 kilometres away.249
- Continuing news of disaster from the Gulf: Hundreds of oil wells set alight in Kuwait are still burning fiercely. Experts say it will be "exceedingly difficult to put those fires out," and it is said that the fires will affect a wide area from Turkey to India for the next 10 years.
The fire and smoke coming from the wells constantly pollute the atmosphere. Daytime resembles night in Kuwait. The brown smoke that rises together with the flames remind one of the sky as the autumn turns into winter ... It will take at least a century for Kuwait to be completely habitable again. The smoke that rises with the flames is visible from miles away, totally blocking out the sky and making the country unfit to live in. The wealthy are abandoning Kuwait.250
He(The Mahdi) will not come until there is a portent from the Sun.251
The solar eclipse of August 11, 1999 was the last of the century. During this eclipse, the likes of which take place only every 400 years, the sun, the moon and the world align. It was the first time that so many people had been able to watch and study an eclipse for so long a duration. Below are some newspaper headlines regarding the phenomenon. This can be interpreted as the "portent from the Sun" referred to in the hadith. (Allah knows best, of course).
Before the Hour comes, there will be a tribulation like patches of dark night...252
The word "tribulation (fitna)" implies anything that turns peoples' reason and hearts away from the true path, or war, incitement, chaos, disorder and conflict. The tribulation in the hadith will leave smoke and dust behind it, we learn.
Furthermore, the way that tribulation is described as "darkness" in the hadith, can be seen as an indication that its origins are unclear, that it is unexpected. Looking at it from that regard, it is probable that the hadith is referring to the world's worst terrorist attack, on the cities of New York and Washington in the United States on September 11, 2001.
The inhabitants of Egypt and Sham would kill their ruler and his commands...253
The people of Sham will take prisoner the tribes of Egypt.254
Today, the states in the region in question include Israel. That is why the hadith could be pointing to the war between the State of Israel and Egypt, and the invasion of Egyptian territory.
The Hour (Last Day) will not be established until ... earthquakes will be very frequent.255
There are two great events before the day of Judgment ... and then years of earthquakes.256
The signs of the end times are coming one after the other
In the sayings (hadiths) that have come down to us from the Prophet (saws), news is given concerning the end times and the Golden Age of Islam. When we compare these signs with the things that are taking place in our time, we can see many indications that we are living through the End Times and which also herald the arrival of the Golden Age of Islam.
We must make it clear that some of the signs pointed to in the hadiths that we have been considering in this chapter may have been witnessed to one extent or another throughout the 1,400-year history of Islam, in some part of the world. That does not mean, however, that those were the end times. Because, in order to describe one period as the End Times, all the signs of the last day need to happen at the same time, one after the other. That situation is referred to in a hadith:
"Signs following one another like bits of a necklace falling one after the other when its string is cut."257
In the hadiths, the beginning of the End Times is described as when discord grows, and war and conflict are on the increase, when there is chaos and moral degeneration rears its head and people turn away from the morality of religion. At the time in question, natural disasters will occur all over the world, poverty will reach unseen levels, there will be a large increase in the crime rate, and murder and brutality everywhere. Yet this will be only the first stage. During the second phase, Allah will rescue mankind from this chaos and replace it with a blessed existence full of plenty, peace and security.
The Hour will not be established ... till the people compete with one another in constructing high buildings.258
The Last Day will not be established until... time will pass quickly.259
Great distances will be traversed in short spans of time.260
The Last hour will not come before time contracts, a year being like a month, a month like a week, a week like a day, a day like an hour, and an hour like the kindling of a fire.261
The century we are living in has seen the capability of constructing supersonic aeroplanes, and the ability, thanks to trains and other improvements in means of transport, to make journeys in a few minutes that would once have taken months, and in great comfort. What this hadith indicates is also taking place in this manner.
Communication between continents would take weeks hundreds of years ago, but is now a matter of seconds, thanks to the Internet and improvements in technology. Goods that used to take weeks to arrive, following a long journey, can now be delivered at a moment's notice. Billions of books can now be printed in the time it would take to write a single letter just a few centuries ago. As well, other technological developments have meant that we no longer waste large amounts of time on cooking, cleaning and child minding.
One could go on citing similar examples. Yet, the important thing here, of course, is that the signs of Doomsday, as set out by the Prophet (saas) in the seventh century, are now happening one by one.
The last hour will not come before the end of a man's whip speak to him.262
The whip is known as a tool used in earlier times when riding or guiding pack animals such as horses or camels. When we look closely at this hadith, we can see that the Prophet (saas) is making a comparison. Let us ask people living at the present time a question, "Is there a modern implement that talks and resembles a whip?"
The most logical reply to that question is the mobile telephone, with its long antenna, or similar communications equipment. If we bear in mind that mobile or satellite phones are comparatively recent developments, then the wisdom behind the Prophet (saas)'s description of 1,400 years ago is even clearer. That is just one more indication that we are living through the period prior to Doomsday.
There will be no Judgment ... until a person's own voice speaks to him.263
The message in the hadith is quite clear: A person's hearing the sound of his own voice is another sign of the end times. There is no doubt that in order to hear the sound of one's one voice, one first needs to record it, and then to play it back to himself. Sound recording and reproduction equipment are products of the twentieth century. That development marked a scientific turning point, and led to the birth of the communications and media industries. Sound reproduction is nearly perfect now, thanks to computer and laser technologies.
In short, the electronic gadgets of our time, microphones and speakers, allow us to record sound and play it back, and are also manifestations of that related in the above hadith.
The sign of that day: A hand will be extended from the sky, and people will look and see it.264
The sign of that day is a hand extended in the sky and people stopping to look at it.265
The Arabic word for "hand" in the above hadiths is "yed." As well as "hand," the dictionary also provides such meanings as "power, force, strength, means etc." It is probable that in these hadiths the word is used in those senses
The idea of a "power, force, strength or means" extending from the sky and looked upon by people might not make much sense in the context of past ages. Yet, it sheds considerable light on equipment such as the television, camera and computer, which have become such an indispensable parts of modern life, as described in the hadiths. In other words, the "hand" mentioned in these hadiths is used in the sense of force. It clearly points to pictures coming down from the sky in waves, in other words television broadcasting.
People will reap 700 measures of wheat for every one they sow ... People will throw down a few handfuls of seeds and reap 700 handfuls ... Although much rain will fall, none will be wasted.266
The Prophet (saas) provided many other details of the technological advances that will accompany the end times. Attention is also drawn in the hadiths to the move towards modern agricultural techniques, the development of new production methods, seed improvement research, and increasing production as a result of better use of rainwater by building new dams and artificial lakes.
At that time ... life spans will grow longer.267
Fourteen centuries have passed since the Prophet (saas) brought forward that news. The average expected lifespan is much higher now than it has been at any other time in recent history. A great difference can be seen even between the figures for the beginning and the end of the twentieth century. For instance, it is estimated that a baby born in 1995 will live some 35 years longer than one born around 1900. Another striking example on the same subject is that in the recent past very few people lived to be 100, whereas now it is a great deal more common.
In the Qur'an, Allah states that He has brought about many miracles by means of the prophets. When the Prophet Musa (Moses) (as) threw down his staff, for instance, it turned into a serpent, and when he smote the sea with that staff it divided into two, leaving a dry path down the middle. The Prophet 'Isa (as) came into the world without a father, and spoke while he was still in the cradle. Another miracle is the way he was able to heal the sick... All these miracles were support and help given to them, in the sight of Allah, to allow them to convince the people and lead them to believe in them.
Allah supported the Prophet Muhammad (saws) by means of both the miracles in the Qur'an and with information given him regarding the unknown. The Prophet (saws) supplied details about events that would happen in the near and distant future. Seeing these actually come to be is both a means of increasing the excitement of believers and of warming the hearts of unbelievers towards Islam.
Events that would have seemed impossible to happen in his own time, and that no one could even have imagined, which are now occurring one after the other, are clear evidence of the fact that the Prophet (saas) was relating special knowledge.
We must make it clear that those who refuse to be guided to the true path will nevertheless still refuse to believe, despite the clear evidence and miracles of the Prophet (saas) and the Qur'an. Allah reveals that fact in the Qur'an:
They have sworn by Allah with their most earnest oaths that if a Sign comes to them they will believe in it. Say: "The Signs are in Allah's control alone." What will make you realise that even if a Sign did come, they would still not believe? (Surat al-An'am: 109)
Conclusion:Those who abide by the Prophet (saas) will be saved
The most important reason for learning about the morality of the Prophet (saas), and how he behaved under particular conditions, is to take these as examples in order to try to emulate him in godliness, uprightness, purity of faith, modesty, cleanliness and belief. Most individuals take other people as their role models, emulate their behavior and try to talk and act like them. However, it is the Prophet (saas), and the other prophets who acted and believed like him, who ought to be followed.
In the verses of the Qur'an, Allah stresses the importance of believing in Him and His Prophet (saas), and of supporting and helping the Prophet (saas) and following his path. He has given the good news that those who do so will be saved:
So that you might all believe in Allah and His Messenger and honor Him and respect Him and glorify Him in the morning and the evening. (Surat al-Fath: 9)
"... Those who believe in him and honor him and help him, and follow the Light that has been sent down with him, they are the ones who are successful." (Surat al-A'raf: 157)
Supporting the Prophet (saas) at the present time is only possible by abiding by the Qur'an and his Sunnah, by making the same efforts as he did to spread the morality of the Qur'an throughout the world, and by doing all in one's power to be like him. Allah will help those who do so in the same way that He helped the Prophet (saas). He will ease their task and grant them success where they would have never expected it. Though, the most important reason for attempting to resemble the Prophet (saas) is to win our Lord's good pleasure, mercy and Paradise.
Today, the states in the region in question include Israel. That is why the hadith could be pointing to the war between the State of Israel and Egypt, and the invasion of Egyptian territory.
The Hour (Last Day) will not be established until ... earthquakes will be very frequent.255
There are two great events before the day of Judgment ... and then years of earthquakes.256
The signs of the end times are coming one after the other
In the sayings (hadiths) that have come down to us from the Prophet (saws), news is given concerning the end times and the Golden Age of Islam. When we compare these signs with the things that are taking place in our time, we can see many indications that we are living through the End Times and which also herald the arrival of the Golden Age of Islam.
We must make it clear that some of the signs pointed to in the hadiths that we have been considering in this chapter may have been witnessed to one extent or another throughout the 1,400-year history of Islam, in some part of the world. That does not mean, however, that those were the end times. Because, in order to describe one period as the End Times, all the signs of the last day need to happen at the same time, one after the other. That situation is referred to in a hadith:
"Signs following one another like bits of a necklace falling one after the other when its string is cut."257
In the hadiths, the beginning of the End Times is described as when discord grows, and war and conflict are on the increase, when there is chaos and moral degeneration rears its head and people turn away from the morality of religion. At the time in question, natural disasters will occur all over the world, poverty will reach unseen levels, there will be a large increase in the crime rate, and murder and brutality everywhere. Yet this will be only the first stage. During the second phase, Allah will rescue mankind from this chaos and replace it with a blessed existence full of plenty, peace and security.
The Hour will not be established ... till the people compete with one another in constructing high buildings.258
The Last Day will not be established until... time will pass quickly.259
Great distances will be traversed in short spans of time.260
The Last hour will not come before time contracts, a year being like a month, a month like a week, a week like a day, a day like an hour, and an hour like the kindling of a fire.261
The century we are living in has seen the capability of constructing supersonic aeroplanes, and the ability, thanks to trains and other improvements in means of transport, to make journeys in a few minutes that would once have taken months, and in great comfort. What this hadith indicates is also taking place in this manner.
Communication between continents would take weeks hundreds of years ago, but is now a matter of seconds, thanks to the Internet and improvements in technology. Goods that used to take weeks to arrive, following a long journey, can now be delivered at a moment's notice. Billions of books can now be printed in the time it would take to write a single letter just a few centuries ago. As well, other technological developments have meant that we no longer waste large amounts of time on cooking, cleaning and child minding.
One could go on citing similar examples. Yet, the important thing here, of course, is that the signs of Doomsday, as set out by the Prophet (saas) in the seventh century, are now happening one by one.
The last hour will not come before the end of a man's whip speak to him.262
The whip is known as a tool used in earlier times when riding or guiding pack animals such as horses or camels. When we look closely at this hadith, we can see that the Prophet (saas) is making a comparison. Let us ask people living at the present time a question, "Is there a modern implement that talks and resembles a whip?"
The most logical reply to that question is the mobile telephone, with its long antenna, or similar communications equipment. If we bear in mind that mobile or satellite phones are comparatively recent developments, then the wisdom behind the Prophet (saas)'s description of 1,400 years ago is even clearer. That is just one more indication that we are living through the period prior to Doomsday.
There will be no Judgment ... until a person's own voice speaks to him.263
The message in the hadith is quite clear: A person's hearing the sound of his own voice is another sign of the end times. There is no doubt that in order to hear the sound of one's one voice, one first needs to record it, and then to play it back to himself. Sound recording and reproduction equipment are products of the twentieth century. That development marked a scientific turning point, and led to the birth of the communications and media industries. Sound reproduction is nearly perfect now, thanks to computer and laser technologies.
In short, the electronic gadgets of our time, microphones and speakers, allow us to record sound and play it back, and are also manifestations of that related in the above hadith.
The sign of that day: A hand will be extended from the sky, and people will look and see it.264
The sign of that day is a hand extended in the sky and people stopping to look at it.265
The Arabic word for "hand" in the above hadiths is "yed." As well as "hand," the dictionary also provides such meanings as "power, force, strength, means etc." It is probable that in these hadiths the word is used in those senses
The idea of a "power, force, strength or means" extending from the sky and looked upon by people might not make much sense in the context of past ages. Yet, it sheds considerable light on equipment such as the television, camera and computer, which have become such an indispensable parts of modern life, as described in the hadiths. In other words, the "hand" mentioned in these hadiths is used in the sense of force. It clearly points to pictures coming down from the sky in waves, in other words television broadcasting.
People will reap 700 measures of wheat for every one they sow ... People will throw down a few handfuls of seeds and reap 700 handfuls ... Although much rain will fall, none will be wasted.266
The Prophet (saas) provided many other details of the technological advances that will accompany the end times. Attention is also drawn in the hadiths to the move towards modern agricultural techniques, the development of new production methods, seed improvement research, and increasing production as a result of better use of rainwater by building new dams and artificial lakes.
At that time ... life spans will grow longer.267
Fourteen centuries have passed since the Prophet (saas) brought forward that news. The average expected lifespan is much higher now than it has been at any other time in recent history. A great difference can be seen even between the figures for the beginning and the end of the twentieth century. For instance, it is estimated that a baby born in 1995 will live some 35 years longer than one born around 1900. Another striking example on the same subject is that in the recent past very few people lived to be 100, whereas now it is a great deal more common.
In the Qur'an, Allah states that He has brought about many miracles by means of the prophets. When the Prophet Musa (Moses) (as) threw down his staff, for instance, it turned into a serpent, and when he smote the sea with that staff it divided into two, leaving a dry path down the middle. The Prophet 'Isa (as) came into the world without a father, and spoke while he was still in the cradle. Another miracle is the way he was able to heal the sick... All these miracles were support and help given to them, in the sight of Allah, to allow them to convince the people and lead them to believe in them.
Allah supported the Prophet Muhammad (saws) by means of both the miracles in the Qur'an and with information given him regarding the unknown. The Prophet (saws) supplied details about events that would happen in the near and distant future. Seeing these actually come to be is both a means of increasing the excitement of believers and of warming the hearts of unbelievers towards Islam.
Events that would have seemed impossible to happen in his own time, and that no one could even have imagined, which are now occurring one after the other, are clear evidence of the fact that the Prophet (saas) was relating special knowledge.
We must make it clear that those who refuse to be guided to the true path will nevertheless still refuse to believe, despite the clear evidence and miracles of the Prophet (saas) and the Qur'an. Allah reveals that fact in the Qur'an:
They have sworn by Allah with their most earnest oaths that if a Sign comes to them they will believe in it. Say: "The Signs are in Allah's control alone." What will make you realise that even if a Sign did come, they would still not believe? (Surat al-An'am: 109)
Conclusion:Those who abide by the Prophet (saas) will be saved
The most important reason for learning about the morality of the Prophet (saas), and how he behaved under particular conditions, is to take these as examples in order to try to emulate him in godliness, uprightness, purity of faith, modesty, cleanliness and belief. Most individuals take other people as their role models, emulate their behavior and try to talk and act like them. However, it is the Prophet (saas), and the other prophets who acted and believed like him, who ought to be followed.
In the verses of the Qur'an, Allah stresses the importance of believing in Him and His Prophet (saas), and of supporting and helping the Prophet (saas) and following his path. He has given the good news that those who do so will be saved:
So that you might all believe in Allah and His Messenger and honor Him and respect Him and glorify Him in the morning and the evening. (Surat al-Fath: 9)
"... Those who believe in him and honor him and help him, and follow the Light that has been sent down with him, they are the ones who are successful." (Surat al-A'raf: 157)
Supporting the Prophet (saas) at the present time is only possible by abiding by the Qur'an and his Sunnah, by making the same efforts as he did to spread the morality of the Qur'an throughout the world, and by doing all in one's power to be like him. Allah will help those who do so in the same way that He helped the Prophet (saas). He will ease their task and grant them success where they would have never expected it. Though, the most important reason for attempting to resemble the Prophet (saas) is to win our Lord's good pleasure, mercy and Paradise.
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