Signs of the Hour

The Signs of the Hour (Ashrat al-Sa'ah) are the events and phenomena that precede the Day of Judgment. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) described them in detail so that believers could recognize the approach of the Last Day and prepare accordingly. The Quran says: "Do they then await except that the Hour should come upon them suddenly? But already there have come some of its signs" (Quran 47:18). The signs are divided into minor signs (which have been occurring throughout Islamic history) and major signs (which signal the imminent arrival of the Hour).

Minor Signs

The minor signs are numerous and include events both moral and physical. Among those mentioned by the Prophet (peace be upon him): widespread ignorance and the disappearance of knowledge; prevalence of intoxicants and fornication; the barefoot, destitute, shepherds competing in constructing tall buildings; a slave woman giving birth to her mistress; time passing quickly; frequent earthquakes; widespread killing; trustworthiness being lost; religious knowledge being taken away through the death of scholars; people following the ways of the nations before them "handspan by handspan, cubit by cubit" (Sahih al-Bukhari); and the prevalence of usury, lying, and false testimony. Many of these signs have already manifested.

Major Signs

The major signs are ten, as described in the hadith of Hudhayfah ibn Asid (Sahih Muslim): the Dajjal (the False Messiah, who will appear with extraordinary powers and claim divinity); the descent of Isa (Jesus) son of Maryam, who will kill the Dajjal, break the cross, and rule by Islamic law; the emergence of Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog), who will cause widespread destruction until Allah destroys them; three major earthquakes (one in the east, one in the west, and one in the Arabian Peninsula); the Dukhan (smoke) that will cover the earth; the rising of the sun from the west (after which repentance will no longer be accepted); the emergence of the Beast (Dabbat al-Ard) from the earth, which will speak to people; and a fire from Yemen that will drive people to their place of assembly.

The Dajjal and the Return of Isa

The Dajjal is described as the greatest fitna (trial) since the creation of Adam. He will appear between Syria and Iraq and will travel the earth for forty days (one day like a year, one like a month, one like a week, and the rest normal). He will have the word "kafir" written between his eyes, visible to every believer. He will perform extraordinary feats to mislead people. Isa (peace be upon him) will descend at the white minaret in eastern Damascus, will pray behind the Muslim imam, and will kill the Dajjal at the gate of Ludd (Lydda). After this, Isa will live among the Muslims, marry, and eventually die a natural death (Sahih Muslim).

The Believer's Response

Knowledge of the signs is not for speculation or date-setting but for spiritual preparation. The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught specific protections: memorizing the first ten and last ten verses of Surah al-Kahf protects from the Dajjal. Maintaining steadfast faith, seeking authentic knowledge, staying close to the Muslim community, and frequent supplication for protection are the believer's preparations. When a man asked the Prophet, "When is the Hour?" the Prophet replied: "What have you prepared for it?" (Sahih al-Bukhari). The focus should always be on preparation through good deeds, not on predicting when the Hour will arrive.