Part 40

Al-Mutallib ibn ‘Abdullah reported that on one occasion, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was standing at ‘Arafaat. He looked at the sun until it descended - like a shield - toward its setting. He # cried, and then his crying intensified. A man beside him said, “O Abu ‘AbdurRahmaan, you have stood beside me many times without doing the same?” He # said, “O people, there does not remain from your world when compared to what has passed from it except what remains from this day of yours compared to what has passed from it.” (Ahmad) Ahmad alone related this hadith.

Another Chain From Ibn ‘Umar #

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of the Hour is a matter that Allah 4 alone possesses. We will further establish this in the section that follows this one, Insia Allah 3. We place our trust in Allah, and upon Him do we depend.

The Prophet 2 Foretold That Those Of His Generation Would Expire Before The Passage Of 100 Years

The Narration Of Jaabir Ibn ‘Abdullah

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah s reported that, one month before his death, the Messenger of Allah 2% was asked about the Hour. He #% said, “You ask me about the Hour, when indeed its knowledge is with Allah % only. And by the One Who has my soul in His Hand, I do not know a soul today upon whom 100 years will come.” (Ahmad) Ahmad alone related this narration, and its chain is Hasan, good, its

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narrators are all trustworthy ones.

Another Chain From Jaabir 2

About The Nearness Of The End

‘Aaisha “& said, “When the Bedouins would come to the Messenger of Allah #¢, they would ask him about the Hour. He would look at the youngest person among them and say, ‘If this one lives, old age will not reach him until the hour of each one of you arrives.” (Muslim, who alone related it.)

Anas 4 reported that a man asked the Messenger of Allah 2 “When will the Hour arrive?” A boy from the Ansaar, called Muhammad, was there, and the Messenger of Allah 2% said, “If this young boy lives, then perhaps old age will not reach him until the Hour arrives.” (Muslim)

And in another narration, Anas & said, “A boy, who was of my age, and who belonged to Mugheerah ibn Sho’bah, passed by. The Prophet ## then said, ‘If life for this one is prolonged, then old age will not reach him until the Hour arrives.” (Muslim) Bukhaaree related it through a different chain of narrators.

These narrations point to the frequency of the same question being asked, as well as to its answer. The intended meaning is not an indication of the exact time of the Greater Hour (i.e. the end of this world) based on the old age of the said children in the above narrations; rather, the intended meaning is that the Hour of those

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alive at that time was to arrive before the passage of the stated term, and this is referring to the passing away of that generation. The longest period that people alive at that time were to live for was the time it would take for that young boy to reach old age. These narrations are similar in purport to the previously mentioned hadith: “You ask me about the Hour, when its knowledge is with Allah only. And I swear by Allah that there is not a breathing soul today upon whom. 100 years will come.” And this meaning is also supported by the hadith of ‘Aaishah : “Your Hour will arrive upon you,” This is because when one dies, we rule that he has entered into the Hereafter. The world of the Barzakh, though it is close to this world, is close to the Hereafter and more similar to it than it is to this world. When the appointed period of this world ends, then Allah 3 will order for the Hour to come. The first ones and the last ones will be gathered at an appointed day, and we will further clarify this from the Qur’an and the Sunnah. And we seek help in Allah 8%.

Same Verses About The Resurraction Day

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“The Event (the Hour or the punishment of disbelievers and polytheists or the Islamic laws or commandments), ordained by Allah will come to pass, so seek not to hasten it’?

“People ask you concerning the Hour, say: “The knowledge of it is with Allah only. What do you know? Tt may be that the hour is near!’

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“A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall upon the disbelievers, which none can avert, from Allah, the Lord of the ways of ascent, The angels and the Ruh (Jibreel (Gabriel) ascend to Him in a Day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years, so be patient (O Muhammad #3), — with a good patience. Verily! They see it (the torment) afar off, but we see it (quite) near. The Day that the sky will be like the boiling filth of oil, (or molten copper or silver or lead, etc.). And the mountains will be like flakes of wool, and no friend will ask of a friend, though they shall be made to see one another ((i.e. on the Day of Resurrection), there will be none but see his father, children and relatives, but he will neither speak to them nor will ask them for any help).

“And the Day when He shall gather (resurrect) them together, (it will be) as if they had not stayed (in the life of this world and graves, etc.) but an hour of a day. They will recognise each other, Ruined indeed will be fhose who denied the meeting with Allah, and were not guided.’

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“It is Allah Who has sent down the Book (the Qur’an) in truth, and the Balance (i.e. to act justly). And what can make you know that perhaps the Hour is close at hand? Those who believe not therein seek to hasten it, while those who believe are fearful of it, and know that it is the very truth. Verily, those who dispute concerning the Hour are ceranly in Peron a an