ALLAH NEVER BREAKS HIS PROMISES

The coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) has always occupied an important place in the history of the Abrahamic faiths. The coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)—described in detail in terms of his qualities, helpmates, the characteristics of his day and the deeds he will perform—is the subject of excited glad tidings in the scriptures of each faith.

From the way these portents have intensified and are taking place one after the other, we can see that the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is close at hand. Corruption and strife, war and conflict, immorality and atheism have never been so intense, and degeneration is literally at a peak. This shows that the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is imminent. However, all these tribulations will come to an end with the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), like fire being extinguished by water. And Allah will most certainly "make them successors in the land as He made those before them successors, and will firmly establish for them their religion with which He is pleased..." (Surat an-Nur, 55)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) who will appear at the same time as Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), will particularly address the Christian world, free them from the superstitions into which they have fallen, and call on them to live by Islamic moral values. When Christians follow the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), the Christian and Islamic worlds will join together in faith of Islam. As promised in all three Abrahamic faiths' Holy Scriptures—the Torah, the Gospel and the Qur'an—people all over the world will live in a climate of sincere belief, filled with peace, security, and well-being.

Those who are engaged in superstitious struggles in the face of these welcome developments, however, will witness the defeat written in their destinies. As revealed in the verse "This was so that He might verify the Truth and nullify the false, even though the evildoers hate that" (Surat al-Anfal, 8), Allah's desires will prevail.

This is how the Qur'an describes the situation of those who resist the spread of religious moral values:

"But the actions of those who do not believe are like a mirage in the desert. A thirsty man thinks it is water, but when he reaches it, he finds it to be nothing at all, but he finds Allah there. He will pay him his account in full. Allah is swift at reckoning." (Surat an-Nur, 39)

People living in the Golden Age will be restored to faith under the leadership of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) and will, Allah willing, witness a most honorable age. For believers, this period, which every Muslim will wish to experience because of its abundance, fertility, comfort and peaceful environment—will be a great joy in the life of this world. As a result of anarchy, terror, disorder, enmity and violence coming to an end in the Golden Age, they will attain a heavenly climate in this world, and lives filled with peace and ease.

This blessing of Allah's upon believers is a promise of our Lord's, as revealed in the verse: "As for those who make Allah their friend, and His Messenger and those who believe: it is the party of Allah who are victorious!" (Surat al-Ma'ida, 56) and "... Allah does not break His promise. But most people do not know it." (Surah Rum, 6).

In another verse of the Qur'an, our Lord tells us: "What you are promised will certainly happen." (Surat al-Mursalat, 7).

SIGNS OF MAHDI IN THE HADITH OF OUR PROPHET (SAAV)

The hadiths of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) contain very detailed information and signs regarding the End Times, which will take place close to the Judgment Day. According to this information, the End Times will be made up of two parts. The beginning of this holy time will be one of corruption, degeneration, disasters, conflict, wars and famine. But the second part will see the return to earth of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), and will be a time of beauty when peace, security and freedom dominate the world—a period of plenty and abundance, when people will be happy in every regard.

The hadiths contain hundreds of portents that reveal when and what form the End Times will begin. The way that the portents revealed by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) 1,400 years ago are taking place one after the other in our own day shows that the first portion of the End Times has already begun. With the fulfilment of these signs, the Islamic world has begun a hopeful and joyous expectation of the second coming of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and the emergence of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), putting an end to the corruption of the antichrist (dajjal) so that Islamic moral values will rule the world.

Earlier books in this series have described, in the light of the authentic (tawatur) hadiths of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), and this holy personage's characteristics, physical appearance, and moral and intellectual superiority, his intellectual struggle, and the period of peace and security he will usher in. [For detailed information, see The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will Come in This Century, Portents and Features of the Mahdi's (pbuh) Coming, The End of Times and the Mahdi (pbuh), The Golden Age by Harun Yahya.] For that reason, this book deals only with certain specific portents out of the hundreds of hadiths which reveal that Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) has already appeared or else is about to do so.

Some of the hadiths of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) concerning the End Times and related by great Islamic scholars are listed below:

1. Successive fulfilment of portents of Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) appearance:

... These [the portents of the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] will follow upon one another like the beads of a rosary. (Ali ibn Husamaddin al-Muttaki, Hadiths from Jalaluddin al-Suyuti's Classification: Signs of the Mahdi of the End Times, Kahraman Publications, p. 34.)

The signs of the Last Day will follow one another. Like beads strung out one behind the other. (Ramuz al-Ahadith, 277/6; Al-Jami' al-Sagir, 3/167.)

The portents of the End Times revealed in the hadiths are far too clear and definitive to leave any room for doubt. The most important point, however, is that they have taken place and are still occurring, in our own day and age. Some of these signs, of course, might have been observed at any time during Islam's 1,400-year history, anywhere in the world and in a specific environment. But that does not mean that those were the End Times, because in order for an age to qualify as the End Times revealed by Allah, all the portents—which we shall describe in some detail—must occur at the same time, one after the other.

2. The Iran-Iraq war:

There will be tumult in Shawwal, talks of war in Dhu al-Qa'dah, and the outbreak of war in Dhu al-Hijja. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 166.)

* Shawwal, Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijja: First, second and third months of pilgrimage according to the Islamic calendar.

The months of Shawwal, Dhu al-Qa'dah and Dhu al-Hijja mention in the hadith correspond to the stages of development of the Iran-Iraq War:

"Tumult in Shawwal..."

The first uprising against the Shah took place on 5 Shawwal 1398 (8 September 1976), as indicated by the hadith:

"Talks of war in Dhu al-Qa'dah, and the outbreak of war in Dhu al-Hijja..."

A full-blown war broke out between Iran and Iraq in Dhu al-Hijjah 1400 (October 1980).

Another hadith describes the details of this war:

A nation will come from the Farsi direction, saying: "You Arabs! You have been too zealous! If you don't give them their due rights, nobody will have an alliance with you... It must be given to them one day and to you the following day, and mutual promises must be kept... "They will be going up Mutekh; Muslims will be coming down to the plain... Mushrikun [associaters] will be standing over there on the bank of a black river [Rakabeh] on the other side. There will be a war between them. Allah will deprive both armies of a victory... (Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 179.)

* Farsi: Iran, Iranian

** Mutekh: Name of a mountain in the region

*** Yazi: The Plain of Iraq

**** Rakabeh: A region where the oil wells are concentrated

"You Arabs! You have indulged yourselves to bigotry! Unless you grant due rights to them, no one will agree with you on a plan of action."

This part of the hadith states that a dispute will arise between the two sides, stemming from extreme nationalism. Because of that dispute, they will descend to Yazi (the Plain of Iraq), and war will begin.

"Allah will not give victory to any one of the armies..."

Further, as noted by the hadith, the Iran-Iraq war lasted for eight years. Despite the many thousands of casualties, neither side could claim victory or a decisive superiority.

3. A great battle between the Tigris and the Euphrates:

There will be a city called Zawra [Baghdad] between the Tigris and the Euphrates. There will be a great battle there. Women will be taken prisoner, and men will have their throats cut like sheep. (Muntakhab Kanz al-'Ummal, vol. 5, p. 38.)

Quite likely, this hadith calls attention to the Iran-Iraq war, which saw many great clashes between these two Muslim countries. Heavy bombardments reduced villages, towns, and cities to rubble. Women, elderly people, and children lost their lives. After the war, the mass graves uncovered that the casualties were far higher than anticipated. The fact that conflict, disorder and anarchy are still going on in the region is in complete agreement with the hadith.

4. Stopping the flow of the Euphrates:

One of the portents of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is: The stopping of the River Euphrates. (Small Book of Portents of the Mahdi of the End Times, p. 39.)

Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "The Hour will not come to pass before the river Euphrates dries up to unveil the mountain of gold, for which people will fight. Ninety-nine out of one hundred will die [in the fighting], and every man among them will say: 'Perhaps I may be the only one to remain alive.'" (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "The Euphrates reveals the treasures within itself. Whoever sees it should not take anything from it." (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 28.)

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. (Sahih Bukhari)

(1) ... the River Euphrates dries up...

As-Suyuti mentions this hadith as "the stopping of water." The Keban Dam, built in 1975, has accomplished this.

 (2) ... unveils the mountain of gold...

The surrounding land has become as valuable as gold for various reasons, for the Keban Dam has enabled electricity production and higher soil fertility through irrigation and transport facilities.

The Keban and other dams lining the Euphrates resemble a concrete mountain, and wealth as valuable as gold comes out of it. Therefore, these dams take on the properties of "the golden mountain." (Allah knows the truth.)

(3) There will be conflict over this wealth, leading to many deaths

Because of the widespread anarchy and disorder that still persist in the region, those who buy land there may suffer losses. As the hadith puts it, they will either die or be killed.

5. Lunar and solar eclipses during Ramadan:

There are two signs for Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)... The first one is the lunar eclipse in the first night of Ramadan, and the second is the solar eclipse in the middle of this month. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 47.)

The solar eclipse in the middle of the Ramadan, and the lunar eclipse at the end... (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 37.)

During his [Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh)] reign, on the fourteenth of the Ramadan, a solar eclipse will occur. On the first of that month, the Moon will darken... (Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, p. 380; Letters of Rabbani, vol. 2, p. 1163.)

A lunar eclipse will occur in the first night of the Ramadan. In the middle of the Ramadan, a solar eclipse will occur. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 199.)

The most striking points here are that a solar eclipse will take place in the middle of the month, and two solar and two lunar eclipses will take place within one month (Ramadan).

In line with these calculations, there was a lunar eclipse in 1981 (Hijri 1401) on Ramadan 15 and a solar eclipse on Ramadan 29. There was a "second" lunar eclipse in 1982 (Hijri 1402) on Ramadan 14, and a solar eclipse on Ramadan 28.

These incidents occurring during the same period coinciding with the signs of Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) emergence, and their miraculous recurrence for two consecutive years at the onset of the fifteenth Islamic century (1401-02), indicates that they might be the signs foretold by the hadiths.

Moreover, an astoundingly similar series of eclipses occurred in the years 2002 and 2003.

DATES AND TYPES OF ECLIPSES

Lunar Eclipse                   November 20, 2002

                               Hijri 1423 (in the middle of Ramadan)

Solar Eclipse           December 4, 2002

                               Hijri 1423 (at the end of Ramadan)

Lunar Eclipse                   November 9, 2003

                               Hijri 1424 (in the middle of Ramadan)

Solar Eclipse           November 23, 2003

                               Hijri 1424 (at the end of Ramadan)

6. The occupation of Afghanistan:

Pity poor Taliqan [a region in Afghanistan]. At that place are treasures of Allah, but these are not of gold and silver but consist of people who have recognized Allah as they should have. They are Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) servants. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-l-Zaman, p. 59.)

The hadith may well refer to Afghanistan's being invaded in the time of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). In fact, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan took place in 1979, or 1400 Hijri or at the beginning of Hijri 14th century. The hadiths tell us that Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will appear at the beginning of that century. The fact that many other portents regarding Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) have taken place in 1400 Hijri and at the beginning of the 1400s shows that these dates have a particular significance in terms of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh).

7. Sighting a flare in the east:

A big flame will occur in the east for three or seven days in a row, followed by darkness in the sky and a brand-new redness unlike the usual color of red spreading over the sky. A proclamation will be heard in a language earth can understand. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 166.)

This is a hadith narrated by Abu Ja'far b. Muhammad b. Ali (ra): "When you see a flame rise in the east for three or seven days, then wait for the emergence of Al-i Muhammad; Allah will proclaim from the sky uttering the name of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) and everybody, whether in the east or the west, will hear that voice." (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 32.)

"I swear that a flame will engulf you. That flame is presently in an extinguished state at the valley called Berehut. That flame swallows up people with terrible pain inside it, burns down and destroys people and property, and spreads all over the world by flying like a cloud with the assistance of winds. Its heat at night is much higher than its daytime temperature. By going as deep as the center of earth from above the heads of people, that flame becomes a terrible noise, just like the lightning between the ground and the sky," he narrated. (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 461.)

Some people wait for this flame as a sign that comes suddenly and for no particular reason, that never goes out, and that everyone in the world can see. Since the test in this world continues during the occurrence of these signs, just because people will see them does not mean that they will understand them. Thus, people will make their decisions by using their intellects, minds, consciences, and will. The portents concerning the flame must be evaluated in this manner.

The first part of the hadith says that the flame "is presently in an extinguished state." Given that the flame results from burning a flammable substance, what waits "in an extinguished state" is not the flame itself, but rather the material to be burned. In this context, this may mean underground oil. "Berehut" is the name of a well. This can be considered as an oil well. When the time comes, oil extracted from these wells will become a fire ready to be burned.

"That flame swallows up people with terrible pain inside it."

That flame is not merely a burning flare that makes people miserable and sorrowful, but also deprives them of their lives and possessions, and contaminates the surrounding environment.

"That flame... burns down and destroys people and property."

It causes the death of certain people and in addition, burns down property, causing material damage and, by polluting the surrounding environment, destroys what people need in order to live.

"... spreads all over the world by flying like a cloud with the assistance of winds."

This particular element is the smoke that the flame it produces. Thus, this hadith indicates that the smoke will reach as high as the clouds and be spread by the wind in all directions.

"Its heat at night is much higher than its daytime temperature."

In other words, the flame will burn around the clock.

"By going as deep as the center of earth from above the heads of people, that flame makes a terrible noise, just like the thunder between the ground and the sky."

The flame will climb very high into the air and cause very strong explosions resembling a thunder.

"... a brand-new redness unlike the usual color of red spreading over the sky..."

This part of the hadith points out that the incident will occur at night, with the flames of a large explosion leading to a very strong illumination. The reddish illumination caused by such flames is very different from the reddishness of "dawn with which people are familiar. Such an illumination at night, very similar to daylight, is an extraordinary phenomenon.

In July 1991, after Iraq invaded Kuwait, fires spread throughout Kuwait and the Persian Gulf as the Iraqis fired Kuwait's oil wells. This is how the media described these fires:

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, sulfur, carbon dioxide and large quantities of hydrocarbons with their carcinogenic properties hang suspended over the Gulf. It is not just the Gulf but, on its behalf, the world is burning.1

Two wells that were set alight produced as much oil as Turkey does in one day, and the smoke from them were even seen from Saudi Arabia, 55 kilometers (34 miles) away.2

An endless reports of disasters in 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 may affect a wide area from Turkey to India for the next 10 years.3

8. The rise of a comet:

A star with a luminous tail will rise from the east before Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) emerges. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 200.)

Before he [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] arrives, a comet will appear in the east, giving out an illumination. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 53.)

The rise of that star will occur after the eclipse of the Sun and the Moon. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 32.)

Throughout history, comets have heralded times of very important developments for Muslims, some of which became milestones in Islamic history. The Companions of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) also narrated some of these occurrences, as follows:

- The people in the time the Prophet Noah (pbuh) drowned.

- The Prophet Abraham (pbuh) was cast into the fire.

- Pharaoh and his people were perished.

- The Prophet John (pbuh) was killed.

- The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was born.

- Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was honored with prophecy.

- The Ottoman state first entered the world stage.

- Constantinople was captured by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror.

Some interesting statistics regarding Halley's comet:

Particularly striking is the way that multiplies of 19 keep occurring in the appearances of this comet:

* Halleys comet passes by once every 76 years (76=19 x 4)

* The comet was last seen in Hijri 1406 (1406 = 19 x 74)

Another interesting aspect of this is that the year Hijri 1406, when Halley's comet last passed by, is also an exact multiple of 19 (74 x 19). The number 74 is also that of Surat al-Muddaththir, in which the miracle of the number 19 is set out. (For detailed information about the miracle of the number 19, see Allah's Miracles in the Quran, Harun Yahya)

In verse 30 of Surat al-Muddaththir (the 74th sura), the number 19 is revealed as a great blessing for believers, but a vehicle for strife for unbelievers.

This miraculous link between Halley's comet and the number 19 may indicate strife for unbelievers and a blessing for believers.

In verses 1 and 2 of Surat al-Muddaththir, the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is told: "You who are enveloped in your cloak! Arise and warn." This is the outward meaning of the verses. However, the verses may also contain a second, secret sign: The word "enveloped" may refer to Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), who will be descended from our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace). And one of the portents of his appearance will take place in Hijri 1406 (the year of the appearance of the comet).

Surat al-Muddaththir (sura 74)

1) ... You who are enveloped in your cloak!

2) ... Arise and warn

(The word muddaththir means that which is covered up or concealed.)

Another great sign and miracle is that the appearance of Halley's comet in 1986 (Hijri 1406) is the 19^th such passage since 607 AD, when the blessed Muhammad (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) was honored with prophecy.

9. Storming the Ka'bah and the subsequent bloodshed:

The year in which he [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] will emerge, people will perform pilgrimage together and gather without an imam. The pilgrims will be looted, and there will be a battle at Mina in which many will be slain, and blood will flow until it runs over the Jamra al-'Aqaba. [Jamra: one of the stone pillars representing satan that are stoned during the pilgrimage.] (Narrated by 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb, al-Hakim and Nu'aym ibn Hammad.)

People make pilgrimage without an imam leading them. Big wars break out when they come down to Mina, and they are entwined just the way dogs entwine, and tribes attack each other. This strife is so widespread that legs are buried in lakes of blood. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 35.)

In the month of Dhu al-Qa'dah, the nations will wage war, pilgrims will be kidnapped, and there will be bloody wars. Great sins will be committed beside the Ka'bah. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 34.)

The phrase "the year in which he [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] will emerge" draws attention to a massacre that will occur on the date of Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) emergence. In 1979, a massacre very like this one occurred during the Ka'bah raid, which took place during the pilgrimage month at the very beginning of the period during which the signs of Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) advent appeared—the first day of the Islamic year 1400 (21 November 1979).

The hadiths also mention bloodshed. The killing of 30 people during the clashes between Saudi soldiers and militants during the raid fulfill the rest of this hadith.

Seven years later, an even bloodier incident happened during the pilgrimage. In this incident, 402 demonstrating pilgrims were killed. Both the Saudi soldiers and the Iranian pilgrims committed great sins by killing one another. These bloody incidents have strong parallels to the incidents described in the hadiths.

There will be cries of war in Shawwal, act of war and carnage (battle, fight) in Dhu al-Hijja. Again in [the month of] Dhu al-Hijja, pilgrims will be despoiled and their streets will be full of blood and prohibitions are broken. Great sins will be commited in Bayt al-Muaddham. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 37.)

"... Great sins will be committed in Bayt al-Muaddham."

This hadith draws attention to the incidents that will occur not in Bayt al-Muaddham (Ka'bah) but close to it. The incidents during the month of Dhul al-Hijja (pilgrimage season) of the Hijri year 1407 actually took place near the Ka'bah, and not inside it, unlike the event of 1400 (Hijri year). The first incident that we narrated at the beginning occurred on Muharram 1,1400 in Bayt al-Muaddham (Ka'bah) itself. Both incidents happened just as the hadiths indicated that they would.

It is no mere coincidence that two such major events as bloodshed in the Ka'bah and the killing of pilgrims, as reported in the hadiths, are taking place one after the other in the period when all portents regarding Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) are coming true.

"[There will be] act of war and carnage in [the month of] Dhu al-Hijja."

The fact that this war and conflict is discussed together with the killing of pilgrims shows that these events will take place in the same period of time. During that same period, the Iran-Iraq war broke out, and the world saw the worst fighting and disorder in the Middle East.

10. A sign out of the Sun

He [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] will not come unless a sign emerges out of the Sun. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 49.)

Another sign of the Judgment Day is extraordinary solar flares. During the twentieth century, a great solar explosion took place and had a great impact upon the world. The sign referred to in the hadith may well be this great explosion.

11. A solar eclipse:

Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will not emerge unless the Sun rises as a sign. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 33.)

Along with the solar explosion mentioned above, the "sign" to appear on the Sun may well be the great solar eclipse on August 11, 1999—the last total solar eclipse of the twentieth century, and the first time that so many people had been able to watch and study an eclipse for so long.

12. The appearance of dusty, smoky fitnah:

... There will be a dusty and smoky fitnah like patches of dark night... (Sunan Abu Dawud)

The word fitnah (tribulation) implies war, incitement, disorder, and conflict—anything that turns peoples' reason and hearts away from the true path.4 The fitnah mentioned in this hadith will leave behind smoke and dust.

This hadith could well refer to 9/11, one of the world's worst terrorist attacks, when New York City and Washington DC, were attacked. As television screens and newspapers depicted, a huge thick cloud of dust and smoke swallowed up the immediate surroundings in lower Manhattan.

This incident, one of the most serious acts of terror in history, occurred along with other signs and bears characteristics similar to ones described in the hadith. Therefore, this act may well be the "fitnah (tribulation) like patches of dark night" foretold as the sign of Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) emergence. (Allah knows the truth.)

13. A change of systems:

A man called Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will come at a time when time is interrupted... (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 14.)

In this hadith, our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) foretold that Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) would come when "time is interrupted." Many scholars interpret this expression as a "differentiation of time" when a "change of systems" takes place. This "change of systems" may be the collapse of communism, the governing ideology of many nations, toward the end of the twentieth century.

 

14. Killing of the rulers of Damascus and Egypt:

Before he comes, the inhabitants of Egypt and Sham will kill their rulers and their commanders... (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 49.)

In 1981, Anwar al-Sadat (President of Egypt since 1970) was assassinated during a military review. Other Egyptian leaders who have been killed include the prime ministers Boutros Ghali (1910), Prime Minister Ahmed Maher Pasha (1945), and Mahmoud Nukrashy Pasha (1948).

The word Sham is not used only for Damascus, for it also means "left" and has long been used to refer to those countries to the west of the Hijaz (where the cities of Mecca and Madina lie).5 Many leaders have been killed in the region, among them;

Former Syrian prime ministers Salah al-Din Bitar (1920),

Droubi Pasha (1921),

Muhsin al-Barazi (1949),

King Abdullah of Jordan (1951), and the Lebanese Phalange leader Bashir Gemayel (1982).6

15. The killing of Abdullah, former King of Jordan:

Another portent of Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) coming is the killing of a senior member of the Hashemites. (Risalat al-Khuruj al-Mahdi, p. 12.)

Jordan, known as the Hashemite Kingdom, was detached from the Ottoman Empire and came under British control for a period of time. Great Britain recognized Jordanian independence in 1946, as part of the Treaty of London. The monarchy was given to Abdullah, head of the principality of Jordan. King Abdullah was later killed in 1951. Thus the incident foretold in the hadith came to pass.

16. The loss of an army:

There are five portents of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh): ... the sinking of an army in Bayda... (Narrated by Nu'aym ibn Hammad)

An army will be sent to him. This army will be leveled while it is somewhere in the desert. (Sahih Muslim)

An army comes to fight. Once they enter the desert, the one in the front and the back disappear, and the ones in the middle cannot save themselves. (Tirmidhi, Sunan Ibn Majah, Sunan Abu Dawud)

The almost sudden disappearance of a large part of the Iraqi army was one of the most striking features of the 2003 American-led war against Iraq. Many newspapers and television channels reported that a 60,000-man army from the Republican Guard, along with some 15,000 Iraqi militiamen from the Fedayeen, got "lost." This account indicates that "the loss of an army," a portent of Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) coming, and hence of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming, may already have taken place. (Allah knows the truth.) In fact, the discovery of some war planes buried under the desert sands reinforces the possibility that the "leveling of an army" refers to the Iraqi army.

17. No money will be left to the Iraqis:

The Iraqis will be left with no weighing equipment, and no money will be left to them with which to buy and sell. (Muntakhab Kanz al-'Ummaal, vol. 5, p. 45.)

This hadith may indicate two situations. One is Iraq's economic collapse after the Iran-Iraq and the Gulf wars. The Iraqi economy, faced with such crises, could not recover in the postwar period due to the embargos imposed by the USA and the UN. The Iraqi people grew even poorer, and famine became a major problem.

Or it might also refer to abolishing the dinar, the Iraqi unit of currency in the postwar era. During 2003, the rapid loss of the Iraqi currency's value and the possibility of its being withdrawn from circulation appeared in the newspapers.

18. Flames destroy homes in Baghdad:

Baghdad is destroyed by fire in the End Times... (Risalat al-Khuruj al-Mahdi, vol. 3, p. 177.)

From the very first day of the Second Gulf War in 2003, Baghdad was the target of very intensive bombing. Under heavy bombardment, the city burned, just as the hadith said it would. Images of Baghdad, appearing on TV and in newspapers, conveyed this reality to the world—a clear indication that we are living in the End Times.

19. An embargo against Iraq and Damascus:

"It may happen that the people of Iraq may not send their qafiz [their measures of food-stuff] and dirhams [their money]." We said: "Who would be responsible for it?" He said: "The non-Arabs would prevent them." He again: "There is the possibility that the people of Syria may not send their dinar and mudd." We said: "Who would be responsible for it?" He said: "This prevention would be made by the Romans." (Sahih Muslim)

The embargos imposed upon Iraq and Damascus are signs of the End Times. For more than a decade, Iraq had endured embargos. Meanwhile, there exists the possibility of placing an embargo upon Syria.

20. The restructuring of Iraq:

The Judgment Day will not come until Iraq is attacked. Innocent people in Iraq will seek shelter in Sham. Sham will be rebuilt, and Iraq will be rebuilt. (Muntakhab Kanz al'Ummal, vol. 5, p. 254.)

The hadith draws attention to the reconstruction of Iraq, many of whose cities were reduced to rubble during the Iran-Iraq war, and then again during the two Gulf wars of 1991 and 2003. After this latest war, Iraq's rebuilding became a necessity because so much of it had been ruined. Looting also contributed to this situation, as was widely discussed in the press.

21. Iraqis flee to Damascus and the north:

The innocent and clean people of Iraq will flee to Sham. (Risalat al-Khuruj al-Mahdi, p. 210.)

Innocent people in Iraq will seek shelter towards Sham... (Kanzul Ummal, Kitab al-Qiyamah, qism al-af'al, vol. 5, p. 254, al-Muttaki)

Immediately before the outbreak of the latest Gulf war, tens of thousands of Iraqis sought to migrate to other countries, especially Syria. This bears great similarity to the event described in the hadith. News and pictures about this attempted migration appeared in the media.

22. Fitnah in Damascus:

The fitnah in Sham will calm down on the one hand and flare up again on another. This corruption will not end until an Angel from the sky calls: "Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is your leader. Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is your successor." (Risalat al-Khuruj al-Mahdi, p. 63.)

This hadith very probably refers to the disorder that took place in Syria. However, the Sham region is not limited to Damascus, the Syrian capital, alone. As mentioned earlier, Sham means "the left" and refers to those countries to the west of the Hijaz (which includes the cities of Mecca and Medina).

During the early years of the twentieth century, civil wars, rebellions, conflict and great wars were already raging in this region. These conflicts triggered one another and greatly impacted all the people living there. The statement that "this fitnah (tribulation)... will calm down on the one hand and flare up again on another" is noteworthy in that over the last fifty years, several major conflicts occurred in this region, among them the Suez War, the Six-Day War, the Yom Kippur War, the Lebanese Civil War, and the ongoing tension in Palestine.

23. Disorder in Damascus, Iraq, and Arabian Peninsula:

Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "There will be such troubles and calamities that nobody will be able to find a place of shelter. These woes will move around Sham, fall upon Iraq, and tie the hands and feet of the Arabian Peninsula. The community of Islam will fight against troubles in the steppes. Nobody will feel any sympathy for them or even say: "Alas!" As they try to remedy their woes on the one hand, they will emerge again on the other." (Muntakhab Kanz al-'Ummal, vol. 5, pp. 38-39.)

The expression, "the woes will move around Sham, fall upon Iraq" may well indicate the Second Gulf War in 2003. Before and during this war, there was always the possibility of the conflict extending into Syria, however the war remained limited to Iraq.

24. The division of Iraq into three parts:

According to our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), the people of Iraq will be divided into three groups. One part will join the looters. One group will flee, leaving their families behind. And one group will fight and kill. Prepare yourselves for the Judgment Day when you see this. (Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr Fi'l Imam al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar)

As the hadith relates, some Iraqis will join the "looters." Indeed, at the end of the war, some Iraqis took advantage of the loss of authority and engaged in looting. In fact, some of these people stole and pillaged, acts that can be defined as looting.

The hadith informs us that some people would be so eager to escape that they would not even think about the families they left behind. The hadith also tells that some people would fight and be killed. During this latest Gulf War, some Iraqis fought and died.

"The division of Iraq into three," as is related in the hadith's first section, also came true after the first Gulf War in 1991, when the country was divided into three regions: between the 32^th and 36^th parallels, south of the 32^th parallel, and north of the 36^th parallel.

25. War in the streets:

"Between the Tigris and the Euphrates, a city will be built where the children of Abbas will reign. It is called Zawra [Baghdad]... " "O Rasul al-Akram, the leader of believers, why is it called Zawra?" "It is called Zawra because the war surrounds it, expanding to the borders." (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 426, no. 776.)

You do not see for I am seeing the places of turmoil between your houses as the places of rainfall. (Sahih Muslim, the Judgment Day: Portents & Prophecies, p. 84.)

In the twentieth century, guerilla warfare became widespread. The ensuing conflicts often take place in streets and between houses. The most recent example occurred in Baghdad in 2003. Indeed, the first hadith above relates that a war will expand to all the corners of Baghdad. The events of the latest Gulf War and the related news reported by the media confirm the news foretold in the hadiths. (Allah knows the truth.)

26. The occurrence of great and astonishing events:

So many appalling incidents will occur in his [Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh)] time. (Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, vol. 2, p. 258.)

The signs of his [Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh)] emergence resemble those preparatory signs that earlier gave an indication of our Rasulullah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). (Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, vol. 2, p. 258.)

Great and extraordinary events preceded the birth of our Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). For example, a new star rose on that night, 14 towers of the Iranian Emperor's Palace collapsed, the fire of the fire-worshipping Magians' in Iran that had burned for 1,000 years went out, the Semavi Valley was flooded, and the Save Lake dried up.

As indicated in the above hadiths, Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) appearance will resemble that of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Great and miraculous phenomena will also take place when he emerges.

Some of the remarkable phenomena that took place during the last century are as follows:

- The Ka'bah was raided, and many Muslims were killed.

- The 2,500-year Iranian monarchy collapsed.

- A gas leak in a Bombay factory killed 20,000 people.

- War broke out between two Muslim nations: Iran and Iraq.

- The Soviet Union occupied Afghanistan.

- On September 19, 1985, Mexico City was devastated by an earthquake.

- The Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupted, wiping the town of Armero off the map and killing 25,000 people.

- Floods in Bangladesh killed 25,000 people.

- Rome, the heart of the Catholic Church, was flooded.

- The worst forest fire in history broke out in China.

- Indian Prime Minister Gandhi, President Anwar al-Sadat of Egypt, and Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palme were assassinated.

- Pope John Paul II was shot.

- The AIDS virus, identified in 1980, has so far killed more than 25 million people and is known as a "today's plague."7

- The Challenger space shuttle exploded after take-off in 1986.

- The worst nuclear accident in history occurred when the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in the Soviet Union exploded on 26 April 1986, and the released radiation affected many European countries.

- A hole was discovered in the ozone layer.

- The Soviet Union collapsed, thanks to Gorbachev, and the newly independent states of Central Asia emerged.

- The Gulf War broke out, Iraq annexed and then fled Kuwait, and was finally occupied by America and Britain in 2003.

- An earthquake in Armenia reduced cities to rubble, causing 500,000 people to leave their homes and more than 40,000 dead.

- The Chinese government sent its tanks into Tienanmen Square during 1989 to crush a student movement demanding greater freedom; 2,000 students died.

- The Berlin Wall, which for 28 years had symbolized the Cold War, was torn down.

- More than 1,400 pilgrims were killed in a stampede at a tunnel in the Ka'bah in 1990.

- Approximately 139,000 people died from flooding in Bangladesh in 1991, and ten million were left homeless.

- Hundreds of thousands of Muslims were killed in the atrocities in Bosnia and Kosovo, and hundreds of thousands more were exiled.

- The Ebola virus led to the deaths of a few hundreds.

- The climate pattern known as El Nino, causing changes in sea temperature and air pressure, has inflicted huge disasters on all the countries of the world.

- The London Stock Exchange collapsed on October 19, 1987, and the ensuing panic resulted in a value loss of 50 billion British pounds.

- 168 people were killed in a bomb attack on a federal building in Oklahoma City on 19 April 1995.

-In 1997, the Hale-Bopp Comet passed so close to Earth that it could be seen with the naked eye.

- 5,000 people died in an earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale in Afghanistan on February 1998.

- The biggest-ever terrorist attack on America took place on September 11, 2001. Within 18 minutes of each other, two passenger airplanes crushed into the World Trade Center in New York City. Another plane crashed into the Pentagon. Over 5,000 people died.

- An earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale struck India, killing thousands of people.

- Many European countries have experienced heat waves that have killed many people.

- The 13-year research known as the Human Genome Project was completed in April, 2003. The approximately 30,000 genes in human DNA were thus identified and the human genome map produced.

- Mars was closer to Earth in August 2003 than at any other time in the past 60,000 years.

- The deadly SARS virus spread in 2003, killing 775 people.

- Twelve lost their lives as floods hit Mecca, one of the most arid regions in the world.

- 86,000 lives lost in the Iranian earthquake on 27 December 2003. The city of Bam was completely devastated.

- A total of 263 people have so far lost their lives as a result of bird flu, first observed in birds in Asia.

- An earthquake in the Indian Ocean on 26 December 2004, measuring 9.1 to 9.3 on the Richter scale and the following 30-meter (98.5 feet) tsunami lead to the deaths of some 300,000 people in 11 countries, particularly Indonesia. More than 1 million people were left homeless. This earthquake, the second most severe ever recorded, has been described as the deadliest in history.

- On 23 August 2005, Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest hurricanes in history, causes the deaths of around 2,000 people and economic damage of $100 billion, the highest figure ever. Many settled areas, particularly the city of New Orleans, had to be evacuated.

- 75,000 lives lost in an earthquake in Kashmir on 8 October 2005, with more than 100,000 injured.

- Because of the collapse of a hotel in Mecca on January 5, 2006, 76 Muslim pilgrims who were there to fulfill their religious obligations lost their lives. One week later, on the last day of the Hajj, 362 pilgrims died in a stampede during the stoning of the devil in Mina.

- More than 6,000 people died in a 6.3-magnitude earthquake in Java, Indonesia, on May 27, 2006, while another 36,000 were injured and 1.5 million were left homeless.

- In August 2007 the financial markets in the United States of America started to collapse and the economic crisis continued to intensify, beginning to spread across the whole world.

- More than 3,000 people died due to Cyclone Sidr that struck Bangladesh on November 16, 2007. The Bangladeshi Red Crescent announced that 7 million people were in need of aid.

- On March 19, 2008, NASA’s Swift X-ray telescope recorded a cosmic explosion which occurred 7.5 billion years ago.

- More than 13,000 people died in Cyclone Nargis that struck Burma (Myanmar) on May 3, 2008 .

- More than 70,000 people died and millions were left homeless in a 7.9-magnitude earthquake in China on May 12, 2008 .

- The Icelandic government and banking system went bankrupt on January 26, 2009, and the country collapsed.

- The H1N1 epidemic that broke out on June 11, 2009, under the name of swine flu, was regarded as a threat to the whole world.

- The comet Lulin approached closest to the Earth on February 24, 2009. This comet, which was very bright and emitted a green light, possesses features not found in any other heavenly body, being double tailed and travelling, unlike them, from east to west.

- Some 100,000 people lost their lives and more than 3 million were affected in the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010.

27. The loss of hope of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh):

Allah Almighty will send Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) after despair has reached the point that people will say: "There is no Mahdi." (Narrated by Nu'aym ibn Hammad)

The above hadith reveals that another of the portents of the End Times is people's increasing abandonment of belief in Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) coming. This state of mind can frequently be observed in the present day. Despite the existence of countless hadiths about Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) coming, the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) return, and the Golden Age characterized by great blessings, many people doubt that such a period will ever come. This assumption is also a sign of the End Times. In a time of despair, people will enjoy the benefits of the prevailing Qur'anic morality, thanks to Allah's mercy.

28. Pervasive corruption:

Islamic literature defines fitnah as severe trial terms where life conditions are hardened and people's faith are attempted to be weakened and destroyed through denial of Allah and religion by various methods.

One hadith reveals that the believers' faith will weaken in the End Times and also provides information about the developments that will lead to this:

Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), one of my children, comes into being, by the blessing of Allah, upon the approach of the Day of Judgment; the weakening of the believers' hearts because of death, hunger, fitnah and the disappearance of the Sunnah; and the emergence of innovations and the loss of means by which to enjoin the right and forbid the wrong. His justice and prosperity will ease the believers' hearts, and friendship and love will settle between the non-Arab and the Arab nations. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 66.)

Briefly, the following events will take place before the End Times and Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) appearance:

1- Death: As a consequence of anarchy and mass murder, people will not be safe and will be greatly concerned about dying.

2- Hunger: The struggle to make a living will become harder because the cost of living will rise. Natural disasters and catastrophes will lead to starvation and hunger.

3- Fitnah: Such troubles will spread and encourage unlawful and immoral acts among all people, both in public and in private.

4- Innovation (bid'at): Adoption of some rituals or innovations on the grounds that they are essential components of Islam, although they violate the teachings of the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

5- Disappearance of the communication of moral values of Islam: Believers will be hindered from enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, and a spiritual decline will occur as a result.

Such fitnah (tribulation) will lead to a stronger faith, an increase in patience and rewards in the Hereafter for the believers' having a solid faith, while weakening further the faith of those with weak faith.The latter group might even lose their faith completely.

Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will appear when such fitnah is prevalent.

Other hadiths and Islamic scholars state that Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will appear when a particular type of fitnah has become worldwide.

Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will come when fitnahs (tribulation) appear. (Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, vol. 2, p. 258.)

Disorder, fitnah, and fear will emerge in the west... Corruption will proliferate. (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 440.)

Fitnahs will follow one another in the near future. Then, there will be other fitnahs and even more following them. (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 374, no. 684.)

There will emerge widespread fitnah that seems impossible to ever end... (Al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar, p. 55.)

29. The emergence of widespread slaughter:

Before Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) there will be widespread slaughter and terrible fitnah. (The Book of Portents of the Mahdi of the End Times, p. 37.)

Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will only appear at a time when people are experiencing great fear and are afflicted by disturbances, civil war, and other disasters. (Narrated by Abu Ja''far Muhammad ibn 'Ali)

Most painful situations and grievous sights will be seen. Strife will go on and on... It will kill mothers, fathers, daughters, men, and everyone... Among these will be strife, violence, destruction, and looting. People will ask when it will end, but it will still go on. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 36.)

... Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will appear when the inhabitants of the earth and sky can no longer bear the slaughter... (The Book of Portents of the Mahdi of the End Times, p. 37.)

... will make bloodshed lawful and be the enemy of Al-i-Muhammad... (Ali ibn Husamaddin al-Muttaki, Hadiths from Jalaluddin al-Suyuti's Classification: Signs of the Mahdi of the End Times, Kahraman Publications, p. 37.)

... The shedding of blood... is one of the signs of the Last Day. (Alamat al-Qiyama, p. 142.)

The hadiths forecast massacres that will occur all over the world.

During the twentieth century's two World Wars, an estimated 150 million people were killed. The number of civilians slaughtered for political reasons during the same century is estimated to be well over 200 million. This is an extraordinarily high figure when compared with those of previous centuries. Wars and conflicts are still going on all over the world in the 21^st century. Their common feature is, as stated in the above hadith, all these wars have entailed the mass slaughter of civilians.

 

30. Pervasiveness of global disorder and conflict:

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "Fitnah (tribulation) will spread after me. Terror and war will rage. Then, there will be greater fitnahs. When people will say that the fitnah has ended, new rebellions will appear. Until someone from my lineage [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] emerges, there will be no home in Arabia into which fitnah will not enter and a Muslim to whom fitnah will not reach." (Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr Fi'l Imam al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p. 147.)

At a time when the world will be in harj [utter confusion and disorder], fitnah will appear, people will be attacked, the old will not have mercy on the young, and the young will not show respect to the old, Allah will send someone to eradicate hostility and conquer the castles of perversion, uphold faith in the End Times just as I upheld it formerly, someone who will fill this earth with justice where violence prevailed before. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 12.)

As these hadiths reveal, such disorder will spread around the world. Indeed, many countries have been ruined, either wholly or in part, by disorder, war, murder, and terrorism. Every day, hundreds are exiled or murdered for no reason. (For further information, see Harun Yahya's Signs of the Last Day [Global Publishing: 2003].)    

31. Days of anarchy and disorder:

The Hour will come when violence, bloodshed, and anarchy become common. (Muntakhab Kanz al-'Ummal)

... [At that time,] fitnah (tribulation), disorder and rebellion will be many, and people will kill one another... (Death, The Last Day, The Hereafter and Signs of the End Times, p. 482, no. 901; Kitab an-Nihaya, Ibn Kathir, 1/131.)

This much is certain, there will be some people in the near future who cause constant dispute and division. (Death, The Last Day, The Hereafter and Signs of the End Times, p. 376, no. 685.)

Anarchy and conflict were among the most obvious features of the twentieth century. In countless wars, rebellions, and conflicts, great numbers of people died, and security and peace became one of the survivors' greatest longings. The seemingly unending civil wars in some African countries, rebellions in many countries (especially in Central and South America), wars and clashes throughout Asia, and conflict in the Middle East are only the most obvious examples of this disorder.

32. The killing of women, children and the innocent:

Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will not appear until seven out of nine [people] are killed. The killing of the innocent will be among them. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 35.)

Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will not emerge until innocent people are massacred, and he will appear when those on earth and up in the sky can no longer put up with such massacres... (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 37.)

Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will not emerge until innocent people are killed. When those who are without sin are killed, the people of earth and sky [will] detest the killers. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 35.)

While the hadiths about Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) emergence mention such massacres as becoming common, they also emphasize that such massacres will target innocent people. In addition, acts of terror, particularly in recent years, have resulted in the mass annihilation of people. Since terror seeks to spread fear and horror, the very group that such attacks often target are innocent civilians.

Many continue to lose their lives in different countries as a result of terrorists targeting shopping malls, restaurants, and schools frequented by defenseless women, youths, and children.

33. The enslavement of the Egyptians:

The people of Sham will take prisoner the communities of Egypt... (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 49.)

As stated earlier, Sham (Damascus) is the region located on the western part of Hijaz, where Mecca and Medina are located. Today, Israel is one of the countries located in this region. Consequently, this hadith may well hint at Israel's war with Egypt and her occupation of Egyptian lands. On October 26, 1956, Israel, with British and French support, attacked Egypt and began to occupy the Sinai Peninsula. The fighting ended shortly afterwards, following intervention by the United States and the United Nations, and a UN peacekeeping force was stationed on the Israeli border.

Another conflict between Israel and Egypt was the Six-Day War in 1967, during Israeli troops took prisoner a large number of Egyptians, and a large number of Egyptians were killed.

34. The destruction of great cities:

Great cities will be ruined, and it will be as if they had not existed the day before. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 38.)

When developed places are ruined, then the Judgment Day is no further away than the distance between your two fingers. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 143.)

There will be ruins all around the world. Ultimately, Egypt will also be ruined. But until Basra is destroyed, Egypt will remain secure. The ruin of Basra will be because of Iraq's destruction. Meanwhile, the downfall of Egypt will come with the drying up of the Nile... (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 530.)

The ruin of great cities spoken of in these hadiths brings to mind the destruction that now arises from war and natural disasters. In addition, recently developed nuclear weapons, aircraft, bombs, missiles, and other weapons have caused untold destruction, bringing about a level of devastation heretofore unknown. Indeed, the great cities targeted are most affected by this destruction.

35. Rebuilding of ruined places:

The rebuilding of the ruined places in the world, and the ruination of constructed places, are signs and portents of the Judgment Day. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 138.)

The reconstruction of these ruins is a further sign of the End Times. As stated in the previous section, many cities were reduced to rubble during the twentieth century and thus had to be rebuilt, among them Berlin, Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), and Dresden.

A similar example is Kobe, a Japanese city devastated by a powerful earthquake in January 1995. The region around Kobe and Osaka is one of Japan's most prominent industrial and commercial centers. Thus, the Kobe earthquake's total economic impact was immense, amounting to billions of dollars. Yet, despite this loss, Japan reconstructed Kobe.

36. One type of fitnah will spread everywhere:

One kind of fitnah (tribulation) will surface, from which no party will be able to protect itself, and spread immediately in all directions. This situation will persist until someone comes and says: "O people, from now on your leader is Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)." (Ibn Hajar Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 23.)

The hadiths speak of a tribulation that will touch everybody and spread quickly. This tribulation will be known to everybody, oppose religion and Allah, and target the people's faith. Today, materialist philosophy is the largest and most comprehensive trend produced to deny Allah's existence and Creation. Its underlying philosophy, the theory of evolution, provides it with a self-proclaimed "scientific" basis. Even though it is not based on any scientific and logical evidence, certain materialist circles continue to work for its acceptance via constant propaganda, deceit, and even fraud.

As our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) noted in one of his hadiths, global pervasiveness and rapid spread of this tribulation can materialize only when current technological means (that is, the press, publications, broadcasting, the Internet, and satellite communication) are available. As the relevant technology did not exist in the past, tribulation could not spread throughout the world so quickly. As a result, no other worldwide trend was seen that declared war on Allah's existence, Creation, and the morality of religion (Allah is beyond this). All of these are among the important signs that the second coming of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) advent coincide with the present time.

37. Religious prohibitions gain acceptance:

Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will not emerge until unbelief invades everywhere and is openly committed in public. What rules in such times is the invasion by unbelief... That is its power. (Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, vol. 2, 259.)

Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will emerge following the occurrence of such vile fitnah, whereby all of the prohibitions are regarded as lawful. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 23.)

Such unlawful acts as prostitution, alcohol, and bribery are widespread in the world today. The Western media praises and encourages those who commit these unlawful acts, while criticizing those who do not. Statistics reveal that the number of people engaged in such activities is steadily increasing.

38. Openly denying Allah (Allah is beyond this):

Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will not come until Allah is not said on the earth. (Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-Zaman p. 27.)

Atheism has been around for a long time, but started to spread on a heretofore unknown scale by the end of the nineteenth century. The number of people deluded by the spread of materialism and Darwinism, atheism's philosophical and so-called "scientific" bases, increased markedly in the twentieth century, atheism will be defeated by Allah's will, thanks to the ideological struggle of sincere believers.

39. The spread of materialist philosophy:

Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will appear when the letters of the Bismillah lose their importance. (Risalat al-Khuruj al-Mahdi, p. 29.)

"The letters of the Bismillah" may mean the people's stance toward Islamic morality and the condition of their faith. Indeed, in a period when the people's faith weakens, Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will appear and eliminate those ideological movements. Considered from this viewpoint, this hadith may indicate materialism's and Darwinism's amazing influence on people.

Another hadith describes how atheism and lack of belief will rise during the End Times:

Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will not appear until denial is manifest everywhere in the community. What will be seen then... is the invasion of denial, and its power. (Letters of Imam Rabbani, 2-259.)

40. Fitnah alienates people from the Qur'an:

Before the Last Hour, there will be fitnah (commotions) like pieces of a dark night in which a man will be a believer in the morning and an infidel in the evening, or a believer in the evening and infidel in the morning. (Sunan Abu Dawud)

Surat al-An'am, 26 speaks of those who keep others away from the Qur'an.

They keep others from it and avoid it themselves. They are only destroying themselves but they are not aware of it. (Surat al-An'am, 26)

The hadiths also indicate that corrupt patterns of thought will be prevalent before the Judgment Day comes, and that systems far removed from truth and justice will come into being. These developments will cause great discord and draw people away from the ways of Allah.

Other hadiths reveal that this fitnah (commotions) will be disseminated by various propaganda and indoctrination techniques:

"At that time, inviters will call the people to the gates of Hell. Whoever heeds that call, they will cast him into Hell. "O Messenger of Allah, tell us of the nature of those inviters!" they said. "Very well," he replied, "they will be from our nation and speak in our tongue." (Death, The Last Day, The Hereafter and The Signs of the End Times, p. 382, no. 698.)

In the near future, there will be some terrible fitnah that makes people blind, deaf and mute and conceals the truth, that makes people deaf to the truth, and mute, unable to speak the truth... In a state of tumult because of fitnah, the engagement of the tongue in fitnah and propaganda will enable it to spread like a stroke from a sword. (Death, The Last Day, The Hereafter and The Signs of the End Times, p. 390, no. 720.)

The deafening silence imposed by this fitnah reminds one of the authoritarian regimes in power in many countries. These regimes suppress intellectual freedom of thought and prevent people from expressing themselves and their beliefs as they wish. Muslims cannot freely express their thoughts and are persecuted because of their beliefs, particularly in some Arab and African countries—one instance of this state of affairs.

41. The destruction of masjids and mosques:

The Sufyani will emerge from a dry valley... He will destroy madrassas (religious schools) and mosques, and punish everyone bowing [ruqu'] and prostrating [sajda] themselves in prayer. (Ali ibn Husamaddin al-Muttaki, Hadiths from Jalaluddin al-Suyuti's Classification: Signs of the Mahdi of the End Times, Kahraman Publications, p. 35.)

42. The appearance of false Prophets:

The Hour will not be established until about thirty dajjals [liars] appear, and each one of them will claim that he is Allah's messenger... (Sahih Bukhari)

The appearance of 60 liars, each of whom claims that Allah, the One God, has sent them as a Prophet. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 36.)

43. People who exploit religion for their personal interests:

When scholars learn knowledge solely in order to make money... when they sell religion for worldly things... when they sell the judgment... the Last Day will be close at hand. (Death, The Last Day and Resurrection, p. 480.)

There will be people in the End Times who will sell their religion in return for worldly gain. (Tirmidhi, Zuhd, 60.)

Whoever reads the Qur'an, let him seek [his reward] from Allah. In fact, in the End Times, there will be some who read the Qur'an but seek [gain] from others. (Hadith Concerning the End Times, p. 9.)

44. The number of true believers being very few:

There will come a time for my people when... mosques will be full of people, but they will be empty of right guidance. (al-Hakim)

A time will come when people will... adopt the views of people who make innovations [bid'at–those who seek to impose things that do not belong to the religion as if they actually do] and unknowingly fall into idolatry, when they study knowledge for profit, and when they use their religion as a tool to obtain worldly goods. (Daylami; Hadiths Concerning the End Times, p. 68.)

45. The oppression on true believers:

I swear that this community will suffer such [fierce] tribulations that people will be unable to find anywhere to escape cruelty and oppression. At such a troubled time, Almighty Allah will send one [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] from my own line. (Death, The Last Day, The Hereafter and the Signs of the End Times, p. 437.)

He will punish all those who prostrate themselves to pray... He will be the enemy of Al-i Muhammad... (Ali ibn Husamaddin al-Muttaki, Hadiths from Jalaluddin al-Suyuti's Classification: Signs of the Mahdi of the End Times, Kahraman Publications, p. 37.)

Here, one third of Muslims will be killed... (Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-Zaman, p. 73.)

Another of the portents of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) revealed in the hadiths is that at that time, Muslims will be subjected to great oppression and difficulty. The situation in the Islamic world today is proof that this portent is coming about. From Indonesia to Palestine and from Chad to East Turkestan, Muslims are being persecuted. Some of the details regarding these difficulties are set out in the hadiths:

- Despotic rulers:

Woe to this community, because of the cruel, murdering rulers. These oppressors will terrify even those who remain silent, excepting only those who obey them... (from Abu Nuaym; al-Suyuti, vol. II, p. 64.)

Leaders oppressing the people is one of the signs of the Last Day. (Alamat al-Qiyama, p. 143.)

These hadiths indicate the rise of irreligious, despotic and ruthless rulers in certain Muslim countries prior to the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh).

- The spread of atheist ideologies:

[One sign of the Last Day is] the raising of the voices of the wicked inside mosques and the victory and rule of sinners over true believers who abide by the commands of the religion. (Death, The Last Day, The Hereafter and the Signs of the End Times, p. 450.)

- Believers forced to hide their faith:

In another hadith, our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) states that in the End Times, all this persecution will constrain true believers to conceal their faith and to worship in secret:

A time will come when believers will seek to maintain their faith in secret among other people, much as the hypocrites live in concealment among you today. (Ibn al-Sunni, Hadiths Concerning the End Times, p. 12.)

46. The degeneration of politicians:

One important feature of this time is the emergence of ruthless, cruel leaders who lead their peoples to disaster. The twentieth century was full of such people—individuals who adopted ideologies far removed from the moral values of religion. They became notorious for the cruelties they inflicted and for the sufferings they caused due to war and other conflicts. Mao had thousands of citizens killed solely for opposing him, and was responsible for the deaths of millions during his regime. Under the influence of fascist ideology, Mussolini led his people to disaster by dragging his country into World War II. Mobutu has gone down in history as one of Africa's most ruthless dictators.

In the End Times, there will be cruel rulers, wicked ministers, treacherous judges, and lying hodjas. If anyone goes to them, let him not be allied to them, help them, or show them the way. (Risalat al-Khuruj al-Mahdi, p. 182.)

Soon there will appear some chiefs who will confiscate your food and soothe you with lies. They will work, yet what they do will be evil. Their worst attribute is that they will not be pleased with you until you consider their evil as good and confirm their lies. (al-Tabarani)

One by one, the principles of Islam will be violated and some statesmen will misguide people... (al-Hakim, Mustadrak)

47. The concepts of virtue and vice change places:

The proliferation of the wicked and liars being believed is one of the signs of the Last Day. (Bayhaqi, Ibn Najjar; Hadiths Concerning the End Times, p. 107.)

The confirmation of falsehood and the rejection of the truth is one of the signs of the Last Day. (Alamat al-Qiyama, p.137.)

The liar will be believed, and he who tells the truth denied. The traitor will be trusted, and the trustworthy treated like a traitor... Falsehood will spread in those times. (Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr Fi'l Imam al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar; The Awaited Mahdi, 3rd edition, pp. 146-147.)

48. Fighting among Muslims:

The Judgment Day will not come until the two great Islamic armies war with one another... (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 454, no. 831.)

Muslims who fail to get along well with one another in those days cannot avoid being the target of the dajjal (antichrist). (al-Hakim, Mustadrak, vol. 4, pp. 529-30.)

Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) narrated: "The Last Hour will not come until the two [Muslim] parties confront each other, and there is a large-scale massacre amongst them and the chain of both of them is the same." (Sahih Muslim)

In these hadiths, our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) called attention to some events that would take in our day. Indeed, as these hadiths reveal, at the beginning of the year 1400 of the Islamic era, Iraq and Iran were fighting each other, and Iraq would later invade Kuwait in 1999.

49. The cutting of trade and roads:

When trade and roads are cut and fitnah (tribulation) multiplies... (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 52.)

Before Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) appears, trade and roads between nations will be cut and fitnah among people will grow. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 39.)

Despite the commercial and economic cooperation between countries in our day, security concerns sometimes hinder many commercial activities. You can see this in the difficulties faced by those who want to transport the Caspian region's underground riches to other regions. Disputes and tensions elsewhere hinder similar economic cooperation and thereby limit commercial opportunities.

50. An increase in the number of earthquakes:

The Hour [Last Day] will not be established until... earthquakes become very frequent. (Sahih Bukhari)

There are two great events before the Day of Judgment... and then years of earthquakes. (Ramuz al-Ahadith, p. 187, no. 2.)

The days when you can find no homes to shelter you, or animals to carry you, have come close. Earthquakes will demolish your houses, lightnings will burn your herds, turning them into coals. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 146.)

There will be disagreements and frequent earthquakes. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-Ashrat al-Sa'ah, p. 166.)

According to U.S. Geological Survey reports, the number of earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.0 or greater on the Richter scale that took place during the 400 years between 1556-1975 was only 110; between 1980-2009, the number of earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.0 or greater on the Richter scale was 4,176.8 These figures reveal that the number of earthquakes had increased by the beginning of the year Hijri 1400.

51. Drought:

During the three years just before the dajjal (antichrist) comes, there will be one year when the sky will withhold one third of its rain and the earth one-third of its fruits. In the second year, the sky will withhold two-thirds of its rain, and the earth two-thirds of its fruits. In the third year, all of its fruits and all the animals will die. (Ibn Ahmad Hanbal)

Drought that is to occur in the End Times for a certain period of time is also a very important sign that will happen right before the descent of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh).

52. Winds and tornadoes:

The Judgment Day will not happen until ten portents are seen. The tenth is a tornado that will hurl people into the sea... (Muhammad ibn 'Abd ar-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 288.)

These are the most important disasters arising from climatic changes that have occurred in recent years:

On October 1987, the largest storm since 1703 hit southeast England. Around 15 million trees were felled, a great part of the forests disappeared, 16 people died, buildings were damaged, and ships were driven onto the shore.

On March 20, 1998, 12 people died during the tornado in Georgia.

On 27 March 1997, 27 people died in a tornado that hit Texas.

Storms in Bangladesh on 13 May 1996, were estimated to have killed between 500 and 1,000 people. The same storms also led to 30,000 people being injured and 100,000 left homeless.

The damage caused in the Gulf of Mexico alone by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 was around $500 million, and approximately $250 million in the Bahamas. And 2 million people in the eastern USA were forced to leave their homes.

Floods in central and eastern parts of Europe in August 2002 caused 114 deaths. The most violent storms in South Korea for 40 years, on 21 September, 2003, led to around 200 fatalities over the course of two days.

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated eight towns and cities in Mississippi, destroying 80% of New Orleans and causing the deaths of 2,000 people. It is regarded as the second-worst storm in American history, with damage costs totalling around $81.2 billion. With the collapse of the barriers constructed to protect the city against flooding almost all the city was inundated. This may correspond to the description of "a storm that will cast people into the sea" given in the hadith.

Hurricane Sidr, which struck Bangladesh with wind speeds of up to 250 km/hour (155 miles/hour) in 2007, ended in the loss of 3,200 lives and wreaked terrible destruction. Waves up to 6 meters (19,6 feet) high destroyed thousands of homes and led to the deaths of some 1,000 people. The hurricane affected around 5 million people and is regarded as one of the worst disasters of the century.

53. Violent rain:

The Hour will not come until there has been rain which destroy all dwellings. (Ibn Ahmad Hanbal)

An increase in rain and a reduction in grass... occur because the Judgment Day is near. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd ar-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 137.)

The Hour does not come until all mud-brick buildings, except for the stone ones, collapse. (Ibn Ahmad Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 13, p. 291, no. 7554.)

Heavy rains and the subsequent floods are among the great natural disasters that cause many casualties. In recent years especially, such events have caused serious material damage and killed many people throughout the world. The floods that affected Europe in recent years are an example. Heavy downpours hit almost all of Europe, causing floods and submerging portions of many large cities.

The seasonal monsoon rains that struck India, Nepal, and Bangladesh in 2002 left behind 900 dead. In China, mudslides caused by heavy summer rains killed 1,000 people in August 2002. Following the flooding in Europe in 2002, further floods in 2006 affected many European countries, especially Hungary, but also Romania, Serbia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In 2007, thousands were left homeless in flooding in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, while strong rain in July that year led to flooding that affected some 1 million people in Great Britain.

54. An increased amount of lightning:

Thunderbolts will increase so much as the Hour approaches that when a man comes to a group of people, he will ask, "Who amongst you was struck by a thunderbolt this morning?" and they will say, "So and so and so and so was struck." (Ibn Ahmad Hanbal)

Earthquakes will destroy your homes, lightning will burn your herds, turning them into coals. (Nu'aym ibn Hammad)

The hadiths relate that the increased amount of lightning is a sign of the Judgment Day. As weather statistics indicate, the loss of possessions and the increased number of deaths due to lightning have become far more frequent in recent years. In 1998, for example, 11 soccer players were killed in Congo when lightning struck their field. Similarly in 2001, lightning hit a football field in Mexico and killed six people. Aside from these incidents, lightning kills many people and animals each year.

Data from China show that each year, lightning strikes are increasing in frequency at a specific rate. The numbers rose from 7,625 in 2003 to 8,892 in 2004, 11,026 in 2005 and 19,982 in 2006. In 2006, lightning strikes killed 717 people in China alone.

55. Earth's collapse:

The first sign of the Hour is earth's collapse. (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 518.)

When the latter generations of these people insult the former ones, expect red winds, earth's collapse, or the raining of stones from the heavens. (Tirmidhi)

At the End Times, when entertainment and dancers pervade and drinking is considered permissible, earth will collapse, stones will pour [from the sky], and people will strip off their humane qualities. (Ahmad Diya'al-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith, vol. 2, p. 302, No. 8.)

56. Conversion of homes into graves:

He asked: "What becomes of you when death meets people and homes become graves?" (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 392, no. 726)

57. Epidemics:

Epidemics such as plague, that is, the disease that hits sheep; it will seize you... (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 417, no. 761.)

Two fatal diseases will spread among you, such as the Ikasu'l-Ganem [a fatal and epidemic animal disease]. (Jami' al-Ushul, vol. 10, p. 412.)

This aside, in our day, new and unknown epidemics appear. Within the last 20 to 30 years, we have had to deal with AIDS, SARS, Ebola, Mad Cow disease, bird and swine flus all of which have become grave threats.

58. People fleeing one another:

O Messenger of Allah, what is the fitnah of Akhlas?" He said: "Fleeing—that is, the fleeing of people from one another due to mistrust and the looting of people's possessions." (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 386, no. 714.)

The hadith states that people will flee from one another due to mistrust and fear. This might refer to those who are forced to flee their homelands. Indeed, the number of refugees and exiles had increased greatly by the beginning of the twentieth century.

Especially during the last 20 to 30 years, this increase has reached significant totals. By 2001, the number of refugees reached 23 million while the number of people who had abandoned their homes was about 30 million.

59. Abandoning "enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong" as an act of worship:

The Hour will approach... when good is abandoned and nobody enjoins it, and evil is committed and no one forbids it. (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 480.)

The Hour draws near, and the good deeds diminish. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 264.)

60. Poverty and hunger:

The poor will grow in number. (Amal al-Din al-Qazwini, Mufid al-'Uulum wa Mubid al-Humum)

Gains will be shared out only among the rich, with no benefit to the poor. (Tirmidhi)

Three years before the appearance of the dajjal (antichrist), there will be exceedingly stressful days and hunger will rule. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd ar-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 220.)

Today, many people all over the world live without sufficient food and water, as well as in unhealthy conditions. While most of them are located in Africa, Asia, and South America, they are also quite numerous in rich countries such as in America and western Europe. As only a small portion of people live in great prosperity, nearly 2 billion live below the poverty line.

United Nations reports show that, in 1960, the 20% of the people in the richest countries had 30 times the income of the poorest 20; by 1995 it was 82 times.9 As an example of the collapse of social justice, the wealth of the world's 225 richest individuals is equal to the annual income of the poorest 47%!10

61. Abandoning almsgiving:

When they regard giving alms as a punishment [i.e., as a burden instead of a religious observance]... (Tirmidhi)

When that time comes, alms will be taken by force as a punishment and extortion as loot. (Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr Fi'l Imam al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, pp. 146-47.)

62. An increase in murders:

The Hour [Last Day] will not be established until murders increase. (Sahih Bukhari)

The Judgment Day will not come until your leaders kill and the wicked inherit your world. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd ar-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 141.)

... The appearance of fitnahs (tribulation), terrifying situations, and murders. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 39.)

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "When the time would draw close to the Last Hour, the Harj will increase." They said: "What is al-Harj?" Thereupon he said: "It is bloodshed and slaughter." (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim and Sunan Abu Dawud)

"... The shedding of blood... is one of the portents of the Judgment Day." (Muhammad ibn 'Abd ar-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 142.)

He [our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)] said: "Before the Hour comes, there will be a lot of harj." I asked: "O Allah's Messenger, what is harj?" He replied: "It is murder, that is, murders... killing one another, to such an extent that it is killing one's neighbor, nephew, or close relative." (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 385, no. 711)

63. Increase in suicides:

People kill themselves, and mischief prevails all over the world. (Ibn Kathir, An-Nihaya, vol. 1, p. 131.)

64. Moral degeneration:

The Hour will not come... until there will be prevalence of open illegal sexual intercourse. (Sahih Bukhari)

... [One day] the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) asked: "What will become of you when your young people fall into wrongdoing?" (Al-Kutub as-Sitta, hadith no. 4752; recorded by al-Haithami in Majma' az-Zawaid [7, 281].)

The time will come when people's faces will be human faces. But their hearts will be the hearts of satan. They will be bloodthirsty and will not avoid evil deeds. If you obey them, they will look after you. If you trust them, they will betray you. Their children will be immoral, and their young people unrestrained. Their elderly will command no goodness, and forbid no evil. (al-Hatib, The History of the Future 1, p. 23.)

65. Spread of adultery:

The Hour will come when adultery becomes widespread. (Sahih Bukhari)

The Last Hour will not be established until they [wicked people] commit adultery on the roads [public ways]. (Ibn Hibban and al-Bazzar)

Children of adultery will grow in number. Many people will commit adultery with women in the middle of the street. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd ar-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 140.)

A time will come when adultery with women will be committed in the middle of the road. Nobody will object to this. (Muhammad ibn 'Abd ar-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li -Ashrat as-Sa'ah, p. 142.)

66. Economic problems and social inequalities:

People will prosper until the ninety-fifth year, that is, their business will prosper. In the ninety-seventh and the ninety-ninth year, their possessions will go to waste... (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 54.)

It is highly probable that "ninety-fifth year" refers to the year 1995, when people had a relatively better life and its conditions had not become so difficult. Indeed, as described in the hadith, during that year people had enough income to earn a living and had some possessions. However, during 1997 to 99, the economy deteriorated, poverty spread, and possessions lost their value. Such an event can happen very quickly, as exemplified by Argentina's recent economic crisis.

One economic issue reported in the End Times is a decrease in earnings:

Everyone complains of low earnings... The rich are respected because of their wealth... (Alamat al-Qiyama, p. 146.)

Stagnation in the markets and falls in profits... (Alamat al-Qiyama, p. 148.)

According to these hadiths, the End Times will see social injustices as well as economic crises, and national wealth will not be distributed equally:

Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "When my people do fifteen things trial will alight on them." He enumerated these things as follows: "When the booty is taken as personal commodity [circulating only through the hands of the rich and powerful, never being touched by the poor]..." (Tirmidhi, Fitan: 39, [2211])

This state of affairs, described by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as one of the signs of the Judgment Day, is currently taking place at an intense rate in the world as a whole. The richest in the world control a very large part of its wealth, while billions live in poverty and starvation. The poverty and hunger suffered by millions of people on the African continent alone are apparent for all the world to see.

67. Social deterioration:

When people suffer strife and social upheaval... (Ahmad Diya'al-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith, vol. 7, p. 7.)

One striking mark of social decline is the huge increase in crime, which has now reached substantial proportions. The report Universal Crime and Justice prepared by the United Nations' International Crime Prevention Center, contains a general appraisal of crime throughout the world:

Basically, as in the 1980s, the crime rate continued to rise in the 1990s.

Everywhere in the world, in a five-year period, two-thirds of the people living in large cities have been the target at least once of a criminal action.

All over the world, the odds of being the target of a serious crime (robbery, sexual crimes, assault) are one in five.

Regardless of the area, crimes against property, and crimes of violence committed by youth, have both had economic ramifications.

The number of types of illicit drugs has increased, and their nature has diversified in recent years.11

68. Increased life expectancy:

At that time... life spans will grow longer. (Ibn Hajar Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 43.)

Records clearly show that the average life expectancy is now the highest in history. There was already a great difference between the beginning and the end of the twentieth century. For example, a person born in 1995 can expect to live more than 35 years longer than a person born in 1900.12

69. The greening of the deserts:

The Day of Judgment will not come until there are rivers and gardens in Arabia. (Ibn Ahmad Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 17, p. 22, no. 8819.)

The Day of Judgment will not come until there are rivers and streams in Arabia. (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 471.)

To green the deserts, sufficient amounts of water and land must be obtained. One relevant technology now being developed is computer-controlled irrigation. This enables water to be sent directly to the plant's roots so that not a single drop is wasted. Given that purified water is a crucial element of desert agriculture, flood and sea water provide the basis of agricultural technology. In this way, vast water resources will be obtained, a development that also will be a major support of countries' economies.

Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) also indicated the very productive use of water:

Both the ummah's good and wicked members will be blessed with a blessing, the like of which they have never seen before. Despite the abundance of rain, not a drop will go to waste. The land will grow fruitful and fertile, without demanding a single seed... (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 23.)

70. The speaking of voices by means of a "whip":

The Last Hour will not come before the end of a man's whip speaks to him. (Tirmidhi)

In ancient times, the whip was widely used while riding saddle beasts, especially camels and horses. In this hadith, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is making a comparison. Thus, "What speaking object can we compare to the handle of a whip?" The most likely answer would be a cell phone or similar communication devices. Such wireless communication devices are very recent developments, and are more indications that the Judgment Day is drawing near.

There will be no Judgment... until a person's own voice speaks to him. (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 471.)

The message here is quite clear: A person's hearing his own voice is a characteristic of the End Times. For this to become a reality, one's voice must first be recorded. Such recording and reproduction technology was developed during the twentieth century. This turning point in the advancement of science enabled the birth of the communications and media industries. Voice recording has now reached its apogee via the latest developments in computer and laser technology.

In short, such electronic devices as microphones and speakers have made it possible for people to record and listen to their own voices, and thus fulfill the above hadith.

71. Bird and swine flus:

Fourteen hundred years ago, our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) revealed that two epidemics would spread during the End Times. In addition, the detailed information provided by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) about these diseases makes it possible to identify them very easily. The diseases in question are bird and swine flu, both fatal epidemics, that emerged one after the other during the years in which the signs of the End Times are taking place on an intensive basis. (Allah knows the truth.) Some hadith on the subject read:

"Six things will happen before the Judgment Day... Then many people will die. Two deadly sickness will spread among you, that kill in a moment and drip from the noses of sheep." (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 2/278 Fath al-Bari)

"Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will not appear until people are terrified. Earthquakes and fitnahs (tribulation) will afflict people first, and plagues will be seen... Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will appear at that time. Glad tidings for those who will live to see him and be his helpers. Woe to those who oppose him (Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)) and reject his commands." (Fara Idu Fawaidi al-Fiqr, Imam al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar)

The A/H1N1 swine flu and A/H5N1 bird flu viruses settle in the cell receptors in animals' respiratory passages. The fact that birds and pigs are the cause of these epidemics, as revealed by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and despite their having been in existence for millions of years, is further evidence that we are living in the End Times. This state of affairs has spread just as Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) has appeared by Allah's command.

72. The economic crisis that began in 2007:

One of the portents of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) revealed by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is a rise in economic problems and economic stagnation. The Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has revealed that in the End Times, trade will stagnate, everyone will complain of reduced earnings, prices will rise and, in short, there will be major economic troubles. The great economic crisis that began in 2007 and made itself evident in all spheres in 2008 was revealed as one of the signs of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) 1,400 years ago.

Stagnation in the markets is one of the signs of the Judgment Day. I asked, "What does stagnation in the markets mean?" This: "Everyone complaining of reduced earnings..." (From Ibn Marduwayh Abu Huraira (ra), Portents of the Judgment Day, Pamuk Press, p. 146.)

Stagnation in the markets and reduced earnings [will be one of the signs before the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)]. (Portents of the Judgment Day, p. 148.)

Everyone complaining of low earnings... the rich respected for their money... (Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, p. 146.)

Business being slack. Everyone will complain, "I cannot sell, buy or earn money." (Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, p. 152.)

Before the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), the trade and the roads are cut and fitnah (tribulation) increases. (Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-Zaman, p. 52.)

73. The appearance of the double-tailed comet Lulin:

Based on the hadith of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), Imam Rabbani cites the passage near the Earth of a "bright, double-tailed comet":

You repeatedly ask about a bright pillar born from the east.

Know that,

According to his Companions, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

"When Abbasi Malik arrives at Khorasan, one of the signs of the coming of the promised Mahdi (pbuh), a double-toothed (1) light shedding (2) horn (3) will appear in the east."

According to the account, that pillar had two heads.

The first birth of this pillar was at the time of the destruction of the people of Noah (pbuh). The same thing was born when they cast Abraham (pbuh) into the fire. It was born again in the time of Pharaoh and his people.

It was born again at the time of the martyring of the Prophet John (pbuh).

Let whoever sees it seek shelter in Allah from the evil of fitnah (tribulation).

That whiteness emerging from the east was formerly in the shape of a radiant pillar. A curvature then came to it, and it took the form of a horn.

It is probable, therefore:

- It is described as double-headed probably because both sides will be thin and resemble a tooth, and it will have a head at both ends. Indeed, if a blade has a cutting edge on two sides,

- They use the term double-headed.

My brother Sheikh Muhammad Takhir Badahshi came from Confor. He says:

- There are two heads on the upper part of that pillar. They resemble two teeth. There is a short space between them.

This was recognized at the desert.

The same report was also given by another community.

But this birth is not that which will appear at the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). That is because his appearance will be at the beginning of the century. Eighteen years have currently gone by since the beginning of the century.

The hadith says this about the portents of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh):

"A tailed star (comet) will be born in the east and shed its light."

That comet has been born. But is it that one, or another similar one?

That this star is called a comet, is probably based on the following:

-The course of the constant is from west to east (4)...

The situation of this star follows this course. In other words, its head faces east and its tail faces west. The long white part is in its rear. Therefore:

-It is appropriate for it to be described as having a tail.

Its daily passage, on the other hand, is from east to west. (5) [Allah knows the truth.] (Imam Rabbani, Maktubat, Letter 381, p. 1184)

The expression "a double-toothed, light-shedding horn will appear," described by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in the hadith as a portent of the coming of the awaited Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) in the End Times and described in detail by Imam Rabbani refers to the comet Lulin, which came closest to the Earth on 24 February, 2009. The way that the terms in the hadith completely fit the characteristics of the comet Lulin is a great miracle and glad tidings for believers awaiting the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh).

(1) ... double-toothed... :

The fact that the tail of the comet Lulin is forked completely matches the term double-toothed in the hadith.

(2) ... light-shedding... :

The term light-shedding in the hadith refers to the brightness of the comet Lulin, which exceeded that of six stars as it approached the Earth.

(3) ... a horn... :

The main distinguishing feature between Lulin and other comets is that as well as the comet having a tail in the rear of its body, it also has a tail in the front. Examination of photographs of Lulin and its two tails immediately put one in mind of a horn.

(4) The course of the constant is from west to east... :

The hadith goes on to say that "The course of the constant is from west to east..." This refers to the movement of heavenly bodies, which information is in full agreement with the astronomical findings of the 20^th century. Indeed, all heavenly bodies travel from west to east.

(5) Its daily passage, on the other hand, is from east to west... :

Here the expression "its daily passage, on the other hand..." indicates that the comet Lulin, as opposed to all other heavenly bodies, travel from east to west.

The fact that this characteristic, seen in no other heavenly body, applies to the comet Lulin and that this was described 1,400 years ago by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as a portent of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is a great miracle.

74. An image shaped like a hand will appear in space:

... Asma bint Umays says: "The portent of that day [the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is a hand extending from the sky and people turning to look at it." (Hadith Collected by Jalaluddin As-Suyuti, Portents of the Mahdi of the End Times, Ali Ibn Hasamaddin Al Muttaki, p. 69.)

Conflict and disputes will persist until a hand appears from the sky and a voice cries; "Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is your amir." The sign of that day: A hand will extend from the sky and people will look at and see it. (Ahmad Ibn Hajar al-Makki (Haytami), Portents of the Anticipated Mahdi, Al-Qawl Al-Mukhtasar Fi alamat Al-Mahdi Al-Muntazar, p. 53.)

... At that time [of the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] a hand will be seen revealing itself from the sky... (Hadith Collected by Jalaluddin As-Suyuti, Portents of the Mahdi of the End Times, Ali Ibn Hasamaddin Al Muttaki, p. 51.)

These hadith transmitted from our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) speak of a "hand" being seen in the sky, and say that this is a portent of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). It appears that disputes will continue until that time and that Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will constantly be a matter of discussion, i.e. through means of communication such as radio, television and the Internet.

A picture of space taken by NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory shows a mass of neutron stars shaped like a hand appearing to close round another star mass. The reference to a hand in the hadith may be suggestive of this image in the indicated meaning, described by NASA as the "hand of God," giving rise to a celestial phenomenon. (Allah knows the truth.)

The shape of a hand formed by the stellar mass is in complete agreement with the description of its extension as given in the hadith. The photograph taken by NASA shows a hand stretching out somewhere. In addition, the way that people were able to see and observe this celestial phenomenon by means of telescopes thanks to the advanced space and astronomical technology in the time of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is also in complete agreement with the expressions employed in the hadith.