Signs of Qiyamah — Minor and Major Signs of the Day of Resurrection

The Quran on the Hour

“They ask you about the Hour: when will its arrival be? Say: ‘Its knowledge is only with my Lord. None will reveal its time except Him. It lays heavily upon the heavens and the earth. It will not come upon you except unexpectedly.’” (7:187)

“Indeed the Hour is coming — I almost conceal it — so that every soul may be recompensed according to that for which it strives.” (20:15)

“Indeed the Hour is coming; there is no doubt about it. But most of the people do not believe.” (40:59)

The Quran emphasizes that the exact time of the Hour is known only to Allah — but it also affirms that it is certain, it is near by the cosmic scale, and it will come when humanity is unprepared.

The Minor Signs

The minor signs began with the Prophet’s (SAW) mission itself and continue through history. From the hadith literature:

Signs of moral and social decay:

• Widespread consumption of intoxicants (khamr): “There will be people among my Ummah who will make intoxicants lawful by calling them by other names.” (Ibn Majah)
• Widespread usury (riba): “A time will come when no one remains except those who consume riba; and whoever does not consume it directly will be reached by its dust.” (Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah) — See [[riba-and-interest]]
• Widespread fornication: “Among the signs of the Hour: modesty disappears, trust is lost, and the ignorant become leaders.”
• The severing of family ties (qat’ al-rahim)

Signs of religious decay:

• Knowledge is lifted (by scholars dying without being replaced): “Allah does not take away knowledge by extracting it from hearts, but by taking away scholars, until no scholar remains and people take ignorant leaders, who give fatwas without knowledge — leading astray and going astray.” (Bukhari)
• The prevalence of shirk: Some narrations indicate that before the final major signs, there will be a return to associating partners with Allah in the Arabian Peninsula
• Music and immoral entertainment made ubiquitous
• Mosques built for show rather than worship

Signs of social transformation:

• The slave woman will give birth to her mistress: classically interpreted as children who treat parents with contempt — children ruling over parents
• Barefoot, naked, poor shepherds will compete in building tall buildings (the Prophet (SAW) described the Arab expansion and Bedouins urbanizing): Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) narrated this in the famous Hadith of Jibril
• Knowledge spread widely, then trust (amanah) lost
• Time will seem to pass faster: “The Hour will not come until time contracts, so that a year is like a month, and a month is like a week, and a week is like a day, and a day is like an hour.” (Tirmidhi)
• Earthquakes increase
• Fitna (civil strife) becomes widespread

Signs that have occurred: Many scholars identify the following as minor signs already fulfilled: the sending of the Prophet (SAW) himself, his death, the conquest of Jerusalem, the plague of Amwas (638 CE), the first civil wars of Islam, the wealth of the community becoming abundant.

The Major Signs (al-Ashrat al-Kubra)

The major signs are ten specific events described in hadith as the “decisive” signs of the Hour’s approach. Once the first major sign appears, the others follow rapidly. These are narrated in Muslim via Hudhayfah ibn Usayd (RA):

“The Prophet (SAW) came upon us while we were discussing something. He said: ‘What are you discussing?’ We said: ‘We are discussing the Hour.’ He said: ‘It will not come until you see ten signs:’”

1. Al-Dukhan (Smoke): “Then watch for a Day when the sky will bring a visible smoke.” (44:10) — A pervasive smoke that will cover the earth for forty days, afflicting the disbelievers and easing the believers like a cold

2. Al-Dajjal (the Antichrist): The greatest fitna ever — an individual who will claim divinity, perform false miracles, and lead people astray. “There has been no prophet but warned his people against the one-eyed Dajjal. Beware: he is one-eyed, and your Lord is not one-eyed.” (Bukhari) Dajjal will emerge and travel the earth; his tribulation will last 40 days.

3. Nuzul ‘Isa (Descent of Jesus): ‘Isa ibn Maryam (AS) will descend near the white minaret of Damascus, dressed in saffron-yellow garments. He will break the cross, kill the pig, abolish the jizya tax (indicating the end of the diversity of revealed religions — one community), and kill Dajjal at the gate of Lod. He will live on earth for forty years before dying.

4. Ya’juj and Ma’juj (Gog and Magog): “Until, when [the dam of] Gog and Magog has been opened and they will descend quickly from every slope.” (21:96) They will emerge in massive numbers; ‘Isa and the believers will take refuge on al-Tur (a mountain) while Gog and Magog exhaust the earth’s resources. Allah will send worms that kill them overnight.

5. The Sinking of the East: A massive khasf (sinkhole) event in the eastern part of the world

6. The Sinking of the West: A sinkhole in the western part of the world

7. The Sinking of the Arabian Peninsula: A sinkhole in Arabia

8. Smoke (given in some narrations as distinct from the first Dukhan)

9. The Rising of the Sun from the West: “The Hour will not come until the sun rises from the west; when it rises and people see it, everyone will believe — but that is when belief will not benefit those who had not believed before.” (Bukhari) — Belief after this sign is no longer accepted; the door of tawba closes.

10. The Beast (Dabbat al-Ard): “And when the Word befalls them, We will bring forth for them a creature from the earth speaking to them, [saying] that the people were, of Our verses, not certain [in faith].” (27:82) — A creature that will emerge from the earth and mark believers and disbelievers.

And then: The Wind will take all the souls of the remaining believers; only the worst people will remain, and the Hour will be established among them.

The Day of Resurrection: Al-Yawm al-Akhir

After the Hour is established, the trumpet is blown (by Israfil — see [[angels-in-islam]]): all creatures die. It is blown a second time, and all are resurrected. The gathering (hashr), the presentation of deeds (hisab), the balance (mizan), the crossing of the bridge (sirat), and then Paradise or Hell — the eternal stations.

The Quran describes the terrifying reality: “On the Day the earth is changed to other than the earth, and the heavens [as well], and all creatures will come out before Allah, the One, the Prevailing.” (14:48)

See also: Barzakh, Tawhid Divine Unity, Tawba Sincere Repentance, Understanding Dua, Riba And Interest, Quran Sciences