Minor Signs of the Hour
Allah says: ”يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرۡسَىٰهَاۖ قُلۡ إِنَّمَا عِلۡمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّيۖ لَا يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقۡتِهَآ إِلَّا هُوَۚ”
“They ask you about the Hour: ‘When will be its appointed time?’ Say: ‘The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (Alone). None can reveal its time but He.’”
Allah alone knows the time of the Day of Judgement, but He has told us about some of its signs. The Minor Signs of the Hour are events that precede the Day of Judgement. The signs of the Hour are divided into two categories: minor signs (Ashrat al-Sa‘ah al-Sughra) and major signs (Ashrat al-Sa‘ah al-Kubra). Allah has informed us about these signs to remind us of the Hereafter, strengthen our faith, and encourage us to prepare for the Day of Judgement. Learning about these signs can help us remain steadfast in our faith as we witness changes in the world.
What Are the Minor Signs of the Hour?
The minor signs are events that occur before the Hour. Some have already occurred, while others are yet to come. The sending of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is one of these signs. In Sahih Muslim, Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“I and the Last Hour have been sent like these two,” and he joined his forefinger and middle finger together.
Another sign is the splitting of the moon. Allah says in Surah Al-Qamar:
“The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has been cleft asunder.”
You can read the verse in Surah Al-Qamar (54:1). According to the Islamic account, this miracle occurred during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, before the Hijrah. The people of Makkah asked the Prophet ﷺ for a sign of his prophethood, and Allah caused the moon to split.
Other Signs of the Hour Mentioned in the Hadith
In another narration in Sahih Muslim, Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud mentioned five signs associated with events that had occurred: the smoke, the punishment that befell the people of Makkah, the victory of the Romans, the severe punishment at Badr, and the splitting of the moon.
The victory of the Romans refers to their victory over the Persians. The severe punishment at Badr refers to the defeat of the disbelievers in the Battle of Badr. The interpretation and timing of some of these signs have been discussed by Islamic scholars, so each narration should be understood in its proper context.
Other signs mentioned in the Prophetic traditions include the loss of religious knowledge through the death of scholars, the spread of ignorance, an increase in earthquakes and killings, and a time when a person may pass by a grave and wish to be in the deceased person’s place because of the severity of his distress.
How Should We Prepare for the Hour?
We are not required to memorise every sign of the Hour. Instead, we should pay attention to our actions and deeds and prepare for the end of our own lives and for the Day of Judgement. We should remember that the exact time of the Hour is known to Allah alone.
May Allah fill our hearts with the fear of Allah and hope in His mercy. May He guide us towards good deeds and keep us away from what is haram.
To read the full series on the Signs of the Hour, please visit:
I am in fact thankful to the owner of this website who has shared this enormous piece of writing at at this time.
Hey There. I discovered your blog the use of msn. That is a very
well written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and return to read extra of
your useful info. Thanks for the post. I’ll certainly return.