Signs of the reappearance of Muhammad al-Mahdi

The signs of the appearance of Muhammad al-Mahdi are the collection of events that will occur before the coming back of Muhammad al-Mahdi, an ultimate savior of humankind and the final Imam of the Twelve Imams in Shia Islam. The signs are classified as uncertain or certain signs.

Part of a series on Islam
Shia Islam
 Shia Islam portal
Part of a series on
Eschatology

The Certain Signs: According to some Shia narrations, there are five certain signs that will occur prior of the appearance of the twelfth Imam. The hadith of Ja'far al-Sadiq mentions these signs: "there are five signs for our Dhuhur (the reappearance of the twelfth Imam), the appearance of Sufyani and Yamani, the loud cry in the sky, the murder of a pure soul (Nafs-e-Zakiyyah), and the earth swallowing (a group of people) in the land of Bayda (a desert between Mecca and Medina).[1][2]

The certain signs

According to some Shia narrations, there are five certain signs that will occur prior to the reappearance of the twelfth Imam. The hadith of Ja'far al-Sadiq mentions these signs: "there are five signs for our Dhuhur (the reappearance of the twelfth Imam), the appearance of Sufyani and Yamani, the loud cry in the sky, the murder of a pure soul (Nafs-e-Zakiyyah), and the earth swallowing (a group of people) in the land of Bayda.[1][2]

Appearance of Sufyani

According to some narrations Sufyani, one of the descendants of Abu Sufyan, will arise before Muhammad al-Mahdi's reappearance.[2] He has been depicted as an outwardly devout man that will take care to remember Allah at all times. But in reality he will be the most wicked man in the world. He will upraise during the Rajab. After he realizes that Muhammad al-Mahdi has reappeared, he will send away an army to fight him. Some books say that the army of Sufyani before getting to the army of Muhammad al-Mahdi will sink into the earth in the Beyda, the area between Mecca and Medina.[3][4][5] The appearance of Sufyani is mentioned in both Shia and Sunni narrations.[4][6]

Appearance of Yamani

In some narrations, the appearance of Yamani is mentioned as one of the certain signs of twelfth Imam's reappearance.[2][7][8] The fifth Shia Imam, Muhammad al-Baqir, described Yamani in detail in a hadith:"... among these individuals (Sufyani,Yamani and Khorasani) the Yamani is the closest to guidance, for he calls the people to join the Muhammad al-Mahdi. When he rises, the trading of weapons will be prohibited for every Muslim. When he rises, join him immediately, for his flag is the flag of guidance and prosperity and no Muslim should oppose it. Any one who does so will go to hell, because the Yamani calls to the right path."[3] Some sources mention that Yamani and Khurasani will be allied against Sufyani.[9]

The loud cry in the sky

The third certain sign that is mentioned in the above narration is the loud cry in the sky.[2] According to tradition two cries will be heard. In the first of them Gabriel will call the name of Al-Qa'im and his father and say that truth is with Ali and his Shia. All people will hear Gabriel's cry in their own language.[10] In a tradition of Ja'far al-Sadiq that is narrated by Zurarah ibn A'yan, it is said that after this cry Satan will call certainly, so and so and their followers are victorious ones and his meaning is a man from Banu Umayya. He adds that the person who make the first cry says the truth.[11]

The murder of Nafse Zakeyyah

A pure soul or Nafse Zakeyyah is one of the descendants of Husayn ibn Ali.[2][12] He will be murdered and is without any sin or crime.[1] According to many narrations, he is the envoy of Muhammad al-Mahdi to Mecca before his reappearance. When he will arrive to Mecca and say his message, the people of Mecca slay him around the Kaaba.[6]

Earth swallowing (Sufyani's Army) in land of Bayda

The sinking of Sufyani's army into the earth is a certain sign of reappearance of Muhammad al-Mahdi.[2] In addition to above-mentioned hadith of Ja'far Sadiq, in a hadith Ali ibn Abi Talib mentions that Sufyani's army will sink on the earth.[13][14]

Uncertain signs

There are many signs in the tradition whose occurrence is dependent on certain conditions. These signs are uncertain signs. Some of them:

  1. Solar eclipse in middle of the month of Ramadhan and lunar eclipse in the end of that month[15][16]
  2. Seeing fire in the sky[17]
  3. Successive wars and death of many people in the world[18]
  4. Creation and development of science and knowledge in Qom[19]
  5. Increasing injustice and corruption in the world[20]
  6. The coming of fitna (tribulations) and removal of khushoo' (fearfulness of God, taqwah, reverence, etc.)[note 1]
  7. The coming of 30 Dajjals, each one of them presuming himself an apostle of God.[note 2]
  8. A person passing by a grave might say to another: I wish it were my abode.[note 3]
  9. The loss of honesty, and authority put in the hands of those who do not deserve it.[note 4]
  10. The loss of knowledge and the prevalence of religious ignorance.[note 5]
  11. Frequent, sudden, and unexpected deaths.[note 6]
  12. Increase in pointless killings.[note 7]
  13. Acceleration of time.[note 8]
  14. Rejection of Hadith.[note 9]
  15. The spread of riba (usury, interest), zina (adultery, fornication), and the drinking of alcohol.[note 10]
  16. Widespread acceptance of music.[note 11]
  17. Pride and competition in the decoration of mosques.[note 12]
  18. Women will increase in number and men will decrease in number so much so that fifty women will be looked after by one man.[note 13]
  19. Abundance of earthquakes.[note 14]
  20. Frequent occurrences of disgrace, distortion, and defamation.[note 15]
  21. When people wish to die because of the severe trials and tribulations that they are suffering.[note 16]
  22. Jews fighting Muslims.[note 17]
  23. When paying charity becomes a burden.[note 18]
  24. Nomads will compete in the construction of very tall buildings.[note 19]
  25. Women will appear naked despite their being dressed.[note 20]
  26. People will seek knowledge from misguided and straying scholars.[note 21]
  27. Liars will be believed, honest people disbelieved, and faithful people called traitors.[note 22]
  28. The death of righteous, knowledgeable people.[note 23]
  29. The emergence of indecency (obscenity) and enmity among relatives and neighbours.[note 24]
  30. The rise of idolatry and polytheists in the community.[note 25]
  31. The Euphrates will uncover a mountain of gold.[note 26]
  32. The land of the Arabs will return to being a land of rivers and fields.[note 27]
  33. The Romans will form a majority amongst people.[note 28]
  34. People will increasingly earn money by unlawful (Haram) ways.[note 29]
  35. There will be much rain but little vegetation.[note 30]
  36. Evil people will be expelled from Al-Madinah.[note 31]
  37. Wild animals will communicate with humans, and humans will communicate with objects.[note 32]
  38. Lightning and thunder will become more prevalent.[note 33]
  39. There will be a special greeting for people of distinction.[note 34]
  40. Trade will become so widespread that a woman will help her husband in business.[note 35]
  41. No truly honest man will remain and no one will be trusted.[note 36]
  42. Only the worst people will be left; they will not know any good nor forbid any evil (i.e. No one will say there is no god but Allah).[note 37]
  43. Nations will call each other to destroy Islam by any and every means.[note 38]
  44. Islamic knowledge will be passed on, but no one will follow it correctly.[note 39]
  45. Muslim rulers will come who do not follow the guidance and tradition of the Sunnah. Some of their men will have the hearts of devils in a human body.[note 40]
  46. Stinginess will become more widespread and honorable people will perish.[note 41]
  47. A man will obey his wife and disobey his mother, and treat his friend kindly while shunning his father.[note 42]
  48. Voices will be raised in the mosques.[note 43]
  49. The leader of a people will be the worst of them.[note 44]
  50. People will treat a man with respect because they fear the evil he could do.[note 45]
  51. Much wine will be drunk.[note 46]
  52. Muslims shall fight against a nation who wear shoes made of hair and with faces like hammered shields, with red complexions and small eyes.[note 47]
  53. The emergence of the Sufyani within the Syria region.[note 48]
  54. The truce and joint Roman-Muslim campaign against a common enemy, followed by al-Malhama al-Kubra (Armageddon), a Roman vs. Muslim war.[note 49]
  55. The Black Standard will come from Khorasan, (see Hadith of black flags) nothing shall turn them back until it is planted in Jerusalem.[note 50]
  56. Quran will be forgotten and no one will recall its verses.
  57. All Islamic knowledge will be lost to the extent that people will not say "Lā ilāha illā llāh" (There is no god but Allah), but instead old people will babble without understanding, "God, God".
  58. People will fornicate in the streets "like donkeys".
  59. The first trumpet blow will be sounded by Israfil, all that is in heaven and earth will be stunned and die except what God wills, and silence will envelop everything for forty undetermined periods of time.
  60. There will be disagreement concerning succession. Then a man will emerge from Madina. He will hurry to Makkah, and the people of Makkah will come out to him and urge him and try to force him to accept the Bai'aa.[note 51]
  61. Mecca will be attacked and the Kaaba will be destroyed.[note 52]
  62. A pleasant breeze will blow from the south that shall cause all believers to die peacefully.
  63. The Moon will split in two, but non-believers will insist it isn't happening for real.[note 53]
  64. There are two groups of ummah whom God will free from the fire: The group that invades India (Ghazwa-e-Hind), and the group that will be with Isa bin Maryam.[21][note 54]
gollark: No, the UK. Which is probably still considered Europe.
gollark: Roughly, yes.
gollark: I mostly picked it because I quite like programming as a hobby *now*, and assumed that would make it easier/better as an A-level.
gollark: Computer science.
gollark: > I avoid CS like the plague nowWhy?

See also

Notes
  1. Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 0213
  2. Dawud, Book 37, Hadith 4319
  3. Sahih Muslim, Book 41, Hadith 6947
  4. Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 076, Hadith 503
  5. Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 3, Hadith Number 81
  6. Sahih Muslim Book 41, Hadith 7040
  7. Sahih Bukhari Volume 9, Book 88, Number 184
  8. Imam Ahmed, recorded in Muslim
  9. Abu Dawud Book 35, Hadith 4587
  10. Sahih Muslim Book 41, Hadith 7015
  11. Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 69, Hadith 494
  12. Sahih ibn Majah 610
  13. Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 3, Hadith 81
  14. Sahih Bukhari Volume 9, Book 88, Hadith Number 237
  15. Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 485, Book 1, Hadith 3
  16. Sahih Bukhari Volume 9, Book 88, Hadith Number 231
  17. Sahih Musim Book 41, Hadith Number 6985
  18. Sahih Bukhari Volume 009, Book 088, Hadith Number 236
  19. Sahih Bukhari Volume 009, Book 088, Hadith Number 237
  20. Sahih Muslim Book 40, Hadith Number 6840
  21. Musnad Imam Ahmad (no.21,334 and no.21,335
  22. Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2209
  23. Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 3, Hadith Number 81
  24. Musnad Ahmad
  25. Abu-Dawud, Book 30, Number 4239 (and others)
  26. Sahih Muslim Book 041, Hadith Number 6918
  27. Sahih Muslim Book 5, Hadith 2208
  28. Sahih Muslim Book 041, Hadith Number 6925
  29. Al-Bukhari
  30. Reported by Anas and declared Sahih by Hasan al Albani
  31. Sahih Muslim Book 7, Hadith Number 3188
  32. Musnad Ahmad
  33. Ahmad
  34. Musnad Ahmad
  35. Musnad Ahmad
  36. Sahih Bukhari
  37. Ahmad
  38. Musnad Ahmad
  39. Tirmidhee 2653 and Ibn Maajah 4048
  40. Sahih Muslim 1847
  41. Mujamma'uz-Zawaa'id 7/327
  42. Sunan al-Tirmidhi
  43. Sunan al-Tirmidhi
  44. Sunan al-Tirmidhi
  45. Sunan al-Tirmidhi
  46. Sunan al-Tirmidhi
  47. Sahih Muslim, Book 41, Hadith 6960
  48. Sahih Muslim, Book 41, Hadith 6926
  49. Narrated with sound chains from Dhu Mikhbar al-Najashi by Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, and al-Hakim who declared it sahih and al-Dhahabi concurred. See Shaykh Shu`ayb Arna'ut's documentation of this hadith in his edition of Sahih Ibn Hibban (15:101–103 #6708–6709).
  50. Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2269 (Weak) https://muflihun.com/tirmidhi/33/2269
  51. The Promised Deliverer (Kitab Al-Mahdi) Dawud : Book 36 : Hadith 4273
  52. Muslim, Book 41, Hadith 6953
  53. Qu'ran Surah Al-Qamar 54:1–2
  54. Sunan an-Nasa'i 3175
  1. Mikyalul Makarim fee Fawaaid al-Duaa lil Qa'im, Page v2
  2. al-shia.org
  3. Gheybah of Nu’mani, Page 9
  4. Amini, Chapter 10
  5. Al-Kourani, Page 30
  6. Hashemi Shahidi, Page 524
  7. Shaykh Tusi, Page 267
  8. en.abna24.com
  9. Leghaei
  10. Hosayni Mutlaq
  11. Gheybah of Nu’mani, Page 246
  12. Tafsir Ayyashi, Page 64
  13. Gheybah of Nu’mani, Page 279
  14. Sadr, Page 648
  15. Montakhab al-Asar, Page 440
  16. english.almaaref.org
  17. Bihar al-Anwar, Page 240
  18. Montakhab al-Asar, Page 560
  19. Montakhab al-Asar, Page 443
  20. Bihar al-Anwar, Pages 256–260
  21. "Hadith – The Book of Jihad – Sunan an-Nasa'i – Sunnah.com – Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)". sunnah.com. Retrieved 2017-03-03.


References
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.