THE GREATER SIGNS

38. The advent of Hadhrat Imaam Mahdi (AS).

39. The second advent or Nuzool (Descent) of Nabi Isa (AS).

40. The emergence of Dajjal.

41. The emergence of Ya'jooj Ma'jooj.

42. The forty day fog.

43. The night of three nights.

44. The rising of the sun in the west.

45. The emergence of Daab-batul Ardh or the Reptile from the earth.

46. The Breeze.

47. The reign of Africans.

These greater signs will now be explained in some detail.

HADHRAT IMAAM MAHDI (AS)

Imaam Mahdi(AS) will make his appearance at the time when Muslims will be at their weakest. The domination of the Christians will extend as far as Khaibar, which is a place near to Madinah Tayyibah. On all fronts the Muslim Ummah will be encircled by the forces of the kuffaar. At this juncture the yearning for Imaam Mahdi(AS) will be strong in the minds of Muslims.

At this time when the condition of the Ummah will indeed be pitiable, Imaam Mahdi(AS) will be present in Madinah Munawwarah. Hadhrat Imaam Mahdi(AS) will be loath to accept the reigns of leadership. Fearing that leadership of the Ummah will be thrust on him, he will remain in concealment. In an attempt to escape people and remain hidden, he will leave Madinah Munawwarah for Makkah Mukarramah.

All the Auliyaa of that period belonging to the class known as Abdaal, will be on the lookout for Imaam Mahdi (AS). At this juncture there will be false claimants as well. They will claim to be Imaam Mahdi(AS).

Imaam Mahdi (AS) will be engaged in Tawaaf and when he will be between Hajrul Aswad and Maqaam-e-Ibraheem some of the Abdaal will recognize him. He will immediately be surrounded. Allegiance (Bai't) will be sworn to him and he will become the Ruler of the Ummah. While the process of Bai't (people swearing allegiance) will be in progress a voice will call out from the heavens. All those who gathered there will hear the voice proclaiming:

“This is the Representative of Allah . This is Imaam Mahdi.”

With the advent of Imaam Mahdi(AS) will commence the greater signs of Qiyaamah. Nabi Isaa(AS) will descend from the heavens during the time of Imaam Mahdi(AS).

A number of great and small battles will be fought with the kuffaar while Imaam Mahdi (AS) will be the Ameer of the Muslims. Finally, Imaam Mahdi (AS) will be victorious and the whole world will come under Islaam ic domination. During this glorious Islaam ic reign the world will be filled with justice and piety.

After the death of Imaam Mahdi(AS) the leadership of Islaam and the Ummah will pass to Nabi Isa (AS). After Nabi Isa (AS) several pious Muslim kings will rule one after the other. After this period of Islaam ic rule, spiritual and moral decadence, evil and kufr will again assert control and domination in the world.

A DESCRIPTION OF IMAAM MAHDI (ALAYHIS SALAAM)

Rasoolullah (SAW) gave the following description of Imaam Mahdi (AS).

48. His name will be Muhammad.

49. He will be from the progeny of Hadhrat Fatimah (RA).

50. He will have a bright and broad forehead.

51. He will have a long high-bridged nose.

52. He will speak with a stutter.

IMPORTANT :The Shiahs or the majority group among them, viz., the Ithna Ashris (believers in the 12 Imaams) believe that Imaam Mahdi (AS) was born in the year 256 A.H./868 C.E. and went into concealment in the year 260 A.H./872 C.E. According to Shi'I belief Imaam Mahdi (AS) has been alive since then and will make his appearance when Allah wishes. This Shi'I belief is baseless. It has no sanction in the Shari'ah. Imaam Mahdi (AS) was not born as the Shias claim nor did he go into concealment. He will yet be born.

NABI ISAA (ALAYHIS SALAAM)

Nabi Isaa (AS) did not as yet die a physical death. During this time on earth the Jews conspired to murder him. Allah then raised Nabi Isaa (AS) physically –i.e. with his body while he was alive – into the heavens where he is to this day.

During the reign of Imaam Mahdi(AS), Nabi Isaa (AS) will descend to earth. His Nuzool (descent) from the heavens will be a marvellous event which all people will observe. On this occasion Imaam Mahdi (AS) will be in Damascus making preparation for battle against Dajjal who will have already made his appearance. One day at the time of Asr after the Muath-thin will have announced the Athaan and the congregation will be about to commence the Salaat, suddenly Hadhrat Nabi Isaa (AS) will descend from the heaven. His hands will be resting on the shoulders of two angels and his descent from the heavens will be visible to all. Nabi Isaa (AS) will alight on the eastern minaarat of the Jaame Musjid of Damascus. He will then descend down the Minaarat by means of steps.

Imaam Mahdi (AS) will propose to hand over all control to Nabi Isaa (AS), but he will decline saying that his special mission is to slay Dajjal.

Nabi Isaa (AS) will die a physical death and be buried alongside our Nabi (SAW).

THE ESSENTIALITY OF BELIEFS PERTAINING TO NABI ISAA (AS)

The following are important beliefs of Islaam pertaining to Nabi Isaa (AS).

53. Miraculous Birth: Nabi Isaa (AS) was born miraculously, i.e. without the agency of human father. His mother was Maryam (AS) who was a virgin. She never married.

54. Ascension: Nabi Isaa (AS) did not die, but was raised bodily to heaven while he was still alive. He remains there, alive to this day.

55. When Qiyaamah is nearby, Nabi Isaa (AS) will descend from heaven to earth. After having accomplished his mission here on earth, he will die a physical death.

It is essential to subscribe to these beliefs regarding Nabi Isaa (AS). Rejection of any of these beliefs is kufr.

DAJJAAL

Dajjaal will be a man from the Jews. He will appear during the time of Imaam Mahdi (AS) and Nabi Isaa (AS) will descend from the heaven to slay Dajjaal. Nabi Isaa (AS) will kill Dajjaal at a place called Baab Lud which is in the land of Shaam.

On the forehead of Dajjaal will be inscribed the letters (Kaff, Faa, Raa). This is the stamp of KUFR which appears on his forehead. He will have only one eye which will be large and protruding from its socket. Dajjaal will lay claim to divinity. He will claim to be God and in support of his claim he will demonstrate many supernatural feats, e.g. he will cause rain to fall, plants to grow, raise the dead, etc. He will have a great following and spread mischief, strife and anarchy on earth. He will ransack, pillage and plunder many lands but he will not be able to gain entry into Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah. Special Malaikah are standing guard over these two holy cities. Dajaal will flee upon seeing Nabi Isaa (AS). Nabi Isaa (AS) will pursue him and kill him a Baab Lud.

YA'JOOJ AND MA'JOOJ

Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj are two tribes which have been imprisoned behind a mountain range by Zul Qarnain (AS). They are a powerful and wild people. They will emerge from their imprisonment during the reign of Nabi Isaa (AS), i.e. after the death of Imaam Mahdi (AS).

After their emergence, they will wrought great destruction and anarchy on earth. They are imprisoned in a land of ice, the location of which is hidden from our gaze. Allah will finally eliminate them by means of a natural disaster. After the destruction of Yajooj and Ma'jooj, Nabi Isaa (AS) will live a period of forty years.

IMPORTANT : Some commentaries on the Qur'aan written by modernists present some fanciful interpretations regarding the people, Yajooj and Majooj. Their interpretations being the product of their personal opinions refute the Shar'i teachings on Yajooj and Majooj. All such personal opinions and theories advanced by the modernists are baatil- baseless and false. Among such false personal opinions on the matter of Yajooj and Majooj is the commentary of Yusuf Ali.

THE 40 DAYS FOG

After the death of Nabi Isaa (AS) a man named Jahjaj from Yemen from the tribe of Quhtaan will be the Ameerul Mu'mineen. He will rule with great justice and piety. After him will follow several rulers. Slowly evil and corruption will once again set in. At this time the heavens will be covered with a dense fog which will envelope the earth for forty days. All Muslims will develop colds as a result of the fog and all kaafirs will lapse into unconsciousness.

THE NIGHT OF THREE NIGHTS

The above mentioned fog will occur close to the time of Eid ul Adhaa. After the fog has cleared, suddenly after the 10th of Zil Hajj, a night will become extended. The duration of the night will instill restlessness and fear into the people and animals. This night will be as long as three nights.

THE RISING OF THE SUN IN THE WEST

After the ending of the above mentioned long night, the sun will rise the following morning from the west. On this occasion the rays of the sun will be very dull. The sun will rise from eh west until it reaches more or less the meridian and then again set in the west normally.

When this event occurs, neither Imaan nor Taubah is valid. After this event if any kaafir repents and accepts Imaan , his repentance and belief will not be acceptable.

The rising of the sun in the west will happen only on one day. Thereafter, it will rise and set as usual.

DAAB-BATUL ARDH OR THE BEAST FROM THE EARTH

A short while after the event of the sun rising in the west, there will appear a strange animal. An earthquake will grip Mount Safaa in Makkah Muazzamah. The mountain will split open and a strange and wonderful animal will emerge. The animal will speak to people and will travel around the earth with great speed. With the Asaa (staff) of Nabi Musaa (AS), the Daab-batul Ardh will draw a glittering line on the forehead of Muslims. As a result, their faces will glow in a halo of heavenly light. With the ring of Nabi Sula Imaan (AS), this animal will stamp the noses or necks of the kuffar. As a result, their faces will be blackened.

After performing this duty, the animal will disappear.

THE BREEZE

After the disappearance of Daab-batul Ardh, an extremely fresh and fragrant breeze will commence from the south. The effect of this sweet breeze will be a slight sore developing under the armpit of every Muslim. All Muslims will then die as a result of the sores under their armpits.

THE REIGN OF THE AFRICANS

After the death of all Muslims (in the way mentioned above), the world will be filled with Kuffaar. Now the world will come under the domination of Kuffaar Africans. They will destroy the Ka'bah Shareef.

The world will be plunged in immorality, evil, corruption, strife and anarchy. Along with the worst epoch of moral degeneration, it will be the greatest period of technological and scientific ascendancy. Science and technology will have reached their zenith.

Several years will pass in this state. Suddenly, on a Friday on the 10th Muharram at the time of Fajr, Hadhrat Israfeel (AS) will sound the Soor (Trumpet) which will bring about the destruction of the universe. Qiyaamah will now commence.

From the time the sun rose in the west until the sounding of the Soor will be a period of 120 years.

THE SOOR

The soor (Trumpet) is a gigantic horn-shaped object. The bearer of the Soor is the angel Israfeel (AS) who will blow the Soor at the advent of Qiyaamah and again at the advent of Resurrection.

The Soor is a physical or material object. The effect of its sound will be the destruction of the universe. The Soor is not an allegorical or metaphorical description of an abstract concept. It is a real and material object created by Allah . Rejection of its reality is kufr since the existence and description of the Soor are facts proven by the Qur'aan Shareef and Ahadith. Aakhirah or the Hereafter begins with the advent of Qiyaamah which commences after the universe will be annihilated by the Soor. The events of Qiyaamah have already been explained.

SHAFAA-AH OR INTERCESSION

Shafaa-ah or intercession on behalf of sinners by those whom Allah grants permission will take place in Aakhirah. Allah will grant permission of intercession firstly to Rasoolullah (SAW), then to the other Ambiyaa(AS). The Ulama, Auliya, Shuhadaa and Huffaaz will also be granted permission to intercede on behalf of sinners.

Intercession will be only on behalf of sinful people of Imaan . The Kuffaar will not gain the benefit of Shafaa-ah.

The highest degree of Shafaa'ah will be the intercession of Rasoolullah (SAW). Intercession will be of different kinds. The first Shafaa'ah will be for Hisaab (Reckoning) to commence in Qiyaamah. People will be overwhelmed by the hardships of that Day, and will be running hither and thither in agony. Rasoolullah (SAW) will then intercede on behalf of the creation, asking Allah , to begin the Hisaab. The second Shafaa'ah will be for the obtainal of forgiveness for sinners. The third Shafaa'ah will be for the freedom of sinful Muslims who have already entered Jahannam.