SIGNS OF THE MAHDI'S COMING
IN THE QUR'AN AND OTHER ISLAMIC SOURCES

 By indicating, some 1400 years ago, various signs that will be manifested in the present day, our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), has told us of a time when people will turn their backs on the moral values of the Qur'an, when there will be terrible, worldwide corruption, strife, chaos and degeneration. He has also revealed that in the wake of this, Allah will use a holy servant, bearing the title of the "Mahdi," to bring Qur'anic moral values to prevail across the world, and to replace the existing spiritual degeneration with virtue, peace, security, happiness and well-being. Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has also described how during this time Prophet Jesus (pbuh), who had previously been raised into the presence of Allah, will once again return to Earth. By the will of Allah, the system of the Anti-christ will be brought to a spiritual end and totally neutralized by Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and the blessed Mahdi during this holy age.

The great majority of the signs discussed in this book have already taken place, and by the will of God this age we are living in will be one of great well-being, in which the system of the Anti-christ is defeated, and in which believers and the moral virtues of the true faith prevail across the world. Our Lord reveals how He will impose the moral virtues of the true faith through the light of faith:

They desire to extinguish Allah's light with their mouths. But Allah refuses to do other than perfect His light, even though the unbelievers detest it. It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of Truth to exalt it over every other religion, even though the polytheists detest it. (Surat at-Tawba, 32-33)

This promise of Allah's will very definitely be made good within the destiny appointed by Him. The blessed Mahdi will fulfill all the services promised by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and will, by the will of Allah, impose the moral values of the Qur'an across the world. An age which, because of its abundance and plenty, the comforts of all kinds it will bestow on mankind and its general atmosphere of peace, will be one that all Muslims will wish to live to see, is a most sublime blessing for the faithful in the life of this world.

Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has revealed the glad tidings of the coming of the Mahdi in the words "Hear the glad tidings of the blessed Mahdi. He is one of the Qureysh and is of my line." (Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 13.), and he has revealed how believers must follow this worthy personage sent by God:

... He (the Mahdi) will possess land and will fill the Earth, which before him was full of oppression and cruelty, with justice. Whoever lives to see him after you, let him join him even if he has to crawl over the snow. Let him join him, because he is the Mahdi. (Hadiths from Jalaluddin al-Suyuti's Classification: Signs of the Mahdi of the End Times p. 14.)

 SIGNS OF THE COMING OF THE MAHDI AND THE DOMINION OF ISLAMIC
MORAL VALUES, ACCORDING TO THE QUR'AN

Signs in the Qur'an of the Coming of the Mahdi

Some Verses Indicating the Coming of the Mahdi and the Global Dominion of Islamic Moral Values

And other things you love: support from Allah and imminent victory. Give good news to the believers! (Surat as-Saff, 13)

We wrote down in the Zabur, after the Reminder came: "It is My servants who are righteous who will inherit the earth." (Surat al-Anbiya', 105)

Allah has promised those of you who believe and do right actions that He will 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 and give them, in place of their fear, security.... (Surat an-Nur, 55)

Our Word was given before to Our servants, the messengers, that they would certainly be helped. It is Our army which will be victorious. (Surat as-Saffat, 171-173)

Allah has written, "I will be victorious, I and My messengers." Allah is Most Strong, Almighty. (Surat al-Mujadala, 21)

Do not imagine that Allah will break His promise to His messengers. Allah is Almighty, Exactor of Revenge. (Surah Ibrahim, 47)

It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth to exalt it over every other religion, though the idolaters hate it. (Surat as-Saff, 9)

It is He Who sent His Messenger with the Guidance and the Religion of Truth to exalt it over every other religion and Allah suffices as a witness. (Surat al-Fath, 28)

It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth to exalt it over every other religion, even though the idolaters detest it. (Surat at-Tawba, 33)

"We will leave you the land to live in after them. That is the reward of those who fear My station and fear My threat." They asked for Allah's victory, and every obdurate tyrant failed. (Surah Ibrahim, 14-15)

When Allah's help and victory have arrived and you have seen people entering Allah's religion in droves, then glorify your Lord's praise and ask His forgiveness. He is the Ever-Returning. (Surat an-Nasr, 1-3)

Truly We have granted you a clear victory, so that Allah may forgive you your earlier errors and any later ones and complete His blessing upon you, and guide you on a Straight Path and so that Allah may help you with a mighty help. (Surat al-Fath, 1-3)

... He knew what you did not know and ordained, in place of this, an imminent victory. (Surat al-Fath, 27)

... the unbelievers will soon know who has the Ultimate Abode. (Surat ar-Ra'd, 42)

... except those who believe and do right actions and remember Allah repeatedly and defend themselves after they have been wronged? Those who do wrong will soon know the kind of reversal they will receive! (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 227)

Then We will rescue Our messengers and those who believe as well. It is incumbent upon Us to rescue the believers. (Surah Yunus, 103)

Say: "Truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Falsehood is always bound to vanish." (Surat al-Isra', 81)

... Then We appointed you after them to be successors on the earth... (Surah Yunus, 13-14)

And We bequeathed to the people who had been oppressed the easternmost part of the land We had blessed, and its westernmost part as well... (Surat al-A'raf, 137)

They desire to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths. But Allah refuses to do other than perfect His Light, even though the unbelievers detest it. (Surat at-Tawba, 32)

They desire to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths but Allah will perfect His Light, though the unbelievers hate it. (Surat as-Saff, 8)

He bequeathed their land, their houses and their wealth to you, and another land you had not yet trodden on. Allah has power over all things. (Surat al-Ahzab, 27)

Say: "Everyone is waiting expectantly so wait expectantly. You will soon know who are the Companions of the Right Path and who is guided." (Surah Ta Ha, 135)

Allah will give security those who had piety in their victorious Safe Haven. No evil will touch them and they will know no sorrow. (Surat az-Zumar, 61)

Rather We hurl the truth against falsehood and it cuts right through it and it vanishes clean away! Woe without end for you for what you portray! (Surat al-Anbiya', 18)

Allah confirms the Truth by His words, even though the evildoers hate it. (Surah Yunus, 82)

Those who, if We establish them firmly on the earth, will perform the prayer and give the alms, and command what is right and forbid what is wrong. The end result of all affairs is with Allah. (Surat al Hajj, 41)

Do not give up and do not be downhearted. You shall be uppermost if you are believers. (Surah Al 'Imran, 139)

THE COMING OF THE MAHDI AND HIS RULE, ACCORDING TO THE HADITHS
OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD
(MAY ALLAH BLESS HIM AND GRANT HIM PEACE)

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 Doomsday. 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 Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and the coming of the Mahdi, 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 Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and the emergence of the Mahdi, putting an end to the corruption of the Anti-christ (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 the blessed Mahdi, 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 Portents and Features of the Mahdi's Coming, The End of Times and the Mahdi, 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 the Mahdi 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 the Mahdi's Appearance:

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:

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/tribe 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 [polytheists] 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, chaos and anarchy are still going on in the region is in complete agreement with the hadith.

4. Stopping the Flow of the Euphrates:

5. Lunar and Solar Eclipses During Ramadan:

6. The Occupation of Afghanistan:

The hadith may well refer to Afghanistan's being invaded in the time of the blessed Mahdi. 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 the Mahdi will appear at the beginning of that century. The fact that many other portents regarding the blessed Mahdi 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 the Mahdi.

7. Sighting a Flare in the East:

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.

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 aw ay.

An endless litany 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.

8. The Rise of a 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 The Miracles of 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, 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 the Mahdi, who will be descended from the 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 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 19th 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:

10. A Sign Out of the Sun:

11. A Solar Eclipse:

12. The Appearance of Dusty, Smoky Strife:

13. A Change of Systems:

In this hadith, our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) foretold that the Mahdi 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:

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 Makka and Madina lie).

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).

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

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:

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 the Mahdi's coming, and hence of Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming, may already have taken place. (Allah knows best.) 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:

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 U.S.A. and the U.N. 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:

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:

20. The Restructuring of Iraq:

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:

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. Fitna in Damascus:

This hadith very probably refers to the chaos 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 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. Chaos in Damascus, Iraq, and Arabian Peninsula:

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:

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 32th and 36th parallels, south of the 32th parallel, and north of the 36th parallel.

25. War in the Streets:

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 best.)

26. The Occurrence of Great and Astonishing Events:

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, the Mahdi's 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, and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi died.

- 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 millions of people and is known as a modern-day plague."

- 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 hurricanes, tornadoes, whirlwinds, and floods caused by El Niño led to the deaths of thousands of people, to millions fleeing their homes, and to billions of dollars worth of damage.

- 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.

- 1,500 people died in an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale in Iran on 10 May 1997.

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

- 1,171 people were killed in an earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale in Columbia on 25 January 1999.

- More than 2,100 people died in an earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale in Taiwan on 21 September 1999.

- 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.

- 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.

- 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 208 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 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.

27. The Loss of Hope of the Coming of the Mahdi:

The above hadith reveals that another of the portents of the End Times is people's increasing abandonment of belief in the Mahdi's coming. This state of mind can frequently be observed in the present day. Despite the existence of countless hadiths about the Mahdi's coming, 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 fitna as "hard times" such as civil strife, war, or riots, during which evil forces attempt to weaken and even eradicate people's faith.

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:

Briefly, the following events will take place before the End Times and the Mahdi's 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- Fitna: 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 an environment that allows the communication of Allah's message: Believers will be hindered from enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, and a spiritual decline will occur as a result.

Such fitna 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.

The Mahdi will appear when such fitna is prevalent.

Other hadiths and Islamic scholars state that the Mahdi will appear when a particular type of fitna has become worldwide.

29. The Emergence of Widespread Slaughter:

The hadith forecasts massacres that will occur all over the world.

During the twentieth century's two world wars, an estimated 65 million people were killed. The number of civilians slaughtered for political reasons during the same century is estimated to be well over 180 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 21st 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 Chaos and Conflict:

As these hadiths reveal, such chaos will spread around the world. Indeed, many countries have been ruined, either wholly or in part, by chaos, 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 Chaos:

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 chaos.

32. The Killing of Women, Children and the Innocent:

While the hadiths about the Mahdi's emergence mention such massacres as commonplace, 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:

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 its 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 U.N. 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:

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 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 Fitna will Spread Everywhere:

The hadiths speak of a corruption that will touch everybody and spread quickly. This corruption 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 designed 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, corruption's global pervasiveness and rapid spread 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, corruption 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. All of these are among the important signs that the Mahdi's advent and the second coming of Prophet Jesus (pbuh) coincide with the present time.

37. Religious Prohibitions Gain Acceptance:

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):

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:

"The letters of the Basmillah" 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, the Mahdi 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:

40. Fitna Alienates People from the Qur'an:

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 Doomsday 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 corruption 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 corruption 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 corruption, the engagement of the tongue in corruption 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 corruption 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:

42. The Appearance of False Prophets:

43. People Who Exploit Religion for Their Personal Interests:

44. The Number of True Believers Being Very Few:

45. The Oppression on True Believers:

Another of the portents of the coming of the blessed Mahdi 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:

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

- The Spread of Atheist Ideologies:

- 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:

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.

47. The Concepts of Virtue and Vice Change Places:

48. Fighting Among Muslims:

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:

50. An Increase in the Number of Earthquakes:

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 1980-2003, the number of earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.5 or greater on the Richter scale was 1,685. 25 These figures reveal that the number of earthquakes had increased by the beginning of the year Hijri 1400.

51. Drought:

The threat of drought--a consequence of global warming today--influences many parts of our world.

52. Winds and Tornadoes:

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 designed 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 in 2007, ended in the loss of 3,200 lives and wreaked terrible destruction. Waves up to 6 meters 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:

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:

The hadiths relate that the increased amount of lightning is a sign of Doomsday. 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:

56. Conversion of Homes into Graves:

57. Epidemics:

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, and bird flu, all of which have become grave threats.

58. People Fleeing One Another:

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:

60. Poverty and Hunger:

61. Abandoning Almsgiving:

62. An Increase in Murders:

63. Increase in Suicides:

64. Moral Degeneration: