21: The conquest of Constantinople by the Muslims.
Constantinople was the capital city of the Roman Empire, the Eastern Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire.
Constantinople was important for the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. When the Ottoman Turks took the city, it was a symbol of the rise of Islam and the fall of the center of Christianity, making the Ottoman Empire the most powerful in all of South Eastern Europe and marking the end of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Among the signs of the last hour is the conquest of the city by the Muslims.
Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet saying: “The Last Hour would not come until the Romans would land at al-A’maq or in Dabiq. An army consisting of the best (soldiers) of the people of the earth at that time will come from Madinah (to counteract them). When they will arrange themselves in ranks, the Romans would say: Do not stand between us and those (Muslims) who took prisoners from amongst us. Let us fight with them; and the Muslims would say: Nay, by Allah, we would never get aside from you and from our brethren that you may fight them. They will then fight and a third (part) of the army would run away, whom Allah will never forgive. A third (part of the army) which would be constituted of excellent martyrs in Allah’s eye, would be killed and the third, who would never be put to trial, would win and they would be conquerors of Constantinople. And as they would be busy in distributing the spoils of war (amongst themselves), after hanging their swords by the olive trees, the Satan would cry: The Dajjal has taken your place among your family. They would then come out, but it would be of no avail. And when they would come to Syria, he would come out while they would be still preparing themselves for battle drawing up the ranks. Certainly, the time of prayer shall come and then Isa, son of Maryam, would descend and would lead them in prayer. When the enemy of Allah would see him, it would (disappear) just as the salt dissolves itself in water and if he (Isa) were not to confront them at all, even then it would dissolve completely, but Allah would kill them by his hand and he would show them their blood on his weapon (the weapon of Isa).”
Reported by Imam Muslim.
22: Stones and trees will help the Muslims fight against the Jews.
Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet saying: “The last Hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allaah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad(a tree in Israel) would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.”
Reported by Imam Muslim.
23: The nations of the Earth will gather against the Muslims like hungry people going to sit at a table full of food.
This will occur when the Muslims are large in number, but “like the foam of the sea”.
Thauban reported that the Prophet said, “It is near that the nations will call one another against you, just as the eaters call one another to their dishes.” Somebody asked, “Is this because we will be few in numbers that day?” He said, “Nay, that day you shall be numerous, but you will be like the foam of the sea, and Allah will take the fear of you away from your enemies and will place weakness into your hearts.” Somebody asked, “What is this weakness?” He said, “The love of the world and the dislike of death.”
Sunan Abu Dawud.
24: Women will outnumber men, eventually the ratio will be 50 women to 1 man.
Narrated by Anas bin Malik: I heard from Allah’s Messenger a narration which none other than I will narrate to you.
The Prophet said, “From among the portents of the Hour are the following: General ignorance (in religious affairs) will prevail, (religious) knowledge will decrease, illegal sexual intercourse will prevail, alcoholic drinks will be drunk (in abundance), men will decrease and women will increase, so much so that, for every 9fifty women there will be one man to look after them.”
Saheeh Bukhari
25: Men disobedience to their parents and obedience to their wives.
Among the signs of this last hour is when a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother; and treats his friend kindly while shunning his father.
Ali ibn Abi Talib said, “The Prophet said:
“If my Ummah bears fifteen traits, tribulation will befall it.’ Someone asked, ‘What are they, O Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘When any gain is shared out only among the rich, with no benefit to the poor; when a trust becomes a means of making a profit; when paying Zakat becomes a burden; when a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother; and treats his friend kindly whilst shunning his father; when voices are raised in the mosques; when the leader of a people is the worst of them; when people treat a man with respect because they fear some evil he may do; when much wine is drunk; when men wear silk; when female singers and musical instruments become popular; when the last ones of this Ummah curse the first ones – then let them expect a red wind, or the earth to swallow them, or to be transformed into animals.’ “
Recorded by Tirmidhi.
In this particular hadeeth of Ali radiya Allahu anhu, we can learn about more signs of this hour.
To be continued…