With regard to the order in which the portents of the Hour will appear, there is some difference of opinion among the scholars, the reason being that no such order of events is narrated in the Sunnah. However, the scholars have determined the order of some of the events, as follows:
- The sending of the Prophet صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ and his death;
- Split of moon “The hour of judgment is near, and the moon is split,” (54:1
- The conquest of Jerusalem;
- The plague of ‘Amwas (Emmaus), which is a city in Palestine.
- Widespread wealth and lack of need for charity.
The appearance of Fitan (tribulations). Among the tribulations that occurred in the early years of Islam were: the killing of ‘Uthman رَضِى اللهُ عَنْه , the battle of the camel and the battle of Siffin, the emergence of the Khawarij, the battle of al-Harrah, and the opinion that the Quran is a creation.
6. The emergence of claimants to prophethood, such as the liar Musaylimah and al-Aswad al-‘Anasi.
7. The appearance of fire in the Hijaz, which appeared in the middle of the 7 th century AH, in 654 AH. This was a great fire, which the scholars who were alive at the time of its appearance and those who came after them described in great detail. Al-Nawawi said: There appeared in our time a fire in Madinah, in the year six hundred and fifty-four. It was a very great fire on the eastern side of Madinah, beyond the Harrah, and knowledge of it was widespread throughout Syria and all lands. Those of the people of Madinah who were present told me about it.
8. Loss of trust. One of the manifestations of loss of trust is people’s affairs being entrusted to those who are not qualified or able for that.
9. The taking away of knowledge and the prevalence of ignorance; the taking away of knowledge will occur with the disappearance of the scholars, as it says in al-Sahihayn.
10.The spread of zina (adultery, fornication)
11.The spread of riba (usury, interest)
12.The prevalence of musical instruments.
13.Widespread drinking of alcohol.
14.Shepherds competing in the construction of tall buildings.
15.A slave woman giving birth to her mistress, as is stated in al-Sahihayn. There are several views among the scholars as to what this means. The view favoured by Ibn Hajar is that there will be widespread disobedience among children, so that a child will treat his mother as a master treats his slave woman, with negligence and insults.
16.Widespread killing.
17.Widespread earthquakes.
18.Appearance of landslides, transformations and stones from heaven.
19.Appearance of women who are clothed yet naked.
20.Believer’s dreams coming true.
21.Widespread giving of false testimony and concealment of true testimony.
22.Large numbers of women.
23.The land of the Arabs becoming once again meadows and rivers.
24.The Euphrates will uncover a mountain of gold.
25.Wild animals and inanimate objects will speak to people.
26.The “Romans” will increase in number and fight the Muslims.
27.The conquest of Constantinople and other signs which are narrated in Sahih Ahadith from the Prophet صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ.
