The last major sign which will appear before the Hour begins will be a fire which will emerge from the bottom of ‘Aden and will drive the people towards their place of gathering. The Prophet صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said in the hadith the meaning of which is that it will emerge from Yemen and drive the people towards their place of gathering.
The following ahaadeeth describe this sign:
The hadeeth of Hudhayfah ibn Usayd which mentions the major signs of the Hour, in which the Prophet صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said: ” The last of that will be the emergence of a fire from Yemen, from the lowest part of Aden, and drive mankind to their place of assembly”. ( Sunan Abi Dawud 4311).
- The hadeeth of Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) which states that when ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam embraced Islam, he asked the Prophet صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ about a number of issues, including the first sign of the Hour. The Prophet صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said: “As for the first sign of The Hour, it will be a fire that will collect the people from the East to the West.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3938).
- Ibn ‘Umar رَضِى اللهُ عَنْه said: “The Messenger of Allaah صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said: ‘Fire will emerge from Hadramawt or from the sea of Hadramawt (according to another report: from the direction of Hadramawt or from Hadramawt – Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh) before the Day of Judgement, and it will drive the people (ahead of it).'” (Reported by Ahmad, 7/133; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3603).
A number of saheeh ahaadeeth describe how this fire will gather the people together. Abu Hurayrah رَضِى اللهُ عَنْه reported that the Prophet صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said:
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said, “The people will be gathered in three ways: (The first way will be of) those who will wish or have a hope (for Paradise) and will have a fear (of punishment), (The second batch will be those who will gather) riding two on a camel or three on a camel or ten on a camel. (The third batch) the rest of the people will be urged to gather by the Fire which will accompany them at the time of their afternoon nap and stay with them where they will spend the night, and will be with them in the morning wherever they may be then, and will be with them in the afternoon wherever they may be then.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6522)
