There are a variety of beliefs and doctrines held by religions across the globe, and they all differ with regards to the events preceding the end times. But all agree on one thing – the end is nigh!
Judaism, for example, envisages the coming of the Messiah, the defeat of the Gentile nations, the establishment of Israel (Zionists have jumped the gun on this one), the return of the exiled and finally the establishment of God’s authority on the earth.
Christianity, on the other hand, has Jesus Christ return as both judge and conqueror to vanquish all those who rejected him as the Messiah, judge the nations of the world, and rule over a Messianic kingdom for all time.
Islam, however, is quite different. As Muslims believe the Qur’an is Al-Furqan – the criterion between what is truth and falsehood in the previous revelations – it behoves us to look at this final message as well as the Prophetic hadith (narrations) for the correct perspective on the end times.
One scholarly work that stands out in this field is Signs Before the Day of Judgement, based on Ibn Kathir’s monumental Al Bidayah wal Nihayah (The Beginning and the End). In this Islamic classic, both the minor and major signs that herald the end times are detailed with evidence from both the Qu’ran and Sunnah (the sayings and living habits of Muhammad).
From the minor signs, and generally speaking, we are informed that fornication and adultery will be prevalent. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that this has never happened without new diseases befalling the people, which their ancestors had not known.
Not only will fornication and adultery be rife, but it will also be done in the open and the children of such unions will be many. The consumption of intoxicants will be widespread; there will be killing and murder to the extent that people will not even know why they are committing the act. Great distances will be traversed in a short space of time and indecency in dress and manners will be commonplace.
With regard to Muslims, we are told that the barefooted, naked Bedouins will compete in constructing the tallest buildings, that the nations of the earth will gather against the Muslims like hungry people gather around a plate of food – and that this will happen when the Muslims are great in number.
The major signs include the coming of the Mahdi, whose reign will bring about a time of peace and prosperity. Then the antichrist (Masih ad-Dajjal) will emerge and a time of hardship will ensue until Jesus returns to destroy him. Jesus will remain for 40 years before dying, and the Muslims will pray over him, as he was a Muslim.
At this time Gog and Magog (Ya’jooj wa Majooj) will break free from their bonds and create havoc, a great beast (Ad-Daabbah) will be unleashed upon the earth, and finally the sun will rise in the west, by which time it will be too late for those who have rejected Allah and His final messenger, Muhammad.
The Prophet (salla Allaahu 'alayhi wa salaam) said: “The hour will not be established until the sun rises from the west. And when it rises and the people see it, they will all believe, and that will be when no good will it do for a person to believe then, if he believed not before nor earned good [by doing good deeds], through his faith’ (Surat-ul-Ana’aam 6:158).
As you can see, Islam offers a far more detailed account of the end times. Many of the minor signs have already occurred as they were foretold, and we have every reason to believe that the end is indeed near.
Liam Egan is South East branch manager with MPACIE (Muslim Public Affairs Committee Ireland)
