The Three Landslides
As quoted earlier in a hadeeth (saying of ProphetMuhammad), among the major signs of the Day of Judgment are the threelandslides that will occur. One will occur in the East, one in the West andone in the Arabian Peninsula. Not much further information has been givenconcerning these events—and therefore not much can be added. However, thewell-known hadeeth exegete ibn Hajar does note that landslides are awell-known occurrence and have occurred often. Therefore, he says, it islikely that the nature of these three landslides which will occur shortlybefore the Day of Judgment will be of a much greater magnitude and severity,setting them apart from what occurs customarily in this world.[1]And God alone knows best.
The Smoke
Among the major signs mentioned by the Prophet, may themercy and blessings of God be upon him, is that of “the smoke.” God refers tothis event in the Quran, saying:
“Then wait you for the Day when thesky will bring forth a visible smoke, covering the people, this will be apainful torment” (Quran 44:10-11)
Again, beyond what has been stated explicitly by theProphet, very little comment can be made concerning this sign. However, thereis a hadeeth in which the Prophet said:
“Verily, your Lord haswarned you concerning three [matters]: the smoke that overtakes the believerlike a cold and overtakes the disbeliever and makes him swollen until it comesout of his ears.”
The Rising of the Sun from the West
According to a large number of the Quranic commentators,based on the hadeeth of the Prophet, the italicized portion of the followingverse is in reference to the phenomenon of the rising of the sun from the Westjust prior to the Day of Resurrection:
“Do they then wait foranything other than that the angels should come to them, or that your Lordshould come, or that some Signs of your Lord should come! The day thatsome of the Signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a person tobelieve then, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by performing deedsof righteousness) through his Faith. Say [to the disbelievers], ‘Wait you! We(too) are waiting’” (Quran 6:158).
In an authentic narration, theProphet recited this verse after mentioning the people see the rising of thesun from the West. Thus, al-Bukhari records, that the Prophet said:
“The hour will not beestablished till the sun rises from the West; and when it rises (from the West)and the people see it, they all will believe. And that is (the time) when nogood will it do to a soul to believe then.” Then he recited the complete verse(6:158).
In numerous narrations, the Prophet has made itabundantly clear that the nature of this sign is such that no one would haveany reason to doubt, question or refuse to believe after seeing it. When anindividual experiences a sign of this nature, the reality virtually becomesexposed to him and, therefore, there is no longer any sense of a trial or test.In fact, at that time, the test is over and the individual is already seeingthe results unfolding in front of his/her very eyes. That is why “conversion”to faith will have no meaning at that time and will not be acceptable by God.[2]
However, before this occurs, the door to repentance to Godand His mercy is always open—such is how great the mercy of God is but it isalso just and based on wisdom. Thus, Muslim recorded that the Prophet said:
“He who seeks repentance (fromthe Lord) before the rising of the sun from the west (before the Day ofResurrection), God turns to him with Mercy.”
The rising of the sun from the West is one of threegreatly definitive signs of this nature. Thus, the Prophet said:
“When three things appearfaith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived nogood from his faith: the rising of the sun in its place of setting, theDajjaal, and the beast of the earth.”[3]
Muslim also recorded that the Prophet said:
“The first sign[4]would be the appearance of the sun from the west, the appearance of the beastbefore the people in the forenoon and which of the two happens first, thesecond one would follow immediately after that.”
This leads directly into the next sign which is theappearance of the Beast of the Earth.
The Beast of the Earth
God says in the Quran,
“And when the Word (of torment) isfulfilled against them, We shall bring out from the earth a beast to them,which will speak to them because mankind believed not with certainty in OurSigns” (al-Naml 27:82).
This verse referrs to the beastof the earth who will appear shortly before the Day of Judgment.
When the Beast comes, it will distinguish the people anddeclare who is a believer and who is a disbeliever. Ahmad recorded that theProphet said:
“The beast will appear andhe will brand the people on their noses. The people will then go on livingwith this branding such that a person will buy a camel and when he is asked, ‘Fromwhom did you buy it?’ he will reply, ‘From one of the branded people.’” (Al-Albani)
The Fire that Will Gather the People
This is the last of the great signs. After this startsthe beginning of a new experience and creation. Muslim records a hadeeth inwhich the Prophet stated the ten major signs and it concludes with, “at theend of which fire would burn forth from the Yemen, and would drive people tothe place of their assembly.” One can only imagine the intensity of thisfire and the shear horror and fear that the individuals alive at that time willexperience. After this, all that will be left is for the masses of humanity tobe resurrected and to face the reckoning of their Lord.
Final Words
No one, of course, can say why God has chosen to endthis creation in the remarkable and amazing fashion that He has so chosen. Thisis truly an amazing and marvelous creation and perhaps it is fitting that itshould be brought to an end via amazing and marvelous events. In any case, a Muslimknows with full certainty that this is what is going to occur, as the Quran andProphet have described these events. These events will occur and the Hour willbe established. With the Hour comes judgment and this is what every humanshould be thinking about and preparing for, especially as he/she is readingabout these events that shall occur before that momentous occasion.
Footnotes:
[1]Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Baari, vol. 13, p. 84.
[2]The classic example of this nature found in the Quran is that of the Pharaoh.Once it became clear that he was facing his death, he proclaimed his belief.
[3]Recorded by Muslim.
[4]“The first sign” here is understood to mean the first of the extraordinarysigns and not of the signs in general, as obviously these will occur after thecoming of the Dajjaal and the return of Jesus.
