SIGNS OF THE LAST DAY MUST READ

SIGNS OF THE LAST DAY MUST READ

Ibn Hajar Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Aalamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, 

A Hand from the Skies

	The sign of that day: A hand will be extended from the sky, and people will look and see it. (Ibn Hajar Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Aalamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 53)

	The sign of that day is a hand extended in the sky and people stopping to look at it. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 69) In these hadiths, the Arabic word for "hand" is yad. This word also has other meanings, such as "power, force, strength, and means." These hadiths probably use yad in these senses. The idea of a "power, force, strength, or means" extending from the sky and looked upon by people might not have made much sense in the past. However, in our own time, it sheds considerable light on the television, camera, and computer, which have become indispensable parts of modern life. In other words, the "hand" is used in the sense of "force," thereby clearly pointing to television broadcasting in the form of pictures coming down from the sky in waves. Some other relevant hadiths are very interesting: A voice will call him by name and even people in the east and west will hear it. (Ibn Hajar Haythami, Al Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, pp. 54-55) This voice will spread over the entire world, and every tribe will hear it in their own language. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 51) A voice from the sky that everyone will hear in his own language. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-zaman, p. 37) Evidently, this refers to radio, television, and other such methods of modern communication. This miracle, unimaginable 1,400 years ago, only became a reality a little over 100 years ago. When Bediuzzaman Said Nursi interpreted these hadiths, he explained that they miraculously foretold the advent of radio, television, and other such communication devices. Hearing One's Own Voice There will be no Judgment... until a person's own voice speaks to him. (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 471) The message here is quite clear: a person's hearing his own voice is a characteristic of the End  Times. For this to become a reality, one's voice first has to be recorded. Such recording and reproduction technology was developed during the twentieth century. This turning point in the advancement of science enabled the birth of the communications and media industries. Voice recording has now reached its apogee via the latest developments in computer and laser technology. In short, such electronic devices as microphones and speakers have made it possible to record and listen to a person's voice, and thus have fulfilled the above hadith. People Talking through the End of the Whip The Last Hour will not come before the end of a man's whip speaks to him. (Tirmidhi) In ancient times, the whip was widely used while riding saddle beasts, especially camels and horses. In this hadith, the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) is making a comparison. Thus, "what speaking object can we compare to the shape of a whip?" The most likely answer would be a cell phone or similar communication devices. Such wireless communication devices as cell phones and satellite phones are very recent developments, and are more indications that the Judgment Day is drawing near. Markets Draw Closer ... The Day of Judgment will not come until the markets draw close by. (Mecmauz-zevaid, vol. 7, p. 327) Current opportunities for shopping are now incomparably more advanced than they were in the past. Even villages and small towns have supermarkets and shopping centers in which people can shop at will. In addition, improved methods of transportation allow them to shop in previously inaccessible places. The Internet has opened up even more opportunities for shopping. While sitting at home, people can buy whatever they want from anyplace in the world. Looked at in these terms, it is as if the markets were actually in peoples' homes. The Construction of Tall Buildings There will be no [Day of] Judgment until very tall buildings are constructed. (Narrated by Abu Hurayra) When the shepherds would vie with one another in constructing buildings, it is one the signs of the Last Hour. (Sahih Muslim) Multistoried buildings began to be constructed only toward the end of the nineteenth century. Technological developments, the growing use of steel and elevators accelerated the construction of skyscrapers, which became an important part of architecture during the last 100 years. Today, they are symbols of prestige for some people. Some of the tallest buildings are as follows: CNN Tower (Canada) - 555 m. Oriental Pearl TV Tower (China) - 467 m. Petronas Tower 1 & 2 (Malaysia) - 449 m. Sears Tower (Chicago) - 443 m.39 This hadith has been fulfilled, for people now compete in building tall buildings, and nations compete in building the tallest skyscrapers. It is surely a miracle that our Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) informed us that this would be an important sign that we are living in the End Times, the period before Doomsday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A Rise in Urbanisation "O Anas! People will build cities. Some of those cities will be called 'Basra and Kusaire'." (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi) Especially with the Industrial Revolution, the influences of which began to be felt after the 1850s, rural people started settling in cities. Since then, the world's urban population has increased steadily. Research reveals that by 2020, Turkey will be 80 percent urbanized.38 This previously unseen development is an obvious sign of the End Times. Building, city Year Stories Height Rank m ft 1. Burj Khalifa (formerly Burj Dubai), Dubai, The United Arab Emirates 2010 160 828 2,716 2. Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan 2004 101 508 1,667 3. World Financial Center, Shanghai, China 2008 101 492 1,614 4. Petronas Tower 1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1998 88 452 1,483 5. Petronas Tower 2, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1998 88 452 1,483 6. Greenland Financial Center, Nanjing, China 2009 66 450 1,476 7. Sears Tower, Chicago 1974 110 442 1,451 8. Guangzhou West Tower, Guangzhou, China 2009 103 438 1,435 9. Jin Mao Building, Shanghai, China 1999 88 421 1,381 10. Two International Finance Centre, Hong Kong 2003 88 415 1,362 11. Trump International Hotel, Chicago, U.S. 2009 96 415 1,362 12. CITIC Plaza, Guangzhou, China 1996 80 391 1,283 13. Shun Hing Square, Shenzhen, China 1996 69 384 1,260 14. Empire State Building, New York 1931 102 381 1,250 15. Central Plaza, Hong Kong 1992 78 374 1,227 16. Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong 1989 70 367 1,205 17. Bank of America Tower, New York City, U.S. 2009 54 366 1,200 18. Almas Tower, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2009 68 363 1,191 19. Emirates Tower One, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 1999 54 355 1,165 20. Tuntex Sky Tower, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 1997 85 348 1,140 21. Aon Centre, Chicago 1973 80 346 1,136 22. The Center, Hong Kong 1998 73 346 1,135 23. John Hancock Center, Chicago 1969 100 344 1,127 24. Rose Tower, Dubai 2007 72 333 1,093 25. Shimao International Plaza, Shanghai 2006 60 333 1,093 26. Minsheng Bank Building, Wuhan, China 2007 68 331 1,087 27. Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang, N. Korea 1995 105 330 1,083 28. China World Trade Center, Beijing, China 2009 74 330 1,083 29. The Index, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2009 80 328 1,076 30. Q1, Gold Coast, Australia 2005 78 323 1,058 31. Burj al Arab Hotel, Dubai 1999 60 321 1,053 32. Chrysler Building, New York 1930 77 319 1,046 33. Nina Tower I, Hong Kong 2006 80 319 1,046 34. New York Times Building, New York 2007 52 319 1,046 35. Bank of America Plaza, Atlanta 1993 55 317 1,039 36. U.S. Bank Tower, Los Angeles 1990 73 310 1,018 37. Menara Telekom Headquarters, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1999 55 310 1,017 38. Emirates Tower Two, Dubai 2000 56 309 1,014 39. AT&T Corporate Center, Chicago 1989 60 307 1,007 40. The Address Downtown Burj Dubai, Dubai, U.A.E. 2008 63 306 1,004 41. JP Morgan Chase Tower, Houston 1982 75 305 1,002 42. Baiyoke Tower II, Bangkok 1997 85 304 997 43. Two Prudential Plaza, Chicago 1990 64 303 995 44. Wells Fargo Plaza, Houston 1983 71 302 992 45. Kingdom Centre, Riyadh 2002 41 302 992 46. Aspire Tower, Doha 2006 36 300 984 47. Arraya 2, Kuwait City, Kuwait 2009 56 300 984 48. One Island East Centre, Hong Kong, China 2008 69 298 979 49. First Bank Tower, Toronto 1975 72 298 978 50. Shanghai Wheelock Square, Shanghai, China 2009 58 298 978 51. Eureka Tower, Melbourne 2006 91 297 975 52. Comcast Center, Philadelphia, U.S. 2008 57 297 975 53. Landmark Tower, Yokohama, Japan 1993 73 296 971 54. Emirates Crown, Dubai, U.A.E 2008 63 296 971 55. 311 South Wacker Drive, Chicago 1990 65 293 961 56. SEG Plaza, Shenzhen, China 2000 71 292 957 57. American International Building, New York 1932 67 290 952 58. Key Tower, Cleveland 1991 57 289 947 59. Plaza 66, Shanghai 2001 66 288 945 60. One Liberty Place, Philadelphia 1987 61 288 945 61. Columbia Center, Seattle, U.S. 1985 76 285 937 62. Millennium Tower, Dubai 2006 59 285 935 63. Sunjoy Tomorrow Square, Shanghai 2003 55 285 934 64. Chongqing World Trade Center, Chongqing, China 2005 60 283 929 65. Cheung Kong Center, Hong Kong 1999 63 283 929 66. The Trump Building, New York 1930 71 283 927 67. Bank of America Plaza, Dallas 1985 72 281 921 68. United Overseas Bank Plaza, Singapore 1992 66 280 919 69. Republic Plaza, Singapore 1995 66 280 919 70. Overseas Union Bank Centre, Singapore 1986 63 280 919 71. Citigroup Center, New York 1977 59 279 915 72. Hong Kong New World Tower, Shanghai 2002 61 278 913 73. Diwang International Commerce Center, Nanning, China 2006 54 276 906 74. Scotia Plaza, Toronto 1989 68 275 902 75. Williams Tower, Houston 1983 64 275 901 76. Moscow, Moscow 2009 73 274 900 77. Wuhan World Trade Tower, Wuhan, China 1998 60 273 896 78. Cullinan North Tower, Hong Kong 2007 68 270 886 79. Cullinan South Tower, Hong Kong 2007 68 270 886 80. Renaissance Tower, Dallas 1975 56 270 886 81. China International Center Tower B, Guangzhou, China 2007 62 270 884 82. Dapeng International Plaza, Guangzhou, China 2006 56 269 883 83. One Luijiazui, Shanghai, China 2008 47 269 883 84. 21st Century Tower, Dubai 2003 55 269 883 85. Naberezhnaya Tower C, Moscow 2007 61 268 881 86. Al Faisaliah Center, Riyadh 2000 30 267 876 87. 900 North Michigan Ave., Chicago 1989 66 265 871 88. Bank of America Corporate Center, Charlotte 1992 60 265 871 89. SunTrust Plaza, Atlanta 1992 60 265 871 90. Al Kazim Tower 1, Dubai, U.A.E 2008 53 265 871 91. Al Kazim Tower 2, Dubai, U.A.E 2008 53 265 871 92. BOCOM Financial Towers, Shanghai 1999 52 265 869 93. 120 Collins Street, Melbourne 1991 52 265 869 94. Triumph Palace, Moscow 2005 57 264 866 95. Tower Palace Three, Tower G, Seoul 2004 73 264 865 96. Trump World Tower, New York 2001 72 262 861 97. Shenzhen Special Zone Daily Tower, Shenzhen, China 1998 48 262 860 98. Water Tower Place, Chicago 1976 74 262 859 99. Grand Gateway Plaza I, Shanghai 2005 52 262 859 100. Grand Gateway Plaza II, Shanghai 2005 52 262 859 This figure is certainly the highest in human history. The Shortening of Time (Buhari, Fiten: 25; Ahmed bin Hanbel, Müsned, 2/313)The Hour will not arrive until time gets shorter and vehicles make distances short. (Sahih Bukhari) The Hour will not come until a person who travels on his mount feels no fear other than losing his way between Iraq and Makkah. (Muntakhab Kanz al-`Ummal, vol. 2, pp. 370-71) The Last Day will not be established until time will pass quickly. (Sahih Bukhari) Great distances will be traversed in short spans of time. (Ibn Ahmad Hanbal, Musnad) In our time, supersonic aircraft, trains, and other advanced vehicles can carry us to a certain place in hours instead of months. Moreover, they can do so more easily, comfortably, and safely. In this sense, this sign has come true. The Qur'an mentions vehicles that are the product of modern advanced technology: And horses, mules, and donkeys both to ride and for adornment. And He creates other things you do not know. (Surat an-Nahl, 16:8) Other hadiths mention the contraction of time, as follows: Time gets closer, and the day and the night approach one another. (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 374, no. 681) The Hour will not take place before time shrinks. One year will be like a month, one month will be like a week, a week will be like a day, and a day will be like an hour; and an hour will be like a burning flame. (Ibn Ahmad Hanbal, Musnad) Abu Hurayra quoted that the Prophet of God (may God bless him and grant him peace) as saying: The Last Hour will not happen until time draws close, a year will be like a month, a month will be like a week, a week will be like a day, a day will be like an hour, and an hour will be like burning and combustion of palm leaves. (Ibn Ahmad Hanbal and Ibn Hibban) These hadiths also indicate that people will save lots of time. International communication that used to take weeks now takes a couple of seconds, thanks to the Internet and other modern communications technology. Goods that took months to reach their destinations can now be transported far more quickly. Today, millions of books can be published in the time it took to write just one book a few centuries ago. Daily things we now take for granted, such as hygiene, methods of food preparation, and child-care, no longer require as much time, thanks to modern technological inventions. We could easily provide many more examples. However, what is important here is that we realize that the signs revealed by the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) are now coming true. Increased Literacy It is of the conditions of the Hour that the learning will be raised up and illiteracy will be prevalent... (Mishkat-ul-Masabih, vol.4, no 58) A significant difference that distinguishes the twentieth and the twenty-first centuries from previous ages is the advance in literacy. In earlier times, this ability was restrictedto a particular group of privileged people, whereas, toward the end of the twentieth century, UNESCO and other government and private organizations organized worldwide campaigns to promote literacy. This mobilization of educational resources, with its attendant technological innovations and humanitarian services, has born great fruit, for according to one UNESCO report, the average literacy rate in 2003 was 84%.,,,,,,,,                       ALLAH HO AKBAR WASALAAM POWERSUNISAIFI 27-2-2011