Evils That Will Occur At The End Of Times, Of Which Some Are Taking Place In Our Age

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Evils That Will Occur At The End Of Times, Of Which Some Are Taking Place In Our Age (1/2)

Imam Ibn Kathir


The Prophet Spoke Of Evils That Were To Occur After His Time
'Ataa ibn Abee Rabaah related that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (radhyAllahu ‘anhu) said, "The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu’alaihi wa sallam) came to us and said,
"O group of Muhaajireen, five practices — if you are afflicted with them...and I seek refuge in Allah from you reaching them:
(1) evil does not spread throughout a people to the extent that they proclaim it openly except that plague and hunger will spread among them, to such a degree that was previously unknown by their predecessors;
(2) people will not reduce in measurement (i.e., by cheating with scales when buying and selling) except that they will be overtaken by drought in the lands, by burdensome obligations, and by the oppression of the ruler upon them;
(3) they will not refuse to pay Zakaat on their wealth except that they will be prevented rain from the sky, and were it not for livestock, they would not receive rain (altogether);
(4) they will not break Allah's covenant and the covenant of His Messenger (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) except that their external enemies will be given reign to subjugate them, enemies that will take something from what is in their hands;
(5) and as long as their Imams do not rule by Allah's Book and they mock what Allah revealed, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) will make their strength to be used among themselves — against one another." (Reported by Ibn Maajah)
Ibn Maajah was alone in relating the narration and it does have some Gharaabah (strangeness) in it. 'Ali ibn Abi Taalib (radhyAllahu ‘anhu) related that the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, "When my nation does fifteen practices, calamity befalls it." It was asked, "And what are they, O Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam)?” He said,
1) When the spoils of war are hoarded by some members of society only;
2) when people take for themselves things that are left with them as a trust, considering those things to be booty;
3) when Zakaat is taken unwillingly from the people (as if they feel it is a burden or tax);
4 and 5) when a man obeys his wife but disobeys his mother;
6 and 7) when a man treats his friend well but is harsh and distant with his father;
8) when voices are raised in mosques;
9) when the leader of a people is the most base individual among them;
10)when a man is honored because his evil is feared;
11) when alcohol will be imbibed;
12) when silk will be worn (by men);
13) when female singers will be used;
14) when musical instruments will be used;
15) when the last of this nation curses the first of it...at that point wait for a red wind, or the sinking of the earth, or for people to be transformed (into animals).” (Reported by At-Tirmidhee)
At-Tirmidhee then said, "This Hadeeh is Ghareeb; we do not know it from 'Ali (radhyAllahu ‘anhu) except through this chain...some scholars have made remark upon the memory of one of its narrators, Abu Al-Farj ibn Fudaalah. And in another narration, 'Ali ibn Abi Taalib (radhyAllahu ‘anhu) said,
"The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) led us in the Morning Prayer, and when he completed his prayer, a man called out to him, saying, 'When is the Hour?' The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) reproached and scolded the man, and he (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, 'Be quiet.' When the light of the morning appeared, the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) turned his gaze to the sky and said, 'Exalted is He Who raised it and planned it.' He then turned his gaze to the ground and said, 'Exalted is He Who spread it out, and created it.' He then said, 'Where is the questioner about the Hour?'
The man rested on his knees and said, 'I...asked you.' The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, 'That is when the Imams (rulers) will oppress, when people will believe in the stars (astrology) and disbelieve in Qadr (Divine Preordainment); (a time when) people will take for themselves things that were left as trusts with them, considering those things to be spoils; charity will be considered as a burden or tax and wicked deeds will increase — at that time, your people will be destroyed.'" (Reported by Al-Bazzaar)
Abu Hurairah (radhyAllahu ‘anhu) related that the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, "When spoils and trusts are taken as booty; when Zakaat is considered to be a burden (or tax); when knowledge is learned, but not for the religion; when a man obeys his wife but disobeys his mother, brings close his friend while keeping his father at a distance; when voices are raised in the mosques; when the tribe is led by the most wicked one among them; when the leader of a people is the most base individual among them; when a man is honored because his evil is feared; when female singers and musical instruments spread; when alcohol is imbibed; and when the last of this nation curses the first of it — at that point, wait for a red wind, for the sinking of the earth, for Qadhr (two opinions: flying of stones with severe winds or the earth expelling the corpse of the deceased after its burial), and for signs that will follow in sequence like the beads of an old necklace after its string is cut — and they fall in sequence." (Reported by At-Tirmidhee)
'Imraan ibn Husain (radhyAllhu ‘anhu) related that the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, "In this Nation there (will be) the sinking of the earth (and the swallowing of what is on it), transformation (into animals), and Qadhf (flying of stones with severe winds or the earth expelling the corpse of the deceased after its burial)." A man asked, "And when is that, O Messenger of Allah?" He said, "When female singers and musical instruments appear (or become widespread) and when alcohol is imbibed." (Reported by At-Tirmidhee)
At-Tirmidhee said, "This Hadeeth is Ghareeb." And it was related in another narration that is Mursal.
Ibn 'Umar (radhyAllhu ‘anhu) related that the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, "...When my nation walks in an arrogant and haughty manner...Allah will give reign to its evil ones over its good ones." (Reported by At-Tirmidhee)
This Hadeeth is Ghareeb.
Abu Hurairah related that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, "We are the last (of nations) and the first on the Day of Resurrection, and we are the first to enter Paradise." (Reported by Bukhari, Muslim, and An-Nasaaee, and the wording of the above narration is taken from Sunan An-Nasaaee)
'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (radhyAllhu ‘anhu) related that the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, "Indeed Paradise is forbidden for all of the Prophets until I enter it (first); and it is forbidden upon all nations until my nation enters it (first)." (Al-Haafidh Ad-Diyaa related this narration)
Abu Hurairah (radhyAllhu ‘anhu) related that the prophet, said, "Jibreel came to me and showed me the door of Paradise through which my nation will enter." Abu Bakr (radhyAllhu ‘anhu) said, "O Messenger of Allah, I wish I was with you so that I could have seen it." The Messenger of Allah a said, "Indeed, 0 Abu Bakr, you are the first to enter Paradise from my nation." (Reported by Abu Daawood)
The following is established in Bukhari and Muslim: "Allah will say: Admit (into Paradise) whoever from your nation has no reckoning upon him through the Baab Al-Ayman (a door of Paradise); and they will be participating with the people in all of the other doors as well."
In another narration, Abu Hurairah related that the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, "Whoever spends a pair from his wealth (a pair is referring to any two things from the same type of wealth) in the way of Allah, he will be called from the gates of Paradise, and Paradise has gates. So whoever is from the people of prayer, then he is called from the gate of prayer; whoever is from the people of charity (Sadaqah), he is called from the gate of charity; whoever is from the people of Jihaad is called from the gate of Jihaad; whoever is from the people of fasting is called from the gate of Ar-Rayyaan." Abu Bakr (radhyAllhu ‘anhu) said, "By Allah...will there be one who is called from all of them, O Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam)." He (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, "Yes, and I hope that you will be one of them.” (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)
Sahl ibn Sa'ad (radhyAllahu ‘anhu) related that the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, "In Paradise there are eight gates, one of which is called Ar-Rayyaan; none enter it save the people of fasting. When they will have entered through it, it will be closed and none other than them shall enter through it." (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)
(Continued)