What are the Signs of the Hour?
Let us look at what Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said about the Signs of the Hour:
Narrated Abu Huraira: "Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established (1) till two big groups fight each other whereupon there will be a great number of casualties on both sides and they will be following one and the same religious doctrine, (2) till about thirty Dajjals (liars) appear, and each one of them will claim that he is Allah's Apostle, (3) till the religious knowledge is taken away (by the death of Religious scholars) (4) earthquakes will increase in number (5) time will pass quickly, (6) afflictions will appear, (7) Al-Harj, (i.e., killing) will increase, (8) till wealth will be in abundance ---- so abundant that a wealthy person will worry lest nobody should accept his Zakat, and whenever he will present it to someone, that person (to whom it will be offered) will say, 'I am not in need of it, (9) till the people compete with one another in constructing high buildings, (10) till a man when passing by a grave of someone will say, 'Would that I were in his place (11) and till the sun rises from the West. So when the sun will rise and the people will see it (rising from the West) they will all believe (embrace Islam) but that will be the time when: (As Allah said,) 'No good will it do to a soul to believe then, if it believed not before, nor earned good (by deeds of righteousness) through its Faith.' (6.158) And the Hour will be established while two men spreading a garment in front of them but they will not be able to sell it, nor fold it up; and the Hour will be established when a man has milked his she-camel and has taken away the milk but he will not be able to drink it; and the Hour will be established before a man repairing a tank (for his livestock) is able to water (his animals) in it; and the Hour will be established when a person has raised a morsel (of food) to his mouth but will not be able to eat it." (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Afflictions and the End of the World, Volume 9, Book 88, Number 237)"
According to Islam, the eleven Signs above must occur in order for the Hour to come. Sign #9 above fascinates me. How can an illiterate Bedouin living in the middle of the desert 1400 years ago like Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him know that we today will have high buildings and sky scrapers?
As to the rising of the sun from the west, it will occur exactly when the Universal "Cosmic Crunch" occurs. It will be the time when:
"The Day ye shall see it, every mother giving suck shall forget her suckling-babe, and every pregnant female shall drop her load (unformed): thou shalt see mankind as in a drunken riot, yet not drunk: but dreadful will be the Wrath of God. (The Noble Quran, 22:2)"
"The Day that We roll up the heavens like a scroll rolled up for books (completed),- even as We produced the first creation, so shall We produce a new one: a promise We have undertaken: truly shall We fulfil it. (The Noble Quran, 21:104)"
To see the scientific information that confirms Allah Almighty's claims in the Noble Quran about the Universe, please visit The Big Bang Theory and the Cosmic Crunch in the Noble Quran.
The rising of the sun from the west will be the last Sign to occur, and it will be the "too late" Sign to occur for the disbelievers to convert to Islam. As Prophet Muhammad quoted Noble Verse 6:158 to further elaborate on this Sign:
"Are they waiting to see If the angels come to them, Or thy Lord (Himself), Or certain of the Signs Of thy Lord! The day that certain Of the Signs of thy Lord Do come, no good Will it do to a soul To believe in them then, If it believed not before Nor earned righteousness Through its Faith. Say: "Wait ye: we too Are waiting." (The Noble Quran, 6:158)"
All of the factors that will cause for the Cosmic Crunch to occur and for the sun to rise from the west will be the "certain Of the Signs of thy Lord" that will ultimately end the life of this World.
Science in the Noble Quran and Islam.
The Big Bang Theory and the Cosmic Crunch in the Noble Quran.
Prophecies and Miracles in Islam.
Prophecies from Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
Can Muhammad or any other Prophet make a Prophecy? Simple refutation to the "Quran only" Muslims.