Religious Difficulties

Another sign of the approach of the end of days is the difficulties that will be faced by those of religious faith when it comes to practicing or showing their faith.

There will come a time for people that to hold onto one's religion would be like to holding a hot coal in one's hand.

another hadith says;

Woe to the Arabs for a great evil which is nearly upon them: it will be like patches of dark night. A man will wake up as a believer, and be an unbeliever by nightfall. People will sell their religion for a small amount of worldly goods. The one who clings to his religion on that day will be as one who is grasping an ember of thorns.

Many Muslims today will say that they face a certain type of persecution and prejudice since 9/11 for just being Muslims. Many Muslims themselves have even began to openly discuss the negatives of Islam and it can be said that is partly true that being openly religious regardless of religion is looked upon more negatively in these times than in time previously.

The change in Islamic perspective and culture are also signs of the end of days according to the author. Modern, western clothes, music, hairstyles etc are again all signs of the coming Qiyaamah.

"Whoever imitates a people is one of them"

"Do not dress up like the unbelievers"

"The Hour will not rise until tribes of my Ummah will follow the the plytheists in everything."

Again the author suggests that proof is found by looking at the Arab countries of today, who are all following contemporary society, following the best civilization has to offer and ignoring Islamic guidance and rules that forbid such activities, clothes, etc.

Time Will Contract

Truly among the Signs of the Last Days are that time will contract, knowledge will decrease, shortages and miserliness will become prevalent, afflictions will appaear and then there will be much (harj)killing

Of the many explanations, one of the possibilty is the means of travel today and instanteous communication, that makes the difference of time reduced. Cell phones, internet, cars, supersonic jets, satellite communications all help time contract and make our world smaller.

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.

Perhaps its really age that speeds up our perception of time, but to tell the truth, I have noticed that time flies alot faster than it did just 20 years ago.


[edit on 9-25-2007 by worldwatcher]

Additional Signs

Scholars replaced by ignorant leaders
They themselves are misguided and they misguide others

Cites that leaders of various mosques are businessmen, doctors, lawyers and political leaders but not true scholars of Islam. The author also cites the internet and message boards, where "anyone" can claim knowledge without truly being a student of Islam.

The Koran will be opened
There will be trials in which large amounts of money will be collected, and the Quran will be opened to the point that it will be read by both the believer and unbeliever, the woman and the man, the young and old.

The Koran is now widely available in various languages, books and even the internet. Many people, Muslim and non muslim all have access and have read the Koran, and according to the author of the book, we're doing it without in depth knowledge or understanding of its contents and context.

Sex

Clothed but naked
The author cites that even in conservative Muslim countries, the influence of western clothing styles can be seen. The too tight pants, revealing tops, etc, depicts in his opinion the clothed but naked aspect that the prophet spoke of.

Open Sexual Relations
Not to be taken literally as having sex in the streets, but not saying that isn't happening either, the author feels the expressions of love in public are offensive and becoming more and more commonplace even in the arab world. Also the discussion of topics regarding sex or sexual nature would fall under this category (kind of reminds me of how Ahmadinejad dismisses homosexuality in Iran).

Greetings now only reserved to acquaintances

Verily with the Hour there will be: greetings offered only to acquaintances; an increase in trading and business to the extent that the wife will help her husband in working for money; the cutting of family relations; the bearing of false witness; the concealment of truth; and the pre-eminence of the pen

Traditionally every Muslim is to greet his fellow Muslims with "as salaam alekum" regardless of stature or position in the community. However the author cites that with Muslims no longer being identifiable (clothing, hairstyles, headscarfs, prayer caps)no one randomly greets his fellow muslim brother or sister, instead greetings are only reserved for acquaintances.

Businesses are flourishing and in everyone's strive to put food on the table, wives (traditionally don't work) are now joining the workforce and helping support the family. With wives working, the family structure of traditional Islam is also at jeopardy. "Cutting of family relations" can be explained that traditional roles of the family are no longer the same, sons no longer stay with their parents nor do daughters. As soon as adulthood is reached, the family relations are cut as each go on to pursue their own lives. "Cutting of family relations" can also be interpreted as the prominence of birth control being used in modern society including the Arab world.

"Pre-eminence of the Pen" is being interpreted as appearance of widespread knowledge. The pen a tool for writing has been substituted with a keyboard, making even easier to spread words and information. With the onset of the internet, knowledge and information is now accessible to millions of people, easy to record and download.

[edit on 9-25-2007 by worldwatcher]

Six Events that will precede Judgement Day

Count six signs before the Hour: my death; then the opening of Bayt al Maqdis; then death in huge numbers, like the plague of sheep; then there will be such an excess of money, usch that man would give one hundred dinars to a (needy) person and he looks at that with disgust; then a confusion that will enter every house of the Arabs; then a truce between you and the non-Muslims (because) they will be exceedingly powerful against you, coming to you with eighty different groups (of soldiers or eighty different compelling excuses); undere each group twelve thousand (soldiers or twelve thousand explanations)

Obviously we have the death of the prophet Muhammed (sign 1)

The opening of Bayt al-Maqdis... The term Bayt al-Maqdis means "house of holiness", it is also an arabic name for the city of Jerusalem. I'm sure there is a different interpretation but I would take it to mean the opening of Jerusalem to tourists, many holy sites to Christians, Catholics and Jews are now tourist attractions, open to one and all. (sign 2)

Death in huge numbers, like the plague of sheep.... In recent years we've seen the resurgence of "hoof and mouth", bird flu and mad cow disease in animals. People have been facing diseases like SARS, Ebola, Aids, and other epidemics that all have the potential to become pandemic and not just yearly epidemics of small regional areas. (sign 3)

Excess of money, that even beggars wouldn't be satisfied with small change..... Capitalism and Globalization of the worlds' economies have proven to be very fruitful for many. There is large amounts of monies changing hands on a daily basis, businesses and industries are growing on a worldwide scale. But with the increase of wealth also comes the increase of inflation and beggars will consider 100 dinars nothing because it wouldn't be able to buy anything anymore (sign 4)

Confusion that will enter the house of every Arab....The author cites new ideology and sects in Islam that create confusion and stray from the original teachings of the prophet, however I see the confusion more apparent following 9/11 and how they are percieved in the modern world. Muslims now question many traditional practices from wearing headscarves to schools, to whether or not they should follow Sharia law. (sign 5)

A truce between you and non-Muslims (eighty different groups)etc.... The author cites a struggle between civilizations which culminates with a truce between Muslims and non Muslims is evident and yet to come. The Gulf War, the War in Iraq and War on Terrorism with their "coalition of nations" could be interpreted as such, with the "truce" yet to come, or it could be that the "truce" is already here in the form of the new Iraq, and business dealings between Arab nations and the western world. (sign 6)

[edit on 9-25-2007 by worldwatcher]

Additional signs of the End of Days

Islam began as something strange, and it will revert to being strange as it was in the beginning, so good tidings to the strangers

Islam began as a small religion, a few "righteous" people surrounded by evil, currently it is a major world religion, but this prophecy suggests that Islam will once again revert to being the religion for only a few "righteous". The author mentions additional hadiths in which the Prophet basically says that Islam will have to retreat back to the deserts of Najd and Medina.
*While I cannot currently see this as being the situation, the current western mood of being anti-islam can certainly be the start of this retreat, depending on how willing Muslims are willing to abandon their traditions and sharia laws in favor of co-existing with society.

The truthful One will be rejected
Before the Hour comes, there will be years of deciet, in which the trustworthy one will be said to be a traitor, and the traitor will be trusted and the insignificant will have a say.

This can be seen today in Islam as different sects and leaders all try to influence and lead their people to serve their own agendas. Perhaps one could even use Bin Laden in this example, he is seen as trustworthy to some, while others can see him as a traitor.

Innovation
How will it be when innovation is prevalent and the child will be raised in it and the elder will have already become white haired in it, and your affairs or your leadership will be given to the non-Arabs, until when a man follows the Sunnah, it will be said of him "Innovation". They said (addressing Ibn Masud) "Ya Aba Abdur Rahman, when will that happen?
He said, "when your leaders increase and your trustworthy ones will decrease and the number of your Quran reciters increases and the number of your fuqaha decreases and they will study other than the religion. People will seek the work of dunya(world), and leave the work of akhira(afterlife).

According to the author, this hadith refers to a time when the young will be raised in innovation and the old will have already learned it. Today we see countless forms of innovations, ideologies that people are turning to and straying from the "old ways". Proof can be found in Iraq when it comes to "non-muslims" lead the affairs of Muslims. We have more political leaders and less spiritual leaders. Islam has millions of followers and all read and recite the Koran, yet not all truly understands or follows the word of the Prophet. People will be concerned with their worldly affairs and what they have in this life and no one will think of the afterlife and how their actions may affect the outcome.

As you can see from the previous entries and the compilation so far, many Muslims look and see themselves as living in the End of Days as Muhammed prophecized. There are still additional facets of the entire End of Days prophecy that have yet to be fulfilled, but many see it as only a matter of time before it is. There are additional signs including the destruction of Medina, Rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem and the return of the Mahdi that I have yet to talk about. I hope readers are finding this thread informative, especially when taken in context will all "End of Days" prophecies from the major religions.

[edit on 9-26-2007 by worldwatcher]

Worldwatcher,
Thanks for posts on Islamic Prophecy...let's assume the 12th Mahdi does appear. Does he have any supernatural powers? What then for the followers of Islam? In what time frame does it happen?

Thanks in advance
BP

The Mahdi

If this world has just one day remaining Allah will extend that day until a man comes. He is from me, (or from my family). His name is like my name (Muhammad), his father's name is like my father's name (Adb Allah). He fills the earth with equality and justice, as it has been filled with injustice and oppression.

Well according to various interpretations it would seem that the Mahdi's supernatural powers will be control over the elements. For example this passage...

In the Last Days of my Ummah, the Mahdi will appear. Allah will give him power over the wind and rain and the earth will bring forth its foliage. He will give away wealth profusely, flocks will be in abundance and the Ummah will be large and honored. He will live for seven or eight years..

The Mahdi will bring peace and prosperity to the Muslims before the end of the Last Days. The deserts will be lush and green, of course this suggests major climate change occuring around the time of the Mahdi's stay on earth. It is also mentioned that Jesus will be the one to lead the Mahdi's funeral prayer.

I'll have more on Jesus and the Mahdi later.

[edit on 10-3-2007 by worldwatcher]

[edit on 10-5-2007 by worldwatcher]