It was narrated from Thawban that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “Three will fight one another for your treasure, each one of them the son of a caliph, but none of them will gain it. Then the black banners will come from the east (in another hadith recorded by Ibn Maja the prophet (saws) said the three sons will hardly have turned to fight each other when the black flags will have emerged), and they will kill you in an unprecedented manner.” Then he mentioned something that I do not remember, then he said: “When you see them, then pledge your allegiance to them even if you have to crawl over snow, for that is the caliph of Allah, the Mahdi.” (Ibn Maja) meaning they are his army and the Mahdi (ra) will emerge to lead them after they have established his rule for him.
Allah will cause the river Euphrates to dry up to pave the way for the Kings of the East to conquer the Arabian peninsula and Jerusalem (Israel), the Arabs will fight a large war over the wealth the river Euphrates uncovers after which Saudi Arabia will be plunged into a civil war between the sons of it’s rulers, they will have just began this war when the black flags, the Mahdi’s army, will have emerged from the east. They will conquer the Arabian peninsula to establish Islamic rule there once more ‘“People will come from the east, paving the way for the Mahdi,” meaning, for his rule’ (Ibn Maja).
The people of the Maghreb (North Africa) around this same time will rise up and defeat Europe in Egypt kicking them out, a number of wars will occur as a result of Europe’s invasion of North Africa and Arabia. This will result in other invasion by Europe conquering Syria, Lebanon and North Africa, the muslims will take back their land driving Europe’s army out from North Western Africa towards Egypt, at the end of this invasion as ahadith mention, the general leading the army along with his men will accept Islam in Egypt ending the invasion for good.
The Black flags will come from Afghanistan to fight the warlords that appear in Arabia as a result of all these wars, the ruling tribe of Syria, Asads family after having lost Syria in this civil war will try to take back control through a number of warlords the Prophet (saws) called the Sufyani’s. The Black flags will remain victorious until Russia invades Arabia through Azerbaijan and Afghanistan from the North, then Turkey invades Arabia.
At some point during this time the non muslims of East Africa will invade Egypt through the south for wealth in a number of wars, they are defeated by the muslims but eventually will succeed in plundering Egypt’s treasure and leave, the muslims will follow them and defeat them in their own lands. After defeating Europe in Egypt the people of North Africa will head towards Syria and Jerusalem, eventually fighting with the people of East, the black flags.
The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “That a person called Sufyani will appear from the suburbs of Damascus and his general followers will be the people of the Kulaib Tribe (the ruling tribe in Syria now, Asad and his family belong to it). He will attack (so fiercely) that he will cut the bellies of Women and kill children. To fight against him, the people of the Tribe of Qais will gather (the Pashtuns, people of the East). The Sufyani will fight them and kill them so much that no valley will be left without their dead bodies”. (Al Hakim, Mustadrik Pg.520)
Ibn Masud said: “If the Turks (Turkey and Russia) and Khazar (the word comes from the Khazar Empire, the lands north of Afghanistan and Arabia, i.e southern Russia) appear in Al-Jazeera (Arabian Peninsula or Northern Iraq) and Azerbaijan, while the Romans (Europe) appear in Omq (a valley in Antioch & Northern Syria) and its outskirts. The Romans will fight a man of Qais tribe (from Afghanistan) from the people of Qansareen. The Sufyani in Iraq fights the People of the East. In each side, there is an enemy (Russia invades from the North). After he (the Sufyani) fights them for 40 days and does not get support (from Muslims in other regions), he reconciles with the Romans (Europe) such that neither party will owe the other one anything.” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s Kitab Al-Fitan)
The Turks are mentioned with the Khazar (southern Russia), so it means that when Europe Attacks Arabia, Turkey and Russia will also invade.
Al-Walid bin Muslim said: “The black banners will remain victorious against those who oppose them until the Turks enter (Muslim lands) through the door of Armenia (on the border of Turkey).” He added: “The first sign of the signs of their demise (the black banners) is their dispute among each other.” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s Kitab Al-Fitan)
Russia will have to cross the narrow passages of the Caucus mountain ranges heading south into Azerbaijan and Arabia, and go around the Caspian sea to invade Afghanistan from the North. Turkey but that point in time has joined the EU (Romans) and invades with them, not much is mentioned about Russia in either the Ahadith or the Bible so their role seems to be relatively small during these wars, Ahadith indirectly indicate that they may be opportunistic and attack Europe while it is engaged in war with the muslims.
The first Sufyani warlord will appear before the black flags march on Arabia and will be the cause for them invading. Ali (ra) said “The (first) Sufyani will appear in Sham, and then there will be a battle between them at Qirqisiya (in Syria) until the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the land are satiated with their corpses. Then, there will be an attack against them from their rear, so a group of them will go forward until they enter the land of Khurasan (essentially Afghanistan). The cavalry of the Sufyani will pursue the people of Khurasan and kill the supporters of the family of Muhammad. Then, the people of Khurasan (the black flags) will come out looking for the Mahdi.” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s Kitab Al-Fitan)
Qirqisiya is an ancient ruined city near Busra in Syria, on the banks of the Euphrates river.
Ali (ra) said: “When the cavalry of the Sufyani comes to al-Kufah (in Iraq), he will send them in pursuit of the people of Khurasan. The people of Khurasan will come out, looking for the Mahdi. Then, he (the Sufyani) and the Hashimi (Mansur the General of the black flags) will meet with a group of people with black banners, at their head Shu’ayb ibn Salih (al Harith the leader of the Black flags). The followers of the Sufyani will meet in battle at the gate of Istakhar (an ancient ruined city in Iran), and a fierce battle will be fought between them. The black banners will be victorious, and the cavalry of the Sufyani will flee. When that happens, the people will wish for the Mahdi (to appear) and await him.” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s Kitab Al-Fitan)
Abi Ja’far said: “A young man from Bani Hashem (Prophet Mohammad’s family) with a mark in the palm of his right hand comes out from Khorasan with black banners (al Mansur). Between his hands (meaning he will protect) will be Shuayb bin Salih (their leader). He fights the followers of the Sufyani and defeats them.” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s Kitab Al-Fitan)
The following hadith indicates why the people of the Maghreb (North Africa) will fight the People of the East, Al-Walid bin Muslim narrated: “If the black banners split into 3 groups: a group calling for the progeny of Fatima (direct descendants of the prophet to rule the Muslims), a group calling for the progeny of Abbas (the prophets tribe to rule the muslims), and a group calling for (the kingship to be) for themselves…” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s book Kitab Al-Fitan)
The People of the East wont accept rule for themselves even though muslim Arabs are calling for them to rule over Arabia, they are effectively leaderless at this point because of a number of civil wars, the Saudi Kingdom would have faced civil war over succession which no one would have won, and Arabia’s first war lord one of the Sufyani’s will have emerged by this time so there is general chaos is the middle east.
Allah’s decree upon the people of the Maghreb is clear in the following hadith, they have mixed intentions, among them will be people who are blind to religion and the significance of the events they are involved in, so peoples fate will differ, some of it good and some of it bad.
Al-Zubri said: ” Those of the black banners and those of yellow banners will meet and fight until they reach Palestine. Then, the (second) Sufyani marshes against the people of the East (the black banners). Once the people of Maghreb (yellow banners) land in Jordan, their chief dies, so they split into 3 groups. One group returns to were it came from. One group goes to perform Hajj. One group remains. The Sufyani fights and defeats them so they will pledge allegiance to him (in defeat).” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s book Kitab Al-Fitan)
Ibn Masud said: “If a man from Fahr (North Africa) gathers Barbars and goes on an expedition, a man from the progeny of Abu Sufyan emerges (the second Sufyani). Once the Fahri’s army hear about the Sufyani, they will split into 3 groups. One group retreats, one group remains with him (Fahri) and marshes toward AshSham and one group goes to Hijaz. The two armies meet in Wadi Al-Onsul in AshSham. The Barbars will be defeated. Then, the Sufyani will fight the People of AshSham.” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s book Kitab Al-Fitan)
Ka’b bin Alqama said: “If the Maghreb invades Egypt (to defend it)…the chief of the Maghreb will be a man from Kinda who is A’raj (can not walk properly).” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s book Kitab Al-Fitan)
Ka’b bin Alqama said “The sign of the Mahdi’s (immanent) appearance will be battalions coming from the Maghreb, lead by A’raj (a man who is Limp) from ‘Kinda.” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s Kitab Al-Fitan page 205)
The Appearance of the people of Maghrib lead by this man will be an indication of the nearness of Imam Mahdi (ra), just like the People of the East who will appear six years before him are a sign of his immanent appearance in Islam and Christianity. All these events will occur around the sanctions Europe will place on Egypt and the appearance of warlords in Arabia, which is a more accurate term describing for them than dictator or tyrant.
Abu Hurairah related that the Messenger of Allah said, “Iraq will be prevented from its dirham (a currency) and its (Qifaz) measurement; Sham will be prevented from its (Mudd) measurement and its Dinar (a currency) and Egypt will be prevented from its Irdab (measurement) and its Dinar (currency). You will recoil to that position from were you started and you will recoil to that position from were you started, the bones and the flesh of Abu Huraira would bear testimony to it” (Muslim, Book 41 Hadith 6923)
The narration’s mention that the Major Khasf (earthquake) of the West will occur in Sham (Syria) before the Mahdi (r.a), when the people of the Maghreb go on their second expedition to Syria, if it occurs because of the Asteroid then we can roughly know when to expect it.
Ali bin Abi Taleb (r.a.) said: “When the black banners differ among each other, a town/city of the towns/cities of Iram (Sham) and the western side of its Mosque collapses. Then, in AshSham (greater Syria), three banners (armies) come out for each (three different warlords), the As’Hab (a warlord who is a reddish white man), Abqa (a warlord seeking rule in Egypt), and the (second) Sufyani. The Sufyani comes from AshSham and Abqa’ from Egypt. The Sufyani will defeat them (both, As’Hab and Abqa).” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s Kitab Al-Fitan)
This hadith indicates that a number of smaller warlords will emerge and compete with the Sufyani, he will defeat them all. It is more than likely this is the second of the three Sufyani’s, he emerges after the black banners differ which is toward the end of their time and it is around this time Ahadith indicate the Asteroid will hit, the smaller warlords will more than likely emerge to fill the vacuum of the first Sufyani trying to wrestle power from the ruling tribe of Syria, the Bani Kalb.
Mohammad bin Al-Hanafiya said: (when) “The People of Maghreb enter the Damascus Mosque and while they are looking at its marvels, there will be a land tremor, so the western part of the Mosque will collapse and there will be a Khusuf (land collapse) in a town called Harasta (outside of Damascus). Then, the Sufyani comes out and fights them (the people of Maghreb) until he pushes them back to Egypt. Then, he returns and fights the People of the East (the Black Banners) until he pushes them back to Iraq.” (Nuaim bin Hammad, Kitab Al-Fitan)
“The Earth will swallow a village called Harasta near Damascus.” (Muhammad Al-Barzanji’s book Isha’ah li Ashrat Al-Sa’a)
The following events are chronological and span the six or so years just before Imam Mahdi (ra) appears. Amar bin Yusr said: “The sign of the Mahdi is: The Turks (Russia, or Turkey) sweep down against you. Your Caliph who seeks wealth dies (after the Euphrates river uncovers it’s Gold, over which he will involve himself) and you elect a successor after him who is weak so he gets deposed after 2 years from the Bay’a (this seem’s to be after the three son’s don’t win the war over succession so the people will elect a ruler, around the time the Black flags first appear). A Khusf (land collapse) occurs in the West end of Damascus mosque (this is the major earthquake in the West). The emergence of three individuals (three warlords in sham Abqa’ , Ash-Hab, and the second Sufyani) in AshSham (Greater Syria). The attack of People of the West (the people of the Maghreb) on Egypt (to defend it). This is (the beginning of) the reign of the Sufyani (the third one who fights the Mahdi).” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s Kitab Al-Fitan)
The Ullumah said the first of the three Major landslides (earthquakes) referred to in Ahadith was the Indian Ocean Tsunami of the coast of Indonesia in 2004, it killed over 230,000 people, most of them Muslim (130,000 Indonesians), in less than an hour. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history, it occurred due to an earthquake whose magnitude was 9.1 and was the third largest ever recorded.
It occurred due to a Khasf (land slip), the exact description of the hadith, in the ocean floor as an estimated 1600 Km (1000 mi) of fault surface slipped about 15 meters (50ft).
We can identify the significance of this earthquake because the following Ahadith tell us this was the time Allah began punishing people for their immorality, indicating that the 2004 Tsunami was one of the three Major Khasf’s spoken of by the prophet (saws).
The Prophet (saws) said “If you see my Ummah fearing a tyrant so much that they dare not tell him that he is a tyrant, then there will be no hope for them.” (Ibn Kathir) this narration is referring to Saddam Hussain, it was the lowest point in islamic History, the strength of the Muslims had no sway to change anything on an international level and they did nothing to stop oppression, the 90’s marked the beginning of the end for the Arabs.
Abu Hurairah related that the Prophet said, “By the One Who has sent me with the Truth, this world will not come to an end until they are afflicted with Al-Khasf (earthquakes), Al-Qadhf (strong winds that cause rocks to fly a simile for Bombardment), and Al-Maskh (emergence of people who perform maskh on other’s and themselves).” The Companions asked, “And when is that, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “When you see women riding private parts (when internet pornography becomes widespread), when there will be many female singers (the music industry spreads and exploits women), when there will be much false testimony (globalization, when the contract’s become corrupt and people bear false testimony), when men will suffice themselves with men, and when women will suffice themselves with women.” (homosexuality becomes accepted in society) (Al-Haafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bazzaar related this narration, taken from Ibn Kathirs al Bidaya wa Nihaya)
The Pornography industry spread immensely after the emergence of the internet which occurred soon after the year 2000, giving us a clear timeframe, homosexuality spread and became accepted in society only fairly recently in history, around the same time pornography did, in the 90’s it, along with pornography, were still largely rejected in society and looked down upon. The music industry equally spread with the internet, they primarily relied upon female singers to attract an audience by sexualizing every aspect of the singer.
We can see in these three events an underlaying current, that of sexuality being monetized, and in fact the slogan “sex sells” was the catch phrase of the day used to justify these once rejected practices, the popularity of one industry, music, helping spread the acceptability of the others.
All these occurred simultaneously around the same time and it should not be to difficult to understand their significance considering the epic nature of the 2004 Quake on a historical scale, along with the fact the hour “cast it’s shadow” on people not long after this in 2012.
The war we are seeing now in Syria will eventually lead to Imam Mahdi (ra) himself, this war will be followed by sanctions, then eventually the emergence of the Last Tyrant’s (war lords) the Muslim world will face.
Abi Qabil said: “A man will reign from Bani Hashem (the Black Flags). He kills Bani Umaya (the tribe of the second Sufyani) until very few of them remain alive and does not kill except them. Then, a man from Bani Umaya will rise up (the third Sufyani) and kills for every man two until no body remains alive (from the army of Khurasan), except women. Then, the Mahdi appears.” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s Kitab Al-Fitan)
Khaled bin Ma’daan said: (the second) “Sufyani defeats the group twice (the people of Maghreb), then perishes. The Mahdi will not come out until a Khusf (land collapse) occurs in a village in Ghawta (Syria) called Harasta. (This hadith was found in group of Ahadith regarding the people of the Maghreb)” (Ibn A’sakir)
The prophet (saws) said, “As the strife calms down in one place in Sham (Greater Syria), it will rise up in another (place). The strife will not end until Angels call out from the sky “The Mahdi is your Leader”. “The Mahdi is your Khaliph” (the events surrounding Syria will continue until the Mahdi emerges). (Taken from the works of Harun Yahya in which he cites it from – Mustafa Resit Filizi, Treatise on the Coming of the Mahdi, p 63)
Saeed bin Al-Musayab said: “There will be a Fitna in AshSham (Greater Syria). Its beginning will be like the play of boys. Then, the affairs of people will not settle on anything and unity will not be achieved (meaning this will be the beginning of Unity) until a caller calls from Heaven: ‘Follow this person’ (the Mahdi), and a hand appears (a simile) as a sign.” (Nuaim Ibn Hammad’s Kitab Al-Fitan)
This Hadith most likely refers to the Arab spring that swept across the muslim world, it’s Ahadith similarly mention Unity after the war ends, “Its beginning will be like the play of boys” it began with something small and trivial in relation to the consequences, boys join in play on the spur of the moment, on a whim, the Uprising in Syria took place because of the Arab spring, almost like a fashion trend it was picked up by the Islamic world and occurred very quickly because of a single suicide in Tunisia.
If we look at the contrasting events, the era of Dictators across the Muslim world ended because of “something like the play of boys”, a Tunisian’s fruit stand was confiscated by an official bullying him at which the store owner committed suicide because of this bullying and his desperate situation, this then toppled a number or world leaders.
The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “There will be, after me, fitan (trials). From them will be fitnah al-Ahlas, in which there will be fleeing and plunder (the Kuwait war and its ramifications). Then, after them, will be a fitan worse than them (the Duhaimma, September the 11th and the sifting of people). Whenever it will be said that they have finished, they will be prolonged, until no house of the Arabs will be left without them (the strife) entering it (mass media), and no Muslim except that they have reached him (modern communication), until a man comes from my descendants. (trials will continue until the Mahdi emerges).” (Al-Hafidh Abu Muhammad al-Husayn narrated it in Kitab al-Masabih from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri)
Ibn Mas’ud said: “The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be blessings and peace, told us, ‘I warn you of 7 severe trials, which will occur after me: a trial, which will come from Medina, a trial in Mecca, a trial, which will come from Yemen, a trial, which will come from Syria, a trial, which will come from the East, a trial, which will come from the West, and a trial from the valley of Syria, which is the Sufyaani'” (al-Hakim and Nu’aym ibn Hammad)
Ibn Mas’ud said, “Some of us have seen the first of them, and some of this community will see the last of them.”
The first trials were at the beginning of Islam and have been identified by the scholar’s, the later events are to occur around the time of the Mahdi (ra), the trial from the East is in the direction of Iraq which may refer to the wars and sanctions that have settled over that region, the trial from the west may refer to the Events surrounding Egypt that will lead to the emergence of the Sufyani, and we are now seeing the beginning of the Fitna in Syria which was initially mentioned before the trials of the East and West.
Before the Great War, Armageddon, begins narrations mention other events and conflicts that will occur in Egypt and North Africa, we will relate only some of these.
After Europe initialy invades Egypt some of it’s forces will invade North Africa from Spain, at the same time Africans from Abyssinia will invade southern Egypt.
The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “The Romans (Europeans) will attack those Arabs who reside in their land, until not a single Arab man or woman or child remains in their land but that they shall be killed by the Romans.” (Nuaim bin Hammed’s Kitab Al-Fitan, page 260)
Abdullah bin Amr ibn Al-‘As said: “A man from the enemies of the Muslims in Andalusia (southern Spain), called Zhul-‘Urf, will assemble a great army from the polytheist tribes (Christians of Europe). Those who are in Andalusia will realize that they have no power to face them, so the people of means from the Muslims will flee in ships and cross (the sea) to Tanjah (in Morocco).
The weaker people will remain behind, and their group will not have any (large) ships in which they can cross. So, Allah will send them a goat to create a path for them across the sea (a simile for a speed boat which skims across the top of the water). The goat will cross over and the water will not cover its hooves (engine). The people will see it and say: “The goat! The goat! Follow it!” So the people will all cross over (in smaller boats), following its traces (navigating by it’s wake), then the sea will go back to how it used to be before.
The enemy will cross over in ships. When the people of North Africa see them, they will flee from North Africa along with those Muslims who had been in Andalusia, until they enter Al-Fustat (which used to be a capital of Egypt and is located in the Southern edge of today’s Cairo). That enemy will come forward until they settle in the area between Marbut and the Pyramids, at a distance of five “burud” from them, and they will fill that area with evil.
The banner (army) of the Muslims will go out to face them on the bridge, and Allah will give them (Muslims) victory. They will defeat them (the European invaders), kill them and drive (the rest of) them away to Libya, to the distance of ten nights’ journey. The people of Al-Fustat will make use of their cattle and their tools (their supplies) for seven years. Zhul-‘Urf will escape death and he will have with him a document that he will not read until after he is defeated. He will find in it a reference to Islam that urges him to enter Islam. So, he will request safety (from the Muslims) for himself and for those of his companions who came with him and accepted Islam. So, he will enter Islam and become one of the Muslims.
Then, in the next year, a man will come from Abyssinia (Ethiopia or East Africa) called Asbis, who will have assembled a great army. So the Muslims will flee from them, leaving Aswan (in Southern Egypt), until there is no Muslim remaining there or around there who has not entered Al-Fustat.
So, Asbis and his army will settle at Manaf, at a distance of one “barid” from al-Fustat, and the battalions of Muslims will go out to face them, and Allah will grant them (Muslims) victory over them (Abyssinia), so they will kill (in the battlefield, many of) them and take (the rest of) them as prisoners, until an (Abyssinian) will be sold for a cloak.”(Nuaim bin Hammad’s Kitab al-Fitan)
Amr bin Al-Aas said: ” Egypt will be devastated when it gets hit by the four arrows: the arrow of the Turks, arrow of the Romans, arrow of Abyssinia (Ethiopia or East Africa), and arrow of the people of Andalusia.” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s Kitab al-Fitan)
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-‘As said (regarding the Abyssinians, Ethiopia or East Africa), “They (the Abyssinians) will come in their ships, heading toward Al-Fustat (Southern Cairo), and they will set out until they settle in Manaf (very close to Al-Fustat), where Allah will cause the treasure of Pharaoh to be unearthed for them, and they will take from it what they wish, saying: “We will never find a treasure better than this!” So, they will go back, and the Muslims will follow their trail until they catch up to them. Allah will cause the Abyssinians to be defeated. The Muslims will kill (in the battlefield, many of) them and take (the rest of) them captive, until an Abyssinian will be sold (ransomed) for a cloak.” (Nuaim bin Hammad, Kitab al-Fitan, No. 57)
The following hadith indicates when Abasynia will attack in relation to the Sufyani’s emergence, Huzaifa said that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said : “When the dark people (possibly, the Abyssinians, meaning Ethiopians) come after the Arabs, they will be defeated and thrown into the lowest part of the Earth (dead sea basin or a land near were they invaded). While these circumstances exist, the (first) Sufyani will come with three hundred and sixty men until he reaches Damascus. After a month, he will be followed by thirty thousand from Kalb (tribe). He will send an army to Iraq and kill one hundred thousand in Az-Zawra (possibly refers to Baghdad)…” (Nuaim Bin Hammad’s Kitab Al-Fitan, Tabarani, and Abu Amru Uthman bin Saeed Ad-Dani)
Abi Qubayl said: “In Africa, there will be a prince (ruler) for 12 years. Then, after him, there will be a Fitna (strife). Then, a dark man will rule and fill it with justice. Then, he will march toward the Mahdi and declare allegiance to him, and will fight for him.” (Nuaim bin Hammad’s Kitab Al-Fitan, Jalal-uddine AsSuyuti’s Al-Urf Al-Wardi fi Akhbar Al-Mahdi, a part of Al-Hawi li Al-Fatawa)
Towards the end of the six year period in which the Black Flags Rule, civil war will again break out among the tribes of Saudi Arabia, it will be during this war that Imam Mahdi (ra) will emerge.
Amr bin Shuaib reported from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, “In Zul-Qa’da (an Islamic month), there will be a fight among the tribes, Muslim pilgrims will be looted and there will be a battle in Mina in which many people will be slain and blood will flow until it runs over the Jamarat Al-Aqba (one of the three stone pillars at Mina). The man they seek (Imam Mahdi) will flee and will be found between the Rukn (a corner of the Ka’ba containing the Black Stone) and the Maqam of Prophet Abraham (near the Ka’ba). He will be forced to accept people’s Bay’a (oath of allegiance). The number of those offering Bay’a will be the same as the number of the people of Badr (around 310). Then, the dwellers of Heaven and the dwellers of the Earth will be pleased with him. ‘ (Nuaim bin Hammad’s book Kitab Al-Fitan)
Imam Abu Dawud narrated from Umm Salamah (ra) from the Prophet (ra) that he said: “There will be conflict with the death of a khalifah. (this Hadith skips through events spanning years) Then a man (Imam Mahdi) from the people of al-Madinah will come out, fleeing to Makkah. A group of men from the people of Makkah will come to him and bring him out by force, and give the bay’ah to him between the Rukn and the Maqam. An army will be sent against him from Sham, but they will be swallowed up by the earth in al-Bayda’ between Makkah and al-Madinah (this is the third Great Earthquake at the end of time). So when the people see that, the Abdal of Sham and the best of the people of ‘Iraq will come to him, and give him the bay’ah between the Rukn and the Maqam. Then, a man from Quraysh and his maternal relatives from Kalb (one of the Sufyani’s) will come and send an army against them, and they (i.e. the Mahdi and his companions) will be victorious over them. That will be the battle of Kalb, and what a loss for the one who did not witness the spoils of Kalb! So he will distribute the wealth, and he will rule the people according to the Sunnah of their Prophet, and Islam will be established in the land. He will remain for seven years, then he will die and the Muslims will pray over him.” Imam Abu Dawud said: “Some of them narrated from Hisham “nine years”, and some of them said “seven years”.”