The signs of the hour are usually divided into two categories, the minor and major signs, the minor signs have to do with the moral corruption of the world and slowly turning away from religion, while the major signs have to do with calamities, the end of world civilisations and the world itself.
It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah said: “My nation will pass through five stages. For forty years (they will be) people of righteousness and piety. Then those who follow them, for the next one hundred and twenty years, will be people who show mercy to one another and uphold ties with one another. Then those who follow them for the next one hundred and sixty years will be people who will turn their backs on one another and sever ties with one another. Then there will be Harj after Harj (killing). Seek deliverance, seek deliverance.” (Ibn Maaja, Vol. 1, Book 36, Hadith 4058)
This is a total of five stages in 320 years, ending in the year 952 A.D, to put that into perspective in 928 AD. The Umayyad Abd ar-Rahman III declared himself Khalif in Cordoba, this was the hight of Islam in Spain, but Islamic rule in Spain became largely decadent despite it’s many advances in science and culture, after his rule the empire began to decline until it was finally lost.
It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that Abu Qatadah said: “The Messenger of Allah said: “The (lesser) signs (will come) after two hundred (years).’” (Ibn Maaja, Vol. 1, Book 36, Hadith 4057)
That is the Year 815 AD, this is around the time when the Mutazilite controversy over whether the Qur’an is created or uncreated and eternal, began, it was a major controversy that lead to the persecution of many scholars due to the Mutazilite extremism.
670AD: The first forty years of righteousness and piety was under the Khalifa al Rashideen, this period ended 10 years after the death of Ali (ra) in 661 AD and before the death of Husayn (ra) in 680 AD.
792AD: “Then those who follow them, for the next one hundred and twenty years, will be people who show mercy to one another and uphold ties with one another.” This period ended during the reign of Harun al Rashid (786-809), He was the last of the rulers who showed mercy and upheld the ties of kinship, this was at the height of Islam Golden Age.
952AD: “Then those who follow them for the next one hundred and sixty years will be people who will turn their backs on one another and sever ties with one another.” During this period the minor signs of the hour began in 815 AD, in 929 AD the Shia Qarmatians sack Makkah and carry away the Black Stone from the Kaaba to Persia, the Abbasid rulers pay a large ransom for it’s return in 951 AD.
952AD Onwards: “Then there will be Harj after Harj (killing after killing)” in 969 AD the Fatimids gain power in Egypt and attack Palestine, Syria, and Arabia, by the 1000s Reconquista Christians take more of Islamic Spain, Islamic Sicily falls to the Normans, Crusader kingdoms are briefly established in Palestine and Syria and by 1030 AD the Umayyad caliphate in Cordoba Spain is defeated. 1055AD Seljuk Turks take Baghdad and the Abbasid Khalifa is now only nominal rulers. In 1090 AD Hasan Sabbah takes Alamut in the Persian mountains, the Assassin sect forms around him and in 1099 AD Christian Crusaders take Jerusalem beginning the Crusades.
Within 150 years of the prophets (saws) last prophecy the entire Islamic landscape is changed forever, the crusades and the expulsion of muslims from Spain ending with the Spanish inquisition were among the bloodiest events in Islamic History, prior to this Islam was experiencing the hight of it’s golden age under the Khalif Harun al Rashid.
We see from these Ahadith that the prophet (saws) wasn’t afraid of mentioning very specific numbers for when events would occur, in fact this is very common in the hadith collections:
The Messenger of Allah said, “Even if there remains from this world a single day (and 1 day = 1000 years according to the Quran), Allah will send a man from us who will fill it with justice, just as it was filled with oppression.” (Ahmad)
Abu Huraira narrated: The Prophet (peace and blessing upon him) said: There is no Prophet (pbuh) between me and him, that is, Isa (peace and blessing upon him). He will descent (to the earth). When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill the swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the Antichrist and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him. (Abu Dawud, Ahmad)
From the Quran we know Allah gave us signs to tell us how close the Hour is and commanded us to study their meaning. One of the signs of the Hour is the end of Islam on earth, when the Hour will occur and when the life of every Muslim will be taken from earth are separate events, no one can know the hour but we can know everything before it.
Here in the following hadith Isa (a.s) and all the Prophets affirm none can know the hour but all agree we should look for it’s signs.
Ibn Mas’ood related that the Messenger of Allah said, “During my night journey, I met Ibraaheem, Moosa, and ‘Eesa They were discussing the matter of the Hour, and they referred the matter to Ibraaheem, who said, ‘I have no knowledge regarding it (i.e. its time).’ Next, they referred the matter to Moosa, who said, ‘I have no knowledge regarding it (i.e. its time).’ Then they referred the matter to ‘Eesa, who said, ‘As for its time, no one has knowledge thereof except Allah. But from what my Lord ‘Azza wa-Jal (to Him belongs Might and Majesty) inspired to me is that the Dajjaal will come out, and with him he will have two rods. When he sees me, he will melt like lead melts. Allah will destroy him when he sees me. (of his miracles is) Even a rock and a tree will say, ‘O Muslim, underneath me is a Kaafir (disbeliever), so come and kill him.’ He said, ‘Then Allah ‘Azza wa-Jal (to Him belongs Might and Majesty) will destroy them (the followers of the Dajjal).
Then the people will return to their countries and homelands. At that juncture, (Yajooj and Majooj (Gog and Magog)) will come out, racing quickly from every land that is elevated; they will lay foot on their countries, eating everything they come across and drinking all water that they come across. Then people will come, complaining. I will invoke Allah against them (Yajooj and Majooj), and He will destroy them and cause them to die until the earth is filled with their putrid odour. Allah will send rain down, drown their corpses, and throw them into the sea. And from what my Lord inspired to me is that when that will happen, the Hour will be like a pregnant woman whose term is due – the people remaining will not know when it will take them by surprise.”‘ (Ahmad, Ibn Majah related the same narration through a different chain. Ibn Katheer in Al Bidaya wa Nihaya)
Among the Ahadith of the hour is the disappearance of Islam from earth, in Many Ahadith we are given a specific year of when this will occur, just like the prophet (saws) mentioned very literally what year the minor signs would begin in. These Ahadith are found in the Sahih of Imam Bukhari the Sunnan of Abu Dawud, the Jamii of Tirmidhi and other Hadith collections.
There are a number of Ahadith which talk about the length of the Muslim community’s period on Earth, when you compare these Ahadith with the signs of the hour we are now seeing you will see the time we are living in and these events are on the same time frame. All Ullumah in the Muslim world agree that the minor signs of the hour have been fulfilled and we are living in the final phase of this world waiting for the Major Signs, as Ibn Kathir stated the first Major sign is the coming of Imam Mahdi (ra).
The Prophet (may Allah bless him) said “When my Community keeps on the right, it is going to enjoy an age of one day (1000 years), and when it does not keep on the right, it will have an age of (a further) half a day” (500 years). (Jami al-Bayan by al-Tabari, Tafsir of Surat al-Asr. This is possibly also in reference to the Ahadith in Bukhari about the age of this Umma that mention the Asr Prayer, quoted later in this work).
In another version the Prophet (saws) said, “If my Community keeps on the right, it is going to enjoy an age of one day (1000 years), and if it becomes corrupt, it will have an age of half a day” (After that, meaning rather than having two days the second day will be cut in half) (Shaykh al-Islam al-Munawi cites it in Fayd al-Qadir from Shaykh Muhyi al-Din Ibn ‘Arabi.)
Allah said in the Holy Quran: “And one day according to Allah’s estimation is 1,000 years according to yours”. (Quran, 22:47), therefor one and half days is 1500 years, we are currently in the year 1437 Hijra.
A Scholar said regarding these Ahadith: “Thus the Islamic community of the right way would flourish for one thousand years and the community in decline would last for another five hundred years. For the first millennium of Islamic civilization, the Muslims were favoured by Allah with an advancement unparalleled before or after. Muslims were at the forefront of not only religious development but also were the world’s leading researchers, physicians, chemists, astronomers, botanists, philosophers, and architects. Muslims were the shining lights that illuminated Europe and touched off the Renaissance. After its first millennium a gradual yet definite decline began within the Ummah which has continued until our present time.
As the Muslims have wandered away from the way of the Prophet (pbuh) and Allah’s heavenly message of Islam, the divine blessings and support have similarly diminished. Miraculously, the Prophet (pbuh) predicted that this process would take one thousand years and it came to pass. The second prediction in this hadith is that the Ummah will continue further for five hundred more years in decline.
Thus, according to this understanding of the hadith Allah has granted the Ummah a lifespan of fifteen hundred years, and Allah knows best. This prediction of a fifteen hundred year lifespan is also in keeping with the recent appearance of the Signs of the Last Days. These signs have not appeared in their totality until lately. Even a cursory examination of these signs shows their present-day fulfilment as foretold by the Prophet Muhammad over fourteen hundred years ago. (End of quote)
Ibn ‘Umar related that the Messenger of Allah said, “When my nation walks in an arrogant and haughty manner (vain manner), and the sons of Kings, the Princes of Persia and Byzantine will serve them, Allah will give reign to its evil ones over its good ones.” (At-Tirmidhee, Ibn Kathir in his Bidaya wa Nihaya,)
Constantinople, the last fortress of the Byzantine Empire was not conquered until the time of the Ottoman Khalifah, and derives its name from Constantinople’s (also new Rome) after the Byzantine emperor Constantine the Great in 330 CE, he was the first Roman Emperor to adopt Christianity. In 1422 AD the Ottoman Sultan, Murad II, laid siege to it but failed, then 30 years later in 1452 another Ottoman Sultan, Mehmed II, proceeded to blockade the Bosporus (a waterway used for trade) by the erection of a strong fortress at its narrowest point, beginning the siege and assault on the City in April which finally ended by May 29th 1452, this was the final defeat of the Byzantine Empire and Rome.
The Scholar goes on to say: The 1000th year of the Islamic Hijri calendar (Roughly 1591 AD) was marked by the rule of Ottoman sultan Murad III 1546–95 (ruled 1574–95), son and successor of Selim II. He was dominated by his family, and although his generals were successful against Persia (the Safavid Khalifah), his reign marked the beginning of the decay of the Ottoman Empire and the Islamic Khalifate as a whole.
The Hadith of Ibn Umar is entirely about the arrogance of the Ottoman Empire, when they came to power they warred against the other Khlaifah’s ending them, these are the sons of Kings mentioned in the Hadith, they then fought a massive war against the Safavid Persian Khalifah, these are the Princes of Persia, and finally they conquered and ended the Byzantine empire with the conquest of it’s last city Constantinople, all out of conquest and love for wealth.
The Muslim Ummah under the Ottomans began to walk in a Haughty (vein) Manner and roughly 140 years after the hadith, in the 1000th year of Islam, Allah allowed the evil ones in the community to dominate those who are good among this Ummah, these are the events that marked and began the decline of the Muslim Ummah for it’s last 500 years.
If we recall the different Islamic Dynasties, the Prophet of Allah said “After me will come caliphs, and after the caliphs will come princes, and after princes there will be kings and after the kings, there will be tyrants” (Tabarani), the princes eventually became kings, this relates to the prophets (saws) statement that eventually the Ummah will walk in a Haughty vein manner as Kings walk upon this earth.