The signs of the appearance of the Mahdi are the collection of events, according to

Islamic eschatology Islamic eschatology includes the afterlife, apocalyptic signs of the End Times, and final Judgement. It is fundamental to Islam as life after death is one of the six Doctrines of Islam. Resurrection is divided into Lesser Resurrection (''al-q ...

, that will occur before the arrival of the

Mahdi The Mahdi () is a figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the Eschatology, End of Times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad, and will appear shortly before Jesu ...

, The signs differ based on

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

and

Shia Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...

branches of Islam. Detailed Eschatological Chart

Muslim signs

Mahdi will be the last of the minor signs of the

Judgement Day The Last Judgment is a concept found across the Abrahamic religions and the ''Frashokereti'' of Zoroastrianism. Christianity considers the Second Coming of Jesus, Jesus Christ to entail the final judgment by God in Abrahamic religions, God of a ...

. Therefore all signs of the Judgement Day are also considered as the signs of the appearance of Mahdi.

Minor signs

# The coming of '' fitna'' (

tribulations In Christian eschatology, the Great Tribulation () is a period mentioned by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse as a sign that would occur in the time of the end. At , "the Great Tribulation" () is used to indicate the period spoken of by Jesus. us ...

) and removal of '' khushoo'' ( fearfulness of God, reverence of God, etc.)

Sahih Muslim () is the second hadith collection of the Six Books of Sunni Islam. Compiled by Islamic scholar Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj () in the format, the work is valued by Sunnis, alongside , as the most important source for Islamic religion after the Q ...

, Book 1,

Hadith Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...

0213 # A person passing by a grave might say to another the following: "I wish it were my abode."

, Book 41,

6947 # The loss of honesty, as well as authority put in the hands of those who do not deserve it.

Sahih Bukhari () is the first hadith collection of the Six Books of Sunni Islam. Compiled by Islamic scholar al-Bukhari () in the format, the work is valued by Sunni Muslims, alongside , as the most authentic after the Qur'an. Al-Bukhari organized the bo ...

, Volume 8, Book 076,

503 # The loss of knowledge and the prevalence of religious ignorance.

Volume 1, Book 3,

81 # Frequent, sudden, and unexpected deaths.

Book 41,

7040 # Increase in Al-Harj (pointless killings).

Volume 9, Book 88,

184 # Acceleration of time.

, Vol. 2, Book 17,

146 # Rejection of the

Sunan Abu Dawud ''Sunan Abi Dawud'' () is the third hadith collection of the Six Books of Sunni Islam. It was compiled by scholar Abu Dawud al-Sijistani (). Introduction Abu Dawood compiled twenty-one books related to Hadith and preferred those (plural of " ...

, Book 41,

4587 # The spread of ''

riba ''Riba'' (, or , ) is an Arabic word used in Islamic law and roughly translated as " usury": unjust, exploitative gains made in trade or business. ''Riba'' is mentioned and condemned in several different verses in the Qur'an3:130

'' and ''

zina ''Zināʾ'' () or ''zinā'' ( or ) is an Islamic legal term referring to unlawful sexual intercourse. According to traditional jurisprudence, ''zina'' can include adultery, fornication, prostitution, sodomy, incest, and bestiality. ''Zi ...

''For further informations, see the concept of

Sotadic Zone Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton, KCMG, FRGS, (19 March 1821 – 20 October 1890) was a British explorer, army officer, orientalist writer and scholar. He was famed for his travels and explorations in Asia, Africa and South America, as well ...

, which includes both the

Arab Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...

and

Islamic world The terms Islamic world and Muslim world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs, politics, and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is ...

. See also

Child sexual abuse Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in Human sexual activity, sexual activit ...

, Sexual exploitation of children, ''

Bacha bazi ''Bacha bāzī'' (, Pashto and Dari: بچه بازی, Literal translation, lit. 'boy play') refers to a pederasty, pederastic practice in Afghanistan in which men exploit and Slavery, enslave adolescent boys for entertainment and/or Sexual ...

'', and '' The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan''.For further informations, see the articles Capital punishment in Islam, LGBT in Islam, Lut (prophet in Islam), and

Sexual taboo in the Middle East The Middle East, which is commonly known as a region that includes most countries of Southwestern Asia, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Peninsula, and several North African countries, and are often seen as part of a wider cultural and geopolitical ...

.For further informations, see the articles Cousin marriage in Islam, Cousin marriage in the Middle East, and ''

Mahram In Islam, a () is a family member with whom marriage would be considered permanently unlawful (''haram''). A woman does not need to wear hijab around her mahram or spouse, and an adult male mahram or husband may escort a woman on a journey, a ...

''. and the drinking of alcohol.

Book 41,

7015 # Widespread acceptance of

music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

Volume 7, Book 69,

494 # Pride and competition in the decoration of mosques. Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 4,

739 # Women will increase in number and men will decrease in number so much so that fifty women will be looked after by one man. # Abundance of

earthquakes An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they c ...

Volume 9, Book 88,

237 # Frequent occurrences of disgrace, distortion, public humiliation and defamation.

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad ''Al-Adab al-Mufrad'' () is a topical book of hadiths collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari addressing the question of perfecting Muslim manners. Description The book has hadith about the manners of Islamic prophet Muhammad Muhammad (8 June ...

485, Book 1,

3 # When people wish to die because of the severe trials and tribulations that they are suffering.

Volume 9, Book 88,

231 # When paying charity becomes a burden.

Volume 9, Book 88,

236 # People will compete in the construction of tall buildings. # Women will appear naked despite their being dressed.

Book 40,

6840 # People will seek knowledge from misguided and straying scholars.

, Vol. 1, Book 3,

100 , Musnad Imam Ahmad (no.21,334 and no.21,335 # Liars will be believed, honest people disbelieved, and faithful people called traitors. Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 5, Book 36,

4036 # The death of righteous, knowledgeable people. # The emergence of indecency (obscenity) and enmity among relatives and neighbours.Musnad Ahmad # The rise of

idolatry Idolatry is the worship of an idol as though it were a deity. In Abrahamic religions (namely Judaism, Samaritanism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baháʼí Faith) idolatry connotes the worship of something or someone other than the Abrahamic ...

and

polytheists Polytheism is the belief in or worship of more than one god. According to Oxford Reference, it is not easy to count gods, and so not always obvious whether an apparently polytheistic religion, such as Chinese folk religions, is really so, or whet ...

within the

Ummah ' (; ) is an Arabic word meaning Muslim identity, nation, religious community, or the concept of a Commonwealth of the Muslim Believers ( '). It is a synonym for ' (, lit. 'the Islamic nation'); it is commonly used to mean the collective com ...

Jami` at-Tirmidhi ''Sunan al-Tirmidhi'' () is the fourth hadith collection of the Six Books of Sunni Islam. It was compiled by Islamic scholar al-Tirmidhi in (250–270 AH). Title The full title of the compilation is (). It is shortened to , , , or . The te ...

, Vol. 4, Book 7, Hadith 2219 , Abu-Dawud, Book 36, Hadith 4239 # The

Euphrates The Euphrates ( ; see #Etymology, below) is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of West Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia (). Originati ...

will uncover a mountain of

gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

Book 041,

6918 # The land of the Arabs will return to being a land of rivers and fields.

Book 5,

2208 # People will increasingly earn money by unlawful (Haraam) ways.

, Vol. 3, Book 34,

275 # There will be much rain but little vegetation.Reported by Anas and declared Sahih by Hasan al Albani # Evil people will be expelled from

Medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...

Book 7,

3188 # Wild animals will communicate with humans, and humans will communicate with objects.

, Vol. 4, Book 7,

2181 # Lightning and thunder will become more prevalent.Ahmad # There will be a special greeting for people of distinction. # Trade will become so widespread that a woman will help her husband in business. # No truly honest man will remain and no one will be trusted.

, Vol. 9, Book 88,

208 # Only the worst people will be left; they will not know any good nor forbid any evil (i.e. No one will say there is no god but Allah). # Nations will call each other to destroy Islam by any and every means. # Islamic knowledge will be passed on, but no one will follow it correctly.

, Vol. 5, Book 39,

2653 # Muslim rulers will come who do not follow the guidance and tradition of the

Sunnah is the body of traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time supposedly saw, followed, and passed on to the next generations. Diff ...

. Some of their men will have the hearts of devils in a human body.

1847 # Stinginess will become more widespread and honorable people will perish.Mujamma'uz-Zawaa'id 7/327 # A man will obey his wife and disobey his mother, and treat his friend kindly while shunning his father.

Sunan al-Tirmidhi ''Sunan al-Tirmidhi'' () is the fourth hadith collection of the Six Books of Sunni Islam. It was compiled by Islamic scholar al-Tirmidhi in (250–270 AH). Title The full title of the compilation is (). It is shortened to , , , or . The t ...

, Vol. 4, Book 7, Hadith 2211 and Vol. 4, Book 7, Hadith 2210 Grade:

Da'if Hadith terminology () is the body of terminology in Islam which specifies the acceptability of the sayings (''hadith'') attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad by other early Islamic figures of significance such as the companions and followers ...

(Darussalam) # Voices will be raised in the mosques.Sunan al-Tirmidhi # The leader of a people will be the worst of them. # People will treat a man with respect because they fear the evil he could do. # Much

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

will be drunk. # Muslims shall fight against a nation who wear shoes made of hair and with faces like hammered shields, with red complexions and small eyes.

, Book 41,

6960 # The emergence of the

Sufyani The Sufyani () is a figure in Islamic eschatology who is usually portrayed in hadiths as a tyrant who will spread corruption and mischief. According to Shia Hadith, the Sufyani will rise in the month of Rajab. Reports about the Sufyani are found ...

within the

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

region.

, Book 41,

6926 # The truce and joint Roman-Muslim campaign against a common enemy, followed by al-Malhama al-Kubra (

Armageddon Armageddon ( ; ; ; from ) is the prophesied gathering of armies for a battle during the end times, according to the Book of Revelation in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Armageddon is variously interpreted as either a literal or a ...

), a Roman vs. Muslim war.Narrated with sound chains from Dhu Mikhbar al-Najashi by Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, and al-Hakim who declared it sahih and al-Dhahabi concurred. See Shaykh Shu`ayb Arna'ut's documentation of this hadith in his edition of Sahih Ibn Hibban (15:101–103 #6708–6709). # The

Black Standard The Black Banner or Black Standard (), also known as the Banner of the eagle () or simply as The Banner () is one of the Islamic flags flown by the Islamic prophet Muhammad according to Muslim tradition. It was historically used by Abu Musli ...

will come from Khorasan (see Hadith of black flags), nothing shall turn them back until it is planted in

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

. Sunan At-Tirmidhi, 2269 Grade:

(Darussalam) # Emergence of an army, from

Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...

, that will make Islam dominant. Hadith of Aden-Abyan # An Arab king will die. There will be disagreement concerning succession. Then a man will emerge from Medina. He will hurry to Mecca, and the people of Mecca will come out to him and urge him and try to force him to accept the Bai'aa. One of the last of the lesser signs, and which will signal the coming of the 10 major signs is the appearance of the

Sunan Abu-Dawud ''Sunan Abi Dawud'' () is the third hadith collection of the Six Books of Sunni Islam. It was compiled by scholar Abu Dawud al-Sijistani (). Introduction Abu Dawood compiled twenty-one books related to Hadith and preferred those (plural of " ...

: Book 36, Hadith 4273 Grade:

(

Al-Albani Muhammad Nasir al-Din (19142 October 1999), commonly known as al-Albani, was an Albanian Islamic scholar. A leading figure of Salafism, he is commemorated for his works on revaluation of hadith studies. Born in Shkodër, Albania, to a family ad ...

) #

Lunar eclipse A lunar eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. Such an alignment occurs during an eclipse season, approximately every six months, during the full moon phase, ...

on the first night in the month of

Ramadhan Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting ('' sawm''), communal prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is also the month in which the Quran is believed to have been rev ...

and

solar eclipse A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of Earth, totally or partially. Such an alignment occurs approximately every six months, during the eclipse season i ...

in middle of it, with varying interpretations (1st/15th of Ramadhan) or (13th/28th of Ramadhan). It is largely accepted among past scholars. #Successive wars and death of many people in the world #Creation and development of science and knowledge in

Qom Qom (; ) is a city in the Central District of Qom County, Qom province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is the seventh largest metropolis and also the seventh largest city in Iran. The city is ...

#Increasing injustice and corruption in the world # People will fornicate on the roads "like donkeys". # A pleasant breeze will blow from the south that shall cause all believers to die peacefully.

Shia signs

According to some narrations, there are five certain signs that will occur prior to the appearance of the

. The

hadith Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...

Ja'far al-Sadiq Ja'far al-Sadiq (; –765) was a Muslim hadith transmitter and the last agreed-upon Shia Imam between the Twelvers and Isma'ilis. Known by the title al-Sadiq ("The Truthful"), Ja'far was the eponymous founder of the Ja'fari school of Isla ...

mentions these signs: "the appearance of

and Yamani, the loud cry in the sky, the murder of Nafs-e-Zakiyyah, and the earth swallowing (a group of people) in the land of Bayda which is a desert between Mecca and Medina.Mikyalul Makarim fee Fawaaid al-Duaa lil Qa'im, Page v2al-shia.org

Loud Cry in the Sky

Gabriel will shout loudly and it will be heard from the sky and in other interpretations it is stated to be that "...some of the people of Mecca will come to him, bring him out against his will and swear allegiance to him between the Corner and the Maqam...". Hence, that loud cry may be actually from the people present at the Kaaba on that particular day.

Appearance of Sufyani

According to some narrations

, one of the descendants of

Abu Sufyan Sakhr ibn Harb ibn Umayya (; ), commonly known by his ' Abu Sufiyan (), was a prominent opponent-turned companion and father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He was the father of the first Umayyad caliph Mu'awiya I () and namesake of the S ...

, will arise before Mahdi's appearance. He has been depicted as an outwardly devout man that will take care to remember

Allah Allah ( ; , ) is an Arabic term for God, specifically the God in Abrahamic religions, God of Abraham. Outside of the Middle East, it is principally associated with God in Islam, Islam (in which it is also considered the proper name), althoug ...

at all times. But in reality he will be the most wicked man in the world. He will upraise during the

Rajab Rajab () is the seventh month of the Islamic calendar. The lexical definition of the classical Arabic verb ''rajaba'' is "to respect", which could also mean "be awe or be in fear", of which Rajab is a derivative. This month is regarded as one ...

. After he realizes that Mahdi has appeared, he will send away an army to fight him. Some books say that the army of Sufyani before getting to the army of Mahdi will sink into the earth in the Bayda, a desert between

Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...

and

.Gheybah of Nu’mani, Page 9Amini, Chapter 10Al-Kourani, Page 30 The appearance of Sufyani is mentioned in both Shia and

narrations.Hashemi Shahidi, Page 524

Appearance of Yamani

In some narrations, the appearance of Yamani is mentioned as one of the certain signs of twelfth Imam's reappearance. The fifth Shia Imam,

Muhammad al-Baqir Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (; ) was a descendant of the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad and the fifth of the Twelve Imams, twelve Shia imams, succeeding his father, Ali al-Sajjad, and succeeded by his son, Ja'far al-Sad ...

, described Yamani in detail in a hadith:"... among these individuals (Sufyani, Yamani and Khorasani) the Yamani is the closest to guidance, for he calls the people to join the Mahdi. When he rises, the trading of weapons will be prohibited for every

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

. When he rises, join him immediately, for his flag is the flag of guidance and prosperity and no Muslim should oppose it. Any one who does so will go to hell, because the Yamani calls to the right path." Some sources mention that the Yamani and the Khurasani will be allied against the Sufyani.

The loud cry in the sky

The third certain sign that is mentioned in the above narration is the loud cry in the sky. According to tradition two cries will be heard. In the first of them

Gabriel In the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), Gabriel ( ) is an archangel with the power to announce God's will to mankind, as the messenger of God. He is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Quran. Many Chris ...

will call the name of Al-Qa'im and his father and say that truth is with

Ali Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until his assassination in 661, as well as the first Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib an ...

and his Shia. All people will hear Jibreel's cry in their own language. In a tradition of Ja'far al-Sadiq that is narrated by Zurarah ibn A'yan, it is said that after this cry

Shaitan Iblis (), alternatively known as Eblīs, also known as Shaitan, is the leader of the devils () in Islam. According to the Quran, Iblis was thrown out of heaven after refusing to prostrate himself before Adam. He is often compared to the Chri ...

will call certainly, so and so and their followers are victorious ones and his meaning is a man from Banu Umayya. He adds that the person who make the first cry says the truth.

The murder of Nafs al-Zakiyyah

Al-Nafs al-Zakiyyah will be one of the descendants of

Husayn ibn Ali Husayn ibn Ali (; 11 January 626 – 10 October 680 Common Era, CE) was a social, political and religious leader in early medieval Arabia. The grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and an Alids, Alid (the son of Ali ibn Abu Talib ibn Abd a ...

. He will be without any sin or crime; yet he will be murdered. According to many narrations, he will be the envoy of Mahdi to

before his reappearance. When he arrives in Mecca and delivers his message, the people of Mecca will slay him near the

Kaaba The Kaaba (), also spelled Kaba, Kabah or Kabah, sometimes referred to as al-Kaba al-Musharrafa (), is a stone building at the center of Islam's most important mosque and Holiest sites in Islam, holiest site, the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Sa ...

Earth sinking in the land of Bayda

The sinking of

's army into the earth is a certain sign of reappearance of Mahdi. In addition to above-mentioned hadith of Ja'far Sadiq, in a hadith

Ali ibn Abi Talib Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until Assassination of Ali, his assassination in 661, as well as the first imamate in Shia doctrine, Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muha ...

mentions that Sufyani's army will sink into the earth, and be swallowed up, in the land of Bayda.Sadr, Page 648

Notes

References

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{refend Islamic eschatology Jesus in Islam