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22-11-2024
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Hadith- Hadith Explanation- Ahmadi Mosque - Lesson (24-119): Ahadith of the end times
   
 
 
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, Most Merciful  
 

The precise standard to filter inaccurate thoughts and saying

 Dear brother, as time passes by, millions of thoughts and sayings accumulate inside of one's self; some are right while sh3er are wrong, deviant and defective. Is there a way to filter these thoughts and sayings through a precise standard? The precise standard that never fails is Revelation.
 For instance, salesmen present to you a thousand pieces of cloth, on each cloth there is a label with its length. How can we know if these labels are correct or not? If the length is falsified, increased, or reduced? Sometimes a piece from the cloth has been sold but the length indication on the label has not been changed! You will have to have a meter with you to measure these pieces of cloth. Therefore, it is necessary to have a standard in life; and our standard is Revelation.

Some examples:

 Dear brother, Allah (SWT) says in what can be translated as:

"Say: "None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghaib (unseen) except Allah,"

[An-Naml, 27: 65]

 According to this ayah (verse), you can negate a hundred of thousands of things because Only Allah (SWT) knows the unseen. It is all over, because you have the standard which is Revelation. He Who created the universe tells you that the unseen is known only to Allah (SWT)!

 In another ayah, Allah (SWT) says:

"Say: "It is not in my power to cause you harm, or to bring you to the Right Path."

[al-Jinn, 72:21]

 The master (the best) of all humans, and Allah’s beloved (our Prophet PBUH) did not have the power to harm or benefit us, nor did he even have the power to do so to himself. He showed us the path to Allah (SWT), but harm or benefit are only in the Hands of Allah (SWT). Therefore, we should not pertain to people and let them get our hopes up. For example, people sometimes may turn the truth into falsehood using proofs and demonstration. The prophet (PBUH) said:

((Perhaps one of you two is more eloquent than the other, if my judgement causes you to get something that belongs to the other, then do not take it for it is but a piece of the Hellfire)).

[Narrated Um-Salamah, and reported by al-Bukhary and Muslim]

What I meant from all this introduction:

 I want to say that there are those who make an error in using a balance, and those whose balance is defective. Actually, it is not a big problem to make an error in using a balance, because this error may not occur again; but, the big problem is when the balance is defective, for the error will occur again and again even if you use it a million times. The balance is creed and Revelation. All this was to introduce the following subtle topic: The Prophet’s many Ahadith about the end times and times of affliction.

How did the Prophet know about the unseen ?

 One may say: “haven’t you just said that no one knows the unseen except Allah (SWT)? So how does it come that the Prophet (PBUH) knew about the unseen?” The Prophet did not know the unseen by himself, but Allah (SWT) revealed it to him.We need to focus carefully on the unseen.

 There are two worlds: The world of the seen and that of the unseen. Where you exist is the world of the seen, while somewhere else, before and after you have existed is the unseen for you. Allah (SWT) knows the unseen and the seen. That is why scholars said that there is an unseen which Allah (SWT) has not revealed to any one not even to Prophets.

 The appointed time of the Hour (the last Day) and the small hour (death) is known only to Allah (SWT) for a hidden wisdom. Perhaps, in order that we adore Him more (worship Him continuously) and prepare ourselves for meeting Him. The following ayah stresses this meaning:

"O you who believe! Fear Allah (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allah. "

[Al-‘Imran, 3:102]

 Allah (SWT) forbids us to die except in the following state:

"And die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allah."

[Al-‘Imran, 3:102]

 But, is death within our control? Of course not. This ayah means: O believers, death should not come and find you but in complete obedience and submission to Allah (SWT).

 Allah (SWT) has hidden the time of death and the time of the Last Day out of His Mercy on us. Because, if someone knew his appointed term he would delay the moment he would repent. Therefore this unseen is known only to Allah (SWT), it is not known neither to His servants nor to His Prophets, and it is preserved in the knowledge of the unseen. However, there is a second sort of unseen which Allah permitted His Prophets to know. Allah says in what can be translated as:

"(He Alone) the All-Knower of the Gha'ib (unseen), and He reveals to none His Gha'ib (unseen). "Except to a Messenger (from mankind) whom He has chosen (He informs him of unseen as much as He likes),"

[Al-Jinn, 72: 26-27]

 Therefore, Allah (SWT) revealed the unseen to His Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). However scholars divided the unseen that can be revealed to the humans into three categories: The unseen that happens in the present, that which happened in the past and that which will happen in the future.

"…You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Maryam (Mary); nor were you with them when they disputed. "

[Al-‘Imran, 3:44]

 Which means: Where did you bring these parts of the news of the unseen from? You could not have known about them! This was a proof of his Prophethood.
 That was the unseen concerning the past, as for the present:

"And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you (O Muhammad) to imprison you, or to kill you, or to get you out (from your home, i.e. Makkah); they were plotting and Allah too was planning, and Allah is the Best of the planners."

[Al-Anfal, 8:30]

 That was the unseen concerning the present, as for the future:

"The Romans have been defeated. In the nearer land (Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine), and they, after their defeat, will be victorious."

[Ar-Rum, 30:2-3]

 Allah (SWT) informs his Prophet with the past, present and future unseen.

Some ahadith about the end times referring to the unseen:

 Dear brother, the ahadith about the coming of the Hour, the evil times and the end times are about the unseen future which Allah (SWT) revealed to his Prophet (PBUH):

((You will see after me, selfishness (on the part of other people) and other matters that you will disapprove of." They asked, "What do you order us to do, O Allah's Messenger? (under such circumstances)?" He said, "Pay their rights to them (to the rulers) and ask your right from Allah.))

[Narrated ‘Abdullah Ibn-Mas’ud, Reported al-Bukhari]

 That is: Egocentrism will spread and people will be concerned only with their own affairs putting aside their principles, religion, kinship relationships and family.

 Also among the signs of the end times, The prophet (PBUH) said:

((When you see people becoming too greedy, following their own desires, and sticking each to his opinion; then stay at home, keep silent, take what you know and leave what you do not know. Care only about yourself and forget about the common people.))

[At-Tirmidi and Abu-Dawud from Abu-Tha’laba al-Khuchani]

 That is: when you see certain things such as selfishness and other things you disavow. It was mentioned in some hadith:

((What will become of you when good becomes evil and evil becomes good?” he asked. Those around him asked in amazement, “Will that truly happen, O Messenger of Allah?” “Yes, and even worse!” he replied, and went on to ask, “What will become of you when you enjoin evil and forbid what is good?))

[Ibn Abi Ya'la, Musnad and al-Tabarani, al-Awsat]

 Is it possible that we enjoin evil and forbid good? How many fathers disavowed their daughters because they put the veil on? How many husbands prevent their wives from veiling their faces, their hair? Or oblige them to sit with their friends when the wives prefer to retire in their rooms?

((What will become of you when you enjoin evil and forbid what is good?))

 Therefore, the end times were revealed to the prophet (PBUH) and he made reference to them in his ahadith.

The prophet’s guidance through this hadith:

 Among the ahadith of the end times: The prophet (PBUH) said,

((Be patient till you meet your Lord, for no time will come upon you but the time following it will be worse than it. Till you meet your Lord))

[Reported al-Bukhari in the Sahih and at-Tirmidi in the Sunan]

 People often feel nostalgic about the past time. They often say they used to live more comfortably, they were at ease while nowadays things are getting harder and more challenging. This is exactly what the prophet (PBUH) informed us so that we would not be amazed. Therefore, the best thing to do is to cling to our religion to be safe because things are no more what they should be. This is Allah’s wisdom:

((And there is not a town (population) but We shall destroy it before the Day of Resurrection, or punish it with a severe torment. That is written in the Book (of our Decrees).))

[Al-Isra’, 17:58]

 Debauchery has widely spread. Is it possible that a TV series changes the course of a whole nation? Can 300 episodes teach girls ways of debauchery and immorality, Teach wives adultery and husbands how to violate peoples’ reputation? They are so attached to it that when it is broadcasted, it seems as if a curfew has been announced!

((Will that truly happen, O messenger of Allah? Yes, and even worse! ))

 You can see the lights on from windows until dawn, are people doing qyam (night prayer)? No, they are zapping through the channels! Neither do they pray Isha (night prayer) nor Fajr (dawn prayer), nor do they remember Allah (SWT)!

"And there is not a town (population) but We shall destroy it before the Day of Resurrection, or punish it with a severe torment. That is written in the Book (of our Decrees)."

[Al-Isra’, 17:58]

Some signs of the end times:

 The Prophet (PBUH) said:

(( Do not revert to disbelief after me by striking (cutting) the necks of one another.))

[Narrated Ibn-‘Umar, reported al-Bukhari in the Sahih.]

 It was mentioned in some ahadith that among the signs of the Hour is that we would be afflicted by death just as an epidemic among sheeps! And also:

(( The murderer would not know why he has committed the murder, and the victim would not know why he has been murdered.))

[Narrated Abu-Hurayra, reported Muslim]

 There has always been criminals who kill people along human history. But nowadays with civil wars and genocides, you may ask some why they kill or why a person was killed, they simply do not know! Sometimes they look at a person identity card then shoot him dead! This is from the signs of the end times. Therefore, when Allah (SWT) spares a population, it is only out of His Generosity because sins are increasingly widespread among people.

This is what happened in Eastern Europe:

 A friend of mine, an Imam (a leader of prayers in a mosque) originated from Albania, told me: “ I go from time to time to my homeland. When I mount the Minbar (a pulpit which is used for preaching) for Friday sermon, five thousands of people crane their necks towards me, greatly affected by what I say with bottles of wine in their pockets. They may even drink them while following the sermon and crying out of affectivity.” This was the way Islam was practiced in Muslim countries in Eastern Europe. They were deprived from Islamic knowledge for seventy years, so they did not know that wine is illicit!

 Also one of my friends went to Mosco, and while he was in a cooperative society, he was hugged by a Russian Muslim who shed tears; and to express his love for him, he bought him a vodka (alcoholic drink) ! This is pure ignorance!

(( A twelve thousand men from my ummah will not be defeated as aresult of smallness of their number.))

[Al-Jami’ as-Saghir]

 Now what about one milliard, two hundred million Muslims!,( why are we defeated?!)

Evil has appeared on land and sea:

 Once I took a plane of a United Arab Emirate airline from Damascus to Abu Dhabi. Wine was served and only seven from 450 passengers did not drink it! This happened in a trip from a Muslim country to another Muslim country while we were in the air under Allah’s Mercy!

"Evil (sins and disobedience of Allah, etc.) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds, etc.),"

[Ar-Rum, 30:41]

 There is no one to be blame for our weakness but ourselves, because Allah (SWT) says:

"… (as for) the believers it was incumbent upon Us to help (them). "

[Ar-Rum, 30:47]

"If you help (in the cause of) Allah, He will help you,"

[Muhammad, 47:7]

"…And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers."

[An-Nisa’, 4:141]

"Allah has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth,"

 Where is this succession? (which means Allah has not granted us succession because we are not real believers)

"As He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion, that which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islam). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear (provided) they (believers) worship Me."

[An-Nur, 24:55]

A story that was told from the Minbar:

 A man came to an Imam and told him: “I will tell you a heart breaking story that happened in my house and I would like you to tell it to people when you are on the prophet’s minbar.”

 A father was sitting with his sons and daughters in front of TV following those western satellite channels. There appeared a pornographic channel, but the father zapped immediately to an other one. Unfortunately, the son memorized the number of the channel. Around midnight, the parents went to sleep while the children stayed up zapping till they found the channel. At two o’clock the father was woken up by a sort of whining: He found out his sons and daughters committing incest!

 The father sweared that it happened in his own home and the imam told it on the minbar!

"Evil (sins and disobedience of Allah, etc.) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds, etc.),"

[Ar-Rum, 30:41]

 The prophet (PBUH) mentioned that debauchery will spread on earth.

The prophet’s advice for times of Affliction:

 He said:

((When you see people becoming too greedy, following their own desires, and sticking each to his opinion; then stay at home, keep silent, take what you know and leave what you do not know. Care only about yourself and forget about the common people.))

[At-Tirmidi and Abu-Dawud from Abu-Tha’laba al-Khuchani]

  The prophet (PBUH) said:

((There will be afflictions (in the near future) during which a sitting person will be better than a standing one, and the standing one will be better than the walking one, and the walking one will be better than the running one, and whoever will expose himself to these afflictions, they will destroy him. So whoever can find a place of protection or refuge from them, should take shelter in it.))

[Reported al-Bukhri and muslim in the Sahih]

 That is: the house is better than the street and the hotel is better than the cafeteria, avoid all the places where there are unveiled women, indecent scenes, temptations, or perversity.

((Blessed is he who follows the Sunnah, and avoids innovation!))

 The truth is that the believer’s paradise, in the times of affliction, is his home with his wife and children. The debauchee, on the other hand, is most of his time out: in the street, in a restaurant, bar, nightclub or cafeteria.

Other ahadith about the end times:

 Dear brother the following hadith was reported from the prophet (PBUH):

((What will become of you if the liar is trusted and the truthful is disbelieved? If the treacherous is trusted and the trustworthy distrusted? What will become of you if you enjoin evil and forbid good? What will become of you if illness becomes a destiny and children become rebellious; if the vilainous increase in number and the generous are in great indignation?))

 All these are signs of the end times.

((What will become of you if the mother gives birth to her master?))

 For instance, You will find a well educated daughter, with a diploma, saying that her mother-who gave birth to her, brought her up and took care of her-is old-fashioned and ignorant! Or you will find a son who is ashamed of his father though the father, in Islam, should be honorable in his children's sights?

Blessed are those who worship Allah (SWT) in times of affliction !

 Dear brother, about the end times, which are difficult times of affliction, the prophet (PBUH) said:

((Worship in time of Haraj (chaos) equals Hijra (migration) for my sake.))

 Nowadays, there are many cafeterias, five stars hotels, parks; and uncovered women are everywhere. Therefore, when people take refuge in mosques and in their homes, lowering their gaze, spending money for charity, and telling the truth; they are seeking Allah’s satisfaction.

((He who worships Allah in times of affliction is as if he has achieved hijra for the sake of Allah and His prophet.))

Who are the prophet’s beloved ones ?

 It was mentioned that the prophet (PBUH) said:

(( “I miss my beloved ones” The companions asked him, “Aren’t we your beloved ones?” He answered, “You are my companions, my beloved ones are those who will come by the end times, the one of them who holds on his religion, is just like the one who holds a firebrand and their reward equals that of seventy men!” the companions asked again: “seventy among us or among them?” the prophet replied: “Among them”, “why?” they asked, the prophet answered: “ Because you have a supporter for good deeds while they do not! ))

 Sometimes, The believer is opposed (is criticized for adhering to the Straight path of Allah) by his father, mother, brother or neighbour.

What will benefit us in these times:

 Dear brother, this lecture is meant to make you wake up. We are living in the end times and only obedience to Allah (SWT) and taking refuge in mosques can benefit us:

"Then seek refuge in the Cave, your Lord will open a way for you from His Mercy and will make easy for you your affair"

[Al-Kahf, 18:16]

 The mosque is like a cave in which we can take refuge.

((My mosques are My houses on earth, their visitors are their dwellers, blessed be he who makes his ablutions at home then visits Me; it is the duty of the host to be generous towards his guests.))

[Reported at-Tabarani from Abdullah Ibn-Mas’oud]

 When one attends an Islamic lecture, his faith becomes deeper in his heart, facts accumulate and convictions increase. You will find yourself following the straight path and feeling greatly reassured.

Contentedness is a characteristic of the believer:

  It was said:
 ((If kings knew about the happiness we are enjoying, they would have fought us with swords for it !))
 Once, Abu-Hanifa an-Nu’mane was at Abu-Ja’far al-Mansur’s, the powerful caliph, when this latter told him: “O Abu-Hanifa, why don’t you visit us more frequently? Abu-Hanifa told him: “why should I when I have nothing that makes me fear you? If you get me closer to you, I will be tempted; and if you set me aside, you will lower me.”

 He is contented with his life because he is in continuous connection with Allah (SWT). Contentedness is a characteristic of the believer who disregards people and worldly life. Therefore, if you want Allah (SWT) to love you, seek what is with Him; but if you want people to love you, then disregard what is with Him.

Du’a (supplication) is a continuous connection with Allah (SWT):

 A poet said:

Do not ask a human something,
Ask rather He Whose Doors are never closed!

Allah gets indignant if you do not ask a thing from Him,
While a human being once asked gets incensed!

If you ask a human being he gets angry while Allah (SWT) gets angry when you do not ask him!

 In the following ahadith:

((I get angry at he who does not ask Me.))

((Allah loves those who supplicate to Him with insistence.))

((Allah loves when the servant asks him about all his affairs.))

((Allah loves when the servant asks him even about the salt he uses in his food!))

((Allah loves when the servant asks him even about the the torn lace of his boots.))

 Du’a is a continuous connection between you and Allah (SWT).

At last...

 Dear brother, I hope I have been able to make you benefit from Ahadith of the end times. Let us take refuge in mosques, get armed with knowledge, for knowledge is the human’s weapon against Shaytan (Satan)!

((A knowledgable man is much harder on Shaytan than a thousand of worshippers!))

[Narrated Abdullah Ibn-‘Abbas, reported Ahmed Ibn-Yahya al-Baladhiry]

(( The merit of the knowledgeable man upon the worshipper is just like my merit upon the lowest person among you! Angels spread their wings for the seeker of knowledge as a satisfaction with what he does!))

[At-Tirmidi in the Sunan]

((Angels in the heavens and whales in the seas bless he who teaches people good.))

 Allah (SWT) is generous with anyone who enters a mosque, He grants him either reassurance in his heart or ease in his affairs.

((They are in mosques while Allah (SWT) is looking after their affairs.))

 Anyway, it is impossible that you visit someone and he is not generous to you. Visiting Allah in His mosques results in success. Allah (SWT) is with the believers; it is a special company: He is with them as a Supporter, a Vindicator and a Protector.

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