In the hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) refers to the signs of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) as taking place one after the other, “like the beads on a necklace,” and clearly states that this development will herald the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (as):
… let them expect portents taking place one after the other like the beads of a necklace whose string has snapped.
(Tirmidhi) |
The signs of the Last Day will follow one another. Like beads strung out one behind the other.
(Ramuz al-Ahadith, 277/6; Al-Jami’ al-Sagir, 3/167) |
Indeed, the signs in question began taking place as of the Islamic year 1400 “like a string of beads” and they have almost all come about in the 30-year period that has followed.
One of the signs of the End Times described by the Prophet (saas) is the intensification of earthquakes:
The Hour (Last Day) will not be established until ... earthquakes will be very frequent.
(Bukhari) |
There are two great incidents before the day of Judgment... and then years of earthquakes.
(Narrated by Umm Salama (r.a.)) |
The days when you can find no homes to shelter you, or animals to carry you, have come close. Earthquakes will demolish your houses.
(Muhammad ibn `Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha`ah li Ashrat as-Sa`ah, p. 146) |
There will be disagreements and frequent earthquakes.
(Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-Ashrat al-Sa'ah, p. 166) |
The 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck China on 9 July, 2009, is also a sign of the End Times. The way that this natural disaster, in which 300 people were injured and some 10,000 buildings were collapsed, took place in the same time frame as the other signs described by the Prophet (saas) fourteen centuries ago confirms that this earthquake is one of those that will take place in the End Times.
The flooding that struck more than 10 provinces in southern China on 7 July following heavy rains, in which almost 100 people lost their lives and which has been described as the worst flooding of the year, is also, by virtue of its timing, a sign of the End Times. Our Prophet (saas) said:
The Hour will not come until there has been rain which destroy all dwellings.
(Ibn Ahmad Hanbal) |
An increase in rain and a reduction in grass ... occur because the Hour is near.
(Muhammad ibn `Abd ar-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha`ah li Ashrat as-Sa`ah, p. 137) |
The Hour does not come until all mud-brick buildings, except for the stone ones, collapse.
(Ibn Ahmad Hanbal, Musnad vol. 13, p. 291, no. 7554) |
Considered together with the other signs of the End Times, these events taking place at present are clearly no ordinary phenomena, but rather the heralds of a very important time, of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as), who will appear in this time and be instrumental in the salvation of the entire Muslim world. This must further encourage and fill with excitement all Muslims who are told of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) by our Prophet (saas).
