The sighting of a comet is one of the portents of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as)

A star with a luminous tail will rise from the east before Hazrat Mahdi (as) emerges. (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, p. 200)

Halley’s comet passed by the Earth in Hijri 1406, or 1986 AD. This comet is a bright, luminous star.

Before he [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] arrives, a comet will appear in the east, giving out an illumination. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p. 53)

Halley’s comet travels from east to west. This final passage of the comet in the End Times heralds the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (as), as revealed in the hadiths.

The star’s rise will occur after the eclipse of the Sun and the Moon. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi, p. 32)

Halley’s comet appeared in the wake of the eclipses of the Sun and Moon in 1981 and 1982, or Hijri 1401-1402.

Throughout history, whenever this comet has passed by, events that represent significant turning points with regard to Muslims have taken place. Some of these are revealed in the accounts narrated by our Prophet (saas). According to these accounts, when the comet was seen:

- The people of the Prophet Noah (as) were destroyed,

- The Prophet Abraham (as) was cast into the fire,

- Pharaoh and his tribe were destroyed,

- The Prophet Jesus (as) was born,

- Our Prophet (saas) began receiving the first revelation,

- The Ottoman Empire made its appearance, and

- Constantinople (Istanbul) was captured by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror.

Some Interesting Figures Linked to Halley’s Comet

Interestingly, some figures pertaining to the comet are multiples of 19. For example, Halley's Comet appears every 76 years

(19 x 4 = 76)

and was last seen in Hijri 1406

(19 x 74 = 1406)

Surat al-Muddaththir, which refers to the miracle of 19 in the Qur'an, is the seventy-fourth surah. Moreover, its thirtieth verse reveals that 19 is a means of mercy for believers and of fitna for unbelievers.

As is known, it is stated in verse 30 of Surat al-Muddaththir (surah 74) that the number “19” is instrumental in being a mercy for believers while being a fitnah for unbelievers.

This miraculous relation of Halley’s comet to the number 19 may point at giving the good news of it being a strife for unbelievers while being a mercy for believers.

In Surat al-Muddaththir 74:1-2, Allah commands our Prophet (saas): "O YOU WHO ARE ENVELOPED IN YOUR CLOAK, ARISE AND WARN." The meaning is clear. Yet, there may be a hidden meaning: "(THE ONE) ENVELOPED IN CLOAK" may well refer to the Hazrat Mahdi (as), who is from our Prophet's (saas) lineage and whose appearance will be signaled by the rise of Halley's comet in 1406 AH.

Another miraculous aspect is that Halley’s comet’s passage by the Earth in 1986 is the 19th since the prophethood was bestowed on the Prophet Muhammad (saas) in 607 AD.