Ancient texts dating back 1,400 years say there are signs which will show when the end of the world is coming – and many now seem to be appearing, according to believers.
Islamic texts such as the Quran and Hadith say 77 minor signs and 12 major signs will appear ahead of the "Day of Judgment" – and the advancement of technology as well as the coronavirus pandemic could well be a part of these.
In texts from the 9th century, scholars and experts such as Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim have studied these apparent signs which, according to those in the Muslim community, can be applied to what we see happening throughout the world today.
However, not everyone will agree whether these signs have "actually" appeared, so Daily Star Online has listed examples below for readers to determine.
Signs which have "appeared" – A great plague will spread over the land
The spread of coronavirus has been the topic of great debate in the Muslim world because one of the minor signs of the end of the world is that a great plague will spread over the land.
Clerics in Saudi Arabia and Iran have voiced their concern over coronavirus, claiming it is a sign to be wary of.
The New Arab reported in March that prominent conservative Iranian cleric Ali Reza Banahyan said this is one of the signs that comes before the return of the Mahdi – the Muslim saviour who according to Islamic tradition will reappear alongside Jesus in the Second Coming.
Coronavirus has stopped the world in its tracks with many countries, including the UK going into strict lockdown, with more than 500k deaths worldwide.
Although coronavirus is not a major sign – some say it is likely the great plague mentioned in the 9th century text, could be referring to the pandemic.
However, this may also be in reference to the plague of Amwas during the Caliphate of Hazrat Umar ibn al-Khattab – which still means it has already appeared.
"Great distances will be traversed in short spans of time" – the march of technology
With the success of Elon Musk's SpaceX making history by becoming the first private company to send humans into orbit, this Hadith could be pointing to recent innovations.
Musk said the mission is the "first step on a journey that would see humans become a multi-planetary species".
Additionally, it was reported earlier this year that spaceflight company Virgin Galactic is partnering with NASA to develop a high-speed vehicle for "point-to-point" travel.
Point-to-point travel will allow passengers to travel to places on Earth at either very high speeds, high up in the atmosphere or even potentially going through space.
Using such technology, SpaceX's forthcoming venture, Starship, would take just 40-minutes to travel from New York to Shanghai.
With such technology becoming increasingly more accessible and popular, according to the 1,400-year-old Hadith "the end is near."
When discussing the Hadith on Reddit, one user said the sign is not limited to the recent technological advances – in fact it refers to cars as well as planes.
The user, EndTimesWarrior said: "While I agree that some predictions may seem vague from some of you, I will cite some that were very precise and that happened. Great distances will be traversed in short spans of time – planes and cars."
Time will pass rapidly – Bukhari, Muslim & Ahmad
In the age of social media, we are constantly connected, making it impossible to get bored.
For the last few years as the world becomes more inter-connected it seems as though time is flying by, seemingly faster than it did when we were younger.
A sign mentioned in a strong Hadith, compiled by trusted scholars, Bukhari, Muslim and Ahmad reveals that one of the minor signs of the day of judgment is that "time will pass rapidly."
Shaykh Ibn Baaz said, in his commentary on Fath al-Baari, 2/522 has analysed the Hadith and stated this may also refer to the advancement of communication and technology – what used to take days by posting letters or sending telegrams, can now be done in an instant through apps and the internet.
This could also be a reference to the instant gratification we all seek – instead of letting our minds wander, we insist on keeping it occupied with one thing after another, and in turn time seems to move faster.
Regarding this Hadith, Muslim Youth of Truth said: "There will be a speedy elapse of time, in which a year would seem like a month, and a month would seem like a week."
Power and authority will be given to wrong people – Bukhari
According to a popular authentic Hadith compiled by Bukhari, another sign of the end of times is that "power and authority will be given to the wrong people."
The recent Black Lives Matter protests have thrown America into turmoil – the whole crux of the protests which threaten anarchy are that those who are meant to protect citizens, are the ones who are allegedly killing them.
The authority of police officers can be seen as given to "the wrong people" as it is increasingly becoming challenged and questioned.
In the last few years there have been examples of huge figures placed in a position of power that have led to the destruction of many lives, whether it be the Nazis and Adolf Hitler or a figure like Harvey Weinstein who possessed power in one of the biggest industries in the world.
Movements against these figures showcase a revolution against those in power – which could seem like the sign mentioned in the Hadith has appeared.
Members of the Muslim community have vocalised their concerns over the current issues, classing police brutality as a minor sign.
One Twitter user known as @dadoftheyear said: "Wanna speak on police brutality? Then do it the correct way. Make a conference focused on tawheed, the sunnah, the Quran, and the minor signs of the day of judgment since that’s what this is. A minor sign."
When people begin to compete with others in the construction of taller buildings – Bukhari
A minor sign mentioned again by Bukhari is the concept of the world competing for the "tallest building" in reference to this being a sign of greed and power.
In the last few decades many buildings have fought for the spot of the highest skyscraper.
According to the Hadith, the sign has appeared as people have been continually rushing to compete – in 2010 the Burj Khalifa took over as the world's tallest building, taking over from the Taipei 101 in Taiwan.
In 2012, the UK completed the erection of The Shard, making it the tallest building in the country and the sixth tallest in Europe.
Throughout the world there has been a desire to host "the tallest" building for years, and it shows no signs of stopping, and since the destruction of the world's tallest Twin Tower's in 2001, there is still a fierce competition amongst nations.
Whether or not the sign has "appeared" – the competition to compete for the tallest building remains never-ending.
One worried Reddit user said: "How could a man (referring to Prophet Muhammed SWS) 1,500 years ago predict that Arabia would have tall buildings? Tall buildings only just started showing up at around the 1980s and today Arabia still has the tallest buildings and they are competing. Even that prophecy alone should make one think."
In fact, Twitter user @Islamicembassy posted an eerie picture of Qatar before and after, with one showing empty land and the other showing modern day Qatar with huge buildings.
The user captioned it with: "The prophet said that the minor sign of the day of judgment was that people who were once needy shepherds would end of competing with each other in making tall buildings."
