Signs of the Hour
When will this Day come? When people asked Muhammad, he would always answer that this knowledge was with God alone. However, according to several traditions, he did indicate that some major and minor signs would appear before the day arrived.
Minor Signs
The Prophet Muhammad specified several “minor” signs that would appear as the end times approach. Among them:
Shepherds will begin competing in the construction of tall buildings.
Drinking and fornication will increase; killing will increase.
Earthquakes will increase in number.
Knowledge of Islam will be taken away, while ignorance will increase.
Time will be shortened so that a year will be like a month, a month like a day, a day like an hour.
There are dozens more of these minor signs, and Muslims notice that many of them have already begun to appear. But that doesn't necessarily mean that the Day of Judgment could come at any moment. There will also be “major” signs that signify that the Hour is imminent.
Major Signs
The Prophet Muhammad described several major events that will indicate that the Day of Resurrection is near. These include:
Dajjal (the anti-Christ) will appear, claiming to be God and trying to deceive people away from true faith. Only unbelievers will follow him.
Jesus Christ will return to earth.
Two tribes of people (Gog and Magog) will ravage the earth.
The sun will rise from the west.
