The Signs of the Last Age (Ākhir az-Zamān)

I. Defining the Last Age (Ākhir az-Zamān)

The term 'Last Day' (Yawm al-Qiyāmah) is often preceded by the concept of the 'Last Age' (Ākhir az-Zamān), the final historical period culminating in the end of history itself. This age is characterized by profound spiritual and moral collapse, leading to a state of godlessness. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prophesied that moral consciousness would decline to such an extent that people would "engage in sexual intercourse in public like donkeys". This moral decay frames the necessity of the ultimate prophetic events.

The culmination of this age is marked by the return of the true Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary (‘Īsā ibn Maryam), who will return to rule the world with justice. The descent of Jesus is explicitly identified in the Qur'an as a sign for the knowledge of the Hour: “And indeed, Jesus will be [a sign for] knowledge of the Hour, so be not in doubt of it, and follow Me. This is a straight path.” (Q. 43:61). His death, after his rule, and his subsequent burial next to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Madinah, would signal the cessation of recorded history.   

The prophetic warnings concerning this inevitable collapse serve as a profound critique of any civilization—regardless of its perceived progress—that heads toward total moral ruin.

II. The Minor Signs (Alāmāt Ṣughrā)

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) foretold numerous minor signs, many of which are interpreted by scholars as already having manifested in modern times, signaling the world's entry into the final epoch.

A. Socio-Political and Moral Decay

The Prophet foretold a breakdown in leadership and social fabric:

• Wicked Leaders: "When the most wicked member of a tribe becomes its ruler, and the most worthless member of a community becomes its leader...". This warning speaks to the corruption of governance, where leadership is given to those unworthy or respected merely out of fear.
• Decline of Knowledge: Religious knowledge would disappear as rightly-guided scholars are marginalized and institutions of Islamic learning are compromised. Consequently, "nothing would remain of Islam but the name, and nothing would remain of the Qur'an but the traces (of its writing)".
• Economic Transgression: The universal consumption of Riba (usury or interest) was foretold. Today, Riba is pervasive in modern banking, insurance, and monetary systems, taking control over economic life.
• Immorality: Fornication, adultery, and the consumption of alcohol would become commonplace. Homosexuality and lesbianism would gain social acceptance and legal protection.

B. Gender Roles and Aesthetics

Specific shifts in clothing and fashion were prophesied:

• Dressed Yet Naked: The Prophet (PBUH) warned of "women who would be dressed but appear to be naked, who would be inclined (to evil) and make their husbands incline towards it". This has been interpreted as women wearing clothing that is transparent, tight, or excessively revealing.
• Camel Humps: Women would arrange their hair to "look like the hump of a camel", a fashion trend seen as a sign of the Last Age.
• Gender Blurring: It was foretold that women would dress like men (wearing trousers or jackets) and men would dress like women ("crossdressers").

C. Enigmatic and Temporal Signs

Other signs possess deeper, often debated meanings:

• Swift Passage of Time: The feeling that time is moving swiftly—"a year passing like a month—a month like a week—a week like a day"—is a prophecy that has become a universal subjective experience, interpreted by some scholars as the disappearance of barakah (blessing) from time.
• Construction Competition: A powerful prophecy states that "naked barefooted shepherds would vie with one another in the construction of high-rise buildings". This sign, fulfilled in the rapid, extravagant construction projects in the Arabian Peninsula, highlights the sudden shift of destitute nomads to immense wealth and a preoccupation with visible symbols of status.
• The Slave Woman: The sign that "A slave woman would give birth to her mistress" is often interpreted as a breakdown of social hierarchy, but is also viewed in the context of moral and social upheavals caused by phenomena like Riba and the shift in gender relations.

III. The Ten Major Signs (Alāmāt Kubrā)

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) outlined ten catastrophic and global events that would immediately precede the Hour. Hudhayfah ibn Usayd Ghifari reported the Prophet saying: “It will not come until you see ten signs. And (in this connection) he made a mention of the ‘smoke’, ‘Dajjal’, the ‘beast’, the ‘rising of the sun from the west’, the ‘descent of Jesus son of Mary’, ‘Gog and Magog’, ‘sinkings of the earth in three places, one in the east, one in the west and one in Arabia’ at the end of which ‘fire would burn forth from Yemen, and would drive people to the place of their assembly’ [for judgment].”.

The order of these signs is disputed, but they are generally grouped as follows:

• 1. Al-Masīḥ ad-Dajjāl (The False Messiah or Antichrist): The greatest trial of the Last Age. Dajjāl is a specific end-time deceiver who seeks to impersonate the true Messiah. One view suggests his mission is divided into stages and that he may be linked to the final ruling state of the world. His false paradise and hell are meant to deceive the masses.
• 2. Yājūj wa Mājūj (Gog and Magog): The release of these enormous tribes who "swiftly spread out in every direction" (Q. 21:96) is a sign of chaos. One specific interpretation links their release to the return of a destroyed town (e.g., Jerusalem) being reclaimed by its inhabitants (Q. 21:95-96).
• 3. Dukhān (The Smoke): A period where a smoke or fog will envelop the Earth. This is sometimes interpreted literally, and sometimes non-literally as the totality of environmental pollution (global warming and climatic disaster) authored by the modern industrial economy.
• 4. Dābbat al-Arḍ (The Beast of the Land/Earth): A mysterious creature that will emerge, marking believers and non-believers. Various interpretations exist regarding its identity, ranging from a physical animal to a socio-political entity.
• 5. The Sun Rising from the West: This marks the closing of the door of repentance. While some interpret this literally as a cosmic event, others view it symbolically, representing the world turning "upside-down" and being led to a way of life opposite to the Divine Order, such as the replacement of natural money with artificial, valueless currency. This non-literal interpretation attempts to harmonize the prophecy with Qur'anic declarations that there is "no change (can there be) in Allah’s creation" (Q. 30:30).
• 6-8. The Three Sinkings of the Earth (Khusūf): Three massive, distinct geographical land collapses. The Prophet mentioned one in the East, one in the West, and one in Arabia. The sinking in the East may be interpreted as a major underwater earthquake resulting in a Tsunami, such as the event in South East Asia in December 2004. The third, in Arabia, is prophesied to swallow an entire army heading to attack the spiritual reformer, Imam al-Mahdi (Sahih al-Bukhari).
• 9. Fire from Yemen: A great fire that would emerge from Yemen, driving all people toward the place of their final assembly (Arafat, in Arabia). This event is prophesied to occur after the third great sinking.
• 10. Descent of Jesus, Son of Mary: This is the final and most decisive sign, marking the end of the Last Age. Jesus (PBUH) will descend after the third earthquake in Arabia, and his primary mission will be to slay Dajjāl, restoring justice and peace.

The sheer number and detailed nature of these prophecies provide Muslims with conviction that truth will ultimately triumph over falsehood and oppression, offering hope despite the trials of the Last Age.