Chapters
Signs of the Promised Day of the Riser
Ahmed the Promised One · Alaa Alsalem
6. Signs of the Promised Day of the Riser
The religious sources mention signs of his advent and the nearing of his days. Most of them have come to pass, some of which are:
A. Numerous Ordeals and Wars, and News of Them
In the Gospel:
[6]And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. [7]For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. [8]All these are but the beginning of the birth pains (Matthew 24:6-8).
Ammar ibn Yasir said: "The nation of Ahl al-Bayt of your Prophet in the end times has several signs. If you see some of these signs, then stay where you are, and wait for its signs to appear. If Rome and the Turks are instigated against you and armies are prepared . . . and wars will increase on Earth."43
Kaab Al-Ahbar said: "There will be humiliation, fighting, and earthquakes in Baghdad. It is one of the first lands to be destroyed. Then destruction will begin in Egypt. When you see unrest in Syria it will result in death and more death. Banu Al-Asfar (Rome) will mobilize, They will reach the Arab countries, and battles will ensue between them."44
Without a doubt, all of these things are happening today.
B. The Destruction of Babylon (Iraq)
This is another Sign for the nearing of the Day of Judgment and Deliverance, just as has been mentioned in the Old and New Testament:
In the Torah:
[22] “I will rise up against them,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and posterity,” declares the LORD. [23] “And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of hosts (Isaiah 14).
The hedgehog is a symbol of destruction and wasteland, since this is where it lives.
Also in the same book:
[9] . . . And he answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground” (Isaiah 21).
And in the Gospel:
[7]“. . . Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” [8] Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of sexual immorality” (Revelation 14).
Also:
[2] And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird . . . (Revelation 18).
Nothing in God's religion is called an “unclean bird”; rather, it means airplanes. What is mentioned in this verse is exactly what happened when the US led the campaign of Babylon's destruction with its abominable “unclean” planes.
There are many references in Muslim sources about Iraq’s destruction when the divine promise draws near. Below are some examples:
Imam Al-SadiqPBUH said about Baghdad: “. . . then God Almighty will destroy it with these ordeals and banners, such that whenever someone passes through they will say: Zawra (Baghdad) was here.”45
Prophet MuhammadPBUHAP said: “A battle will break out among Zawra (Baghdad).” They asked him: And what is Zawra? He said: "It is a city between the rivers of the Land of Jokha, controlled by the arrogant from my nation. It will experience torment four times, with disgrace, loss, and ruin."46,47
One of the events that takes place in Baghdad and leads to disagreement among its rulers is the elections, which have occurred for the first time in history. Prophet MuhammadPBUHAP said: “Woe to my nation regarding the major and minor consultation”. The prophet was asked about it and said, "The major consultation will be held in my country after my death in order to to rob my brother AliPBUH of his vicegerency and to deprive my daughter of her rights. The minor consultation will be held in Zawra during the greater occultation of Imam MahdiPBUH to alter my way (Sunnah) and change my rulings.”48 Zawra is the “Green Zone” that is in Baghdad.49
This will take place and the leadership of Iraq will be in the hands of the Kurds. Imam AliPBUH said of Iraq when the Promised Day is near: “When the church bell rings loudly . . . at that time things unheard of will happen when fire is lit in Basra . . . the standard is tied to the Kurdish Amelekites.”50
C. An increase in the number of earthquakes, floods, epidemics, famines, and other calamities. . . .
In the Torah it states:
[3] The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over many waters (Psalm 29).
[10] The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever. [11] May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace! (Psalm 29).
Also in the Torah:
[5] . . . And in an instant, suddenly, [6] you will be visited by the LORD of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire (Isaiah 29).
In the Gospel:
[7] For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places (Matthew 24:7 ESV).
Also in the Gospel:
[37] For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. [38] For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, [39] and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man (Matthew 24).
For Muslims there are many religious accounts about this. For example:
God’s MessengerPBUHAP said: “I give you glad tidings of the Mahdi. He will be sent to my nation during conflict among people and when there are earthquakes.”51
Imam AliPBUH said: “Before the Mahdi’sPBUH appearance, there will be a red death and a white death: the red death by sword, and the white death by plague.”52
HePBUH also said, while speaking about the signs of the world reformer at the end times: ". . . then after that, a water deluge. Whoever survives the sword, will not survive the water."53
Imam Al-BaqirPBUH said: “The Mahdi will only rise during extreme fear, earthquakes, trials, and calamities that will afflict people. This will be preceded by an epidemic.”54
No one can deny that there is an increase in earthquakes, epidemics, floods, climate and cosmic changes, famine warnings that threaten millions of people starving to death, and collapse of the global economy and other events that have been declared by international organizations like the United Nations. Most certainly, what is hidden is greater and far more dangerous than what has been made public. In fact, the extreme alarm and fear that mankind is experiencing these days is unprecedented.
D. Other Divine Verses that Prove the Promised Day
In the Torah is states:
[1] The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! [2] Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. [3] Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around. [4] His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. [5] The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth (Psalm 97).
. . . . . .
[11] Light is sown for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart.
[12] Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name! (Psalm 97).
Also in the Torah:
[30] “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. [31] The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes (Joel 2).
In the Gospel: [19] And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; [20] the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day (Acts 2).
Also in the Gospel:
[29] “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
[30] Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matthew 24).
If we add these texts and others to the abundant texts of the Muslims that speak of cosmic signs close to the days of the world savior, we see that everyone speaks of the same matters. The following are signs of the one promised day (the day of the Riser) that all people are waiting for: fire; (“fire . . . burns up his adversaries”); earthquakes; volcanoes (“the mountains melt like wax”), solar eclipse (“the sun shall be turned to darkness” or “will be darkened”); lunar eclipse (“the moon will not give its light”); meteor strikes and the likes of them (“the stars will fall from heaven”); and other events such as hurricanes, sinking of the earth, smoke, and so on.
We have previously mentioned the smoke, which is one of the signs of the Hour of Judgment, or the rise of Al-Mahdi. Furthermore, Imam Al-SadiqPBUH has said: “The earthquakes, the two eclipses, and the massive winds are signs of the Hour. If you see something like this, remember the Hour of Judgement and take refuge in your mosques.”55
The Messenger of God MuhammadPBUHAP said: “In the end times, the ground will sink down, rocks will be thrown from the sky, and there will be transmogrification.”56
Also, Imam AliPBUH said: “The MahdiPBUH has a clear sign from heaven and a similar one on earth simultaneously: a hand palm with five fingers; quakes; fire; lunar eclipses; and obliteration. God Almighty will guide part of the country of the Turks. . . .”57
Khalid Ibn Maadan said: “A sign shall appear: a pillar of fire will rise from the East, and all people on the earth will see it. If any one comes to know of this, he should stock up on food for his family for one year.”58
Ibn Hamad Al-Marouzi wrote in his book "Al-Fitan” [Tribulations] that Al-Waleed narrated: "I have heard that Kaab said: 'A tailed star will appear from the East before the emergence of Al-Mahdi.'"59
Imam Al-BaqirPBUH said: “Before this matter [the emergence], there will be a lunar eclipse for five days and a solar eclipse for fifteen days in the month of Ramadan. At that time, the calculations of the astrologers will be wrong.”60
One of the heavenly signs is the appearance of the palm of a hand in the sky. Imam Al-SadiqPBUH said: "A hand palm appearing from the sky is an inevitable event.”61
Asma Bint Omais said: “A sign of the day-namely the time of Al-Mahdi’s appearance-is a hand reaching out from the sky, and people will turn to see it.”62
Evidence from a NASA space agency report shows the appearance of a hand palm. Here is a picture:
It is a heavenly sign in addition to what has previously been mentioned.63
Another sign is "red locusts" that are the color of blood. Imam AliPBUH said: “Before the Mahdi there is a red death, a white death, locusts that exist at their proper time, and locusts that exist at other than their proper time, and they are the color of blood…”64
A similar account was mentioned in the canonized Book of Revelation when talking about the day of deliverance and judgment: [3] Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth (Revelation 9).
A plague of red locusts have indeed invaded Eastern Africa and caused massive damage to agriculture fields. On June 24, 2009, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported that an international emergency campaign succeeded in controlling a population of red locusts in Eastern and Southern Africa.
E. Increase of Turmoil, and Nations Ousting Their Rulers
These days, nations have been revolting against their own rulers in regions of the Middle East, countries that belong to the European Union, and other regions of the world. Here are some texts that confirm these facts:
In the Gospel it states: [7] For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places (Matthew 24).
Prophet MuhammadPBUHAP said: “Knowledge will be held back, ignorance and trials will surface, and there will be much turmoil.’ HePBUH was asked: 'What is the turmoil?' He signaled with his hand to imply killing.”65
When Imam Al-Sadiq was asked: “When will there be relief for your followers (Shia)?” He mentioned one of the signs of the Riser: “The Arabs will oust their rulers.”66 We are currently witnessing the Arabs ousting their rulers and increased turmoil in many parts of the world.
This has been a brief presentation of some of the signs of the promised day. We have shown consistency of the signs, as well as consistency in the messenger and divine savior-the Riser from the progeny of Muhammad. There are many other hadiths we will also talk about in the upcoming sections, God willing.
Oh people of the earth, what more do you need to be convinced that the redeemer, world savior, and promised Mahdi is among you, calling out to you? Save yourself before the divine assault and vengeance, and the great deluge.