The Prophet ﷺ spoke about the Final Hour often, and the manner in which he spoke about it is itself informative. Whenever he mentioned it his cheeks would redden, his voice would rise and his agitation would intensify. He returned to it and reminded his Companions of it constantly.
They took it accordingly. Hudhayfah reported that the Prophet ﷺ came upon them while they were reminding each other, and asked what they were discussing. They said: we are reminding each other of the Final Hour. And when he began to mention it frequently, and the verses about its approach became numerous, the Companions began to fear that it would come in their own lifetimes.
What the Signs Are For
Faith in the Last Day — and in the reward and punishment it carries — is one of the pillars of Islam and one of its great foundations. Allah placed signs before the Hour to indicate how close it actually is.
Many of them have already appeared, and much of what the Prophet ﷺ foretold has manifested. That produces an effect the booklet draws out: every passing day increases the believer's faith, because each fulfilled sign is a further proof of his prophethood and his truthfulness. The signs are not only a warning about the future; they are evidence about the past.
"The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has been split." (Surah Al-Qamar 54:1)
What Follows From It
The booklet closes with the response the subject calls for. One of the wise once said he was amazed at a man who grieves over lost wealth and never grieves over his lost lifespan, which drains away daily. Muhammad bin Sirin wept as he was dying, and when asked why, said he wept over his wasted days and the small number of deeds he had done seeking the lofty Paradise.
The one who succeeds is the one who directs his hopes toward what lasts and cuts off his aspirations for what does not.
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