Ashrat al-Saa - al-Ghafili

Ashrat al-Saa (The Signs of the Hour) is an Islamic theological treatise on eschatology written by Abd Allah bin Sulayman al-Ghufayli Manhaj al-Qurtubi fi Daf …+1. Published in Riyadh by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Da‘wah, and Guidance in 1421 AH (2000–2001 CE), the book provides an exposition of the portents preceding the Day of Judgment according to the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah Manhaj al-Qurtubi fi Daf …+1.

Background and Purpose

Al-Ghufayli prepared the work with the approval of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs through its Department of Authorship and Translation Ashrat al-Saa - al-Ghafil…. In his introduction, he identifies two principal motivations for writing it: first, the contemporary need to remind people of the afterlife and correct conduct through tangible eschatological signs; and second, the necessity of refuting modern writers who express skepticism regarding unseen eschatological reports under the pretext that they conflict with human reason Ashrat al-Saa - al-Ghafil…+1.

Structure and Content

The book comprises an introduction, an introductory preliminary section, two main chapters, and a conclusion Ashrat al-Saa - al-Ghafil…+1:

• Preliminary Section (al-Tamhid): Covers the theological importance of belief in the Unseen (al-ghayb), the obligation of believing in all that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ communicated, and a survey of earlier literature devoted to the signs of the Hour Ashrat al-Saa - al-Ghafil….
• Chapter One: Explores the linguistic and doctrinal definitions of the terms ashrat and ‘alamat (signs and portents), followed by scriptural proofs drawn from the Quran and the Sunnah Ashrat al-Saa - al-Ghafil….
• Chapter Two: Details the division of the signs into two categories Ashrat al-Saa - al-Ghafil…:
  • The Minor Signs (al-Ashrat al-Sughra): Discusses ten specific portents, including the mission of the Prophet ﷺ, the splitting of the moon, the historic fire in the Hijaz, emerging civil strife (fitan), false claimants to prophethood, the slave woman giving birth to her mistress alongside barefoot shepherds competing in tall buildings, the disappearance of religious knowledge, speaking animals and inanimate objects, the severing of kinship ties and spreading corruption, and the proliferation of earthquakes, landslides, and transformations Ashrat al-Saa - al-Ghafil…+1.
  • The Major Signs (al-Ashrat al-Kubra): Covers nine primary events: the appearance of al-Mahdi, the tribulation of the False Messiah (al-Masih al-Dajjal), the descent of Isa ibn Maryam, the release of Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog), the rising of the sun from the west, the emergence of the Beast of the Earth (al-Dabbah), the Smoke (al-Dukhan), the three major landslides, and the fire that gathers humankind to the place of assembly Ashrat al-Saa - al-Ghafil….
• Conclusion (al-Khatimah): Summarizes the findings of the study, reiterating theological conclusions such as the succession of major portents once they begin, the non-identity of Ibn Sayyad with the ultimate False Messiah, the descent of Isa to rule by Islamic law, and the closing of the door of repentance upon the sunrise from the west Ashrat al-Saa - al-Ghafil…+1.

Methodology

Al-Ghufayli arranges his material by chapter themes, referencing Quranic verses to their chapters and numbers, and documenting hadiths through established collections Ashrat al-Saa - al-Ghafil…. For hadiths outside Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, he cites scholarly evaluations regarding their authenticity, treating inclusion in the two Sahih compilations as self-sufficient proof of sound transmission Ashrat al-Saa - al-Ghafil…. He also provides biographical notes for lesser-known figures, explains obscure vocabulary using classical lexicons, defines theological sects, and concludes the work with comprehensive indices for verses, hadiths, historical reports, biographical figures, sects, sources, and subjects Ashrat al-Saa - al-Ghafil….