Ashrat al-Saa al-Kubra - al-Maghamsi
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- Ashrat al-Saa al-Kubra - al-Maghamsi
Ashrat al-Saa al-Kubra (The Major Signs of the Hour) is an Islamic eschatological work and lecture series by the Saudi scholar Salih al-Maghamsi, examining death, the afterlife, and the major apocalyptic portents that precede the Day of Resurrection.
Scope and Contents
The work opens with the transitional stage of death and the intermediate realm (hayat al-barzakh), addressing the separation of the soul from the body, the washing, shrouding, and burial of the deceased, and the ascension of the soul to the heavens. It also touches upon legal rulings related to funeral practices, such as the designated individuals for washing the deceased, exemptions requiring dry ablution (tayammum), and the preservation of the bodies of the prophets.
The author then transitions to the major signs of the Hour, examining them in sequential detail:
- The Mahdi and the Dajjal: The appearance of the Mahdi—including refutations of sects that claimed the office for Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah—and the subsequent emergence of the Antichrist (al-Dajjal).
- The Descent of 'Isa and the Emergence of Gog and Magog: The descent of Jesus (‘Isa ibn Maryam), his slaying of the Dajjal, and the emergence of Gog and Magog (Yajuj and Majuj) from behind the barrier constructed by Dhu al-Qarnayn. It details how ‘Isa and the believers will take refuge on Mount Tur until Gog and Magog perish through divine intervention after ‘Isa's supplication.
- Cosmic Disruptions: The rising of the sun from the west, highlighting prophetic narrations on the sun's prostration beneath the Throne, its course, and historical solar events during the prophetic era.
Method
The text combines doctrinal elucidation with Quranic commentary and prophetic hadiths, frequently quoting Arabic poetry and classical interpretations to illustrate historical and linguistic nuances. The work maintains an instructional, sermon-like format that emphasizes both legal rulings and spiritual reflections on the end of time.
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