Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established till the sun rises from the west, and when it rises (from the west) and the people see it, then all of them will believe (in Allah). But that will be the time when 'No good it will do to a soul to believe then. If it believed not before.."' (6.158) The Hour will be established (so suddenly) that two persons spreading a garment between them will not be able to finish their bargain, nor will they be able to fold it up. The Hour will be established while a man is carrying the milk of his she-camel, but cannot drink it; and the Hour will be established when someone is not able to prepare the tank to water his livestock from it; and the Hour will be established when some of you has raised his food to his mouth but cannot eat it."
Hadith Commentary: The Major Signs of the Hour
This profound hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari's "To make the Heart Tender (Ar-Riqaq)" (Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 6506) enumerates several major signs preceding the Day of Judgment, serving as warnings for humanity to prepare for the Hereafter.
The Rising of the Sun from the West
This is among the greatest definitive signs of the Hour's approach. When this cosmic miracle occurs, faith at that moment becomes invalid as mentioned in Surah Al-An'am (6:158). The gates of repentance will be closed, demonstrating that faith must be established before witnessing undeniable proofs.
Scholars explain that this extraordinary event will shake the foundations of human understanding, causing universal recognition of Allah's power, yet this recognition will be futile for those who rejected faith earlier.
The Suddenness of the Hour
The Prophet ﷺ illustrates the abrupt nature of the Hour's arrival through everyday scenarios: two people engaged in business, a man with his camel's milk, someone preparing water for livestock, and a person about to eat. These examples emphasize that worldly engagements will be instantly terminated.
This teaches us the importance of constant preparedness rather than postponing repentance. Life's ordinary activities will be interrupted mid-action, reminding believers that death or the Hour could come at any moment.
Spiritual Lessons and Warnings
This hadith serves as a powerful reminder of life's temporality and the certainty of the Hereafter. It calls believers to prioritize spiritual preparation over worldly attachments and to seize opportunities for righteous deeds before it's too late.
The imagery used demonstrates that even the most mundane activities are vulnerable to sudden interruption, urging Muslims to maintain a state of spiritual awareness and not be deceived by life's apparent stability.