Shu'ba, on Qatada's authority, said Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "My commission and the coming of the last hour are like these two [*] ." Shu'ba added that he also heard Qatada say in his telling of the tradition, "Like the superiority of one of them ovel the other," but did not know whether he mentioned it on the authority of Anas, or whether Qatada said it himself. *Mirqat, 5:223 f., explains this as the middle finger and the forefinger, referring to al-Mustaurid's tradition given below. The middle finger is only slightly longer. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir told that he heard the Prophet say a month before he died, "You ask me about the last hour, but God alone has knowledge of it. I swear by God that no one already born who lives a hundred years will be alive that day." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported the Prophet as saying, "No one who has been born will be alive a hundred years hence." Muslim transmitted it.

`A'isha told that when nomadic Arabs came and asked the Prophet about the last hour, he would look at the youngest of them and say, "If this one lives, he will not become decrepit before your hour comes to you." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Al-Mustaurid b. Shaddad reported the Prophet as saying, "I have been commissioned when the end of time is near and I have preceded it as this has preceded that," indicating his forefinger and his middle finger. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas reported the Prophet as saying, "I hope my people will not fail to maintain their position in the sight of their Lord if He delays them for half a day." Sa`d was asked how long half a day was and said it was five hundred years. [*] *Mirqat, 5:215, explains this as indicating that the last day would not occur within 500 years of the Prophet's time. He hoped his people would keep the faith during all that period. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "The world is like a garment torn from end to end and hanging by a thread at the end of it; and that thread will soon be cut off." Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "The last hour will not come till the cry `God, God' is not uttered in the earth." In a version he said, "The last hour will not come upon one who says, `God, God'." Muslim transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God's messenger as saying, "The last hour will come only when people are wicked." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "The last hour will not come till the buttocks of the women of Daus waggle round Dhul Khalasa." Dhul Khalasa was the idol of Daus which they worshipped in the pre-Islamic period. (Bukhari and Muslim.)