He reported God's messenger as saying, "When the time becomes short [1] knowledge will be withdrawn, civil strife will appear, niggardliness will be cast into people's hearts, and harj will be prevalent." He was asked the meaning of harj and said it meant slaughter. [2] 1. Literally, `when time is contracted'. The reference is to the approach of the last hour. 2. Harj, meaning 'turmoil' or 'Rioting, a state of affairs which leads ta people being killed. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as saying, "By Him in whose hand my soul is, the world will not pass away till a day comes to mankind when the killer will not know why he killed, or the one who is killed why he was killed." He was asked how that could be and replied, "There will be turmoil, and the killer and the one who is killed will go to hell." Muslim transmitted it.

Ma'qil b. Yasar reported God's messenger as saying, "The reward for engaging in worship during the turmoil will be like that for coming to me as emigrants." Muslim transmitted it.

Az-Zubair b. `Adi said:We went to Anas b. Malik and complained to him of what we were suffering from al-Hajjaj, and he replied, "Show endurance, for no time will come to you which will not be followed by one that is worse till you meet your Lord. I heard this from your Prophet." Bukhari transmitted it.

Hudhaifa said:I swear by God that I do not know whether my companions have forgotten or have pretended to forget. I swear by God that God's messenger did not omit a leader of a wrong belief up to the end of the world whose followers reach the number of three hundred and upwards without mentioning to us his name, his father's name and the name of his tribe." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Thauban reported God's messenger as saying, "I fear for my people only the leaders who lead men astray, for when the sword is used among my people it will not be withdrawn from them till the day of resurrection." Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Safina told that he heard the Prophet say, "The Caliphate will last thirty years, then there will be a kingdom." Then Safina was saying:Calculate Abu Bakr's Caliphate as two years, `Umar's as ten, `Uthman's as twelve, and `Ali's as six. Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Hudhaifa told that he asked God's messenger whether there would be evil after this good just as there was evil before it, and when he was told that there would he asked wherein protection lay and was told that it lay in the sword. He asked if any would be spared after the use of the sword and he replied, "Yes, there will be an amirate with specks in its eye and an illusory truce1." He asked what would come next and he replied, "Then people who summon men to error will arise; and if God has in the earth a Caliph who flays your back and takes your property, obey him; otherwise die holding on to the stump of a tree." He asked what would come next and he replied, "Then the dajjal will come forth accompanied by a river and a fire. He who falls into his fire will certainly get his reward and have his load taken off him, but he who falls into his river will have his load retained and his reward taken off him." He asked what would come next and he replied, "Then a foal will be born but not ridden before the last hour comes." In a version he said, "An illusory truce and a community with specks in its eye." He asked God's messenger what the illusory truce meant and he replied, "The hearts of people will not return to their former condition." He asked whether there would be evil after that good and he replied, "There will be wrong belief which will blind and deafen men to the truth2 in which there will be summoners at the gates of hell. If you, Hudhaifa, die adhering to a stump, it will be better for you than following any of them." Abu Dawud transmitted it. [1] This is a free translation of the words hudna 'ala dakhan which mean literally "a trace upon malice (or, evil disposition)," indicating a trace which is liable to ho broken at any time. [2] Literally, 'blind and deaf, wrong belief.

Abu Dharr said:One day I was riding behind God's messenger on a donkey, and when we had got beyond the houses of Medina he asked, "How will you do, Abu Dharr, when there is famine in Medina and you get up from your bed but do not reach your mosque before being overcome by hunger?" When I replied that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "Restrain yourself, Abu Dharr." He then asked, "How will you do, Abu Dharr, when there will be death in Medina and a house [1] will reach the value of a slave so that a grave will be sold for a slave?" When I replied that God and His messenger knew best he said, "You must show endurance, Abu Dharr." He then asked, "How will you do, Abu Dharr, when there is slaughter in Medina and. Ahjar az Zait [2] will be covered with blood?" When I replied that God and His messenger knew best he said, "You must go to those who are like-minded with you." I asked whether I should arm myself and replied, "You would then associate yourself with the people." So I asked God's messenger how I should act and he replied, "If you are afraid the gleam of the sword may dazzle you put the end of your garment over your face in order that [the one who kills you may bear the punishment of your sin and his." Used figuratively for a grave, the meaning being made more explicit in the words which follow. Ahjar Az-Zait, an area outside of Al Madinah. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. `Amr b. al- `As reported the Prophet as saying, "How will you do when you are left among dregs of mankind whose covenants and guarantees have been impaired, who have disagreed and become thus?" intertwining his fingers. He asked what he ordered him to do and he replied, "Keep to what you approve, abandon what you disapprove, attend to your own affairs and avoid the generality." A version has, "Keep to your house, control your tongue, accept what you approve, abandon what you disapprove, attend to your own affairs and leave alone the affairs of the generality." Tirmidhi transmitted it, calling it sahih.