Our Prophet's (saas) Knowledge of the Unseen

Only Allah knows the Unseen, defined as what happened in the past and what will happen in the future:

The keys of the Unseen are in His possession. No one knows them but Him. He knows everything in the land and sea. No leaf falls without His knowing it. There is no seed in the darkness of the soil and nothing moist or dry that is not in a Clear Book. (Surat al-An'am: 59)

Allah created time and taught the concept to human beings; however, He exists apart from it. All knowledge is hidden and preserved in Allah's presence; everything that happens anywhere in creation is contained in His knowledge and is under His control. He knows the secret of everything. Certainly it was a miracle that our Prophet (saas) knew the Unseen to the extent that the Lord willed:

He is the Knower of the Unseen and does not divulge His Unseen to anyone – except a Messenger with whom He is well pleased, and then He posts sentinels before him and behind him. (Surat al-Jinn: 26-27)

One of these chosen messengers was our prophet Muhammad (saas); another one was the Prophet Joseph (as). While in prison, The Prophet Joseph (as) told two friends about Allah's existence:

He said: "No meal to feed you will arrive before I have informed you what they [your dreams] mean. That is part of what my Lord taught me. For I have left the religion of a people who clearly have no belief in Allah and do not believe in the world to come. (Surah Yusuf: 37)

This miracle of knowledge was supplemented by the knowledge of dream interpretation. According to Allah's will, the Prophet Joseph (as) saw some future events. The Prophet Jesus (as) also had this type of knowledge:

… as a Messenger to the tribe of Israel, (who will declare): "I have brought you a Sign from your Lord. I will create the shape of a bird out of clay for you, breathe into it, and it will be a bird by Allah's permission. I will heal the blind and the leper, and bring the dead to life, by Allah's permission. I will tell you what you eat and what you store up in your homes. There is a Sign for you in that if you are believers. (Surah Al 'Imran: 49)

Allah has not given you access to the Unseen. But He chooses those of His messengers whom He wills. So believe in Allah and His messengers. (Surah Al 'Imran: 179)

This is news from the Unseen, which We reveal to you. (Surah Al 'Imran: 44)

As Allah states in the above verse, the Prophet Jesus (as) knew what people had eaten and what they were secretly storing. Allah states in the Qur'an that the Prophet Jesus (as) announced that a prophet named Ahmad would come after him (Surat as-Saff: 6). The Lord told our Prophet (saas) many secret things, among them events of the past and the future:

This is news of the Unseen that We reveal to you. You were not with them [Joseph's brothers] when they decided what to do and devised their scheme. (Surah Yusuf: 102)

Our Prophet (saas) did not know of these hidden things; rather, he only relayed the knowledge of the Unseen, which pointed to past and future events, to the extent that Allah willed. This was yet another miracle that the Lord bestowed upon him, and yet another proof that he was a true prophet. In addition to informing us of this, Allah also states his humility and submission:

Say: "I possess no power to help or harm myself, except as Allah wills. If I had had knowledge of the Unseen, I would have sought to gain much good and no evil would have touched me. I am only a warner and a bringer of good news to people who believe." (Surat al-A'raf: 188)

The Prophet Muhammad (saas) received such knowledge from the Qur'an and from the special revelations given to him. Allah gave knowledge about many things belonging to the Unseen that no one else could know. This enabled him to predict the good news of victory to Muslims in difficult situations and thus to encourage them. And all that he predicted came true, one after the other.

Our Prophet (saas) announced 1,400 years ago many things that have happened during our own times. Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, and others agree that this knowledge concerning the Unseen related in the hadiths is true. Thus, they have already occurred or will occur in the future. People are witnesses to these miracles.

Say: "I am forbidden to worship those you call upon besides Allah." Say: "I do not follow your whims and desires. If I did, I would go astray and not be among the guided." Say: "I stand on a Clear Sign from my Lord, and yet you have denied it. I do not have in my possession that which you are in such haste to bring about. Jurisdiction over it belongs to Allah alone. He tells the truth and is the best of deciders." (Surat al-An'am: 56-57)

The Unseen: Our Prophet's (saas) Miracle

Ever since he began to proclaim the Qur'an, unbelievers accused our Prophet (saas) of lying. They doubted whatever he said to them and did not want to believe him. But it was clear from just looking at his life and his face that he was an honest and trustworthy man. Throughout his life, everyone called him al-Amin (the Trustworthy); many of them also called him a liar so that they would not have to follow the true path to which he was calling them.

Those people who made one cruel accusation after another ignored the fact that a person cannot lie every moment of his life and live according to those lies. Besides, our Prophet (saas) prayed day and night, was very patient, had a superior moral character, and was a blessing to the world. He was more aware than those around him, went into battle with great courage, and even while fighting in the front lines would speak about divine truths.

Our Prophet (saas) lived in the best possible way and was always an example for believers. He taught people to give alms and gave everything away he owned to win Allah's approval. He taught patience, self-sacrifice, true love and friendship, and lived these fine moral qualities perfectly. He urged people to be merciful and forgiving, and behaved in just this manner throughout his life. When the unbelievers accused our Prophet (saas), they should have thought about these things:

A person cannot lie without ceasing for his whole life. A person cannot live in harmony with thousands of consistent verses and lie throughout his life while being devoted to those same verses. Why would a person establish such a pattern? Why would he endanger his own life to tell others about the world to come and show them the right path? Would it be possible for such lies to be so meaningful? Would it be possible for everything he said to be so perfectly literary and contain some mathematical codes? Could everything he said for twenty-three years be so literary, mathematical, and in harmony with science; so perfectly meaningful, giving answers to all people's questions, and containing all of the rules needed for a harmonious social life? Certainly a liar could not avoid one day being caught in a lie. However, everything our Prophet (saas) said came true, as many Muslims and non-Muslims witnessed.

Certainly, the miracles given to all of the prophets were important. But many people witnessed some of our Prophet's (saas) miracles, and this makes him different from the other prophets. For example, when the Prophet Jesus (as) raised someone from the dead or cured a disease, only those present saw the miracle; only Pharaoh and the Israelites saw the Prophet Moses's (as) miracles. But when our Prophet (saas) said that the believers would go to war and be victorious, all of the people saw that both the war and the victory occurred. Thousands of people witnessed these miracles.

The Byzanitnes' Victory

This gold relief, dating from the 5th-3rd centuries BC, is part of the treasure of the Persian king Oxus

At the beginning of Surat al-Rum, Allah says that the Byzantine Empire suffered a defeat but that it would soon be victorious again:

Alif, Lam, Mim. have been defeated in the lowest land, but after their defeat they will be victorious within three to nine years. The affair is Allah's from beginning to end. On that day, the believers will rejoice. (Surat al-Rum: 1-4)

The pagan Persians defeated the Christian Byzantines in 613-14, and these verses were sent down about seven years later. However, at that time the Byzantines suffered so many losses that it was hard enough for them to survive, let alone be victorious. In 613, the Persians defeated them at Antioch and then conquered Damascus, Cilicia, Tarsus, Armenia, and Jerusalem. The loss of Jerusalem in 614 and the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre were particularly hard blows for the Byzantines. 59

In addition to the Persians, the Avars, Slavs, and Lombards were also threating Byzantium. The Avars held some of Constantinople's outskirts and, in order to pay the army, Emperor Heraclius had the churches' gold, silver, and other adornments, as well as bronze statues, melted down to produce new coins. Many governors rebelled, and it came to the point where the empire was about to be torn apart. The Persians invaded Byzantine-held Mesopotamia and went on to occupy Cilicia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and Armenia. 60

The region of the Dead Sea (Lake Lut) is the lowest in the world. This was revealed in the Qur'an 1,400 years ago, and modern technology has proven it. The Byzantines' victory was completed with Emperor Heracleus'defeat of Persia's Khosrow II in 630, the recapture of Jerusalem, and the return of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to Christian hands.

In short, everyone was waiting for Byzantine Empire to collapse. But at this very time, Surat al-Rum was revealed and proclaimed that the Byzantines would be victorious before nine years had passed. The unbelievers thought that this would never happen. But it did, for in 622 Heraclius invaded Armenia and defeated the Persians in several battles. 61 In December 627, both sides fought a huge battle near the ruins of Nineveh (fifty kilometres east of the River Tigris). Here, the Byzantines defeated the Persians and, some months later, forced them to sign a treaty that required them to restore Byzantium's lost territory to it.62The Byzantine victory was complete when Jerusalem was returned and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre once again came under Christian control.63 So, the victory that Allah had revealed and our Prophet (saas) had proclaimed occurred miraculously, as Allah says in the verse, within three to nine years.

These verses are also miraculous because the facts of the area's geography could not have been known at that time. For example, Allah says in the third verse that the Byzantines were defeated at the lowest region of Earth. This Arabic expression adna al-ard is interpreted as "a nearby place" in many translations. However, this is a figurative interpretation. Adna, derived from dani (low), means "the lowest"; ard means "the world." Therefore, adna al-ard means "the lowest place on Earth."

Some Qur'anic interpreters, bearing in mind that the area is close to the Arabs, prefer to use "nearest." But the word's real meaning relates to a major geological fact: the world's lowest place is the Dead Sea, which is 399 meters below sea level. 64 The most difficult thing about this defeat was, as we said, the loss of Jerusalem, the symbol of Christianity located near the Dead Sea. Calculating the Dead Sea's elevation is possible only with modern measuring devices. Thus, our Prophet (saas) could not have known this fact. This knowledge is another proof that the Qur'an is Allah's word and that He granted a great miracle to our Prophet (saas).

Mecca's Conquest

Allah has confirmed His Messenger's vision with truth: "You will enter the Masjid al-Haram in safety, Allah willing, shaving your heads and cutting your hair without any fear." He knew what you did not know and ordained, in place of this, an imminent victory. (Surat al-Fath: 27)

In Mecca, our Prophet (saas) dreamed that he saw believers going safely into the Masjid al-Haram and circumambulating the Ka'bah. He announced this good news to the believers, for those who had moved from Mecca to Madinah with him could not, at that time, return to Mecca.

As a help and support to him, Allah revealed Surat al-Fath 27, in which He said that the dream was true and that, if He willed, the believers could enter Mecca. Indeed, a while later and as it was predicted in the verse, the Muslims entered the Masjid al-Haram after the Treaty of Hudaibiyah and the subsequent capture of Mecca. In this way, Allah demonstrated that the good news He inspired in our Prophet (saas) was true.

Al-Bukhari tells this story from Abu Musa about Mecca's fall:

The Prophet said: "I dreamed that I waved a sword and that it broke in the middle. That symbolized the casualties that the believers suffered on the Day of Uhud. Then I waved the sword again, and it became better than it had ever been before. That symbolized the opening (of Mecca to Islam), which Allah brought about, and the gathering of the believers." 65

However, if we look at Surat al-Fath 27, we see that another city will fall before Mecca. According to the Qur'an, Muslims first took Khaybar's castle, which had been a Jewish stronghold, and then took Mecca. Tafsir al-Jalalayn explains this verse as follows:

In the year of Hudaybiyyah before setting out, the Messenger of Allah dreamed that he and his Companions were entering Mecca and shaving and cutting their hair. He told his Companions about this, and they rejoiced. So when they went out with him and the unbelievers blocked them at Hudaybiyyah and they returned, it was hard for them. Some of the hypocrites fell into doubt. But then it was revealed: "[He knew what you did not know and ordained, in place of this,] an imminent victory," which was the opening of Khaybar to Islam. And the dream came true the very next year. 66

Eight years after leaving it, our Prophet (saas) returned to Mecca to conquer it. When he gave this good news to the believers, the situation was not at all favorable. In fact, the Meccans seemed determined not to allow the believers in, because they still doubted our Prophet's (saas) words. But he trusted in Allah, ignored what the people might say, and related it to thousands of people who witnessed this miracle.

Other news from the un­seen re­vealed by our Prophet (saas)

Egypt's con­quest:

Abu Dharr reported that the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "You will soon conquer Egypt, and that is a land in which the qirat 67 is named. So when you conquer it, treat its inhabitants well." 68 When he announced this good news, Egypt was still governed by the Byzantines. In addition, the Muslims were not yet very strong. But this prediction came true during Umar's (ra) caliphate, when Amr ibn al-As conquered it in 641.69

Conquering the lands held by Byzantium and Persia

"Khosrow will die and there will be no Khosrow after him. Caesar will die and there will be no Caesar after him, but you will distribute their treasures in the way of Allah." 70

Kisra was the word used for the ancient Persian kings, and Qaysar was the designation of the Byzantine emperor. When our Prophet (saas) announced this good news, the Muslims were not in a position, as regards their military strength and economic and political organization, to achieve such a major victory. Besides, at that time, Persia and Byzantium were the region's strongest states. However, during Umar's (ca) caliphate, Byzantine was defeated and no other Kisra emerged.

Before the death of Heraclius, the Caesar of the time, in 641, his treasury passed into Muslims' hands as the Muslim armies began to conquer Byzantium's major centers during the reigns of the four rightly guided caliphs. For example, under Abu Bakr (ra), Jordan, Palestine, Damascus, Jerusalem, Syria, Egypt, and other lands were taken.

In 1453, the Ottoman sultan Fatih Sultan Mehmet (Mehmed the Conqueror) conquered Constantinople and, following Byzantium's fall, the title of Qaysar was no longer used. Thus, the Prophet's (saas) predictions turned out to be true.

Our Prophet's (saas) an­nounce­ment of Kisra's death

Throughout his life, our Prophet (saas) called rulers and administrators to Islam by sending messengers and letters to them. Historical sources tell us that some of them heeded the call immediately and that others refused to do so and allied themselves with his enemies. Our Prophet (saas) invited Perviz ibn Hurmuz, the kisra at that time, by sending Abdullah ibn Hudhayfah to him as a messenger. But Ibn Hurmuz refused to embrace Islam and, in fact, displayed hostility toward the Muslims. He even went so far as to send two messengers to tell the Muslims to submit to him.

Our Prophet (saas) first invited these two messengers to accept Islam. Then he left them, saying that he would inform them of his decision the next day. 71 At that time, he told the messengers what Allah had revealed to him: "Allah will send many tribulations to Khosrow by means of his son Shireveyh, who will kill him in such-and-such a month, on such-and-such a night, at such-and-such an hour." 72 He also told them: "Tell Khosrow that my religion and my empire will reach far beyond his kingdom. And tell him: "Enter Islam, and I will confirm you in what you have and appoint you king over the people of Yemen." 73

The ambassadors then returned to Yemen and described what had happened. Badhan was impressed and said: "We will see what happens next. If what he said is true, then he is the Prophet whom Allah has sent." 74 He then turned to his men and asked what they thought of our Prophet (saas). The ambassadors, who had been greatly impressed by him, said: "We never saw a ruler more majestic, more fearless, and less guarded than him. He walked humbly among the people."

Badhan waited for a while to see if our Prophet's (saas) words about the kisra had come true. After some time had passed, he announced that he was certain that our Prophet (saas) had been sent by Allah. According to the hadiths and other historical documents, shortly Badhan received a letter written by Shivereyh: "I killed Khosrow. When this letter reaches you, take the people's oath of allegiance in my name. Regarding what Khosrow wrote to you, wait and do nothing until there is a new command from me." 75

When Badhan and his men worked it out, they realized that the Prophet (saas) had told the truth. 76 He believed after this great miracle and accepted Islam. He was followed by the Yemeni Abna. 77 Badhan became the first governor appointed by the Prophet (saas) and the first Persian governor to be a Muslim. 78

Our Prophet (saas) knew of events that no one else knew about

Allah tells us about a miraculous event involving one of the Prophet's (saas) wives. Once, he told a secret to one of them, and one of them told the secret to someone else. After Allah told him about this, he told that particular wife that he knew what she had done. When she asked who had told him, he replied that Allah had informed him:

The Prophet confided a certain matter to one of his wives. But when she divulged it [to other wives], Allah disclosed that to him. So, he communicated part of it and withheld part of it. When he told her of it, she asked: "Who told you of this?" He replied: "The All-Knowing and All-Aware informed me of it." (Surat al-Tahrim: 3)

By Allah's grace, our Prophet (saas) had great knowledge, for Allah told him things that no other person could know. The incident related above was just one of many miracles. Elsewhere, Allah informs our Prophet (saas) of people's hidden sides, as well as their secret thoughts and actions, and of how he is to act and what he is to say:

Then He sent down to you, after the distress, security and a restful sleep overtaking a group of you, whereas another group became prey to anxious thoughts, thinking other than the truth about Allah – thoughts belonging to the Time of Ignorance – asking: "Do we have any say in the affair at all?' Say: "The affair belongs entirely to Allah." They are concealing things inside themselves that they do not disclose to you, saying: "If we had only had a say in the affair, none of us would have been killed here in this place." Tell [them]: "Even if you had been inside your homes, those people for whom killing was decreed would have gone out to their place of death," so that Allah might test what is in your breasts and purge what is in your hearts. Allah knows the contents of your hearts. (Surah Al 'Imran: 154)

They have the word "obedience!" on their tongues, but when they leave your presence a group of them spend the night plotting to do other than what you say. Allah is recording their nocturnal plotting. So let them be and put your trust in Allah. Allah suffices as a Guardian. (Surat al-Nisa': 81)

Those Arabs who remained behind will say to you: "Our wealth and families kept us occupied, so ask forgiveness for us." They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Ask [them]: "Who can control Allah for you in any way, whether He wills harm or benefit for you?" Allah is aware of what you do. (Surat al-Fath: 11)

As for those who have set up a mosque, causing harm and out of unbelief, to create division between the believers and in readiness for those who previously made war on Allah and His Messenger, they will swear: "We only desired the best." But Allah bears witness that they are truly liars. Do not ever stand in it. A mosque founded on fear of [and respect for] Allah from the first day has a greater right for you to stand in it. In it there are people who love to purify themselves. Allah loves those who purify themselves. (Surat al-Tawba: 107-08)

Allah says in the Qur'an that He revealed knowledge of the Unseen to our Prophet (saas), such as the hypocrites' lies, traps, and hidden true intentions. The hypocrites presented themselves in the best possible light, but, by Allah's will, our Prophet (saas) could recognize their real character from their faces. This was indeed a great miracle. No one who sees a person performing many acts of worship, acting and speaking like a Muslim, calling himself as a Muslim, and even going to war alongside our Prophet (saas) could ever realize that such a person is actually a hypocrite. The Companions tell stories of how he could recognize these people through what Allah told him. Allah reveals this ability in the Qur'an:

If We willed, We would show them to you and you would know them by their mark and ambivalent speech. Allah knows your actions. (Surah Muhammad: 30)

Our Prophet (saas) gave answers before anyone asked the questions

Allah reveals in the Qur'an that the Prophet Jesus (as) told people what they had eaten and had stored up (Surah Al 'Imran: 49) and that the Prophet Joseph (as) said that "no meal to feed you will arrive before I have informed you what they [the dreams] mean" (Surah Yusuf: 37). As our Prophet (saas) said, he could miraculously answer a question before it was asked and could know a person's inner thoughts. For example, he told his Companions what cities would be conquered and when. 79The hadiths also state that he knew when people were going to come home and who was going to enter a room. When a person returned late from somewhere, our Prophet (saas) could tell him the reason why he was late. 80 Our Prophet (saas) immediately knew when wicked thoughts passed through an unbeliever's mind and those who thought ill of Muslims. 81

The hadiths contain hundreds of such examples. For example, our Prophet (saas) answered a question that Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith (ra) had been pondering:

Abu Sufyan would sit in a corner of the mosque. One day the Prophet (saas) eft his house, wrapped up in his cloak. From where he was sitting, Abu Sufyan said: "I wonder how he was victorious." The Prophet (saas) approached him, tapped him on the back, and said: "I defeated you with Allah's help." Abu Sufyan said: "I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah." 82

One hadith about Wabisa (ra) shows how our Prophet (saas) could understand and answer a person's silent question:

Wabisah ibn Ma`bad said: I came to the Messenger of Allah, and he said: "You have come to ask about devoutness (birr)?" I replied: "Yes." He said: "Ask your heart for a judgment. Devoutness is that toward which the self is tranquil and toward which the heart is tranquil. Impiety (ithm) is that which becomes agitated in the self and it goes agitatedly to and fro in the breast even though people repeatedly give you a judgment [as to a matter's permissibility]." 83

The hadiths also tell us that he knew a person's question before it was even asked. For example:

Abu'd-Darda was worshipping an idol. Abdullah ibn Rawahah and Abu Salamah went and broke it. When Abu'd-Darda came and saw the idol in that state, he could not refrain from asking [it]: "Aren't you ashamed? Couldn't you have defended yourself?" Later he came to the Prophet (saas). Ibn Rawahah saw him on the way and said: "This is Abu'd-Darda. He must have come to look for us!" The Prophet said: "No, he is coming to embrace Islam. My Lord promised that he would become a Muslim." 84

All of the above examples show that our Prophet (saas), by Allah's will, performed many miracles. With this excellent moral character, consciousness of Allah, and deep faith, sincerity, and trust in Him, he was an example to all Muslims. Through these miracles, he strengthened and encouraged the believers.

Our Prophet (saas) predicted his own death

Another of our blessed Prophet's (saas) miracles was that all of his predictions came true (or will come true) in time. One of the events he predicted was his own death.

The Messenger of Allah (saas) looked at us and said: "You suggest that I shall be the last to die. Be warned, I shall die before all of you! You will die after me." 85

Narrated 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir (ra):

The Prophet went out and offered the funeral prayer for the martyrs of the (battle of) Uhud. He then ascended the minbar and said: "I will precede you (in death), and I am a witness against you, and – by Allah! – I am at this moment gazing upon my pond. I have been given the keys of the treasuries of Earth" – or "the treasuries of Earth" – "and – by Allah! – I do not fear that you will become idolaters after me, but I fear that you will compete for them [the treasuries]." 86

In another hadith, our Prophet (saas) reveals that he is going to die:

Abu Muwyahibah narrated: The Messenger of Allah called for me in the middle of the night and said to me: "O Abu Muwayhibah, I have been ordered to pray for forgiveness for the people of Baqi' [graveyard], so come with me." So I went with him. When he stood among them, he said: "Peace be upon you, O dwellers of the graves. May the situation you are in be more comfortable than the situation the people are in, for tribulations have approached like dark patches of night, one following another, and each one is worse than the one before it." Then he drew near to me and said: "O Abu Muwayhibah, I have been given the keys to the treasures of the world and to lasting life in it, followed by the Garden. I was given a choice between this and the meeting with my Lord and the Garden, so I chose the meeting with my Lord." 87

Our Prophet (saas) gave many details about his death, and this greatly increased and deepened the believers' faith. For example:

I was born on a Monday. The revelation began on a Monday. I migrated [to Madinah] on a Monday, and shall die on a Monday. 88

Ibn Hanbal and al-Bayhaqi relate from Ibn Abbas (ra):

Ibn Abbas narrated: "The Prophet (saas) was born on a Monday, became a prophet on a Monday, migrated from Mecca on a Monday, and entered Madinah on a Monday. Mecca was opened [to Islam] on a Monday, and he died on a Monday."89

In some of the hadiths, he revealed where he would die:

The place to which I migrated and where I shall lie – where I shall be buried when I die – is Madinah. 90Madinah is where I emigrated. I shall die there and there be raised up. 91

Our Prophet (saas) announced the Companion's martyrdom

As a miracle from Allah, our Prophet (saas) announced when his Companions would die long before they did so. In these hadiths, he said that some would be martyred and revealed where they would die. Those Muslims who saw these predictions fulfilled saw the outcome as joyous. Every one of these hadiths is a miracle that Allah granted to our Prophet (saas), whom He chose and exalted above all worlds:

Umar's (ra) martyrdom

Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The Prophet (saas) once climbed Uhud mountain with Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Uthman. The mountain shook. The Prophet said (to the mountain):

"Be firm, Uhud! For on you there are no more than a Prophet, a Siddiq, two martyrs." 92

The books of the Sunnah tell us that one day the Prophet (saas) was sitting at the well of `Aris, with Abu Musa al-Ash`ari acting as his gatekeeper. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq came and asked permission to see him, and the Messenger (saas) said: "Let him in, and give him the glad tidings of Paradise." Then `Umar came, and he said: "Let him in, and give him the glad tidings of Paradise." Then `Uthman came, and he said: "Let him in, and give him the glad tidings of Paradise because of an affliction that will befall him." (Reported by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and al-Tirmidhi, Jami` al-Usul, 8/562, no. 6372.)

Uthman's (ra) martyrdom

Ibn 'Adi and Ibn 'Asakir narrated from Anas, who said: "The Messenger of Allah said: "O Uthman, you will be given the caliphate after me, but the hypocrites will want you to renounce it. Do not renounce, it but fast on that day so that you break your fast with me." 93

Al-Tabarani and al-Bayhaqi narrated from Zayd ibn Arqam, who said: The Prophet (saas) sent me out, saying: "Go and see Abu Bakr. You will find him sitting inside his house wrapped up in his cloak with his legs drawn up. Give him the glad tidings of the Garden. Then go to the mountain until you find 'Umar riding a donkey and his tall frame looming in the distance. Give him the glad tidings of the Garden. Then go to 'Uthman, whom you will find in the market selling and buying, and give him the glad tidings of the Garden after a harrowing ordeal." I went and found them as the Messenger of Allah had said, and I told them. 94

Al-Tabarani narrated from Zayd ibn Thabit, who said that he heard the Prophet (saas) say: "Uthman passed by me while one of the angels was with me, and the latter said: 'This is a martyr whose people will kill him. We are shy of him.'" 95

Ali's (ra) martyrdom

Al-Hakim (who declared it sound) and Abu Nu`aym narrated from 'Ammar ibn Yasir that the Prophet said to 'Ali: "The most grievous of all people is he that shall strike you here," indicating his temple, "until blood soaks this," indicating his beard. 96

Al-Tabarani and Abu Nu`aym narrated from Jabir ibn Samurah, who said: The Messenger of Allah said to 'Ali: "You will be given leadership and the caliphate; and truly, this will be dyed red with this," meaning his beard with [the blood from] his head. 97

Al-Hakim narrated from Anas, who said: I went in with the Prophet (saas) to see `Ali, who lay sick, while Abu Bakr and `Umar were visiting him. One of them said to the other: "I do not think that he will survive," whereupon the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "In truth, he shall not die other than [by being] murdered. 98

Hussain's (ra) martyrdom

Ibn Rahwayh, al-Bayhaqi, and Abu Nu`aym narrated from Umm Salamah: The Messenger of Allah (saas) lay down one day and woke up, holding a handful of red dirt in his hand and turning it this way and that. I asked: "What is this dirt, Messenger of Allah?" He replied: "Jibril informed me that this one [meaning Hussain] would be killed in Iraq, and this is his resting-ground." 99

Ibn al-Sakan, al-Baghawi, and Abu Nu`aym narrated from Anas ibn al-Harith, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah say: "Truly this son of mine [meaning Husayn] will be killed in a land called Karbala'. Whoever among you is present then, help him." Thus, Anas ibn al-Harith went to Karbala' and was killed there with Husayn. 100

All of these predictions came true, and many sincere Muslims who shouldered the great responsibility of spreading Islam also died as martyrs. As a result, more of his predictions came true. Every one of these is a miracle that Allah bestowed upon his blessed messenger, Muhammad (saas), from the Unseen.

Signs of the End Times

The world will experience the End Times before the Day of Judgment. Our Prophet (saas) told us many things about this time, and the fact that many of them are happening now is a miracle. Muhammad (saas) detailed events that would happen 1,400 years after his death as if he had actually seen them. We present a partial list below:

The Iran-Iraq War

The hadiths tell of a major war that will happen in the End Times:

There will be tumult in Shawwal (the tenth Islamic month), talk of war in Dhu al-Qa`dah (the eleventh Islamic month), and the outbreak of war in Dhu al-Hijjah (the twelfth month). 101

These months coincide with the dates of the developing stages of the Iran-Iraq War.

There will be tumult in Shawwal…

The first uprising against the Shah happened on 5 Shawwal 1398 (September 8, 1976).

Talks of war in Dhu al-Qa`dah (the eleventh Islamic month), and the outbreak of war in Dhu al-Hijjah (the twelfth month)...

The Iran-Iraq War broke out in Dhu al-Hijjah 1400 (October 1980).

In another hadith, the details of this war are given:

A nation/tribe will come from the Farsi direction, saying: "O You Arabs, you have been too zealous. If you don't give them their due rights, nobody will have an alliance with you ... It must be given to them one day and to you the following day, and mutual promises must be kept ..." They will be going up to Mutekh; Muslims will be coming down to the plain ... Polytheists will be standing over there on the bank of a black river [Rakabeh] on the other side. There will be a war between them. Allah will deprive both armies of a victory ... 102

1. Turkiye Daily, 22.01.1987,The bloodiest conflicts of the 7 years, Close Combat Between Iran and Iraq, Iran Entered Iraq 2. Turkiye Daily, 22. 01. 1987, Heavy Loss of Iran-Iraq War of 8 years: Approximately 2 Million Casualties 3. Turkiye Daily, 03. 08. 1988, Back-and-Forth: Here is the Iran-Iraq War

On the right you see some of the news about Iran-Iraq war.

• - Those coming from the Farsi direction: Those coming from the Iranian side:
• - Farsi: Iran, Iranian
• - Coming down to the plain: Coming down to the Iranian plain
• - Mutekh: Name of a mountain in the region
• - Rakabeh: A region where the oil wells are concentrated
• "O you Arabs, you have indulged yourselves in bigotry! Unless you grant due rights to them, no one will agree with you on a plan of action…"

This hadith may draw attention to the outbreak of a racial dispute that will cause both sides to come down to the (Iranian) plain and wage war.

Allah will not give victory to any one of the armies...

The Iran-Iraq war lasted for eight years and, despite many thousands of casualties, neither side could claim a decisive victory.

The Occupation of Afghanistan

Pity poor Taliqan [a region in Afghanistan]. At that place are treasures of Allah, but these are not of gold and silver. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-Zaman, 59.)

This hadith may be an indication of Afghanistan's occupation during the Last Days. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan took place in 1979 (1400, according to the Islamic calendar).

… at that place are treasures of Allah, but these are not of gold and silver …

In addition, this hadith draws attention to Afghanistan's material riches. Today, large oil deposits, iron basins, and coal mines have been detected there and await commercial exploitation.

1. Newsweek, 11.02.1980

Damming the Euphrates

Soon the river Euphrates will disclose the treasure [the mountain] of gold. So, whoever will be present at that time should not take anything of it. (Sahih al-Bukhari.)

Other hadiths reveal important information on this subject:

The Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "The Hour will not come to pass before the river Euphrates dries up to unveil the mountain of gold, for which people will fight. Ninety-nine out of 100 will die [in the fighting], and every man among them will say: 'Perhaps I may be the only one to remain alive.'" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim.)

The Prophet (saas) said: "The Euphrates reveals the treasures within itself. Whoever sees it should not take anything from it." (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan, 28.)

Damming the flow of water in the Euphrates and the emergence of a treasure as valuable as gold are both mentioned in many hadith collections.

Let's examine some important statements revealed in the hadiths one by one:

The Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "The Hour will not come to pass before the river Euphrates dries up and unveils the mountain of gold." (Sahih Muslim.)

(1)… the river Euphrates dries up …

As-Suyuti mentions this hadith as "the stopping of water." The Keban dam, built in 1975, has accomplished this.

(2)… unveils the mountain of gold…

The surrounding land has become as valuable as gold for various reasons, for the Keban dam has enabled electricity production and higher soil fertility through irrigation and transport facilities. The Keban and other dams lining the Euphrates resemble a concrete mountain, and wealth as valuable as gold comes out of it. Therefore, they take on the properties of "the golden mountain." (Allah knows the truth.)

Our Prophet (saas) also gave other information about this time, which can be found in Harun Yahya's The Signs of the Second Coming of Jesus, The End Times and the Mahdi, Signs of The Last Day, and other books. Among these signs are the following: lunar and solar eclipses during Ramadan, the rise of a comet, storming the Ka'bah and the subsequent bloodshed, sighting a flare in the east, a sign coming out of the Sun, the beginning of widespread slaughter, the killing of the rulers of Damascus and Egypt, the enslavement of the Egyptians, the destruction of great cities, the rebuilding of ruined places, the fourth peace and Arab-Israeli peace agreement, the destitution of the Iraqi people, the burning of Baghdad, an embargo against Iraq and Damascus, the restructuring of Iraq, confusion and disorder in Damascus as well as in Iraq and Arabia, conflict between Muslims and Jews, the killing of innocent children, pervasive corruption, religious prohibitions gaining acceptance, open denial of Allah, increasing numbers of earthquakes, the collapse of moral values, an increase in urbanization, the greening of deserts, and the appearance of false messiahs.

These are only a few of the signs. Since our Prophet's (saas) death, they have been observed at various times and in different places. However, since 1400 AH, all of them have occurred in the same period one after another. This means that another of his predictions has come true:

Signs following one another, like the pieces of a necklace falling one after the other when its string is cut.103

1. Hürriyet Daily, 04.11.1973, The Great Euphrates Came to a Halt Where it was Born