It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Before the appearance of these six signs, do as many good deeds as you can: (1) the rising of the sun from the west, (2) the Dajjal, (3) the smoke, (4) the beast of the earth, (5) the state of every soul being concerned only with itself, and (6) the matter of the common people.
Hadith Takhrij«أخرجه مسلم: 2947 ، (انظر مسند أحمد ترقيم الرسالة: 8446 ترقیم بيت الأفكار الدولية: 8427»
Brief Explanation
Benefits: … There are three meanings of ((khuyaysat ahadikum)): death, the specific battle related to each person, and the preoccupations related to each person’s life and wealth. When a servant becomes entangled in any one of these three matters, he cannot maintain his routine of righteous deeds, especially in the case of death. After the appearance of these three signs—Dajjal, the rising of the sun from the west, and the Beast—neither will accepting faith be of any benefit, nor will repentance avail the sinner and the wicked.
There are two opinions regarding the identification of the smoke: 1. It is a sign of the nearness of the Day of Judgment; it has not yet appeared, and the knowledge of its form and reality is with Allah Ta’ala. 2. This sign appeared during the era of the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). The Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), being distressed by the antagonistic attitude of the people of Makkah, supplicated for famine against them. As a result, the punishment of famine descended upon them, to the extent that they ate bones, skins, and carrion, etc. When they looked towards the sky, due to the intensity of hunger and weakness, it appeared to them as if there was smoke.
This Beast of the earth is a sign of the nearness of the Day of Judgment; it will speak to the people.