This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Hafiz Mubashir Hussain Lahori's book Signs of the Day of Judgment in the Light of Authentic Ahadith.
Sign of the Day of Judgment: A Terrifying Fire Will Appear at the Place of Emergence
عن حذيفة رضى الله عنه عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : إنها لن تقوم حتى ترون قبلها عشر آيات ..... وآخر ذلك نار تخرج من اليمن تطرد الناس إلى محشرهم
Hazrat Hudhaifa (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: The Day of Judgment will never be established until you see ten signs before it. The last of these will be a fire emerging from Yemen that will drive people towards the gathering place of the Day of Judgment.
Reference: Muslim: Kitab al-Fitan: Chapter on the Signs Before the Hour (2901) Tirmidhi (2183) Sharh al-Sunnah (432/7) Ahmad (10/4 - 15) al-Hilyah (355/1)
عن حذيفة رضى الله عنه عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : إن الساعة لا تكون حتى تكون عشر آيات ..... ونار تخرج من قعر عدن ترحل الناس
It is narrated from Hazrat Hudhaifa (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: Before the Day of Judgment, certainly ten signs will appear... One fire will emerge from Aden (Yemen) that will drive people.
Reference: Muslim: Kitab al-Fitan (2901 - 7286)
عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ستخرج نار من حضرموت أو من بحر حضرموت قبل يوم القيامة تحشر الناس
It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: A fire will emerge from Hadramaut or its sea before the Day of Judgment that will gather people.
Reference: Tirmidhi: Kitab al-Fitan: Chapter on What Has Been Related About the Hour Not Being Established Until a Fire Emerges (2217) Ahmad (11/2 - 72 - 94) Ibn Abi Shaybah (624/8) Majma' al-Zawa'id (42/10)
عن أنس رضى الله عنه عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : أما أول أشراط الساعة فنار تحشر الناس من المشرق إلى المغرب
It is narrated from Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: The first sign of the Day of Judgment is a fire that will drive people from the east to the west.
Reference: Bukhari: Kitab Ahadith al-Anbiya: Chapter on the Creation of Adam and His Progeny (3329)
Regarding the place of emergence of the fire, some narrations indicate that this fire will emerge from Yemen (Aden) and others mention Hadramaut or the east, which creates an apparent contradiction among these narrations. The explanation and understanding of this can be seen in the benefits section.
How will the fire drive people out?
عن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : يحشر الناس على ثلاث طرائق راغبين وراهبين واثنان على بعير ثلاثة على بعير أربعة على بعير عشرة على بعير يحشر بينهم النار تقيل معهم حيث قالوا وتبيت معهم حيث باتوا وتصبح معهم حيث أصبحوا وتمسي معهم حيث أمسوا
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: The gathering of people will be in three groups. Those who desire and those who fear; one camel will carry two people, another three, another four, and another ten riders, and the rest of the people will be gathered by the fire which will be with them in the morning, noon, evening, sleeping, and waking. It will never separate from them until it brings them to the Day of Judgment.
Reference: Bukhari: Book of Softening the Hearts: Chapter on How the Gathering Will Be (6522)
عن عبد الله بن عمرو رضى الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : تبعث نار على أهل المشرق فتحشرهم إلى المغرب تبيت معهم حيث باتوا وتقيل معهم حيث قالوا يكون لها ما سقط منهم وتخلف وتسوقهم سوق الجمل الكسير
It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: A fire will be sent upon the people of the East, driving them towards the West, where they will spend the night, and the fire will remain there; and where they rest at noon, the fire will also stay there. Whoever falls or lags behind will be consumed by the fire, and it will drive them like a tired camel is driven.
Reference: Hakim: Book of Tribulations (548/4) Majma' al-Zawa'id (12/8)
عن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : يحشر الناس يوم القيامة ثلاثة أصناف صنف مشاة وصنف ركبانا وصنف على وجوههم فقالوا : يا رسول الله : وكيف يمشون على وجوههم ؟ قال إن الذى أمشاهم على أرجلهم قادر على أن يمشيهم على وجوههم أما إنهم يتقون بوجوههم كل حدب وشوك
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: On the Day of Resurrection, people will be gathered in three types: one group on foot, another mounted, and the third on their faces. The people asked, O Messenger of Allah, how will they be on their faces? He said: The One who made them walk on their feet is also capable of making them walk on their faces. Undoubtedly, those people will be protecting themselves from hills and thorns on their faces.
Reference: Ahmad (466/2) Tirmidhi: Book of Tafsir: Surah Al-Isra (3142) Ibn Abi Shaybah (139/8)
عن بهز بن حكيم عن أبيه عن جده عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : إنكم محشورون رجالا وركبانا وتجرون على وجوهكم
Bahz bin Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates from his father and he from his grandfather that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: You people will be gathered on foot, mounted, and on your faces.
Reference: Tirmidhi: Book of Description of the Resurrection: Chapter on the Status of the Gathering (2424) Ahmad (4/5 - 8) Al-Fath al-Bari (387/11)
The Land of Resurrection:
وعن عبد الله بن عمرو رضى الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : تخرج نار من حضر موت فتسوق (تحشر) الناس ، قلنا يا رسول الله فما تأمرنا ؟ قال : عليكم بالشام
It is narrated from Abdullah bin Amr رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: A fire will emerge from the land of the Levant that will drive people. We asked, O Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم! Then what do you command us? He said: To reside in the land of the Levant.
Reference: Ahmad (11/2 - 72 - 94) Tirmidhi: Book of Tribulations: Chapter on the Hadith "The Hour will not be established until a fire emerges" (2217) Ibn Abi Shaybah (624/8) Abu Ya'la (5551)
عن حكيم بن معاوية عن أبيه عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : تحشرون هنا ، وأومأ بيده لحو الشام ، مشاة وركبانا وعلى وجوهكم ، تعرضون على الله تعالى وعلى أفواهكم الفدام وأول ما يعرب عن أحدكم فخذه
Hakeem bin Muawiyah رحمه الله narrates from his father, and he from the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم pointed towards the land of the Levant and said: You people will be gathered on foot, mounted, and on your faces in that place. You will be presented before Allah, and your mouths will be sealed, and first of all, your thighs will speak.
Reference: Ahmad (4/5 - 8) Tirmidhi: Book of the Description of the Resurrection: Chapter on the Matter of the Gathering (2424) Nasai (2435) Hakim (608/4) Ibn Abi Shaybah (140/8) Fath al-Bari (387/11)
Benefits:
➊ The last sign of the Day of Judgment will appear in the form of a fire that will drive all people towards the battlefield of resurrection.
➋ The narrations regarding the place of emergence of the fire seem apparently contradictory, whether the fire will emerge from Yemen, Hadramaut, or the land of Sham (Syria)?
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) resolves this contradiction as follows:
وظهر لي فى وجه الجمع أن كونها تخرج من قعر عدن لا ينافي حشرها الناس من المشرق الى المغرب وذلك ان ابتداء خروجها من قعر عدن فاذا خرجت انتشرت فى الأرض كلها والمراد بقوله تحشر الناس من المشرق الى المغرب ارادة تعميم الحشر لا خصوص المشرق والمغرب أو انها بعد الانتشار أول ما تحشر اهل المشرق ويؤيد ذلك ان ابتداء الفتن دائما من المشرق
The combined form of the mentioned narrations indicates that the fire will first emerge from Aden, then it will spread everywhere, and when it begins to drive people, it will start from the east and move towards the west, or it will first drive the people of the east because trials have always started from the eastern lands.
Reference: Fath al-Bari (386/11)
➌ A fire has been mentioned earlier in the previous pages which is among those signs of the Day of Judgment whose appearance has already passed, but the mentioned fire is different from that and will be the last sign of the Day of Judgment.
➍ Just as the previous fire was indeed a fire, similarly the mentioned sign will also be literal, meaning an actual fire will appear that will drive people towards the battlefield of resurrection; therefore, it is not correct to interpret this fire as the fire of war, i.e., war or sedition (figuratively).
➎ Imam Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) says that the meaning of "Hashr" (gathering) is assembly, meaning this fire will gather people in the battlefield of resurrection, and there are four types of Hashr:
"The first two Hashr are related to this world, and the last two Hashr are related to the Hereafter."
◈ The first Hashr occurred when Banu Nadir were exiled towards the land of Sham.
Reference: (Surah Al-Hashr: 2)
◈ The gathering of people in the land of Sham before the Day of Judgment, as predicted in the mentioned narrations.
◈ The gathering of people in the battlefield of resurrection after rising from the graves, as Allah Almighty says:
وَحَشَرْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا
And We will gather them, and not leave behind from among them anyone.
Reference: (Surah Al-Kahf: 47)
◈ Being gathered in Paradise or Hell, as Allah Almighty says:
يَوْمَ نَحْشُرُ الْمُتَّقِينَ إِلَى الرَّحْمَنِ وَفْدًا وَنَسُوقُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ وِرْدًا
The Day We will gather the righteous to the Most Merciful as guests, and drive the sinners to Hell thirsty.
Reference: (Surah Maryam: 85-86)
➏ The mentioned gathering will occur shortly before the Day of Judgment, in which disbelievers will gather in the battlefield of resurrection crawling on their heads and faces through hills and thorns; however, at the time of the Hereafter's gathering, all people will be gathered naked in the battlefield of resurrection, and the earth will be like a flat plain without hills or such.
Reference: Fath al-Bari (387/11) Al-Tadhkirah (p. 171 etc.)
➐ At the time of this gathering, some people will be on foot, some mounted, and some crawling on their faces.
➑ It is not impossible by the power of Allah for a person (disbeliever) to crawl on his face!
➒ The mentioned fire will cling to people like clothing, so much so that it will remain with them while they sleep, wake, and walk, and people will keep running ahead of it out of fear until they are all brought to the battlefield of resurrection. والله اعلم وعلمه اتم و اكمل و اصوب
➓ In this worldly gathering, the battlefield of resurrection will be the land of Sham, and even after rising from the graves, people will be gathered in the same battlefield, as Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that if anyone doubts that the land of Sham is the battlefield of resurrection, he should read the initial verses of Surah Al-Hashr.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to those Jews: "Come on, leave!" They said: "Where?" He said: "Towards the land of resurrection." (Meaning, in the land of Sham, the Prophet (peace be upon him) exiled the Jews to the city of Badr.) والله اعلم وعلمه أتم واكمل واصوب
Reference: Fath al-Bari (380/11) Ibn Kathir (84/8)
