This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Hafiz Mubashir Hussain Lahori's book Signs of the Day of Judgment in the Light of Authentic Hadiths.
Sign of the Day of Judgment: The Conquest of Jerusalem
عن عوف بن مالك رضى الله عنه عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : أمسكوا منها تكون قبل الساعة ... فتح بيت المقدس
It is narrated from Hazrat Auf bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Remember the six signs that will appear before the Day of Judgment. Bayt al-Maqdis (the first Qibla which is in Palestine) will be conquered."
Reference: Bukhari: Book of Jizya: Chapter on what to beware of fate (3176) Abu Dawood (5000) Ibn Majah (4091) Hakim (466/4) Sharh al-Sunnah (430/7) Ahmad (34/6)
The remaining five are:
(1) My death.
(2) The entry of trials into every household.
(3) The widespread occurrence of the disease called "Maut" (death).
(4) Such abundance of wealth and riches that a person will not be satisfied even if he takes a loan with interest.
(5) The Romans will deceive you and will march towards you with eighty banners, under each banner there will be an army of twelve thousand.
Benefits:
Bayt al-Maqdis was under the control of Jews and Christians and is located in the land of Palestine. In the early period of Islam, Muslims used to pray facing Bayt al-Maqdis, then Allah Almighty made the Kaaba the permanent Qibla. The prophecy of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was fulfilled during the caliphate of Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in 18 AH when Muslims liberated Bayt al-Maqdis from Jews and Christians. In 1099 AD, the Crusaders took Bayt al-Maqdis from the Muslims with full-scale invasions, then about 90 years later in 1187 AD, Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi, after continuous battles, liberated Bayt al-Maqdis from the Crusaders. But unfortunately, now Bayt al-Maqdis is under Jewish domination, and near the Day of Judgment, when Imam Mahdi and Hazrat Isa (Jesus) will appear, they will liberate it again by the sword, and a great war will break out as a result of which Islam will prevail.
