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: The Emergence of the Muslim Ummah (Companions, may Allah be pleased with them):
عن أنس بن مالك رضى الله عنه أنه قدم على الوليد بن عبد الملك فسأله : ماذا سمعت من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يذكر بها الساعة ؟ قال : سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول : أنتم والساعة كهاتين
The Umayyad Caliph Walid bin Abdul Malik asked Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) what news the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) had given him about the Day of Judgment. Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) say: "I and the Day of Judgment are like this" (showing the index and middle finger together).
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad: 13336)
Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) said that I heard the noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) say while he was on the pulpit: "Beware! You people are like this compared to the previous nations as the time between Asr prayer and sunset."
The Jews were given the Torah and they acted upon it, and when half the day passed, they became incapable and were given one qirat (a measure of reward). The Christians were given the Gospel and they followed it until Asr prayer, then they became incapable and were also given one qirat. Then your turn came and you were given the Quran, upon which you acted from Asr until Maghrib and were given two qirats, upon which the Jews and Christians cried out: "O Lord! They acted less but received more reward?"
Allah Almighty said: "Have I wronged you by giving you less reward than your due?" They said no. Then Allah Almighty said: "This is My grace and I bestow My grace upon whom I will."
In one narration it is said: "Your lifespan compared to the previous nations is like the time from Asr to sunset."
Reference: (Bukhari: 7467, Tirmidhi: 2871)
Benefits:
1. After the advent of Muhammad ﷺ, the Muslim Ummah has emerged.
2. The emergence of the Muslim Ummah is a sign of the Day of Judgment.
3. A large part of the world's age has passed, and only a small part remains. (This is merely a slight indication, not a definitive statement).
4. The Muslim Ummah is the last Islamic nation after the Jews and Christians.
5. Compared to the Jews and Christians, the Muslim Ummah has been granted a short time but great reward.
