بَابُ قُرْبِ السَّاعَةِ وَأَنَّ مَنْ مَاتَ فَقَدْ قَامَتْ قِيَامَتُهُNearness of the Hour and That Whoever Dies, His Resurrection Has Begun

¹ His statement: “I was sent, and the Hour is like these two”: Ibn al-Tin said: There is a difference of opinion regarding its meaning. Some said it refers to the difference in length between the index and middle fingers. Others said it means there is no prophet between him and the Hour. Al-Qurtubi said: The essence of the hadith is to emphasize the nearness of the Hour and the swiftness of its arrival, as stated by the scholar Al-‘Ayni (may Allah have mercy on him). Al-Kirmani said: The purpose is that the sending of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is one of the signs of the Hour, and they are closely connected. Al-Sayyid said: His statement “I was sent, and the Hour” is in the nominative case, indicating conjunction, meaning I and the Hour were sent with a difference, like the superiority of the middle finger over the index finger. It is also narrated in the accusative case, implying togetherness, and on this basis, the notion of superiority narrated from Qatadah does not hold. His statement “like these two” may also imply another meaning: the connection of his mission to the Hour, inseparable from one another, just as the index and middle fingers are not separated by something foreign to them. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “I was sent at the breath of the Hour”: He meant its nearness, that is, when it breathes, and its breathing refers to the appearance of its signs. This is supported by the verse: And the morning when it breathes [At-Takwir: 18], meaning when the signs of its dawn appear. The sending of the Prophet (ﷺ) is among the first of its signs. This is the meaning of Al-Turbishti’s statement. It is said in Al-Kawkab ad-Durri that “breath” refers to nearness, for when one is so close to another that the breath of the latter reaches the former, they are undoubtedly near. Hence, he likened the Hour and its breath to his two fingers, as the middle finger has a slight precedence over the index finger. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “You ask me about the Hour”: Al-Turbishti said: The Hour is a portion of time, often used to refer to the Resurrection. It is mentioned in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger in three senses: the Major Resurrection, which is the raising of people for judgment; the Intermediate Resurrection, which is the passing of a generation through death; and the Minor Resurrection, which is the death of an individual. The apparent meaning here is the Major Resurrection, whether it refers to the first blowing of the trumpet, as indicated by the statement “The Hour will only come upon the worst of people,” or the second blowing, which is the great calamity known in the Book and Sunnah. The hadiths of this chapter, such as “I was sent, and the Hour is like these two,” support both interpretations. However, this hadith of Jabir and the upcoming hadith of Aisha indicate the Intermediate Resurrection. As for the Book of Allah, I do not believe the Hour is used in this sense. (As stated in Al-Mirqat) ² His statement: “That will live for a hundred years”: Al-Ashraf said: It means no soul born today will remain alive for a hundred years, referring to the death of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). He (ﷺ) said this applies generally, though some Companions, like Anas ibn Malik and Salman, lived beyond a hundred years. The more apparent meaning is that no soul will live a hundred years after this statement, as supported by the upcoming hadith. Thus, there is no need to consider the general case. It is likely that those born at that time perished before reaching a hundred years from the time of the hadith. This is further supported by the scholars’ refutation of the claims of Baba Ratan al-Hindi and others who claimed companionship and longevity beyond two hundred years. The hadith also seems to negate the survival of Al-Khidr and Ilyas (peace be upon them). Al-Baghawi said in Ma’alim at-Tanzil: Four prophets are alive, two on earth, Al-Khidr and Ilyas, and two in the heavens, Jesus and Idris (peace be upon them). Thus, the hadith is specific to others, or it refers to no soul from his nation, as no prophet comes after him. Alternatively, the restriction to “on earth” excludes Al-Khidr and Ilyas, as they were at sea at that time. Allah knows best. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “I hope that my nation will not be incapable”: The word “incapable” may be read with a kasra or damma on the jim. It is the object of “I hope,” meaning the absence of incapacity in my nation. His statement “before their Lord” refers to their utmost nearness to Him. His statement “of being delayed for half a day” is a substitute for “will not be incapable,” as chosen by Ibn al-Malik, or it is connected to it with the omission of “from,” as Al-Tayyibi preferred. The absence of incapacity here is a metaphor for the ability to attain nearness and status with Allah, like a favored person saying to a king: “I am not incapable of the king appointing me to such-and-such,” meaning he has status and favor to achieve what he hopes for. Thus, the meaning is: I hope my nation has such status with Allah that He grants them respite from my time until five hundred years, so that it is not less than that until the Hour. Perhaps he meant by five hundred years after the seventh millennium, as we are now in the seventh year of the eighth millennium, indicating it will not exceed five hundred years, aligning with Umar’s hadith: “The world is seven thousand years,” with the extra fraction disregarded, ending at the half, and what follows is considered the eighth millennium with the lesser fraction ignored. Alternatively, it refers to the survival of his religion and its system in the world for five hundred years. His statement “of being delayed” means Allah delays them, free from defects, sins, and severe trials. Allah knows best. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)