Ten Signs Before the Inception of the Hour

That is, the first of the signs that are extraordinary and unfamiliar. For even though the emergence of the Dajjal, the descent of 'Isa (peace be upon him) from heaven, and likewise the coming forth of Gog and Magog (Ya'juj and Ma'juj) occur prior to that, all of those are customary matters in the sense that witnessing human beings and their likenesses is familiar. However, the emergence of the Beast in a strange, unprecedented form, its addressing the people, and its branding them with belief or disbelief is a matter completely outside the ordinary course of nature. Therefore, it is the first of the terrestrial signs, just as the rising of the sun from its place of setting, contrary to its customary course, is the first of the celestial signs.