Time draws close (passes quickly)
Partly
In brief
One of the signs is that time 'draws close': years, months and days seem to pass faster and faster. A narration in al-Tirmidhi describes a year that feels like a month, a month like a week, a week like a day, a day like an hour, and an hour like the moment it takes a palm leaf to burn.
Scholars have understood this in different ways. Ibn Hajar mentions a loss of blessing (barakah) in time, so that little gets done in a whole day. Others mention faster travel and communication bringing distances close. Others take it literally, as something that will happen at the very end.
'Take advantage of five before five: your youth before old age, health before sickness, wealth before poverty, free time before busyness, and life before death.'
Where it sits in the sequence
The narrations do not put these in order, and many of them overlap. Sahih al-Bukhari 7121 lists several together.
Strongest narrations
Read all in the archive →Tags are automatic and unreviewed.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يُقْبَضَ الْعِلْمُ، وَتَكْثُرَ الزَّلاَزِلُ، وَيَتَقَارَبَ الزَّمَانُ، وَتَظْهَرَ الْفِتَنُ، وَيَكْثُرَ الْهَرْجُ ـ وَهْوَ الْقَتْلُ الْقَتْلُ ـ حَتَّى يَكْثُرَ فِيكُمُ الْمَالُ فَيَفِيضُ ".
Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Hour (Last Day) will not be established until (religious) knowledge will be taken away (by the death of religious learned men), earthquakes will be very frequent, time will pass quickly, afflictions will appear, murders will increase and money will overflow amongst you." (See Hadith No. 85 Vol)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَتَقَارَبُ الزَّمَانُ وَيَنْقُصُ الْعَمَلُ، وَيُلْقَى الشُّحُّ وَيَكْثُرُ الْهَرْجُ ". قَالُوا وَمَا الْهَرْجُ قَالَ " الْقَتْلُ، الْقَتْلُ ".
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Time will pass rapidly, good deeds will decrease, and miserliness will be thrown (in the hearts of the people), and the Harj (will increase)." They asked, "What is the Harj?" He replied, "(It is) killing (murdering), (it is) murdering (killing)
حَدَّثَنَا عَيَّاشُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " يَتَقَارَبُ الزَّمَانُ، وَيَنْقُصُ الْعَمَلُ، وَيُلْقَى الشُّحُّ، وَتَظْهَرُ الْفِتَنُ، وَيَكْثُرُ الْهَرْجُ ". قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّمَ هُوَ. قَالَ " الْقَتْلُ الْقَتْلُ ". وَقَالَ شُعَيْبٌ وَيُونُسُ وَاللَّيْثُ وَابْنُ أَخِي الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Time will pass rapidly, good deeds will decrease, miserliness will be thrown (in the hearts of the people) afflictions will appear and there will be much 'Al-Harj." They said, "O Allah's Apostle! What is "Al-Harj?" He said, "Killing! Killing!" (See Hadith No. 63, Vol)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَقْتَتِلَ فِئَتَانِ عَظِيمَتَانِ، يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُمَا مَقْتَلَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ، دَعْوَتُهُمَا وَاحِدَةٌ، وَحَتَّى يُبْعَثَ دَجَّالُونَ كَذَّابُونَ، قَرِيبٌ مِنْ ثَلاَثِينَ، كُلُّهُمْ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَحَتَّى يُقْبَضَ الْعِلْمُ، وَتَكْثُرَ الزَّلاَزِلُ، وَيَتَقَارَبَ الزَّمَانُ، وَتَظْهَرَ الْفِتَنُ، وَيَكْثُرَ الْهَرْجُ وَهْوَ الْقَتْلُ، وَحَتَّى يَكْثُرَ فِيكُمُ الْمَالُ فَيَفِيضَ، حَتَّى يُهِمَّ رَبَّ الْمَالِ مَنْ يَقْبَلُ صَدَقَتَهُ، وَحَتَّى يَعْرِضَهُ فَيَقُولَ الَّذِي يَعْرِضُهُ عَلَيْهِ لاَ أَرَبَ لِي بِهِ. وَحَتَّى يَتَطَاوَلَ النَّاسُ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ، وَحَتَّى يَمُرَّ الرَّجُلُ بِقَبْرِ الرَّجُلِ فَيَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي مَكَانَهُ. وَحَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا، فَإِذَا طَلَعَتْ وَرَآهَا النَّاسُ ـ يَعْنِي ـ آمَنُوا أَجْمَعُونَ، فَذَلِكَ حِينَ لاَ يَنْفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ، أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْرًا، وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَقَدْ نَشَرَ الرَّجُلاَنِ ثَوْبَهُمَا بَيْنَهُمَا، فَلاَ يَتَبَايَعَانِهِ وَلاَ يَطْوِيَانِهِ، وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَقَدِ انْصَرَفَ الرَّجُلُ بِلَبَنِ لِقْحَتِهِ فَلاَ يَطْعَمُهُ، وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَهْوَ يُلِيطُ حَوْضَهُ فَلاَ يَسْقِي فِيهِ، وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَقَدْ رَفَعَ أُكْلَتَهُ إِلَى فِيهِ فَلاَ يَطْعَمُهَا ".
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established (1) till two big groups fight each other whereupon there will be a great number of casualties on both sides and they will be following one and the same religious doctrine, (2) till about thirty Dajjals (liars) appear, and each one of them will claim that he is Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), (3) till the religious knowledge is taken away (by the death of Religious scholars) (4) earthquakes will increase in number (5) time will pass quickly, (6) afflictions will appear, (7) Al-Harj, (i.e., killing) will increase, (8) till wealth will be in abundance ---- so abundant that a wealthy person will worry lest nobody should accept his Zakat, and whenever he will present it to someone, that person (to whom it will be offered) will say, 'I am not in need of it, (9) till the people compete with one another in constructing high buildings, (10) till a man when passing by a grave of someone will say, 'Would that I were in his place (11) and till the sun rises from the West. So when the sun will rise and the people will see it (rising from the West) they will all believe (embrace Islam) but that will be the time when: (As Allah said,) 'No good will it do to a soul to believe then, if it believed not before, nor earned good (by deeds of righteousness) through its Faith.' (6.158) And the Hour will be established while two men spreading a garment in front of them but they will not be able to sell it, nor fold it up; and the Hour will be established when a man has milked his she-camel and has taken away the milk but he will not be able to drink it; and the Hour will be established before a man repairing a tank (for his livestock) is able to water (his animals) in it; and the Hour will be established when a person has raised a morsel (of food) to his mouth but will not be able to eat it
حَدَّثَنِي حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، حَدَّثَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَتَقَارَبُ الزَّمَانُ وَيُقْبَضُ الْعِلْمُ وَتَظْهَرُ الْفِتَنُ وَيُلْقَى الشُّحُّ وَيَكْثُرُ الْهَرْجُ " . قَالُوا وَمَا الْهَرْجُ قَالَ " الْقَتْلُ " .
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:(When) the time would draw close to the Last Hour, knowledge would be snatched away, turmoil would be rampant, miserliness would be put (in the hearts of the people) and therewould be much bloodshed. They said: What is al-harj? Thereupon he said: It is bloodshed
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الدَّارِمِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، حَدَّثَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الزُّهْرِيُّ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَتَقَارَبُ الزَّمَانُ وَيُقْبَضُ الْعِلْمُ " . ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ .
This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Huraira with a slight variation of wording
Weak and ungraded reports on this sign
6
Shown for study, not as established. Includes Kitab al-Fitan of Nu'aym ibn Hammad, which is ungraded and weak overall.
Not graded under this archive's policy. The verdicts recorded are listed.
حدثنا عبد الأعلى، عن معمر، عن الزهري، عن سعيد بن المسيب، عن أبي هريرة، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: " يتقارب الزمان، ويلقى الشح، وتظهر الفتن، ويكثر الهرج "، قال: قالوا: أيما هو يا رسول الله؟ قال: " القتل، القتل "
No translation yet. Arabic only.
AI draft, not reviewed by an editor. Read the Arabic for the meaning.
Not graded under this archive's policy. The verdicts recorded are listed.
حدثنا عثمان بن عمر، أخبرنا ابن أبي ذئب، عن سعيد بن سمعان، عن أبي هريرة، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: " لا تقوم الساعة حتى تظهر الفتن، ويكثر الكذب، وتتقارب الأسواق، ويتقارب الزمان، ويكثر الهرج " قيل: وما الهرج؟ قال: " القتل "
No translation yet. Arabic only.
AI draft, not reviewed by an editor. Read the Arabic for the meaning.
Not graded under this archive's policy. The verdicts recorded are listed.
حدثنا وهب، حدثنا أبي، قال: سمعت يونس، يحدث عن الزهري، عن حميد بن عبد الرحمن، أن أبا هريرة، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: " يتقارب الزمان، ويفيض المال، وتظهر الفتن، ويكثر الهرج " قالوا: وما الهرج يا رسول الله؟ قال: " القتل القتل "
No translation yet. Arabic only.
AI draft, not reviewed by an editor. Read the Arabic for the meaning.
Not graded under this archive's policy. The verdicts recorded are listed.
حدثنا علي، أخبرنا ورقاء، عن أبي الزناد، عن الأعرج، عن أبي هريرة، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: " لا تقوم الساعة حتى يقبض العلم، ويتقارب الزمان، وتكثر الزلازل، وتظهر الفتن، ويكثر الهرج " قالوا: الهرج أيما هو يا رسول الله؟ قال: " القتل القتل "
No translation yet. Arabic only.
AI draft, not reviewed by an editor. Read the Arabic for the meaning.
Comparative Traditions
Please note: these Bible passages are here for comparison and history only. In Islam, proof comes from the Quran and sahih hadith. Reports taken from earlier scriptures (Isra'iliyyat) are not treated as proof.
Signs of the End of the Millennium: Moral Reversal, Dishonesty, and the Fading of Rain
King Vishtasp asks the wise seer Jamasp about the signs when the final millennium of Zoroaster draws to a close. Jamasp replies that in that dark age, people will turn away from righteousness; the lower and unfit will dominate the noble, contracts will be broken, truth will be despised, and lying praised. Clouds will cover the sky yet yield little rain, and the seasons will lose their regular order, until Ushidar and the final Saoshyant emerge to renovate creation.
u-šan mihr ud paymān ud rāstīh nēst, ud harw kas pad drōg ud frēb rāyīnēd... ud abr pad asmān paydāg bawēd ud wārān nē wārēd...
They will have no love, no covenant, and no truth; and everyone will manage their affairs through falsehood and deceit... and clouds will appear in the sky, yet they will not rain fruitful rain...
What scholars have said
Scholars cite it in part, or differ
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalanid. 852 AH (773-852 AH)
Puts time drawing close among the signs whose beginnings have occurred but which are not yet complete.
Fath al-Bari, on Sahih al-Bukhari 7121 (Kitab al-Fitan)
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalanid. 852 AH (773-852 AH)
Says it 'has been found in this time of ours: we find the days passing faster than we found them in the age before ours', and that the right meaning is that blessing (barakah) is taken out of everything, even out of time.
Fath al-Bari, on Sahih al-Bukhari 7061
Imam Yahya An-Nawawi (following Qadi Iyad)d. 676 AH (631-676 AH)
The meaning is that time loses its blessing, so that a day gives only as much benefit as an hour.
quoted in Fath al-Bari, on Sahih al-Bukhari 7061
Present-day data
These numbers show the world today beside the narration. They do not decide whether the sign has appeared; that is shown only through named scholars, in the Scholars' views tab.
Anas narrated: the Hour will not come until time draws close, so that a year is like a month, a month like a week, a week like a day (jumu'ah), a day like an hour, and an hour like the burning of a palm leaf (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2332, sahih per al-Albani). The commentators gave several readings. Most, including Qadi Iyad, al-Nawawi and Ibn Hajar, say the blessing of time is taken away, which no instrument measures. Ibn Abi Jamra allowed that it may also be physical; on that reading, here is what atomic clocks show.
Narrations behind this panel: Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2332 · Sahih al-Bukhari 7061 · Sahih al-Bukhari 7121
- a yearlikea month
- a monthlikea week
- a weeklikea day
- a daylikean hour
- an hourlikea palm leaf burning
What the commentators said it means
- Blessing (barakah) is taken out of time, so a day yields what an hour used to: Qadi Iyad, al-Nawawi, Ibn Hajar.
- Life becomes so pleasant that time seems short, in the time of the Mahdi: al-Khattabi.
- Lifespans grow shorter from one generation to the next: reported by Ibn Hajar.
- People become alike in ignorance and evil: al-Tahawi, Ibn Battal.
- Day and night become equal in length: al-Dawudi (Ibn Hajar rejects limiting it to that).
- It may be physical or in meaning: Ibn Abi Jamra.
Read with care
- Clocks show the day changing by a few thousandths of a second, and over centuries it gets slightly longer, not shorter. So the measurable day has not shrunk; the main readings are about blessing and how time is lived.
Draft: figures and wording await a researcher's check and the scholar board.