Turks
Appeared
In brief
The Prophet ﷺ foretold that the Muslims would fight a people with small eyes, red faces and flat noses, whose faces looked like hammered shields and who wore shoes made of hair. Bukhari and Muslim give only this description, and say the fighting is one of the signs before the Hour.
In the language of the hadith, 'Turk' meant the peoples of Central Asia beyond the river Oxus. Scholars place this among the events foretold for the early centuries. Al-Nawawi, Ibn Kathir and others saw it fulfilled in the Mongol (Tatar) invasions of the 7th century AH, which destroyed Baghdad in 656 AH.
This is history, not a label for any people today. The Turkic peoples later became some of the greatest defenders of Islam.
Baghdad fell after years of internal division. Unity is a protection.
Where it sits in the sequence
Events the narrations foretold that scholars connect with the first centuries of Islam. No single narration puts them in order.
Strongest narrations
Read all in the archive →Tags are automatic and unreviewed.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو النُّعْمَانِ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْحَسَنَ، يَقُولُ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ تَغْلِبَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ تُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمًا يَنْتَعِلُونَ نِعَالَ الشَّعَرِ، وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ تُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمًا عِرَاضَ الْوُجُوهِ، كَأَنَّ وُجُوهَهُمُ الْمَجَانُّ الْمُطَرَّقَةُ ".
Narrated `Amr bin Taghlib:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "One of the portents of the Hour is that you will fight with people wearing shoes made of hair; and one of the portents of the Hour is that you will fight with broad-faced people whose faces will look like shields coated with leather
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تُقَاتِلُوا التُّرْكَ صِغَارَ الأَعْيُنِ، حُمْرَ الْوُجُوهِ، ذُلْفَ الأُنُوفِ، كَأَنَّ وُجُوهَهُمُ الْمَجَانُّ الْمُطَرَّقَةُ، وَلاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمًا نِعَالُهُمُ الشَّعَرُ ".
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Turks; people with small eyes, red faces, and flat noses. Their faces will look like shields coated with leather. The Hour will not be established till you fight with people whose shoes are made of hair
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمًا نِعَالُهُمُ الشَّعَرُ، وَلاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمًا كَأَنَّ وُجُوهَهُمُ الْمَجَانُّ الْمُطَرَّقَةُ ". قَالَ سُفْيَانُ وَزَادَ فِيهِ أَبُو الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، رِوَايَةً " صِغَارَ الأَعْيُنِ، ذُلْفَ الأُنُوفِ، كَأَنَّ وُجُوهَهُمُ الْمَجَانُّ الْمُطْرَقَةُ ".
Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established till you fight with people wearing shoes made of hair. And the Hour will not be established till you fight with people whose faces look like shields coated with leather. " (Abu Huraira added, "They will be) small-eyed, flat nosed, and their faces will look like shields coated with leather
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمًا نِعَالُهُمُ الشَّعَرُ، وَحَتَّى تُقَاتِلُوا التُّرْكَ، صِغَارَ الأَعْيُنِ، حُمْرَ الْوُجُوهِ، ذُلْفَ الأُنُوفِ كَأَنَّ وُجُوهَهُمُ الْمَجَانُّ الْمُطْرَقَةُ ". "«وَتَجِدُونَ مِنْ خَيْرِ النَّاسِ أَشَدَّهُمْ كَرَاهِيَةً لِهَذَا الأَمْرِ، حَتَّى يَقَعَ فِيهِ، وَالنَّاسُ مَعَادِنُ، خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ." "وَلَيَأْتِيَنَّ عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ زَمَانٌ لأَنْ يَرَانِي أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ
Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established till you fight a nation wearing hairy shoes, and till you fight the Turks, who will have small eyes, red faces and flat noses; and their faces will be like flat shields. And you will find that the best people are those who hate responsibility of ruling most of all till they are chosen to be the rulers. And the people are of different natures: The best in the pre-Islamic period are the best in Islam. A time will come when any of you will love to see me rather than to have his family and property doubled
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمًا نِعَالُهُمُ الشَّعَرُ، وَحَتَّى تُقَاتِلُوا التُّرْكَ، صِغَارَ الأَعْيُنِ، حُمْرَ الْوُجُوهِ، ذُلْفَ الأُنُوفِ كَأَنَّ وُجُوهَهُمُ الْمَجَانُّ الْمُطْرَقَةُ ". "«وَتَجِدُونَ مِنْ خَيْرِ النَّاسِ أَشَدَّهُمْ كَرَاهِيَةً لِهَذَا الأَمْرِ، حَتَّى يَقَعَ فِيهِ، وَالنَّاسُ مَعَادِنُ، خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ." "وَلَيَأْتِيَنَّ عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ زَمَانٌ لأَنْ يَرَانِي أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ
Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established till you fight a nation wearing hairy shoes, and till you fight the Turks, who will have small eyes, red faces and flat noses; and their faces will be like flat shields. And you will find that the best people are those who hate responsibility of ruling most of all till they are chosen to be the rulers. And the people are of different natures: The best in the pre-Islamic period are the best in Islam. A time will come when any of you will love to see me rather than to have his family and property doubled
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمًا نِعَالُهُمُ الشَّعَرُ، وَحَتَّى تُقَاتِلُوا التُّرْكَ، صِغَارَ الأَعْيُنِ، حُمْرَ الْوُجُوهِ، ذُلْفَ الأُنُوفِ كَأَنَّ وُجُوهَهُمُ الْمَجَانُّ الْمُطْرَقَةُ ". "«وَتَجِدُونَ مِنْ خَيْرِ النَّاسِ أَشَدَّهُمْ كَرَاهِيَةً لِهَذَا الأَمْرِ، حَتَّى يَقَعَ فِيهِ، وَالنَّاسُ مَعَادِنُ، خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ." "وَلَيَأْتِيَنَّ عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ زَمَانٌ لأَنْ يَرَانِي أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ
Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established till you fight a nation wearing hairy shoes, and till you fight the Turks, who will have small eyes, red faces and flat noses; and their faces will be like flat shields. And you will find that the best people are those who hate responsibility of ruling most of all till they are chosen to be the rulers. And the people are of different natures: The best in the pre-Islamic period are the best in Islam. A time will come when any of you will love to see me rather than to have his family and property doubled
Weak and ungraded reports on this sign
75
Shown for study, not as established. Includes Kitab al-Fitan of Nu'aym ibn Hammad, which is ungraded and weak overall.
Weak report. Shown for study, not as established.
حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُسَافِرٍ التِّنِّيسِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا خَلاَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا بَشِيرُ بْنُ الْمُهَاجِرِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي حَدِيثِ " يُقَاتِلُكُمْ قَوْمٌ صِغَارُ الأَعْيُنِ " . يَعْنِي التُّرْكَ قَالَ " تَسُوقُونَهُمْ ثَلاَثَ مِرَارٍ حَتَّى تُلْحِقُوهُمْ بِجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِ فَأَمَّا فِي السِّيَاقَةِ الأُولَى فَيَنْجُو مَنْ هَرَبَ مِنْهُمْ وَأَمَّا فِي الثَّانِيَةِ فَيَنْجُو بَعْضٌ وَيَهْلِكُ بَعْضٌ وَأَمَّا فِي الثَّالِثَةِ فَيُصْطَلَمُونَ " . أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ .
Buraidah said:In the tradition telling that people with small eyes, i.e. the Turks, will fight against you, the prophet (ﷺ) said: You will drive them off three times till you catch up with them in Arabia. On the first occasion when you drive them off those who fly will be safe, on the second occasion some will be safe and some will perish, but on the third occasion they will be extirpated, or he said words to that effect
Not graded under this archive's policy. The verdicts recorded are listed.
حدثنا أبو العباس، ثنا بحر، ثنا ابن وهب، ثنا معاوية بن صالح، عن يحيى بن سعيد، عن سعيد بن المسيب، أنه كان يقول: «ولد نوح عليه الصلاة والسلام ثلاثة سام، وحام، ويافث، فولد سام العرب وفارس والروم وفي كل هؤلاء خير، وولد حام السودان والبربر والقبط، وولد يافث الترك والصقالبة ويأجوج ومأجوج»
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.
أخبرنا أبو النضر محمد بن محمد الفقيه، وأبو الحسن أحمد بن محمد العنزي، قالا: ثنا معاذ بن نجدة القرشي، ثنا بشير بن المهاجر، عن عبد الله بن بريدة، عن أبيه رضي الله عنه، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال: «يجيء قوم صغار العيون، عراض الوجوه كأن وجوههم الحجف، فيلحقون أهل الإسلام بمنابت الشيح، كأني أنظر إليهم وقد ربطوا خيولهم بسواري المسجد» فقيل لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: يا رسول الله من هم؟ قال: «الترك» هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد، ولم يخرجاه وقد اتفق الشيخان رضي الله عنهما على حديث أبي الزناد، عن الأعرج، عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال: «لا تقوم الساعة حتى تقاتلوا الترك عراض الوجوه صغار العيون، ذلف الأنوف، كأن وجوههم المجان المطرقة»
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.
سمعت الفقيه الأديب الأوحد أبا بكر محمد بن علي القفال غير مرة، يقول: سمعت أبا بكر محمد بن يحيى الصولي النحوي، يقول: " أول من مدح الترك من شعراء العرب علي بن العباس الرومي حيث يقول: [البحر الوافر] إذا ثبتوا فسد من حديد ... تخال عيوننا فيه تحار وإن برزوا فنيران تلظى ... على الأعداء يصرفها استعار ملوك الأرض أعينهم صغار ... إذا برزوا وأنفسهم كبار"
No translation yet. Arabic only.
AI draft, not reviewed by an editor. Read the Arabic for the meaning.
Places named
What scholars have said
Scholars cite it as having appeared
Imam Yahya An-Nawawid. 676 AH (631-676 AH)
Says the Muslims have fought the people this narration describes many times, as it foretold.
Sharh Sahih Muslim, on 2912
Imam Ibn Kathird. 774 AH (701-774 AH)
Links the narration to the Tatar invasion and the fall of Baghdad in 656 AH.
al-Bidayah wa'l-Nihayah, events of 656 AH
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.
The Prophet ﷺ said the Hour would not come until the Muslims fight a people with small eyes, red faces and flat noses, their faces like hammered shields, who wear shoes of hair (Sahih al-Bukhari 2928). In the narrations 'Turk' meant the peoples of Central Asia beyond the Oxus. Al-Nawawi, Ibn Kathir and Ibn Hajar saw the description fulfilled most clearly in the Mongol (Tatar) invasions of the seventh century AH. It is history: Turkic peoples later became among the foremost defenders of Islam, and it was a Mamluk army of Turkic origin that stopped the Mongols at Ain Jalut.
Narrations behind this panel: Sahih al-Bukhari 2928 · Sahih al-Bukhari 3587 · Sahih Muslim 2912
86-96 AH · 705-715 CECampaigns beyond the Oxusما وراء النهرTransoxiana (Bukhara, Samarkand)Qutaybah ibn Muslim fought the Turkic princes of Central Asia and took Bukhara and Samarkand.Central Asia opened to Islam
The first long wars with the Turks. Some scholars see these as part of the fulfilment; the Turkic peoples of the region then embraced Islam over the following centuries.
- Linked to the narration by
- Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari
616-618 AH · 1219-1221 CEGenghis Khan's invasionالغزو المغوليKhwarazm and KhurasanThe Mongols destroyed the Khwarazmian empire and sacked Bukhara, Samarkand, Merv and Nishapur.Great cities of Islamic learning left in ruins
The historian Ibn al-Athir, who lived through it, wrote that he had for years avoided recording these events out of horror.
- Linked to the narration by
- Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh
Safar 656 AH · February 1258 CESack of Baghdadسقوط بغدادBaghdadHulagu took Baghdad and killed the caliph al-Musta'sim.End of the Abbasid caliphate in Baghdad
Al-Nawawi, who was alive at the time, and later Ibn Kathir describe the invaders in the very words of the hadith.
- Linked to the narration by
- al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah
25 Ramadan 658 AH · 3 September 1260 CEBattle of Ain Jalutعين جالوتJezreel valley, PalestineThe Mamluks of Egypt under Qutuz and Baybars met the Mongol army.First major Mongol defeat; Egypt, the Hijaz and Sham were saved
Qutuz threw down his helmet and cried 'O Islam!' to rally his men. The Mamluks were themselves largely of Turkic origin.
- Linked to the narration by
- Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah
694 AH · 1295 CEGhazan Khan embraces IslamغازانIlkhanate, IranThe Mongol ruler of Iran became Muslim, and with him much of his army.The Mongols of the west were absorbed into the Muslim world
Within forty years of sacking Baghdad, the Mongol rulers of Iran had become Muslims.
- Linked to the narration by
- Historical record
- Sources
- Wikipedia: Ghazan
Read with care
- Hijri dates are as the classical historians give them; Common Era years are converted and may be off by a year. Where historians differ on a date, the commonly cited one is shown.
- The narration describes an enemy of that time. It is not a description of, or a judgment on, any present-day people.
Draft: figures and wording await a researcher's check and the scholar board.