Prophecies in the Hadith
This article looks at different categories of Muhammad's prophecies with examples. Many of the prophecies are considered "signs of the Hour". 7th century Arabs didn't have the concept of "an hour" meaning 60 minutes. An hour (ساعة) just meant a period of time [shorter than a day]. [1] "The Hour" (الساعة) refers to a period of time in the Day of Judgement (so the signs of the hour also indicate the end of the world). [2]
- Prophecies in this article are from the hadiths. Quranic prophecies have a separate article.
Deceptive tactics
Deceptive tactics used by apologists in relation to the prophecies are:
- Ignoring that the hadith is weak (daif). Sometimes the sources are not even mentioned.
- Pretending that the predicted things didn't happen before they were written, while in fact they did happen
- Pretending that the predicted things started happening just now and that the prophecy amazingly fits on our time, although other apologists hundreds of years ago said the same thing in their time
- Pretending that a prophecy would be hard to guess for Muhammad, while in fact it wouldn't be that hard to guess
- "It can't be man-made, therefore it's god-made". Even if there were prophecies which would require knowledge from supernatural source, it doesn't necessarily mean that the source is god. It might have been from Satan, who also has more ability than humans. Or it might have been magic. There are many supernatural concepts.
- Prophecies of god's punishments for certain acts are considered fulfilled, although the causation between the act and the punishment is not clearly proven. Just because people are dishonest/disbelieving/immoral and there are diseases/floods/wars, it doesn't mean that one caused the other
- Presenting hadith that is mawqoof as being from Muhammad
- Telling a lot of details and making it seem that they are a part of the hadith when in fact they are not a part of the hadith
- Not quoting the hadith, presenting only "summarized" version with unfitting details omitted or even with added new details
- Muhammad predicted that Islam will disappear and also that it will be widespread. Apologists use one of the two prophecies depending on what fits them and they hide the fact that Muhammad predicted the exact opposite as well.
- Being quiet about problematic prophecies which clearly didn't come true
- Mistranslation
Predictions of what already happened before the hadiths were written
The hadith collections were written, often by Persian authors, many years after the death of Muhammad. So when the hadiths contain a prophecy about early Islamic history, it might be attributed to Muhamamd after the fact. This category also includes things that always happened, even before Islam (earthquakes, wars, people being dishonest...).
It's questionable whether "prophecies" in this category could be considered prophecies when they don't say anything new.
"30 false prophets"
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
The Last Hour would not come until there would arise about thirty impostors, liars, and each one of them would claim that he is a messenger of Allah.
The idea of false prophets was nothing new. Muhammad himself was among many self-proclaimed prophets and even in his time there was a different prophet called by Muslims "Musaylimah al-Kadhdhāb" (Musaylama the Liar).
Muhammad predicted that there were will be around 30 false prophets, but there were much more self-proclaimed prophets and the Hour didn't come, so it's one of Muhammad's failed prophecies.
Prediction of false prophets was also nothing new. False prophets were already predicted in the Bible, hundreds of years before Muhammad:
At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
"The caliphate will last 30 years"
Sa'eed bin Jumhan narrated: "Safinah narrated to me, he said: 'The Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) said: "Al-Khilafah will be in my Ummah for thirty years, then there will be monarchy after that."' Then Safinah said to me: 'Count the Khilafah of Abu Bakr,' then he said: 'Count the Khilafah of 'Umar and the Khilafah of 'Uthman.' Then he said to me: 'Count the Khilafah of 'Ali."' He said: "So we found that they add up to thirty years." Sa'eed said: "I said to him: 'Banu Umaiyyah claim that the Khilafah is among them.' He said: 'Banu Az-Zarqa' lie, rather they are a monarchy, among the worst of monarchies."'
- The first caliphate lasted from 632-661, which is 29 years, not 30
- Tirmidhi, author of this hadith collection, was born in 824, more than 100 years after the end of the caliphate
- The hadith in it's text is in the context of discussion about previous caliphates
- The political system after the first caliphate, was still called a caliphate. There was some form of caliphate until the 20th century
Khawarij
According to Islamic scholars, this hadith is about the coming of the Khawarij:
It was narrated that 'Ali said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah [SAW] say: 'At the end of time there will appear young people with foolish minds. Their faith will not pass through their throats, and they will go out of Islam as an arrow goes through the target. If you meet them, then kill them, for killing them will bring reward to the one who killed them on the Day of Resurrection.'"
Khawarij ("The Leavers") left the army of the caliph Ali in the middle of the 7th century. The "prediction" was written in the middle of the 9th century, two hundred years later.
The prophecy says "at the end of time", but Khawarij appeared more than a thousand years ago and the end of times didn't come. This is one of many failed prophecies.
Places of killed people at the battle of Badr
..Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: This is the place where so and so would be killed. He placed his hand on the earth (saying) here and here; (and) none of them fell away from the place which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had indicated by placing his hand on the earth.
Battle of Badr was in the 7th century. Author of this hadith collection was born in the 9th century.
"Earthquakes will increase"
It's a part of a big hadith as one of the signs of the end of the world:
There were always earthquakes, increasing and decreasing. There is a report that earthquake happened also during the life of Muhammad:
He [the Prophet (ﷺ)] prayed during an earthquake six bowings and four prostrations, and said, "This is the way the Prayer of the Signs (of Allah) is offered.
Earthquakes were also already predicted in the Bible:
When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
Muhammad's death
Muhammad predicted that he will die. The prediction doesn't contain any specific information about his death:
I went to the Prophet (ﷺ) during the Ghazwa of Tabuk while he was sitting in a leather tent. He said, "Count six signs that indicate the approach of the Hour: my death, the conquest of Jerusalem, a plague that will afflict you (and kill you in great numbers) as the plague that afflicts sheep, the increase of wealth to such an extent that even if one is given one hundred Dinars, he will not be satisfied; then an affliction which no Arab house will escape, and then a truce between you and Bani Al-Asfar (i.e. the Byzantines) who will betray you and attack you under eighty flags. Under each flag will be twelve thousand soldiers.
All people that lived before Muhammad eventually died. He could observe dying of people around him. There's nothing special about predicting that he will eventually die too, just like all other human beings.
The context is that it will be a sign that the Hour is coming. But Muhammad died more than a thousand years ago and the Hour didn't come.
"Sexual immorality" (abominations)
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned to us and said: ‘O Muhajirun, there are five things with which you will be tested, and I seek refuge with Allah lest you live to see them: Immorality never appears among a people to such an extent that they commit it openly, but plagues and diseases that were never known among the predecessors will spread among them. They do not cheat in weights and measures but they will be stricken with famine, severe calamity and the oppression of their rulers. They do not withhold the Zakah of their wealth, but rain will be withheld from the sky, and were it not for the animals, no rain would fall on them. They do not break their covenant with Allah and His Messenger, but Allah will enable their enemies to overpower them and take some of what is in their hands. Unless their leaders rule according to the Book of Allah and seek all good from that which Allah has revealed, Allah will cause them to fight one another.’”
Sexual immorality (or "abomination") was nothing new in the 7th century. The Old Testament mentions a story of a city where all people were homosexuals who wanted to rape angels, but Lot offered them his daughters instead:
He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate. Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house. They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.” Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them.
In the New Testament Jesus spoke to a woman who had many sexual partners:
“Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.
“I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.
Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”
Although Islamic apologists try to portray "abominations" in today's world as some shocking new events that were predicted by Muhammad, these "abominations" happened long before Muhammad was born. There were also abominations happening in Muhammad's time:
Narrated `Aisha:
that the Prophet (ﷺ) married her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old. Hisham said: I have been informed that `Aisha remained with the Prophet (ﷺ) for nine years (i.e. till his death).
Sexual perversions were nothing new for Muhammad.
And the plagues and diseases that are supposed to be punishments for the immoralities also happened throughout whole history. Plagues (pestilences) were already predicted in the Bible, hundereds of years before Muhammad:
When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
Muhammad didn't bring anything new. And the prophecy is unverifiable / unfalsifiable. Because if sexually moral people get disease, then apologists can say "it's a test". And if sexually immoral people don't get disease, apologists can say "Allah is postponing the punishment to afterlife".
"Women naked, but dressed" (wearing revealing clothes)
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said this:
Two are the types of the denizens of Hell whom I did not see: people having flogs like the tails of the ox with them and they would be beating people, and the women who would be dressed but appear to be naked, who would be inclined (to evil) and make their husbands incline towards it. Their heads would be like the humps of the bukht camel inclined to one side. They will not enter Paradise and they would not smell its odour whereas its odour would be smelt from such and such distance.
Some apologists present it as something new that happens in the 21st century and Muhamamd couldn't have guessed it.
This hadeeth is one of the miracles of Prophethood, for these two types of people have appeared, and they exist now, as al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said.
Al-Nawawi lived in the 13th century. So for hundreds of years, Islamic scholars keep saying that this is "exactly what happens now" as if women dressed attractively appeared for the first time in history.
Immodestly dressed women were already mentioned in the Old Testament, a thousand years before Muhammad:
I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense. He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. (She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home; now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.) she took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said: “Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home. So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you! I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
There is also a hadith with the same terminology of dressed (كاسيات) and undressed (عاريات) but in a different context:
Narrated Um Salama:
One night the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and said, "Subhan Allah! How many afflictions Allah has revealed tonight and how many treasures have been sent down (disclosed). Go and wake the sleeping lady occupants of these dwellings up (for prayers), perhaps a well dressed (كاسية) in this world may be naked (عارية) in the Hereafter."
"Men obey their wives"
The hadith is daif, but some apologists present it as if it was sahih:
Ali bin Abi Talib narrated that the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) said: "When my Ummah does fifteen things, the afflictions will occur in it." It was said: "What are they O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "When Al-Maghnam (the spoils of war) are distributed (preferentially), trust is usurped, Zakah is a fine, a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother, he is kind to his friend and abandons his father, voices are raised in the Masajid, the leader of the people is the most despicable among them, the most honored man is the one whose evil the people are afraid of, intoxicants are drunk, silk is worn (by males), there is a fascination for singing slave-girls and music, and the end of this Ummah curses its beginning. When that occurs, anticipate a red wind, collapsing of the earth, and transformation."
It was mentioned among negative things, that indicates that a woman being dominant in marriage is an evil thing. But not everyone at that time was as patriarchal:
So it was nothing new.
Mosques full of hypocrites
عن عبد اللهِ بنِ عَمرو قال : يأتي على الناس زمانٌ ، يجتمِعون ويُصلُّون في المساجدِ ، وليس فيهم مؤمنٌ
A time will come on people when they get together and pray in mosques and isn't among them a single believer
Nothing new. Praying hypocrites were already mentioned in the Bible, hundreds of years before Muhammad:
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others.
But in Islam it's especially easy to predict, because Muhammad spread his religon by the sword:
It is reported on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah said:
I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah, and he who professed it was guaranteed the protection of his property and life on my behalf except for the right affairs rest with Allah.
Narrated `Ikrima:
`Ali burnt some people and this news reached Ibn `Abbas, who said, "Had I been in his place I would not have burnt them, as the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Don't punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment.' No doubt, I would have killed them, for the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him.' "
Many people only pretend to be Muslims to save their lives.
"Slave woman gives birth to her master/mistress"
When the slave woman gives birth to her mistress' (Waki' said: This means when non-Arabs will give birth to Arabs")
According to Nawawi, the opinion of the majority of scholars is that Muslims will enslave non-Muslim women and have kids with them and the kids will be masters of their mothers because the kids are Muslims ( = superior). [4] Ibn Hajar (who lived later) didn't like this interpretation, because the enslavement was already happening during the time of Muhammad, so it wasn't really a prophecy of the future.
Ibn Hajar and modern apologists like to interpret it as kids treating their mothers like slaves. That is not compatible with Waki's comment in the hadith and it is not the original interpretation and disrespecting mothers happened even before Islam.
"Cheating in weights (scales)"
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned to us and said: ‘O Muhajirun, there are five things with which you will be tested, and I seek refuge with Allah lest you live to see them: Immorality never appears among a people to such an extent that they commit it openly, but plagues and diseases that were never known among the predecessors will spread among them. They do not cheat in weights and measures but they will be stricken with famine, severe calamity and the oppression of their rulers. They do not withhold the Zakah of their wealth, but rain will be withheld from the sky, and were it not for the animals, no rain would fall on them. They do not break their covenant with Allah and His Messenger, but Allah will enable their enemies to overpower them and take some of what is in their hands. Unless their leaders rule according to the Book of Allah and seek all good from that which Allah has revealed, Allah will cause them to fight one another.’”
Cheating in weights is not a prediction of the future. It happened thousands of years before Islam and was mentioned as being prevalent even in the Old Testament:
Then the Lord said to me, “The end has come for My people Israel. I will spare them no longer. The songs of the palace will turn to wailing in that day,” declares the Lord God. “Many will be the corpses; in every place they will cast them forth in silence.” Hear this, you who trample the needy, to do away with the humble of the land, saying: “When will the new moon be over, So that we may sell grain, And the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, To make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger, And to cheat with dishonest scales
And famines that are supposedly a punishment for the cheating also happened throughout whole history.
"Making money unlawfully"
Narrated Abu Hurairah (ra): The Prophet (ﷺ) said "Certainly a time will come when people will not bother to know from where they earned the money, by lawful means or unlawful means."
Making money unlawfully was nothing new for Muhammad:
Then the apostle heard that Abu Sufyan b. Harb was coming from Syria with a large caravan of Quraysh, containing their money and merchandise, accompanied by some thirty or forty men." Mohammad said, "This is the Quraysh caravan containing their property, Go out to attack it, perhaps God will give it as prey,
"Usury" (riba)
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ يَأْكُلُونَ فِيهِ الرِّبَا قِيلَ النَّاسُ كُلُّهُمْ قَالَ مَنْ لَمْ يَأْكُلْهُ مِنْهُمْ نَالَهُ مِنْ غُبَارِهِ
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “A time will come upon people in which they will consume usury.” It was said, “All of the people?” The Prophet said, “Whoever does not consume it will be affected by its dust.”
Usury (riba) was already widespread in the period before Islam, which Muslims call "jahilya":
Riba al-Jahiliyah means “the riba used during the age of ignorance and paganism.” It is also called riba al-nassee'aa (the riba that is constrained by a time limit and is time dependent). This type of riba was widely practiced by the pagan Arabs at the advent of Islam.
And for "affected by its dust" - widespread usury always affects whole economy. For example if someone has to pay big debts, he won't be able to buy as much. That will cause a seller to sell less, even though the seller himself is not indulging in usury.
"Sudden death"
حدثنا الهيثم بن خالد المصيصي نا عبدالكبير بن المعافى بن عمران نا شريك عن العباس بن ذريح عن الشعبي عن أنس بن مالك رفعه إلى النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال من اقتراب الساعة أن يرى الهلال قبلا فيقال لليلتين وأن تتخذ المساجد طرقا وأن يظهر الموت الفجاء لم يرو هذا الحديث عن العباس بن زريح إلا شريك تفرد به عبد الكبير بن المعافى
Anas bin Malik (RA) narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said: “Among the signs that the Last Hour is near, is that the crescent would appear larger than its actual size and people would say: ‘It appears as if it is only two days old.’ and the masajid will be taken as streets, and sudden death will spread.”
People were dying both slowly and quickly, long before the written history. It's was nothing new.
In other hadiths Muhammad and Ubayd speak about sudden death as something already known:
Narrated Ubayd ibn Khalid as-Sulami,:
A man from the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ), said: The narrator Sa'd ibn Ubaydah narrated sometimes from the Prophet (ﷺ) and sometimes as a statement of Ubayd (ibn Khalid): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Sudden death is a wrathful catching.
Islam will be unpleasant for Muslims (like burning ember/coal in hand)
Anas bin Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) said: "There shall come upon the people a time in which the one who is patient upon his religion will be like the one holding onto a burning ember."
Adhering to Islam was already unpleasant for many Muslims during the time of Muhammad and it escalated in 632-633 during the Wars of Apostasy when Arabs tried to free themselves from this religion, but it was forced upon them by violence again.
Following Jews and Christians
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You will follow the ways of those nations who were before you, span by span and cubit by cubit (i.e., inch by inch) so much so that even if they entered a hole of a mastigure, you would follow them." We said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! (Do you mean) the Jews and the Christians?" He said, "Whom else?"
Muhammad himself had portions of the Jewish Talmud and Christian apocryphal gospels in his revelations, so it was nothing new.
"Killing" [pointless killing]
Narrated `Abdullah and Abu Musa:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Near the establishment of the Hour there will be days during which Religious ignorance will spread, knowledge will be taken away (vanish) and there will be much Al-Harj, and Al- Harj means killing."
Killing was happening long before Islam. We can read in the Old Testament many texts about mass killing. For example:
Now go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.
Pointless killing was also happening during Muhammad's time with Muhammad's approval:
Then they surrendered, and the apostle confined them in Medina in the quarter of d. al-Harith, a woman of B. al-Najjar. Then the apostle went out to the market of Medina (which is still its market today) and dug trenches in it. Then he sent for them and struck off their heads in those trenches as they were brought out to him in batches. Among them was the enemy of Allah Huyayy b. Akhtab and Ka`b b. Asad their chief. There were 600 or 700 in all, though some put the figure as high as 800 or 900.
"I have been given Persia"
"I have been given Persia" is a euphemism for "Muslims will attack Persia and force my religion upon the Persians".
أنبأ محمد بن عبد الأعلى قال حدثنا معتمر قال سمعت عوفا قال سمعت ميمونا يحدث عن البراء بن عازب قال : لما أمرنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم أن يحفر الخندق عرض لنا فيه حجر لا يأخذ فيه المعول فاشتكينا ذلك إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم فجاء رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم فألقى ثوبه وأخذ المعول وقال بسم الله فضرب ضربة فكسر ثلث الصخرة قال الله أكبر أعطيت مفاتيح الشام والله إني لأبصر قصورها الحمر الآن من مكاني هذا قال ثم ضرب أخرى وقال بسم الله وكسر ثلثا آخر وقال الله أكبر أعطيت مفاتيح فارس والله إني لأبصر قصر المدائن الأبيض الآن ثم ضرب ثالثة وقال بسم الله فقطع الحجر قال الله أكبر أعطيت مفاتيح اليمن والله إني لأبصر باب صنعاء
Al-Bara said: On the Day of Al-Khandaq (the trench) there stood out a rock too immune for our spades to break up. We therefore went to see God’s Messenger for advice. He took the spade, and said: “In the Name of God” Then he struck it saying: “God is Most Great, I have been given the keys of Ash-Sham (Greater Syria). By God, I can see its red palaces at the moment;” on the second strike he said: “God is Most Great, I have been given Persia. By God, I can now see the white palace of Madain;” and for the third time he struck the rock saying: “In the Name of God,” shattering the rest of the rock, and he said: “God is Most Great, I have been given the keys of Yemen. By God, I can see the gates of San’a while I am in my place.”
The bloody conquest happened around the year 650. Earliest hadith collection Muwatta Imam Malik (which doesn't even contain this hadith) was written around the year 750 and the hadith collection sunan al-Kubra which contains the hadith was written around the year 850. So it took Muslims hundreds of years after the conquest until they finally "remembered" that Muhammad predicted it.
And it wouldn't be a hard prediction, because Muhammad already conquered Arabia, urged his followers to conquer more and Persia was close. And although apologists like to portray Persia as unbeatable superpower, Persia was already conquered a thousand years before by Alexander the Great. And at the time of Muhammad Persia was exhausted by wars with Romans which lasted from 54 BC to 628 AD (681 years).
Conquest of India
Also known as ghazwa-e-hind.
It was narrated that Thawban, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'There are two groups of my Ummah whom Allah will free from the Fire: The group that invades India (تَغْزُو الْهِنْدَ, taghzoo al-hind), and the group that will be with 'Isa bin Maryam, peace be upon him.'"
Early conquests of India happened in the 7th century (for example Battle of Rasil), while author of the hadith collection al-Nasa'i lived in the 9th century.
Some hadiths link the conquest of India to the second coming of Jesus (Isa), but the second coming didn't come after the conquests, so scholars say that the prophesized conquest didn't happen yet:
What is mentioned in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah have mercy on him), which was narrated by Na‘eem ibn Hammaad, about the conquest of India has not happened up till now, but it will happen when ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) descends, if the hadith that says that is saheeh.
Conquest of Jerusalem
Narrated `Auf bin Mali:
I went to the Prophet (ﷺ) during the Ghazwa of Tabuk while he was sitting in a leather tent. He said, "Count six signs that indicate the approach of the Hour: my death, the conquest of Jerusalem, a plague that will afflict you (and kill you in great numbers) as the plague that afflicts sheep, the increase of wealth to such an extent that even if one is given one hundred Dinars, he will not be satisfied; then an affliction which no Arab house will escape, and then a truce between you and Bani Al-Asfar (i.e. the Byzantines) who will betray you and attack you under eighty flags. Under each flag will be twelve thousand soldiers.
Some apologists like to claim that Muhammad predicted "The Muslim conquest of Jerusalem in 1187 AD." [5]:
But that was the second Muslim conquest. First Muslim conquest of Jerusalem was in 636:
There is nothing in the hadith indicating that we should ignore the first one and count the second one. It rather seems that after the first conquest, the Hour is expected to come. But it didn't come, so this is another failed prophecy. And even after the second conquest, the Hour didn't come.
And the prophecy of the 7th century conquest was written by Bukhari two hundred years after the conquest.
Conquest of Egypt
Abu Dharr reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
You would soon conquer Egypt and that is a land which is known (as the land of al-qirat). So when you conquer it, treat its inhabitants well. For there lies upon you the responsibility because of blood-tie or relationship of marriage (with them). And when you see two persons falling into dispute amongst themselves for the space of a brick, than get out of that. He (Abu Dharr) said: I saw Abd al-Rahman b. Shurahbil b. Hasana and his brother Rabi'a disputing with one another for the space of a brick. So I left that (land).
Muslim conquest of Egypt happened in the 7th century. The hadith collection Sahih Muslim was written in the 9th century.
Conquest of Yemen, Syria and Iraq
Sufyan b. Abu Zuhair heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say:
Yemen will be conquered and some people will go away (to that country) driving their camels and carrying their families on them and those who are under their authority, while Medina is better for them if they were to know it. Then Syria will be conquered and some people will go away driving their camels along with them and carrying their families with them and those who are under their authority, while Medina is better for them if they were to know it. Then lraq will be conquered and some people will go away (to that country) driving their camels and carrying their families with them and those who are under their authority. while Medina is better for them if they were to know it.
All conquests happened in the 7th century. Sahih Muslim was written in the 9th century.
Fighting Turks
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-lslamic 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."
Some Islamic scholars claim that "Turks" means "Mongols" and Muhammad predicted Gengish Khan. But why couldn't it be for example The Battle of Kharistan (737) which happened between the Umayyad caliphate and Turkic Türgesh? Sahih Bukhari was written in the 9th century.
Since Muhammad declared war against everyone around him who didn't believe in his religion (Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Persians, Rome, Turks, Jerusalem, India...) it was easy to "predict" that Muslims would fight all those people.
Rejection of hadiths
Narrated Al-Miqdam ibn Ma'dikarib:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Beware! I have been given the Qur'an and something like it, yet the time is coming when a man replete on his couch will say: Keep to the Qur'an; what you find in it to be permissible treat as permissible, and what you find in it to be prohibited treat as prohibited. Beware! The domestic ass, beasts of prey with fangs, a find belonging to confederate, unless its owner does not want it, are not permissible to you If anyone comes to some people, they must entertain him, but if they do not, he has a right to mulct them to an amount equivalent to his entertainment.
The idea that only the Quran is the word of god and Muhamamad is just a man and therefore he might be wrong was nothing new during the time of Muhammad. The idea existed during is life:
Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As:
I used to write everything which I heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). I intended (by it) to memorise it. The Quraysh prohibited me saying: Do you write everything that you hear from him while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is a human being: he speaks in anger and pleasure? So I stopped writing, and mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He signalled with his finger to him mouth and said: Write, by Him in Whose hand my soul lies, only right comes out from it.
Although Muhammad didn't agree that he might be wrong, the opinion existed, so it was easy to "predict".
Liars will be trusted and honest people will be regarded as liars
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “There will come to the people years of treachery, when the liar will be regarded as honest, and the honest man will be regarded as a liar; the traitor will be regarded as faithful, and the faithful man will be regarded as a traitor; and the Ruwaibidah will decide matters.’ It was said: ‘Who are the Ruwaibidah?’ He said: ‘Vile and base men who control the affairs of the people.’”
This was already happening according to Islamic sources. Some people trusted Musaylimah although according to Islam he was a false prophet. And some people didn't trust Muhammad, although according to Islam he was a real prophet.
"The pen will spread"
عَنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ السَّاعَةِ تَسْلِيمُ الْخَاصَّةِ وَفُشُوُّ التِّجَارَةِ حَتَّى تُعِينَ الْمَرْأَةُ زَوْجَهَا عَلَى التِّجَارَةِ وَقَطْعُ الأَرْحَامِ وَفُشُوُّ الْقَلَمِ وَظُهُورُ الشَّهَادَةِ بِالزُّورِ وَكِتْمَانُ شَهَادَةِ الْحَقِّ
Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Just before the Hour, the greeting of peace will only be given to specific people, trade will proliferate to the point that a woman will help her husband in his business, family ties will be severed, the pen will spread, false testimony will prevail and truthful testimony will be concealed.”
"The pen (القلم) will spread" is a vague statement. Is it the pen or "the Pen"? There is the Pen that Allah created first and which writes the future:
“I arrived in Makkah and met Ata bin Abi Rabah. I said: ‘O Abu Muhammad! Some people with us speak about Al-Qadar.’ Ata said: ‘I met Al-Walid bin Ubadah bin As-Samit and he said: “My father narrated to me, he said: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: “Verily the first of what Allah created was the Pen (القلم). He said to it: “Write.” So it wrote what will be forever.’”
There is also the Pen that writes deeds:
Narrated 'Aishah (RA): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "There are three people whose actions are not recorded ( رُفِعَ اَلْقَلَمُ عَنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ, literally "is lifted the pen from three"), a sleeping person till he awakes, a child till he is a grown up, and an insane person till he is restored to reason or recovers his sense." [Reported by Ahmad and al-Arba'a, except at-Tirmidhi. al-Hakim graded it Sahih (authentic)].
Narrated Abu Salamah: It was narrated from Abu Salamah that Abu Hurairah said: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I am a young man and I fear hardship for myself, but I cannot afford to marry; should I castrate myself?'" The Prophet turned away from him until he said it three times. Then the Prophet said: "O Abu Hurairah, the pen is dried concerning what you are going to face, so (it is up to you whether) you castrate yourself or not." Abu Abdur-Rahman (An-Nasai) said: Al-Awzai did not hear this narration from Az-Zuhri, and this hadith is sahih, Yunus reported it from Az-Zuhri.
If it means "a pen", the tool for writing, then the pen is actually used less and less and is replaced by usage of keyboards. Then it would be a false prophecy.
But apologists like to say that "the pen" is a metaphor for "literacy". And literacy was already increasing before Muhammad was born. Jews and Christians first used oral traditions, but then switched to writing. The trend was already there.
- And notice that the prophecy was written by people who were writing hadiths from oral traditions.
"Family ties will be severed"
Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Just before the Hour, the greeting of peace will only be given to specific people, trade will proliferate to the point that a woman will help her husband in his business, family ties will be severed (وَقَطْعُ الأَرْحَامِ), the pen will spread, false testimony will prevail and truthful testimony will be concealed.”
Absolutely nothing new. Even in Islam, Muslims believe that among the first people were brothers Cain and Abel and Cain killed Abel. According to Islam it already happened at the beginning of humanity.
There is also hadith where Muhammad encourages people to keep the ties of kinship, which indicates they weren't doing it enough in his time:
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: "Learn enough about your lineage to facilitate keeping your ties of kinship (تَصِلُونَ بِهِ أَرْحَامَكُمْ). For indeed keeping the ties of kinship encourages affection among the relatives, increases the wealth, and increases the lifespan."
Killing of family members was also approved by Muhammad:
He assembled the people and said: I adjure by Allah the man who has done this action and I adjure him by my right to him that he should stand up. Jumping over the necks of the people and trembling the man stood up.
He sat before the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: Apostle of Allah! I am her master; she used to abuse you and disparage you. I forbade her, but she did not stop, and I rebuked her, but she did not abandon her habit. I have two sons like pearls from her, and she was my companion. Last night she began to abuse and disparage you. So I took a dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it till I killed her.
Thereupon the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Oh be witness, no retaliation is payable for her blood.Supposedly "satellite communication" (according to apologists)
It's a similar prophecy, but apologists like to add a mistranslation in this case (also the hadith is weak):
“From among the signs of Qiyamah is that people will maintain ties with distant relatives and strangers (الأطباق) but sever ties with close family.”
They like to translate the word الأطباق as "dishes" (although the classical translation (understanding) fits better into the context) and then they interpret the "dishes" as "satellites".
"Ignorance"
Narrated `Abdullah and Abu Musa:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Near the establishment of the Hour there will be days during which Religious ignorance will spread, knowledge will be taken away (vanish) and there will be much Al-Harj, and Al- Harj means killing."- In Islam, the period before Muhammad's career is called jahilya (ignorance). So even according to Islam, this already happened before Islam.
- The hadith says only jahl, which is just "ignorance", but in context of Islam, when Muhammad says "knowledge" it means "knowledge of Muhamamd's claims and commands" and when Islam says "ignorance" it means "ignorance of Muhammad's claims and commands"
- Muhammad probably noticed that Jews don't fully follow the law of Moses, so he could predict that Muslims won't follow his laws based on this experience.
"Building tall buildings"
..and when you see barefoot, naked, destitute shepherds competing in constructing tall buildings
- There are currently people who compete in constructing tall skyscrapers (as apologists like to point out), but we don't see barefoot, naked destitute shepherds building them.
- The Bible contained a story of the Tower of Babel, Egyptians built pyramids long before Islam.. So the desire to build tall buildings was nothing new.
And the hadith doesn't say skyscrapers, it only says "tall" and "tall" is relative. There might have been people in the 7th century building buildings that could be considered tall in that time. Ibn Hajar wrote in his famous commentary on Sahih Bukhari:
يتطاول الناس في البنيان وهي من العلامات التي وقعت عن قرب في زمن النبوة
"The people are [competing in] building tall buildings" - and that's from the signs which happened close at the time of the prophethood
"Voices raised in mosques"
Apologists like to say that it's in Tirmidhi, but they forget to add that it's daif:
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) said: "When Al-Fai' is distributed(preferentially), trust is a spoil of war, Zakat is a fine, knowledge is sought for other than the(sake of the) religion, a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother, he is close to his friend and far from his father, voices are raised in the Masajid, tribes are led by their wicked, the leader of the people is the most despicable among them, the most honored man is the one whose evil the people are afraid of, singing slave-girls and music spread, intoxicants are drunk, and the end of this Ummah curses its beginning- then anticipate a red wind, earthquake, collapsing of the earth, transformation, Qadhf, and the signs follow in succession like gems of a necklace whose string is cut and so they fall in succession."
And it isn't really a prediction, because people were raising voices even in the time of Muhammad in front of him. Muhammad rebuked them in the Quran:
O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not.
"Breaking the convenant with god makes enemies overpower them"
... They do not break their covenant with Allah and His Messenger, but Allah will enable their enemies to overpower them and take some of what is in their hands. Unless their leaders rule according to the Book of Allah and seek all good from that which Allah has revealed, Allah will cause them to fight one another.’”
This was nothing new in the 7th century. It's an old Jewish tradition. It was mentioned in the Old Testament, more than a thousand years before Muhammad.
Punishment for Disobedience
“‘But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will bring on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and sap your strength. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.
And the prophecy is unfalsifiable. If believers did follow god's laws and were overpowered by their enemies anyway, they could say that "it's a test". And if they didn't follow god's laws, but weren't overpowered by their enemies as a punishment, it might be because god is letting them be misguided, but is planning to punish them in the afterlife.
A man passes by a grave and wants to be dead too
وَحَتَّى يَمُرَّ الرَّجُلُ بِقَبْرِ الرَّجُلِ فَيَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي مَكَانَهُ
... till a man when passing by a grave of someone will say, 'Would that I were in his place...
A desire to be dead was nothing new in the 7th century. The Old Testament already mentioned it:
"Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life."
"The leader of a people will be the worst of them"
Apologists who mention this prophecy usually hide the fact that the hadith is weak (daif).
Ali bin Abi Talib narrated that the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) said: "When my Ummah does fifteen things, the afflictions will occur in it." It was said: "What are they O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "When Al-Maghnam (the spoils of war) are distributed (preferentially), trust is usurped, Zakah is a fine, a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother, he is kind to his friend and abandons his father, voices are raised in the Masajid, the leader of the people is the most despicable among them, the most honored man is the one whose evil the people are afraid of, intoxicants are drunk, silk is worn (by males), there is a fascination for singing slave-girls and music, and the end of this Ummah curses its beginning. When that occurs, anticipate a red wind, collapsing of the earth, and transformation."
It was nothing new that the leader of a people can be more evil than them. And it already happened during the time of Muhammad:
The men were morally reluctant to rape married women, but their leader (Muhammad) "revealed" to them that it's ok.
Predictions of the future after the hadiths
In this category are hadiths that don't talk about what already happened before the prophecies were written.
Predictions of opposites from the usual
This is a special category, because it doesn't seem to be a prediction, but rather a statement that the opposite of what was considered granted at that time will happen. For example mountains were considered solid (not moving), so a prophecy says that mountains will be moving. These predictions could be made mechanically just by saying the opposite of what currently happens. So even if they somehow came true, there would still be an alternative explanation for how the prophecy was made.
"Mountains will move"
This hadith is da'eef (thanks to Ufayr bin Ma'daan in the chain), but some Islamic apologists still like to use it and present it as if it was sahih:
لا تقومُ الساعةُ حتى تزولَ الجبالُ عن أماكِنِها وتَرَوْنَ الأمورَ العظامَ التي لم تَكُونوا تَرَوْنَها
The Hour will not begin until the mountains are moved from their places and you see great calamities which you have never seen before.
Mountains were considered as not moving, so a prophecy could be make simply by saying that the opposite of what usually happens will happen.
Non-speaking objects will start speaking
Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! The Hour will not be established until predators speak to people and until the tip of a man's whip and the straps on his sandal speak to him, and his thigh informs him of what occurred with his family after him."
According to some apologists the predictions of speaking predators, whips, straps and thighs are predictions of modern technology like mobile phones, although the hadith literally talks about predators, whips, straps and thighs, not man-made objects designed for communication. Also in the hadith, the objects are themselves speaking, there is no indication that people will talk to each other through those objects.
The idea that a thing that doesn't talk could talk wasn't outside of the capability of imagination of primitive people in the 7th century and also it was nothing new. The Old Testament already had a story about a talking serpent:
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
And for Muhammad (unlike for most people), talking objects wouldn't even be much miraculous, since he was hearing voices regularly. For example he heard a stone saluting him:
"The land of Arabia reverts to meadows and rivers"
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying:
The Last Hour will not come before wealth becomes abundant and overflowing, so much so that a man takes Zakat out of his property and cannot find anyone to accept it from him and till the land of Arabia reverts to meadows and rivers.
There were deserts. The opposite of deserts is meadows and rivers.
Predictions that didn't come true
In this category are predictions that didn't come true. Some of them (like coming of the Dajjal) are not falsifiable, since they could still happen in the future. While others couldn't happen even in the future.
Coming of Muhammad and the Hour are close like the forefinger and middle finger
Anas reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
I and the Last Hour have been sent like this and (he while doing it) joined the forefinger with the middle finger.
Muhammad died 14 centuries ago and the Hour didn't come.
A 7th century boy won't grow very old before the Hour comes
وَحَدَّثَنِي حَجَّاجُ بْنُ الشَّاعِرِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ زَيْدٍ - حَدَّثَنَا مَعْبَدُ بْنُ هِلاَلٍ الْعَنَزِيُّ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ مَتَى تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ قَالَ فَسَكَتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم هُنَيْهَةً ثُمَّ نَظَرَ إِلَى غُلاَمٍ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنْ أَزْدِ شَنُوءَةَ فَقَالَ " إِنْ عُمِّرَ هَذَا لَمْ يُدْرِكْهُ الْهَرَمُ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ " . قَالَ قَالَ أَنَسٌ ذَاكَ الْغُلاَمُ مِنْ أَتْرَابِي يَوْمَئِذٍ .
Anas b. Malik reported that a person asked Allah's Apostle (ﷺ):
When would the Last Hour come? Thereupon Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) kept quiet for a while. Then looked at a young boy in his presence belonging to the tribe of Azd Shanu'a and he said: If this boy lives he would not grow very old till the Last Hour would come to you. Anas said that this young boy was of our age during those days.
The "to you" was added by the translators to indicate that it is the last hour (death) of the people who asked, but it's not in Arabic.
The boy died 14 hundred years ago and the Hour didn't come.
"Nobody will live one hundred years from now"
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:
Once the Prophet (ﷺ) led us in the `Isha' prayer during the last days of his life and after finishing it (the prayer) (with Taslim) he said: "Do you realize (the importance of) this night?" Nobody present on the surface of the earth tonight will be living after the completion of one hundred years from this night."
One hundred years from his prayer passed and all organisms didn't die.
"If 10 scholars of the Jews would follow me, no Jew would be left upon the surface of the earth"
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
If ten scholars of the Jews would follow me, no Jew would be left upon the surface of the earth who would not embrace Islam.
10 Jewish scholars converted to Islam, but Jews are still there.
"Rising of the Sun from its setting place"
We were sitting in the shade of the chamber of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) discussing (something) and when we mentioned the last hour, our voices rose high. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The last hour will not come or happen until there appear ten signs before it : the rising of the sun in its place of setting, the coming forth of the beast, the coming forth of Gog and Magog, the Dajjal (Antichrist), (the descent of) Jesus son of Mary, the smoke, and three collapses of the earth: one in the west, one in the east, and one in the Arabian Peninsula. The last of that will be the emergence of a fire from Yemen, from the lowest part of Aden, and drive mankind to their place of assembly.
This prophecy is definitely wrong, because it assumes that the Sun moves around the Earth (which was a common misconception among 7th century primitive people).
Stones and trees say to Muslims: "here is a Jew behind me; come and kill him"
The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.
Stones and trees don't talk and psychologically healthy people would consider it a miracle if they talked. But for Muhammad it wasn't something special, he was "hearing" voices of non-living objects even before he started "hearing" the voice of god:
"Time will pass more quickly"
لا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يَتَقَارَبَ الزَّمَانُ ، فَتَكُونَ السَّنَةُ كَالشَّهْرِ ، وَيَكُونَ الشَّهْرُ كَالْجُمُعَةِ ، وَتَكُونَ الْجُمُعَةُ كَالْيَوْمِ ، وَيَكُونَ الْيَوْمُ كَالسَّاعَةِ ، وَتَكُونَ السَّاعَةُ كَاحْتِرَاقِ السَّعَفَةِ
The Hour will not begin until time passes quickly, so a year will be like a month, and a month will be like a week, and a week will be like a day, and a day will be like an hour, and an hour will be like the burning of a braid of palm leaves.
Islamic scholars don't even know what the prophecy means:
The scholars differed concerning the meaning of the phrase taqaarub al-zamaan (time passing more quickly). There are many views, the strongest of which is:
That the phrase taqaarub al-zamaan (time passing quickly) may be interpreted literally or metaphorically.
Time is running by the speed of 1 hour per hour, 1 day per day, 1 month per month etc. So it's literally not happening.
"A man from Qahtan appears, driving the people with his stick"
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established till a man from Qahtan appears, driving the people with his stick."
Qahtan still exists, so Muslims are still waiting for the guy.
"A man called Jahjah will occupy the throne"
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
The day and the night would not come to an end before a man called al-Jahjah would occupy the throne.
- Fatwa (AR) puts this prophecy among non-fulfilled prophecies
Conquest of Rome
Nafi' b. Utba reported:
We were with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in an expedition that there came a people to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) from the direction of the west. They were dressed in woollen clothes and they stood near a hillock and they met him as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was sitting. I said to myself: Better go to them and stand between him and them that they may not attack him. Then I thought that perhaps there had been going on secret negotiation amongst them. I however, went to them and stood between them and him and I remember four of the words (on that occasion) which I repeat (on the fingers of my hand) that he (Allah's Messenger) said: You will attack Arabia and Allah will enable you to conquer it, then you would attack Persia and He would make you to conquer it. Then you would attack Rome and Allah will enable you to conquer it, then you would attack the Dajjal and Allah will enable you to conquer him. Nafi' said: Jabir, we thought that the Dajjal would appear after Rome (Syrian territory) would be conquered.
Either Muhammad meant the whole Roman Empire, in that case prophecy failed, because the Roman Empire no longer exists and it wasn't conquered by Muslims. Or he meant the Syrian territory (although it's not in Arabic version of the hadith) and in that case the prophecy also failed, because the Dajjal didn't appear after it.
"Nations will soon call each other to attack Muslims"
Muhammad predicted that "soon" (in 7th century) all nations will cooperate militarily against Muslims and Muslims will be weak because they're afraid to die (in battle):
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The people will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their dish. Someone asked: Will that be because of our small numbers at that time? He replied: No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be scum and rubbish like that carried down by a torrent, and Allah will take fear of you from the breasts of your enemy and last enervation into your hearts. Someone asked: What is wahn (enervation). Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): He replied: Love of the world and dislike of death.
Actually "soon" after this prophecy, Muslims were militarily successful and conquered the middle east and North Africa. Eventually a military weakness came with the fall of the Ottoman empire, but that was more than a thousand years after Muhammad and not "soon".
And the prediction could be based simply on Muhamamd's declaration of war towards everyone who doesn't believe in his religion. It probably made sense to him that since he challenged all other nations to war, they would cooperate and attack him too.
"Rain which will destroy all dwellings except tents"
This hadith is sahih:
حدثنا عبد الله حدثني أبي ثنا أبو كامل وعفان قالا ثنا حماد عن سهيل قال عفان في حديثه قال أنا سهيل بن أبي صالح عن أبيه عن أبي هريرة قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم : لا تقوم الساعة حتى يمطر الناس مطرا لا تكن منه بيوت المدر ولا تكن منه الا بيوت الشعر تعليق شعيب الأرنؤوط : إسناده صحيح على شرط مسلم
The Hour will not come until there has been rain which will destroy all dwellings except tents
So people who dwell in fallout shelters, submarines, cosmic ships.. their dwellings will be demolished by the rain. But tents will be strong enough to handle that rain?
Not living according to the sharia causes infighting between Muslims
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned to us and said: ‘O Muhajirun, there are five things with which you will be tested, and I seek refuge with Allah lest you live to see them: Immorality never appears among a people to such an extent that they commit it openly, but plagues and diseases that were never known among the predecessors will spread among them. They do not cheat in weights and measures but they will be stricken with famine, severe calamity and the oppression of their rulers. They do not withhold the Zakah of their wealth, but rain will be withheld from the sky, and were it not for the animals, no rain would fall on them. They do not break their covenant with Allah and His Messenger, but Allah will enable their enemies to overpower them and take some of what is in their hands. Unless their leaders rule according to the Book of Allah and seek all good from that which Allah has revealed, Allah will cause them to fight one another.’”
It's the opposite. Muslim infighting is usually caused by groups who follow their interpretation of the sharia, accuse other Muslims of not living according to the sharia and takfeering them. Maybe Muslims would live in peace if they weren't so obsessed with the sharia and fighting other Muslims who don't live according to it.
Disappearance of faith
It is narrated on the authority of Anas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
"The Hour (Resurrection) will not occur as long as anyone says: 'Allah, Allah.'"
Apostasy among Muslims is rising. There might really be time in future where nobody is interested in repeating the word "Allah" and people focus on reality instead.
Islam will be widespread
Although Muhammad predicted that Islam will disappear, he also predicted that Islam will succeed:
Tamim al-Dari reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “This matter will certainly reach every place touched by the night and day. Allah will not leave a house or residence but that Allah will cause this religion to enter it, by which the honorable will be honored and the disgraceful will be disgraced. Allah will honor the honorable with Islam and he will disgrace the disgraceful with unbelief.”
"Indeed Allah gathered the earth for me so that I saw its east and its west. And surely my Ummah's authority shall reach over all that was shown to me of it.
Since Muhammad predicted both success and failure for his religion, they are not really prophecies, but stating the obvious. Everyone in the 7th century knew that there are these 2 options.
The Quran will disappear overnight
عَنْ زِرٍّ عَنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ لَيُسْرَيَنَّ عَلَى الْقُرْآنِ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَلَا يُتْرَكُ آيَةٌ فِي مُصْحَفٍ وَلَا فِي قَلْبِ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا رُفِعَتْ
The Quran will vanish in one night. No verse in the scripture or in the heart of anyone will be left behind.
Abundance of deaths by lightning
تَكثُرُ الصَّواعِقُ عِندَ اقْتِرابِ السَّاعةِ، حتَّى يَأتيَ الرَّجُلُ القَومَ، فيقولَ: مَن صَعِقَ قِبَلَكمُ الغَداةَ؟ فيَقولون: صَعِقَ فُلانٌ وفُلانٌ.
There will be an abundance of lightning with the coming of the Hour, until a man comes to a tribe asking: Who was struck today? Then they say: So and so
This hadith could be also in the category of things that always happened, because although abundance of deaths is not happening, the pophecy is designed to make people think that "It's coming!" whenever someone is struck by lightning.
- John Jensenius (a lightning specialist) said that the number of injuries and deaths caused by lightning is actually going down. [7]
Luka bin Luka will be the happiest person
Hudhaifah bin Al-Yaman narrated that the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) said: "The Hour will not be established until the happiest of people in the world is Luka' bin Luka'."
We don't have any information about a guy named Luka bin Luka being the happiest person in the world. Happiness is not even measurable, so the prophecy is unverifiable.
Scholars interpreted the name "Luka bin Luka" (لكع بن لكع) "the most despicable/wicked/evil"[8] and "wickedness" is again not measurable.
It's not esablished that this prophecy was fullfilled.
Wine, musical instruments and singing girls will turn Muslims into monkeys and pigs
It was narrated from Abu Malik Ash’ari that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “People among my nation will drink wine, calling it by another name, and musical instruments will be played for them and singing girls (will sing for them). Allah will cause the earth to swallow them up, and will turn them into monkeys and pigs.”
Although some Muslims drank wine, used musical instruments and listened to singing girls, they were never turned into monkeys and pigs.
Muhammad himself listened to singing girls:
Narrated Aisha:
Abu Bakr came to my house while two small Ansari girls were singing beside me the stories of the Ansar concerning the Day of Buath. And they were not singers. Abu Bakr said protestingly, "Musical instruments of Satan in the house of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) !" It happened on the `Id day and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "O Abu Bakr! There is an `Id for every nation and this is our `Id."
Allah will put pieces of the world on his fingers
Jewish man said to Muhammad and Muhammad agreed:
Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported that a Jewish scholar came to Allah's Apostle (may peace he upon him) and said:
Muhammad, or Abu al-Qasim, verily, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious would carry the Heavens on the Day of Judgment upon one finger and earths upon one finger and the mountains and trees upon one finger and the ocean and moist earth upon one finger, and in fact the whole of the creation upon one finger, and then He would stir them and say: I am your Lord, I am your Lord. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) smiled testifying what that scholar had said. He then recited this verse:" And they honour not Allah with the honour due to Him; and the whole earth will be in His grip on the Day of Resurrection and the heaven rolled up in His right hand. Glory be to Him I and highly Exalted is He above what they associate (with Him)" (Az-Zumar:67).
Euphrates will uncover a mountain of gold soon
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Soon the river "Euphrates" will disclose the treasure (the mountain) of gold, so whoever will be present at that time should not take anything of it." Al-A'raj narrated from Abii Huraira that the Prophet (ﷺ) said the same but he said, "It (Euphrates) will uncover a mountain of gold (under it).
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger ﷺ as saying: The Last Hour would not come before the Euphrates uncovers a mountain of gold, for which people would fight. Ninety-nine out of each one hundred would die but every man amongst them would say that perhaps he would be the one who would be saved (and thus possess this gold).
Although Muhammad predicted in the 7th century that it will happen "soon", nothing happened.
Gender ratio will be 50 women to 1 men
Notice that the hadith assumes patriarchy and that more women than men is mentioned among negative things which indicates that existence of more woman than men is evil:
I will narrate to you a Hadith and none other than I will tell you about after it. I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying: From among the portents of the Hour are (the following): -1. Religious knowledge will decrease (by the death of religious learned men). -2. Religious ignorance will prevail. -3. There will be prevalence of open illegal sexual intercourse. -4. Women will increase in number and men will decrease in number so much so that fifty women will be looked after by one man.
There was never demographically a ratio of 50 women : 1 man.
Seventy-three sects
Narrated Abu Hurairah: that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The Jews split into seventy-one sects, or seventy-two sects, and the Christians similarly, and my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects."
It's not clearly established that there are currently 73 sects.
- Counting sects is problematic/subjective because they overlap and further divide into sub-sects. Therefore the prediction is unverifiable.
Muslims in mosque won't find an imam to lead them in prayer
This hadith is da'eef:
Narrated Sulamah daughter of al-Hurr:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: One of the signs of the Last Hour will be that people in a mosque will refuse to act as imam and will not find an imam to lead them in prayer.
This prediction doesn't make sense, because if there are people in a mosque, then why can't they just chose one of them to lead the prayer? The rules are simple: Just chose the most knowledgeable:
It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "when there are three people let one of them lead the prayer, and the one who is most entitled to lead the prayer is the one who has most knowledge of the Qur'an."
And the prophecy was included in a chapter called "It Is Disliked To Refuse The Position Of Imam", so it might be an intentionally self-defeating prophecy. Signs of the Hour are usually bad things, so the lesson is that people should not be reluctant to lead prayers.
"Dajjal nor plague will be able to enter Medina"
Anas narrated that the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) said: "The Dajjal will come to Al-Madinah to find the angels have surrounded it. Neither the plague nor the Dajjal will enter it, if Allah wills."
"Jesus will break the cross, kill the pigs and abolish Jizyah"
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The Hour will not begin until 'Eisa bin Maryam comes down as a just judge and a just ruler. He will break the cross, kill the pigs and abolish the Jizyah, and wealth will become so abundant that no one will accept it."
"Gog and Magog will drink out the lake of Tiberias"
And then Allah would send Gog and Magog and they would swarm down from every slope. The first of them would pass the lake of Tiberias and drink out of it. And when the last of them would pass, he would say: There was once water there.
Gog and Magog are supposedly tribes on Earth blocked by a big wall and they will be unlocked at the end of times. There is supposedly so many of them that they will drink the lake of Tiberias (Sea of Galilee). Although the tribes supposedly have so many members, they were not found anywhere on Earth.
"Gog and Magog will successfully dig through the wall"
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Gog and Magog people dig every day until, when they can almost see the rays of the sun, the one in charge of them says: "Go back and we will dig it tomorrow." Then Allah puts it back, stronger than it was before. (This will continue) until, when their time has come, and Allah wants to send them against the people, they will dig until they can almost see the rays of the sun, then the one who is in charge of them will say: "Go back, and we will dig it tomorrow if Allah wills.' So they will say: "If Allah wills." Then they will come back to it and it will be as they left it. So they will dig and will come out to the people, and they will drink all the water. The people will fortify themselves against them in their fortresses. They will shoot their arrows towards the sky and they will come back with blood on them, and they will say: "We have defeated the people of earth and dominated the people of heaven." Then Allah will send a worm in the napes of their necks and will kill them thereby.'" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, the beasts of the earth will grow fat on their flesh."
We have the whole Earth mapped and there is no wall with Gog and Magog behind it.
"Muslims will use bows, arrows and shields of Gog and Magog as firewood for 7 years"
It was narrated from Nawwas bin Sam'an that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The Muslims will use the bows, arrows and shields of Gog and Magog as firewood, for seven years.'"
- Gog and Magog (which are nowehere to be found although we the whole Earth mapped) are so numerous that their bows, arrows and shields can be used for seven years as firewood.
- Muhammad failed to predict modern technology and falsely thought that the technology of his time will be used until the end of times
Underwhelming predictions that came true
In this category are predictions that came true, but weren't hard to predict.
"You shall conquer Constantinople"
This hadith is considered da'eef by Albani, but sahih by Dhahabi:
لتفتحن القسطنطينية، فلنعم الأمير أميرها، ولنعم الجيش ذلك الجيش
Verily you shall conquer Constantinople. What a wonderful leader will her leader be, and what a wonderful army will that army be!
Muhammad himself was waging wars, so it was expected that Muslims after his death would continue conquering. Muhammad conquered Arabia and Constantinople wasn't that far away. This wasn't a hard prediction. Also it's not time-specific. So even if it didn't happen, Muslims could still think it would happen in the future.
There are other (sahih) narrations which link the conquest closely to the Hour:
Anas bin Malik said: "Constantinople will be conquered with the coming of the Hour."
Constantinople was conquered and the Hour didn't come with it. Some Muslims today believe that the prediction doesn't refer to the conquest of Constantinople in the 15th century, but to a conquest that will happen when the mahdi comes. The hadith doesn't seem to say that.
Overwhelming predictions that came true
In this category are supposed to be detailed, accurate, verifiable, fulfilled predictions of the future that would be hard to predict in the time they were written. This category is empty.
Predictions falsely ascribed to Muhammad by apologists
Buildings in Makkah higher than mountains
This hadith is mawqoof (not from Muhammad):
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) is reported to have said: “……When you see tunnels/canals being dug in Makkah Mukarramah and the buildings (of Makkah Mukarramah) higher than the peak of the mountains then know that Qiyamah is close.”
- Fatwa (Arabic) says that since it's not from Muhammad, it shouldn't even be called a hadith
Naked thighs in markets
This hadith is classified mawdoo' (fabricated). [9] Albani included it in his book سلسلة الأحاديث الضعيفة والموضوعة وأثرها السيئ في الأمة ("Series of weak hadiths which have negative effects in the Ummah"), but some Islamic apologists present it as if it was sahih from Muhammad. And it's actually mentioned as one of behaviors of Lot's people:
عشر من أخلاق قوم اللوط:..والمشي في الأسواق والأفخاذ بادية
Ten behaviors of Lot's people:.. and walking in markets and thighs are naked..
There were uncovered thights already in Muhammad's time:
Narrated Jarhad:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat with us and my thigh was uncovered. He said: Do you not know that thigh is a private part ?
Muhammad himself was exposing his thighs:
Narrated `Abdul `Aziz:
Anas said, 'When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) invaded Khaibar, we offered the Fajr prayer there (early in the morning) when it was still dark. The Prophet (ﷺ) rode and Abu Talha rode too and I was riding behind Abu Talha. The Prophet (ﷺ) passed through the lane of Khaibar quickly and my knee was touching the thigh of the Prophet (ﷺ) . He uncovered his thigh and I saw the whiteness of the thigh of the Prophet.
Rain is hot (apologists say "acidic")
This hadith is classified as mawdu (fabricated). [10] It's part of a long hadith about coming of the Hour:
..وَأَنْ يَكُونَ الْمَطَرُ قَيْظًا .. ..and that rain will be hot (قيظا)..
It was also mentioned in Lane's lexicon:
لَا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ الوَلَدُ غَيْظًا والمَطَرُ قَيْظًا, a saying of Moḥammad, meaning [The resurrection, or the time thereof, will not come to pass until the birth of a child be an occasion of wrath, or rage, and] rain be accompanied by air like the قيظ [or most vehement heat of summer]. (TA.)
"Acidic" wasn't mentioned anywhere in the translation.
The word قيظ was also mentioned in a different hadith meaning "hot weather":
Rifa'ah bin Rafi' said: I heard Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq say on the minbar of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) : I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, and Abu Bakr wept when he remembered the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) , then he recovered and said. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, in this hot weather (القيظ) last year: `Ask Allah for forgiveness, well-being and certainty of faith in the Hereafter and in this world.”
But apologists insist that the word قيظ means "acidic". In that case the weather in Muhammad's time was acidic.
Child is filled with rage
It's a part of the previous fabricated hadith.
وإن من أعلام الساعة وأشراطها: أن يكون الولد غيظاً، وأن يكون المطر قيظاً
And from the signs of the Hour is that a boy will be enraged and that water will be hot
And this was happening long before Islam.
See also
External:
References
- ↑ AR: https://islamqa.info/ar/answers/140286/%D9%85%D8%A7-%D9%87%D9%88-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AB-%D9%88%D9%87%D9%84-%D9%87%D9%88-%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%AF%D9%82%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%A9
- ↑ Quran 30:55 "And the Day the Hour appears the criminals will swear they had remained but an hour. Thus they were deluded."
- ↑ https://islamqa.info/en/answers/47017/commentary-on-the-hadeeth-two-types-of-the-people-of-hell-whom-i-have-not-seen
- ↑ https://quranacademy.io/blog/an-nawawis-hadith-2-hadith-of-jibreel-3/
- ↑ https://www.islamweb.net/en/article/135817/the-signs-of-the-hour
- ↑ https://sunnah.com/urn/1250630
- ↑ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-lightning-strikes-becoming-more-common/
- ↑ https://www.islamweb.net/ar/fatwa/18510/%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%89-%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B9-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AB
- ↑ https://www.islamweb.net/ar/fatwa/321649/%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%AC%D8%A9-%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AB-%D8%B9%D8%B4%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A3%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%82%D9%88%D9%85-%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B7-
- ↑ https://islamqa.info/ar/answers/265083/%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%B5%D8%AD%D8%A9-%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AB-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A9
- ↑ http://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/21_q/239_qyZ.html