Page 128: Part 2: Intermediate Signs that Have Appeared and Continue to Unfold

Mention of the corroborating narrations (shawahid) of the hadith: "In the end of time, there will be men who ride upon luxurious saddles (mayathir)..."

And among them, of the Signs of the Hour: "The convergence of markets. I asked: What is the convergence of markets? He said: 'That people will complain to one another of the scarcity of profit, children of fornication will proliferate, backbiting will spread, the wealthy will be venerated solely for their wealth, voices will be raised in the mosques, the people of evil deeds will become prominent, and tall buildings will proliferate.'" Reported by Ibn Mardawayh from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).

And among them, of the Signs of the Hour: "Ill-treatment of neighbors, severing of ties of kinship, the suspension of the sword from Jihad, and seeking worldly gain through religion." Reported by Ibn Mardawayh from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).

And among them, of the Signs of the Hour: "The appearance of vulgarity and shamelessness, wicked conduct, and ill-treatment of neighbors." Reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah from Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him).

And among them: "The Hour will not be established until a palm tree bears no more than a single date." Reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah from Raja' ibn Haywah.

This is a metaphor for the scarcity of produce and the diminishing of blessings.

And among them, of the Signs of the Hour: "Sudden and untimely death (mawt al-bidar)." Reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah from Mujahid.

And in a narration from al-Sha'bi: "Among the portents of the approach of the Hour is sudden death."

And among them: "There will be in the end of this Ummah men who ride upon luxurious saddles (mayathir) until they reach the doors of the mosques; their women will be clothed yet naked, upon their heads what resembles the humps of lean Bukht camels. Curse them, for they are indeed accursed. If there were an Ummah to come after you, your women would have served them just as the women of previous nations served you."

Ibn 'Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "I asked my father: What are al-mayathir? He replied: 'Enormous, luxurious saddles.'" Reported by Ahmad and al-Hakim from Ibn 'Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both).

And this hadith has corroborating narrations and multiple chains of transmission.

Among them: In Sahih Muslim, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): "There are two categories of the people of Hellfire whom I have not yet seen: a people carrying whips like the tails of oxen with which they strike the people, and women who are clothed yet naked..."