Two Great Factions Fight Under One Claim
In brief
The Hour will not come until two great factions fight a fierce war while both lay claim to the same cause.
Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'The Hour will not be established until two great factions fight one another, between whom there is a great battle, their claim being one' (Sahih al-Bukhari 7121; cf. 3608 and Sahih Muslim 157).
Among the tribulations (fitan) that unfold over the course of the Ummah's history; it fixes no date.
Commentators relate the wording to the civil strife at Siffin, where two camps that both professed Islam fought with heavy loss, and note that the description recurs wherever two sides sharing one claim fall into mutual bloodshed. It is read as a warning against fitnah, not as a licence to brand any particular party.
Flee fitnah, hold to the main body of the Muslims, and never let a political claim push you into shedding protected blood.
Draft brief, not yet checked by the scholar board. The full texts are in the Sources tab and the scholars' views in their own tab.
Where it sits in the sequence
The narrations do not put these in order, and many of them overlap. Sahih al-Bukhari 7121 lists several together.
Strongest narrations
Read all in the archive →Tags are automatic and unreviewed.
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَكَمُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يَقْتَتِلَ فِئَتَانِ دَعْوَاهُمَا وَاحِدَةٌ ".
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The Day of (Judgment) will not be established till there is a war between two groups whose claims (or religion) will be the same
حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يَقْتَتِلَ فِئَتَانِ، فَيَكُونَ بَيْنَهُمَا مَقْتَلَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ، دَعْوَاهُمَا وَاحِدَةٌ، وَلاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يُبْعَثَ دَجَّالُونَ كَذَّابُونَ قَرِيبًا مِنْ ثَلاَثِينَ، كُلُّهُمْ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ".
Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established till there is a war between two groups among whom there will be a great number of casualties, though the claims (or religion) of both of them will be one and the same. And the Hour will not be established till there appear about thirty liars, all of whom will be claiming to be the messengers of Allah
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيٌّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَقْتَتِلَ فِئَتَانِ دَعْوَاهُمَا وَاحِدَةٌ ".
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established till two (huge) groups fight against each other, their claim being one and the same
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَقْتَتِلَ فِئَتَانِ عَظِيمَتَانِ، يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُمَا مَقْتَلَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ، دَعْوَتُهُمَا وَاحِدَةٌ، وَحَتَّى يُبْعَثَ دَجَّالُونَ كَذَّابُونَ، قَرِيبٌ مِنْ ثَلاَثِينَ، كُلُّهُمْ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَحَتَّى يُقْبَضَ الْعِلْمُ، وَتَكْثُرَ الزَّلاَزِلُ، وَيَتَقَارَبَ الزَّمَانُ، وَتَظْهَرَ الْفِتَنُ، وَيَكْثُرَ الْهَرْجُ وَهْوَ الْقَتْلُ، وَحَتَّى يَكْثُرَ فِيكُمُ الْمَالُ فَيَفِيضَ، حَتَّى يُهِمَّ رَبَّ الْمَالِ مَنْ يَقْبَلُ صَدَقَتَهُ، وَحَتَّى يَعْرِضَهُ فَيَقُولَ الَّذِي يَعْرِضُهُ عَلَيْهِ لاَ أَرَبَ لِي بِهِ. وَحَتَّى يَتَطَاوَلَ النَّاسُ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ، وَحَتَّى يَمُرَّ الرَّجُلُ بِقَبْرِ الرَّجُلِ فَيَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي مَكَانَهُ. وَحَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا، فَإِذَا طَلَعَتْ وَرَآهَا النَّاسُ ـ يَعْنِي ـ آمَنُوا أَجْمَعُونَ، فَذَلِكَ حِينَ لاَ يَنْفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ، أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْرًا، وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَقَدْ نَشَرَ الرَّجُلاَنِ ثَوْبَهُمَا بَيْنَهُمَا، فَلاَ يَتَبَايَعَانِهِ وَلاَ يَطْوِيَانِهِ، وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَقَدِ انْصَرَفَ الرَّجُلُ بِلَبَنِ لِقْحَتِهِ فَلاَ يَطْعَمُهُ، وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَهْوَ يُلِيطُ حَوْضَهُ فَلاَ يَسْقِي فِيهِ، وَلَتَقُومَنَّ السَّاعَةُ وَقَدْ رَفَعَ أُكْلَتَهُ إِلَى فِيهِ فَلاَ يَطْعَمُهَا ".
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established (1) till two big groups fight each other whereupon there will be a great number of casualties on both sides and they will be following one and the same religious doctrine, (2) till about thirty Dajjals (liars) appear, and each one of them will claim that he is Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), (3) till the religious knowledge is taken away (by the death of Religious scholars) (4) earthquakes will increase in number (5) time will pass quickly, (6) afflictions will appear, (7) Al-Harj, (i.e., killing) will increase, (8) till wealth will be in abundance ---- so abundant that a wealthy person will worry lest nobody should accept his Zakat, and whenever he will present it to someone, that person (to whom it will be offered) will say, 'I am not in need of it, (9) till the people compete with one another in constructing high buildings, (10) till a man when passing by a grave of someone will say, 'Would that I were in his place (11) and till the sun rises from the West. So when the sun will rise and the people will see it (rising from the West) they will all believe (embrace Islam) but that will be the time when: (As Allah said,) 'No good will it do to a soul to believe then, if it believed not before, nor earned good (by deeds of righteousness) through its Faith.' (6.158) And the Hour will be established while two men spreading a garment in front of them but they will not be able to sell it, nor fold it up; and the Hour will be established when a man has milked his she-camel and has taken away the milk but he will not be able to drink it; and the Hour will be established before a man repairing a tank (for his livestock) is able to water (his animals) in it; and the Hour will be established when a person has raised a morsel (of food) to his mouth but will not be able to eat it
Weak and ungraded reports on this sign
4
Shown for study, not as established. Includes Kitab al-Fitan of Nu'aym ibn Hammad, which is ungraded and weak overall.
Not graded under this archive's policy. The verdicts recorded are listed.
أخبرني أبو عبد الله محمد بن علي بن عبد الحميد الصنعاني بمكة حرسها الله تعالى، ثنا إسحاق بن إبراهيم بن عباد، أنبأ عبد الرزاق، أنبأ معمر، عن أيوب، عن ابن سيرين، عن عقبة بن أوس، عن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص رضي الله عنهما، قال: «تقتتل فئتان على دعوى جاهلية عند خروج أمير أو قبيلة، فتظهر الطائفة التي تظهر وهي ذليلة، فيرغب فيها من يليها من عدوها، فيتقحم في النار» هذا حديث صحيح على شرط الشيخين، ولم يخرجاه "
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.
وقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: " لا تقوم الساعة حتى تقتتل فئتان عظيمتان، يكون بينهما مقتلة عظيمة ودعواهما واحدة "
No translation yet. Arabic only.
AI draft, not reviewed by an editor. Read the Arabic for the meaning.
Not graded under this archive's policy. The verdicts recorded are listed.
حدثنا علي، أخبرنا ورقاء، عن أبي الزناد، عن الأعرج، عن أبي هريرة، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: " لا تقوم الساعة حتى تقتتل فئتان عظيمتان، تكون بينهما مقتلة عظيمة، ودعواهما واحدة "
No translation yet. Arabic only.
AI draft, not reviewed by an editor. Read the Arabic for the meaning.
Not graded under this archive's policy. The verdicts recorded are listed.
حدثنا عبد الرزاق، حدثنا معمر، عن علي بن زيد، عن أبي نضرة قال: سمعت أبا سعيد الخدري، أنه سمع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: " لا تقوم الساعة حتى يقتتل فئتان عظيمتان، دعواهما واحدة، تمرق بينهما مارقة يقتلها أولاهما بالحق "
No translation yet. Arabic only.
AI draft, not reviewed by an editor. Read the Arabic for the meaning.
What scholars have said
Scholars cite it in part, or differ
Draft attributions: each must be checked against the named book before publication.
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalanid. 852 AH
Notes that 'two great factions whose claim is one' fought at Siffin, each side claiming the right, with vast slaughter; and that the wording bears repetition in later tribulations where two camps professing the same religion fall into mutual killing. He cautions against naming any later conflict as its sole fulfilment.
Fath al-Bari, on Sahih al-Bukhari 7121
Meaning and context
The Prophet ﷺ foretold that the Hour would not come until two great factions, each claiming the same cause, fight with great slaughter. The scholars read it beside the early civil wars and later tribulations; there is nothing to count.
Narrations behind this panel: Sahih al-Bukhari 3608 · Sahih al-Bukhari 7121
What the commentators said it means
- The wording fits the strife at Siffin, where two camps professing Islam fought with heavy loss, each claiming the right: Ibn Hajar.
- The description recurs in later fitnah wherever two sides sharing one claim fall into mutual killing; no single war exhausts it.
Read with care
- The hadith warns against fitnah; it is no licence to brand any present-day party as the faction it names.
Draft: figures and wording await a researcher's check and the scholar board.