The Place of Final Gathering in Shaam
Hudhaifah narrated that the prophet once saw us while we were talking with one another and said, ‘What are you taking about?’ We said, ‘the Hour.’ The Prophet said it will not be established before ten signs appear.’ The Prophet mentioned the smoke; Dajjaal; beast of the earth; sunrise from west; descent of Isa; Yajooj and Majooj, three landslides one in the east, one in the west, and the third in Arabia; and the last will be a Fire which will come from Yemen to expel the people to their place of gathering.” (saheeh of muslim)
Amongst the major signs there are some which are clear chronologically and others which are not so clear. For example, we know that the Dajjaal will appear followed by the descent of Isa bin Maryam, followed by the emergence of Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj. However the sequence of the other signs which follow is not clear except that a Fire emerging from Yemen will be the last amongst the ten mentioned above. This fire will gather the people towards the place of gathering before the establishment of the Hour.
Abu Darr narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, ‘Shaam is the land of gathering and resurrection.’ (musnad of ahmad)
The place of gathering ahs been mentioned in several texts including the hadeeth of Abu Darr wherein our Prophet clearly described Shaam as the place of final gathering. In fact it is also the plain of resurrection.
Abdullah ibn Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, ‘A fire will emerge from Hadramawt before the Hour begins and it will gather the people.’ The people asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah! What do you command us to do?’ He replied, ‘Go to Shaam.’ (sunan of tirmidhi)
It is not entirely clear who will be amongst those gathered in Shaam by the fire from Hadramawt in Yemen. It is possible that both the Muslims and Non Muslims who remain alive will be gathered, and thereafter a cold wind will blow which will take the souls of all those with a mustard seeds worth of Emaan. Then the Hour will descend on the disbelievers while they are in Shaam. The above text supports this opinion because the companions were asking what they should do, meaning Muslims will be alive during this time. However the companions might have been asking a general question and it is possible that the gathering is the final sign before the Hour with only the disbelievers being gathered. According to this opinion the cold wind from Shaam would have already passed, taking the breath of all those with traces of Emaan. Allah knows best and with Him is All Knowledge.
Written by Kamillah Khan
