Is the rising of the sun in the west the first sign?
“The first of the signs of Doomsday are the rising of the sun in the west and the appearance of a dabbah (animal) to people at a mid-morning time. One of these two signs occurs before the other one. Then, the other one occurs immediately after it.” (Muslim, Fitan, 118)
- It is written in some narrations that the first one of the major signs of Doomsday will be the rising of the sun in the West but it is written in other narrations that the last sign that closes the door of repentance is the rising of the sun in the West.
- Which one is true?
- Should we understand the sign metaphorically or literally?
- Some say that the rising of the sun in the West means that knowledge, science, technology, etc., will be transferred to the west.
- Others say that due to a magnetic field problem, the West may appear as the East and the East as the West in compasses; thus, in such a case the sun will rise in the West according to compasses.
Submitted by on Fri, 02/09/2022 - 09:52
Dear Brother / Sister,
Yes, as you also point out, a question comes to mind here:
In a version of a hadith narration, it is stated that the first sign of Doomsday will be the rising of the sun in the place where it sets.
However, it is not the first sign of Doomsday.
Munawi gave the following answer to that question:
What is meant by the hadith about the rising of the sun in the west being the first sign to appear, means an unusual sign. The appearance of Dajjal, the descent of the Prophet Isa (Jesus) and the appearance of Yajuj Majuj (Gog Magog) are among the signs to appear before, but they are common and known things.
The hadith is also understood as the first of the signs of Doomsday to occur in the sky is the sun rising in the west.
That is, as a sign of the deterioration of the cosmological order prevailing in the universe, the rising of the sun in the west at the beginning of the cosmic events is one of the primary events to take place before Doomsday.
The Prophet (pbuh) states that the rising of the sun in the west is meant in the verse that attracts attention to “the day that certain of the signs of thy lord do come, no good will it do to a soul to believe in them” (al-An’am, 6/158) (Ibn Kathir, the interpretation of the verse in question).
It is possible to see the cosmic events such as the great land subsidence mentioned in the hadiths, the fire to send people from the east to the west emerging from the ground, the increase of lightning and rain extraordinarily, and the formation of a wind that kills people as the reflections of the great change and formations that will occur in the solar system connected to the Milky Way, including the earth, let alone other galaxies.
On the other hand, as it is mentioned in the question, it can be said that there are some symbolic meanings related to the rising of the sun in the west. However, this sign should also be seen as the first sign of the balance of the world being disturbed and Doomsday’s actual beginning because after that, repentance will no longer be accepted.
The issue of the order in which the sign of Doomsday will occur was also discussed by scholars and different rankings were made for it. (see Barzanji, al-Ishaa li-Ashratis-Sa’ah, Cairo 1393, pp. 180-182; Saffarini, Ahwalul-Qiyamah, Beirut 1406/1986, p. 106)
Will you please click on the link given below;
Can you mention the signs of the End Times in the order they will occur?
Questions on Islam
- Does verse 158 of the chapter of al-Anam indicate the sun rising from the west, which is a sign of Doomsday?
- Can you mention the signs of the End Times in the order they will occur?
- Will you explain the hadith: The sun goes to prostrate and one day rises in the place where it sets?
- What are the signs of the Doomsday (Qiyamah)?
- Why is Doomsday Kept Secret?
- Will you explain the verse, “Lord of the heavens and of the earth, and all between them and Lord of every point at the rising of the sun!” (as-Saaffat, 5)?
- Why the Doomsday is kept secret?
- The final sign of the Hour?
- What will happen when the Dajjal comes?
- Could You Give Some Information about How the Situation of The World Will Be When Mahdi Emerges?