Five tests before the Last Hour

📖Sunan Ibn Majah 4019
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:

1️⃣ 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.

2️⃣ They do not cheat in weights and measures, but they will be stricken with famine, severe calamity, and the oppression of their rulers.

3️⃣ 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.

4️⃣ 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.

5️⃣ 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.”

Explanation:

This hadith serves as a divine warning from the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) regarding the consequences of widespread sins and corruption. The hadith highlights five major trials that will afflict any society that deviates from Allah’s guidance:

1️⃣ Widespread Immorality → New Plagues and Diseases
When societies normalize and openly engage in immoral acts, they face divine retribution in the form of new and unknown diseases. History has witnessed outbreaks of various illnesses in societies that have strayed into moral corruption.

2️⃣ Cheating in Trade → Famine, Calamities, and Oppression
Fraud and dishonesty in business transactions lead to economic instability and hardship. The removal of justice and fairness in trade brings forth divine punishment, including famine and oppressive rulers.

3️⃣ Withholding Zakah → Drought and Scarcity
Zakah purifies wealth and sustains the poor. When people withhold charity, Allah withholds His blessings, including rainfall. The fact that rain still falls for the sake of animals indicates that human sins disrupt natural balance.

4️⃣ Breaking the Covenant with Allah → Defeat and Humiliation
When a nation abandons its commitment to Allah and His Messenger, it loses divine protection, allowing enemies to overpower and humiliate them. True strength and victory come from obedience to divine guidance.

5️⃣ Ignoring Divine Laws → Internal Conflict and Civil War
When leaders abandon justice and divine guidance, disunity spreads, leading to civil war, social unrest, and destruction. Corruption in leadership results in the downfall of societies.