Sun Rising from the West
📖Sahih al-Bukhari 4636
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said:”The Hour will not be established till the sun rises from the West; and when it rises (from the West) and the people see it, they all will believe. And that is (the time) when no good will it do to a soul to believe then.” Then he recited the entire verse (Quran 6:158).
Explanation:
This hadith mentions one of the major and final signs of the Day of Judgment: the sun rising from the west. It will be a supernatural, undeniable sign, witnessed by all humanity. But instead of inspiring faith, it will signal that the time for repentance has ended. The door of mercy will close, and belief at that moment will no longer be accepted.
Quranic Context:
📖Quran 6:158
“Are they waiting for the angels to come to them, or your Lord to come, or for some of your Lord’s signs to come? The Day your Lord’s some signs come, no soul will benefit from its faith if it had not believed earlier or earned righteousness through its faith…”
is not tied to just one event,, but to a group of decisive signs, including:
- The appearance of Al-Mahdi
- The return of Jesus (Isa ibn Maryam)
- 🐍 The Beast of the Earth (Dabbatul-Ard)
- 🌫️ The Smoke (Ad-Dukhan)
- The sun rising from the west
Scientific Connection – Is it possible?
Interestingly, some modern scientific theories do not rule out the idea of the Earth’s rotation reversing direction under extreme conditions:
- Geomagnetic reversal: Earth’s magnetic poles have flipped many times in history. While not the same as physical rotation, it suggests the planet is not unchangeable.
- Tidal slowing: The Earth’s rotation is already slowing down due to gravitational interaction with the moon.
- Some theoretical astrophysical events (like a massive asteroid impact or celestial shift) could cause dramatic axial changes, leading to a reverse sunrise scenario—sun rising from the west.
While science may speculate, this hadith is not dependent on science confirming it. The main point is belief in Allah’s power. The Creator who made the laws of nature can easily break or reverse them. He doesn’t need our approval to alter His creation.