45—Mutual Estrangement among People:

Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was asked about the Hour. He replied: “Knowledge of it rests with my Lord; none but He will reveal it at its appointed time. But I shall tell you of its earliest signs and what will occur immediately before it. It will be preceded by tribulation and harj.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, we know what tribulation is, but what is harj?” He replied: “In the Abyssinian language, it means killing. Mutual estrangement will be sown among people until hardly anyone recognizes anyone else” (1).

Such mutual estrangement arises when tribulations and ordeals multiply, fighting becomes widespread among people, and material concerns dominate them. Each person pursues only his own interests, heedless of the interests and rights of others. Detestable selfishness then spreads, and man lives confined within his whims and desires. There are no longer any moral values by which people recognize one another, nor any brotherhood of faith to bring them together in love for one another for Allah’s sake and cooperation in righteousness and piety.

Al-Tabarānī narrated from Muhammad ibn Sūqah, who said: “I went to Nu'aym ibn Abī Hind, and he brought out a document for me. It read: ‘From Abū Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrāh and Mu'ādh ibn Jabal to Umar ibn al-Khattāb: Peace be upon you ...’ (He then quoted the letter, which included:) ‘We used to say among ourselves that, in the latter days of this community, its affairs would revert to a state in which its people would be brothers in public but enemies in private ...’ (He then quoted Umar’s reply to them, which included:) ‘You both wrote to me, warning me that, in the latter days of this community, its affairs would revert to a state in which its people would be