the west, and the gate of repentance will be closed. The unbeliever will derive no benefit from his faith, nor the penitent from his repentance. The Beast will then emerge and distinguish between people, so that the believer and the unbeliever may be told apart, for it will mark the believer and brand the unbeliever on the nose, as will be discussed. The last of these events will be the emergence of the Fire that will gather the people.

In my discussion of the major signs of the Hour, I have followed the order given by al-Tībī because, in my view, it is closest to the correct position. Allah knows best.

Before discussing these ten major signs, I discussed the Mahdi because his emergence will precede them. He is the one around whom the believers will rally to fight the False Messiah. Jesus—peace be upon him—will then descend and pray behind him, as will be discussed, Allah willing.

• Second: The Major Signs Appearing in Succession

Once the first of the major signs of the Hour appears, the signs will follow one another like beads on a string, each succeeding the one before it.

Al-Tabarānī narrated in al-Awsat from Abū Hurayrah—may Allah be pleased with him—that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “The signs will emerge one immediately after another, following in succession like beads on a string (1).” (2)