—peace be upon him—and the onset of the Hour are some of the major signs, such as the sun rising from the west, the appearance of the Beast, the Smoke, and the emergence of the fire that will gather the people. These signs will occur within a very short period before the onset of the Hour. They are like a necklace whose string has broken. Allah knows best.

I have found support for what I have mentioned. Al-Hāfiz Ibn Hajar said: “It is established that the great signs are like beads upon a cord: when it is cut, the beads scatter rapidly. This is narrated by Ahmad.” (1)