the righteous, to build the great barrier separating Gog and Magog—the people spreading corruption on earth—from humankind. When the appointed time comes and the Hour draws near, this barrier will collapse, and Gog and Magog will emerge with tremendous speed and in such vast numbers that no human being will be able to stand before them. They will surge among the people and spread corruption throughout the earth.

This will be a sign that the blowing of the Trumpet, the destruction of this world, and the coming of the Hour are near (1), as will be explained in the authentic hadiths below.

B—Evidence from the Purified Sunnah:

There are many hadiths indicating the emergence of Gog and Magog, reaching the level of mass transmission in meaning. Some have already been cited, and I shall mention a selection of them here:

1—Among them is the report established in the two Sahih collections, narrated by Umm Habība bint Abī Sufyān from Zaynab bint Jahsh: One day, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon her in a state of alarm, saying, “There is no god worthy of worship except Allah! Woe to the Arabs because of an evil that has drawn near! Today, a breach this large has been opened in the barrier of Gog and Magog”—and he formed a circle with his thumb and index finger. Zaynab bint Jahsh said: I asked, “O Messenger of Allah, shall we perish even though the righteous are among us?” He replied, “Yes, when wickedness becomes widespread” (2).