The term “The signs of the hour” in the very first verse is mentioned but its proof has not been given. It is said:

““Do they then wait only for the Hour, that it should come upon them suddenly? But some of its portents have already come.”, though the sign are evidently clear. But once the Day has arrived it will be no use to profess belief. (Kazmi)

As we have said earlier the word “Ashraat” is the plural of “Sharat” which means signs so the term “Ashra-atus-saa-ata” will mean the signs of the Day of Reckoning. But what do we mean by saying that they are evident in this verse? There is a great debate among the commentators about this. Most of them believe that the word “Ashraat’ here means the declaration of his Ministry the Messenger and the revelation Last Book of God, the Qura’n. To confirm this idea we cite a hadith of the Messenger where in he said:

“My Besah and the Day of Reckoning are like the two of them.” And he pointed to two of his fingers then jointed the pointing finger with the middle one. (1)

Some commentators have included the miracle of the splitting of the moon among the signs of the Hour. But this can only be permissible if they are taken as the signs of the impending Day and not as the possibilities of the signs though some commentators have taken it in the second sense. They said the creation of man from clay and the creation of the earth and the heavens are the signs that God has the power to recreate life in the dead. So whatever proof we bring for the possibility of resurrection will included in the signs of the Hour.

The first interpretation seems more correct because such things have been mentioned in Islamic traditions as the signs of the impending Day of Reckoning or the signs of the Hour.

There is a Hadith of the Messenger in which he is reported to have said:

“Among the signs of the Day of Reckoning is the eradication of knowledge, the prevalence of ignorance, alcoholism and adultery” (1)

Some commentators included the stand the Mahdi will take against oppression and the ensuing battles among the signs of the Hour.

1. This Hadith has been mentioned by both Sunni and Shia commentators with slight differences in books like Majmaul Bayan, Tafsir Qartabi, Fi-Zalalal Qura’n, Ruhul Bayan and others.