Prophecy About Gulf Arabs and Their Skyscrapers

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلاة والسلام على من لا نبي بعدى

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Prayers of blessings and peace be upon the One after Whom there is no Prophet

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

وَلَا تُعۡجِبۡکَ اَمۡوَالُہُمۡ وَاَوۡلَادُہُمۡ

And let not their wealth and their children excite your wonder

(Surah 9, Ayah 85)

اَلۡاَعۡرَابُ اَشَدُّ کُفۡرًا وَّنِفَاقًا وَّاَجۡدَرُ اَلَّا یَعۡلَمُوۡا حُدُوۡدَ مَاۤ اَنۡزَلَ اللّٰہُ عَلٰی رَسُوۡلِہٖ ؕ وَاللّٰہُ عَلِیۡمٌ حَکِیۡمٌ

The Bedouins are the worst in disbelief and hypocrisy and most likely ignorant of the limits that Allah revealed upon His Apostle. And Allah is All-Knowing, Wise

(Surah 9, Ayah 97)

The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم prophesied in the Hadith of Gabriel:

وَإِذَا كَانَ الْحُفَاةُ الْعُرَاةُ رُءُوسَ النَّاسِ فَذَاكَ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا

When the barefoot, the naked become the chiefs of the people that is one of its (the Hour’s) portents

وَإِذَا تَطَاوَلَ رُعَاةُ الإِبِلِ الْبُهْمُ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ

When the herders of black camels start competing in the construction of tall buildings

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

This prophecy has been perfectly and amazingly fulfilled in recent times. It is concerning the Gulf Arabs, whose ancestors in the time of the Prophet, sall Allahu alaihi wasallam, and for most of history were in extreme poverty that they barely had any clothing or footwear. With the discovery of oil in the Persian Gulf region these people became filthy rich virtually overnight. But even in history when they were impoverished these people were infamous for their arrogance and hard-heartedness. Allah سبحانه وتعالى described many of them as being severe in hypocrisy and unbelief. These disgraceful qualities have been manifested on a whole new level now that these people have acquired unimaginable amounts of wealth, which has helped propel them into a position of great influence and leadership over the rest of the Ummah as the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم accurately predicted.

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest manmade structure in the world, having had its construction completed in 2009. As if in response, two years later the Saudis constructed their Clock Tower in Mecca which is the fourth tallest manmade structure. Indeed, the general building of skyscrapers and other extraordinarily tall buildings which dot the skyline of the urban centers of the Gulf Arab states is what this Grand Prophecy in the Hadith of Gabriel is referring to.

The Emirates in particular have proven to be the most poisonous element within Muslim geopolitics. Their recent accord with the illegal Zionist State under the so-called “Abraham Accords” has exposed their villainy and betrayal for the entire Ummah to witness.

Although I have as of yet never stepped foot in that part of the world, save for a brief layover at an airport, it is apparent to me that the overload of commercialism, consumerism and capitalism makes it a very worldly place. A place without any spirituality or serenity. Despite the freeness of the market the UAE is politically an authoritarian state with no tolerance for any sort of dissent. I imagine any kind of street preaching by preachers independent of the State would be immediately met with a heavy police contingent and a free trip to the nearest police station. Perhaps it is for this among other reasons why the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said:

آلْفَقْرَ تَخَافُونَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتُصَبَّنَّ عَلَيْكُمُ الدُّنْيَا صَبًّا حَتَّى لاَ يُزِيغَ قَلْبَ أَحَدٍ مِنْكُمْ إِزَاغَةً إِلاَّ هِيَهْ

Is it poverty that you fear? By the One in Whose Hand is my soul this world will come to you in plenty and nothing will cause the heart of one of you to deviate except that (Sunan Ibn Majah)

إِنَّ لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ فِتْنَةً وَفِتْنَةُ أُمَّتِي الْمَالُ

Verily for every Ummah is a fitnah (trial) and the fitnah of my Ummah is wealth (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi)

In places of poverty it is generally observed that there is relatively more religiosity and openness to the message of preachers and attraction to the spiritual activity of mystics.