Decisive Al-Azhar Fatwa: It Is Forbidden to Interpret the Signs of the Hour, as They Are Established in Sacred Texts
An Al-Azhar scholar affirmed that discussing the signs of the Hour is impermissible, as these matters are unseen truths revealed only in the Quran and Sunnah, and no one has witnessed them firsthand.
Dr. Mohamed Hammouda, a scholar from Al-Azhar, declared that it is not permissible for anyone to speak about the signs of the Hour, since these are matters of the unseen that came through divine revelation in the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. He stressed that no one has witnessed them, so it is forbidden to speculate or invent details that were not mentioned in the sacred texts.
During a televised interview, Dr. Hammouda criticized those who claim to describe end-time events without scriptural evidence, saying passionately, “Who among you has gone to the afterlife and seen what happens there? How can anyone invent words and attribute them to the Prophet ﷺ?”
He explained that knowledge of the unseen belongs solely to Allah, and the believer’s duty is to accept what has been revealed and focus on righteous deeds in preparation for the Day of Judgment.
Dr. Hammouda also reiterated that the Sunnah clarifies what the Quran summarizes — such as the prohibition of eating donkey meat and the disciplinary punishment for drinking alcohol — underscoring that both sources are essential to Islamic law.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Research Academy emphasized the importance of sincere repentance, especially during one’s health, as it allows for more good deeds and spiritual growth.
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