Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to mention and remind the companions of how short is their life, and how close is the Day of Judgment. He pointed much sign of that Last Day some of which had already appeared! And some are appearing!! And the remaining will surely appear in the future. The prophet was reminding the companions and us to work hard and prepare for that Day. The Signs are listed in roughly chronological order, although the order is not necessarily precise, especially for those in the future. The Holy Quran says:

وَيَوْمَ يَحشُرُهُمْ كَأَن لَّمْ يَلْبَثُواْ إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِّنَ النَّهَارِ

“And on the day when He will gather them as though they had not stayed but an hour of the day…” (Quran10:45)

Muslims believe that this worldly life is a trial preparation for the next life that Hereafter will remain forever. It is a part of Muslim belief to believe in the existence of the judgment day. The belief in the Day of Resurrection is related to the life hereafter. And it also says:

وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ يُقْسِمُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ مَا لَبِثُواْ غَيْرَ سَاعَةٍ

“And at the time when the hour shall come, the guilty shall swear (that) they did not tarry but an hour…” (Quran 30:55)

May Allah enable us to recognize and heed the  Signs, and strengthen us in the times of tribulation. Judgment Day will come when the whole universe will be destroyed and the dead will be resurrected for Judgment by Allah Almighty. Judgment Day will be the beginning of a life that will never end. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran about the Judgment Day in a way:

يَوْمَ هُم بَارِزُونَ لَا يَخْفَى‏ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْهُمْ شَىْ‏ءٌ لِّمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ لِلَّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ

“Of the day when they shall come forth, nothing concerning them remains hidden to Allah. To whom belongs the kingdom this day? To Allah, the One, the Subduer of all.” (Quran 40:16)

When Muslims believe that there is a life hereafter that will remain forever, they know the fact of Judgment Day where all people of this world will be judged on the basis of their deeds and on the basis of these deeds they will earn reward or punishment in the eternal life. In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty says:

يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِّيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ

“That Day will proceed the mankind (in) scattered groups to be shown their deeds.” (Surat Az-Zalzalah, 99:6)

According to the Holy Quran, the occurrence of Resurrection Day is inevitable and no one should have any doubt in it. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran: 

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ لَيَجْمَعَنَّكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ اللَّ

“Allah – (there is) no god except Him, surely He will gather you to (the) Day (of) Resurrection – no doubt about it. And who (is) more truthful than Allah (in a) statement.” (Quran, 4:87)

The judgment day is a transient day when the human life of this world would end and all will move on to their respective status in the life hereafter which will remain forever. Quran gives a picture of the way it will take place that is Resurrection Day and what will be the reactions of people once it occurs.

This is a brief summary of the signs; there are many books, articles, cassettes, etc. which discuss these in greater detail:

Past

1. Splitting of the Moon.
2. Death of the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
3. A form of death that will kill thousands of Muslims. (Understood to refer to the plague of Amway during the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab.)
4. Major fighting in Madinah (understood to refer to the battle of al-Harrah during the caliphate of Yazid, 63 AH).
5. The Muslim conquest of Jerusalem.
6. The Muslim conquest of Constantinople.
7. Two large groups of Muslims will fight in a war.
8. A war between the Muslims and a reddish people with small eyes, wearing sandals made of hair (understood to refer to the Mongol Tatar invasion of the Islamic lands.)
9. A peace agreement between the Muslims and non-Muslims from the yellow race (Chinese, Mongols, etc.)
10. Thirty impostors (dajjal) will appear, each thinking he is a prophet.

Present

1. Naked, destitute, barefoot shepherds will compete in building tall buildings.
2. The slave-woman will give birth to her master or mistress.
3. A trial (fitnah) will enter every Arab household.
4. Knowledge will be taken away (by the death of people of knowledge), and ignorance will prevail.
5. Wine (intoxicants, alcohol) will be drunk in great quantities.
6. Illegal sexual intercourse will become widespread.
7. Earthquakes will increase.
8. Time will pass more quickly.
9. Tribulations (fitan) will prevail.
10. Bloodshed will increase.
11. A man will pass by the grave of another and wish he was in the latter’s place.
12. Trustworthiness will be lost, i.e. when authority is given to those who do not deserve it.
13. People will gather for prayer but will be unable to find an imam to lead them.

Future

1. The number of men will decrease, whilst the number of women will increase, until for every man, there are 50 women.
2. The Euphrates will reveal a treasure of gold, and many will die fighting over it, each one hoping to be the one who gains the treasure.
3. The Romans (Europeans) will come to a place called A’maq or Wabiq, and an army of the best people will go forth from Madinah to face them.
4. The Muslim conquest of Rome.
5. The Mahdi (guided one) will appear and be the Imam of the Muslims.
6. Jesus Christ will descend in Damascus, and pray behind the Mahdi.
7. Jesus will break the cross and kill the swine, i.e. destroy the false Christianity.
8. The Antichrist (al-Masih al-dajjal, the false Christ) will appear, with all his tools of deception, and be an immense trial.  He will be followed by 70,000 Jews from Isfahan (present-day Iran).
9. The appearance of Ya’juj and Ma’juj (Gog and Magog), and the associated tribulations.
10. The emergence of the Beast from the Earth, carrying the Staff of Moses and the Seal of Solomon, who will speak to the people, telling them they did not believe with certainty in the Divine Signs.
11. A major war between the Muslims (including Jews and Christians who truly believe in Jesus after his return) led by Imam Mahdi, and the Jews plus other non-Muslims led by the Antichrist. 
12. Jesus will kill the Antichrist at the gate of Ludd (Lod in present-day Israel, site of an airport and a major Israeli military base).
13. A time of great peace and serenity during and after the remaining lifetime of Jesus.
14. Wealth will come so abundant that it will become difficult to find someone to accept charity.
15. Arabia will become a land of gardens and rivers.
16. Society will then decay.
17. The buttocks of the women of the tribe of Daws will again sway in circumambulation (tawaf) around the idol Dhul-Khulsah.
18. A great fire in the Hijaz, seen by the inhabitants of Busra.
19. Three major armies will sink into the earth: one in the east, one in the west, one in Arabia.
20. An Abyssinian leader with thin shins will destroy the Kaaba.
21. The huge cloud of smoke.
22. The sun will rise from the west (its place of setting).
23. A gentle wind that will take the souls of the believers.
24. There is no one left on the earth saying, “Allah, Allah” or “There is no god except Allah.”
25. Eventually, the Day of Judgment is established upon the worst of the people, who copulate like donkeys in public.
26. The blowing in the Trumpet by the Angel Israfil, upon which everyone will faint except as Allah wills.
27. The second blowing in the Trumpet, upon which everyone will be resurrected.

Here, then, are the ten major signs of the Last Day as prophesied by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah Most High be upon him):

• Dajjal — the false Messiah or Anti-Christ
• Gog and Magog, Smoke,
• The beast of the earth or land (most likely the holy land)
• The sun would rise from the west
• Three sinkings of the earth one in the eas
• One in the west and one in Arabia
• A fire would come out of Yemen and would drive people to their place of assembly (for judgment)
• The son of Mary would descend
• Although these signs were not given by the blessed Prophet (peace and blessings of)

One of the signs of Judgment Day is the blowing of the trumpet. According to the Holy Quran at the end of the world, before the existence of Resurrection Day, the trumpet would be blown twice and this important event is a sign that Judgment Day is near. Quran represents the blowing of the trumpet in the following way: 

يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الْأَرْضُ غيْرَ الْأَرضِ وَالسَّمَوَاتُ وَبَرَزُواْ لِلَّهِ الْوَحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ

“On the day when the earth shall be changed into a different earth, and the heavens (as well), and they shall come forth before Allah, the One, the Supreme.” (Quran 14:48)

The Resurrection day will start when the trumpet blows for the first time. When the trumpet blows, the first reaction to it would be the entire all that is in heaven and earth will faint, which means that the life on it would end, except for those who Allah wants to live. When the second time the trumpet will blow, all will rise and all will come into an order that marks the initiation of Judgment Day. The Holy Quran says:

وَنُفِخَ فِى الصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَن فِى السَّمَوَاتِ وَمَن فِى الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَن شَآءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخْرَى‏ فَإِذَا هُمْ قِيَامٌ يَنظُرُونَ‏

“And the trumpet shall be blown, so all those that are in the heavens and all those that are in the earth shall swoon, except such as Allah please; then it shall be blown again, then lo! they shall stand up awaiting.” (Quran, 39:68)

The collapse of the Solar System: One of the signs of Resurrection Day is the collapse and complete derangement of the Solar System. Allah says:

The Quran says إِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ * وَ إِذَا النُّجُومُ انكَدَرَتْ * وَإِذَا الْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ

When the sun is covered, and when the stars darken, and when the mountains are made to pass away. “(Quran, 81:1-3)

Many verses of the Holy Quran describe the fact of Judgment Day:

• “We began the first creation, We shall repeat it.” (Quran, 21:104)
• “On the day when the earth shall be changed into a different earth, and the heavens (as well), and they shall come forth before Allah, the One, the Supreme.” (Quran, 14:48)
• “Are they waiting for anything except the Hour, to come to them suddenly?  But its Signs have already come!” (Al-Quran, Surah Muhammad)
• “When the Deafening Blast comes, the Day a man will flee from his brother and his mother and his father, and his wife and his children: on that Day every man among them will have concerns enough of his own.” (Quran, 50:33-37)
• “When the sun is covered, and when the stars darken, and when the mountains are made to pass away.” (Quran, 81:1-3)
• “And those who believe and do good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they dwell therein forever.”(Quran, 2:82)
• “And the Horn will be blown, and at once from the graves to their Lord they will hasten.” (Quran, 36:51)
• “On the day when We will roll up heaven like the rolling up of the scroll for writings…” (Quran, 21:104)

Every Man for Himself

Such will be the scenario of Judgment Day that no one will concern anyone other than him or herself. Therefore, the thought that on that day any relation from friends or family would help anyone is wrong. In the Quran, Allah Almighty says:

وَيَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى الصُّورِ فَفَزِعَ مَن فِى السَّمَوَتِ وَمَن فِى الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَن شَآءَ اللَّهُ وَكُلٌّ أَتَوْهُ دَخِرِينَ

“And on the day when the trumpet shall be blown, then those who are in the heavens and those who are in the earth shall be terrified except such as Allah please, and all shall come to Him abased.” (Quran 27:87)

A Muslim must realize that Judgment Day is as inevitable as death. So, in order to be the one who views Resurrection Day as a notification of good news, a Muslim must follow the instructions of Islam to be prepared for Resurrection Day. May Allah give us the strength to do good deeds for success in the hereafter life! Ameen