HADEES - ~

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "If my Ummah bears
fifteen traits, tribulation will befallit." Someone asked, "What are
they, O Messenger of Allah?" He said, "When any gain is shared out
only among the rich, with no benefit to the poor; when atrust becomes
a means of making a profit; when paying Zakat becomes a burden; when a
man obeyshis wife and disobeys his mother; and treats his friend
kindly whilst shunning his father; when voices are raised in the
mosques; when the leader of a people is the worst of them; when people
treat a man with respect because they fear some evil he maydo; when
much wine is drunk; when men wear silk; when female singers and
musical instruments become popular; when the last ones of this Ummah
curse the first ones - then let them expect a red wind,or the earth to
swallow them, or to be transformedinto animals." [Tirmidhi]
This hadith lists some of the evils that will befall theUmmah in its
last days. Because of our committing these sins we will deserve to be
punished. It is scary to see how many of these sins are now rampant
amongst Muslims.
The first sin mentioned is that the wealthy will keep wealth among
themselves exclusively, not letting it circulate and benefit the poor.
Look at current tax laws and you will see this to be true. Another
manifestation of this sin is the invitation of rich relatives to
celebrations but not poor ones. This is also a way of keeping
goodthings among the rich only,as it excludes the poor from even
benefiting from a meal.
When people hold certain positions but only do their job when they are
bribed, this amounts to using a trust to make a profit. Holding a
position of responsibility is a trust/amanat, but we see politicians,
government servants and many others, instead bent on profiteering.
Another example of using a trust to make a profit is the practice of
banks loaning out to others on interest the money that people keep as
safekeeping with them.
The third trait mentioned in this hadith is that zakat will become a
burden. This is also evident today. How many people happily give
zakat, despite it being a purification of wealth and source of great
reward with Allah (subhana wa ta'ala)?
A man obeying his wife in preference to his mother is also a sin. This
is provided that neither of them is asking him to do something haraam
or that which compromises any other's rights. There is no obedience if
that obedience entails disobedience of Allah's prescribed rules and
laws.
Unfortunately, we also see among Muslims today that friends take
precedence over family, although rights through kinship are highly
stressed in Islam. We also see people raising their voices in mosques
in argumentation and quarrels. The worst of a people being the leader
of that nation also appears to be the case in many Muslimmajority
countries around the world. Consequently, people are afraid of the
evilof their leaders and despitetheir wickedness thus treatthem with
respect.
As for the last four traits: Many members of the Muslim Ummah are
gripped in the vice of drinking alcohol; many don't think much of the
sin of men wearing silk; female singers and music are entrenched in
the popular culture of Muslims;and some deviant sects also engage in
the repulsive sin of bad mouthing the first generation of Muslims.
We need to seriously repent and ask Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) to
saveus from the punishments that befall the sinful.