While having a spear in his hand...

While having a spear in his hand, he will pick up a pregnant woman and turn her over to one of his supporters and order him to molest her in the middle of the road.

After the molestation, he will rend asunder her stomach and take out the fetus, and nobody would be able to change such a horrible condition.”[^5] Imam as-Sadiq ( ‘a ) said: “…God has completed His mercy by means of the son of the Prophet’s daughter ( ‘a ); the same person who has the perfection of Musa (Moses), the reverence of ‘Isa (Jesus) and the patience and fortitude of Ayyub (Job). My fellows!

During the period (prior to) his advent there shall be despised and abject people and their heads, just like the heads of the Turks and the people of Daylam, will be given as gifts (to despotic rulers). They would be killed and burnt as well as terrorized, scared and intimidated. The earth would be colored with their blood while the cry and lamentation of their women would be multiplied. They are my true friends. Through them he will quell every sedition.

He will eliminate commotions (and insecurities), and he will remove the chains and bonds of bondage from them. May the benediction of God be upon them as they are the guided ones!”[^6] Ibn ‘Abbas said: “Sufyani and Fulani will go out and fight each other in such a manner that he (Sufyani) will rend asunder the stomachs of women and put children in large pots and burn them.”[^7] Artat said: “Sufyani will kill whoever would oppose him.

By means of saws, he will cut his opponents into two and get rid of them in burning pots. These tyrannies will last six months.”[^8] Wishing for Death by Those who are Alive The Messenger of Allah (S) said: “I swear to Him in Whose hand is my life!

The world shall not end unless the time would come when on passing by the graveyard, a person will throw himself onto the grave and say: ‘I wish I were in the place of the owner of this grave!’ This is while his problem is not debt but the sufferings and pressures of the day as well as tyranny and oppression.”[^9] By using the word “man” ( rajul ) in the hadith , two points can be deduced.

One is that the sufferings and predicaments of that period and as such, the wish for death are not confined to a particular sect, nation or group, but everyone will undergo suffering and pain on account of the deplorable circumstances. The other point is that the word “man” indicates the extent of the pressure and difficulty of that period.