Page:Selections from Muhammadan Traditions - tr. William Goldsack (1923).djvu/285

He replied, " Forty days, one day being like one year, and one day like a month, and one day like a week, and the rest of his days will be like your days." We said, "O Apostle of God, then in that day which will be like a year, will one day's prayers be sufficient for us? " He replied, " No. Compute its share of it for prayers." We said, "O Apostle of God, what is this hastening on the earth? " He replied, " It is like rain followed by wind; and he will come to a people and call them, and they will believe in him, and he will command the heavens, and they will send rain. And he will order the earth, and it will bring forth herbs. And their herds will come to them in the evening longer in their humps than they were before, and with full udders and extended flanks. After- wards he will come to a people, and will call them, but they will return his words to him. Then he will depart from them, and they will rise in the morning to find their land smitten with barrenness, and with nothing of their possess- ions in their hands. And he will pass by ruins and will say to them, 'Bring forth your treasures.' Then their treasures will follow him like male bees follow the females. After that he will call a man of full youth and will smite him with a sword and will cut him into two pieces like the shooting of an arrow at its mark. After that he will call him and he will draw near with gladness of countenance and laughing. And whilst Antichrist is acting thus, God will send Jesus, Son of Mary, and he will descend near a white tower to the east of Damascus, between two cloths of red, placing the palms of his hands upon the wings of two angles. When he will lower his head, it will drop (perspiration), and when he will raise it up, there will fall from him beads like pearls. And it will not be permitted for any infidel touched by his breath to do aught but die. And his breath will reach as far as the eye can reach. And he will search for the Antichrist until he finds him at the gate of Ludc^; and he will kill him. After that a people will come to Jesus whom God has' preserved; and he will stroke their faces in comfort, and will inform them of the degree of eminence they will attain in paradise. And whilst he is doing that, behold! God will send a revelation to Jesus (saying), 'Verily I have brought out servants of mine,