According to an authentic narration, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blesssings and peace) said: “There  will be a big epidemic during the conquest of Jerusalem.”[84] When Jerusalem was conquered during the caliphate of ‘Umar, a widespread epidemic caused in three days the death of about seventy thousand people.

Again,  according  to  an  authentic   narration,   the  Prophet  (Upon  whom  be blesssings and peace) predicted that Basra [85] and Baghdad would come into existence, which at that time had not been founded, that the treasure of the world would enter Baghdad, [86] and that the Turks and the people living on the shores of the Caspian Sea would do battle with the Arabs and that the majority of them would later enter the fold of Islam, [87] and that among the Arabs they would come to dominate them. He said: “The Persians [non-Arabs] will almost predominate among you, consuming your booty and smiting you.” [88]

He also said: “The ruin of my community will be at the hands of the wicked ones from Quraysh,” [89]  suggesting the disorder caused by the wicked leaders of the Umayyads, such as Walid and Yazid.

He  furthermore  predicted  that  apostasy  would  take  place  in  such  areas  as Yamama. [90] During the famous Battle of Khandaq, he declared: “From now on, I will make assaults  on the Quraysh  and their  confederates,  not they on me.” [91] This was also verified.

According to an authentic  narration,  he said a few months prior to his death: “One of God’s bondsmen has been given a choice, and he chose that which is with God.” [92]

[84] Bukhari, Tibb, 30; Khiyal, 13; Muslim, Salam, 98, 100; Muwatta’, Madina, 22, 24; Musnad, iv, 195-6; Bayhaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwa, vi, 383; Suyuti, al-Khasa’is al-Kubra, ii, 477-8.

[85] al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami’ al-Saghir, vi, 268, no: 7736; Tabrizi, Mishkat al-Masabih, no: 5433.

[86] Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 344; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 703; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya, x, 102; Tabrizi, Mishkat al-Masabih, no: 5433.

[87] Bukhari, Jihad, 95; Muslim, Fitan, 64-66; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 37; Ibn Maja, Fitan, 36.

[88] Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 341; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 194; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 692; al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id, vii, 310; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 519; Musnad, ii, 288, 296, 304, 324, 377, 520; iv, 66; v, 38.

[89] Bukhari, Manaqib, 25; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 479, 527, 572; Musnad, ii, 288, 296, 301, 304, 324, 377, 520, 536; iv, 66; (with different wording) v, 38; Ibn Hibban, Sahih, viii, 215, 252.

[90] Bukhari, Manaqib, 25; Maghazi, 70; Ta’bir, 40; Muslim, Ru’ya, 21, 22; Tirmidhi, Ru’ya, 10; Musnad, ii, 319, Bayhaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwa, v, 334-6; vi, 358, 360, 524.

[91] Bukhari, Maghazi, 29; Musnad, iv, 262; vi, 394; Ibn Hibban, Sahih, vi, 272.

[92] Bukhari, Manaqib al-Ansar, 45; Salat, 80; Fada’il al-Sahaba, 3; Muslim, Fada’il al-Sahaba, 2; Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 15; Abu Da’ud, Muqaddima, 14; Musnad, iii, 18, 478; iv, 211; v, 139; Ibn Hibban, Sahih, viii, 200; ix, 58.