Holy is Allah! What a luminous light he was, upon whom it was disclosed 1,300 years ago, how, in the beginning, his ummah will thrive, and how in an extraordinary manner it will prosper, and how in the Latter Days it will suddenly decline, and then how the Christian people will dominate the entire world in a few centuries. Remember that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, made a prophecy—which is recorded in Sahih al-Muslim—concerning these times, with respect to the Promised Messiah. He said,

meaning that, in the era of the Promised Messiah, the riding of camels will be abandoned. Hence, no one will mount them and make them run. This alluded to the train, after the invention of which there would be no need for making the camels run. And the camel is mentioned because it was the principal means of transport in the Arab world, onto which they could load all their household items and ride, too. This [hadith]also applies to smaller [means of transport], which are automatically included in the larger one. In short, it signifies that at that time, certain means of transport shall appear that will supersede the camel. As you now see, with the invention of the railway train, they are now doing nearly everything that the camels performed previously. Hence, which prophecy could be more evident and obvious than this one? Moreover, the Holy Quran has also foretold about this age, as it says:

meaning that the Latter Days are those when the she-camel will be abandoned.

Those who raise objections about ahadith related to the Promised Messiah and dajjal must also ponder at this point that if these prophecies were not from God Almighty and were manufactured by some mere mortal, it would have been impossible for them to be fulfilled so clearly and perfectly. Was it even in anyone’s fancy that in order to deify a man, the Christians would one day make such efforts and intrigues that in their philosophical writings, Divinity would no longer remain an exclusive station for God?

Look at how the distance between the ears of dajjal’s donkey was described to be seventy ﻉﺏ[ba‘] ﻋ is a measure of distance equal to both arms spread out (Publisher)] which is exactly how long most railway trains are. Then, as is recorded in the Quran and ahadith that camels would no longer be used for riding, so do we witness that the railways have superseded all these forms of transportation, and camels are used infrequently. Perhaps after sometime, even this need will not remain.

From among the Signs of the Latter Days which have been revealed in the Holy Quran by Allah the Almighty are those rare events you observe and experience in this age. Indeed, He has manifested its Signs for us:

He(Allmighty Allah) says:
There are Signs of the Latter Days in all these verses for a people who reflect. With your own eyes you have witnessed how the mountains have been made to move and were shaken from their stations—their pegs demolished, their summits flattened into depressions, and their ranges disappeared. You tread on their tracks and even run on them. Regarding the flowing forth of the rivers you have surely seen that Allah has raised a people who made the rivers to flow forth, diverted into canals. They continue to dig canals out of rivers. They have become the master of all the intricacies in the art of canalization, and have made the water flow into all barren valleys in order to populate the lands and protect their dwellers from the calamities of drought. This is how they work, that they may fully benefit from the land, and indeed they are the ones who benefit from it.

As far as abandoning the she-camel is concerned, it is indeed an indication towards the railway train that has rendered useless the ten-months pregnant and young she-camels, such that they are no longer used. Now the people travel by rail and put their goods and cargo on them. Therefore, they quickly go from one land to another. This indeed is out of the grace of Allah upon us and upon the people, but most of the people are ungrateful. Allah has put coverings over their hearts lest they should understand its secrets, and in their ears a deafness; thus, they listen not. They derive benefit from man-made inventions, even from those by disbelievers, but when they see a thing out of the mercy of Allah, they refuse to accept it.

As far as bringing people together is concerned, it is indeed, a multifaceted phenomenon. It alludes to the invention of the telegraph that helps people in every hour of distress, bringing them news about their beloved ones living in the far-off places of the world, and informing them about the state of affairs before the inquirer stands up from his seat. Through this device, the people of the East converse with the people of the West as if they are meeting in person. It communicates the conditions of the distressed in a very short time to those who are worried about their affairs. Undoubtedly, it brings two people together from two distant places so they may talk to one another as if there is no barrier between them and they are very close to each other.

Moreover, there is an indication in this to the prevailing peace along the sea and land routes and the removal of all hurdles. Therefore, in this day and age, people travel from one land to another without any fear. In fact, countries have strengthened ties with one another during this era, and their populations have developed a better acquaintance between them, so that they grow closer to one another with each passing day. Allah has brought the traders closer to traders, dwellers of both sides of the borders closer to each other, while uniting the craftsmen with their peers, such that they have begun to share in each other’s profit and loss. They cooperate with each other in every comfort, delight, clothing, food, and pleasure and things are transported from one part of the land to the other.

Look how people have been brought close together as if they are sitting on the same boat! Travel by land and sea has caused people to come together and through these voyages they get acquainted with one another. One of the means of such closeness is the letters that are sent swiftly through mail. Look how they are sent to the remote corners of the world! If you look deeply into the matter, the abundance of mail may cause you to wonder and you will not find the like of it in earlier times. Similarly, the abundance of travelers and traders may also cause you to wonder. In short, the means available today for bringing people close and for developing good acquaintance between them are unprecedented in history.

I beseech you by God! Have you ever seen or read in books anything the like thereof previously? As far as the spreading of books is concerned, it signifies their means of publication; that is, the invention of the printing press. As you see, Allah has raised a people who have invented the printing machines. Hence, you find plenty of printing presses established in Hindustan and other countries. This is an act of God in order to help us in our cause to spread our faith and books, and to convey our message to those who listen to it, that they might follow the right path.

As far as the shaking of the earth and its ‘casting out’ whatever is in her is concerned, it signifies the great revolution you are witnessing with your own eyes, a presage of the rise of many branches of worldly knowledge, new inventions, discoveries, innovations, evils, stratagems, deceptions, and all of their manufactures.

As far as the scattering of stars is concerned, it signifies the evils of the ulema and the departure of the righteous from the world. As you observe, the signs of true knowledge have become extinct and effaced, and some from the men of knowledge have passed away while others have become blind and deaf. Then Allah turned to them in mercy, yet they remained blind and deaf and many of them were transgressors, indeed. Allah is Watchful of what they do.

As far as the gathering together of beasts is concerned, this signifies the abundance of the ignorant and the transgressors, as well as the disappearance of honesty and righteousness. You see with your own eyes that the water of the well of purity has dried up and its water has gradually become sunken. Most people are running towards evil, and in matters of faith they have become pliant. When they find evil, they quickly take it, and when they see good, they turn back on their heels. They look up to the inventions of the disbelievers with admiration but turn away from the creation of Allah.

O people! Look at the favors of Allah—how He has reformed your age and transformed the state of your times, and filled it with such wonders as your ancestors have never seen before, while you enjoy them! The Europeans have taught you the industry of train engines as a gift for you and your families, so be grateful. See how it runs in inhabited and uninhabited lands under your command, and you travel by them day and night, reaching your desired destinations without any fatigue. Likewise, the Europeans have instructed you in other industries such as the manufacture of agricultural machines, war weapons, construction devices, grinding devices, garment machines, and various kinds of vehicles for lifting and moving heavy objects.

Moreover, they also invented some devices for the decoration of cities and houses, as well as tools to facilitate arduous tasks. You constantly desire these things and utilize them. Every passing month and year, you see new, wonderful, and rare inventions the like of which you have never seen before. Some of them improve your living standards, and deliver you from hard labor, such as the matchbox by which you ignite, or the kerosene oil by which you kindle your lamps. There are then such products that decorate your houses and you happily purchase them.