Hadiths
The Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - said: (Whoever treads a path in search of knowledge, God will make easy for him a path to Paradise).
The Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - said: (Whoever God wants good for, He makes him understand the religion)
The Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - said: (Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim).
The Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - said: (If a person dies, his work is cut off except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who
Faith Belief in the Signs of the Hour 2091 2026-10-25

Will Wars at the End of Time Return to Swords and Spears?

Question
Do the hadiths that mention swords, spears, and horses in the events of the end times indicate that modern technology and civilization will disappear?
Answer

 

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.

There are authentic hadiths that mention the use of swords, spears, horses, bows, and arrows in some events of the end times. Among them is what is reported in Sahih Muslim in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, concerning fighting before the emergence of the Dajjal and the descent of Jesus, peace be upon him. There is also the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, mentioning horsemen and horses during the time of the Dajjal, and the hadith of al-Nawwas ibn Sam'an, may Allah be pleased with him, mentioning bows, arrows, and shields during the time of Gog and Magog.

The scholars have differed: Should these texts be understood according to their apparent meaning, or is the mention of these means based on what will be known and used in that time?

The closer view is that these hadiths should be understood according to their apparent meaning, and that the use of swords, spears, and horses in those wars is affirmed. However, this does not necessarily mean that modern civilization and all technology will have disappeared, because there is no explicit text establishing that.

Older means of warfare may coexist with modern means. Likewise, the existence of swords and horses does not necessarily mean that other means of combat will be absent.

Therefore, what is required is to believe in what has been authentically established from the Prophet ﷺ and not go beyond the texts by asserting matters of the unseen for which there is no evidence. This issue should not become a cause of dispute and hostility, since it does not entail any specific religious action. Rather, one should focus on what is beneficial and prepare to meet Allah, the Exalted.

And Allah knows best.