What is the meaning of the drawing near of time, the drawing near of markets, the occurrence of discord among people, and the alienation of Islam, as minor signs of the Day of Judgment?

Scholars differ on the meaning of "taqārub al-zamān" (shortening of time), offering several interpretations: 1. A decrease in the blessing (barakah) of time. 2. People's enjoyment of life during the time of the Mahdi and 'Isa (peace be upon him). 3. The similarity of people's conditions in terms of their lack of religious commitment. 4. The closeness of people in time due to modern communication and transportation methods. 5. A real, yet-to-occur, acceleration and shortening of time.

As for "taqārub al-aswāq" (closeness of markets), Sheikh Hammoud Al-Tuwaijri believes it refers to the closeness of people on earth due to means of transportation and communication. This makes markets close in terms of quickly knowing price changes, swift movement between them, and the approximation of their prices to one another.

"Al-tanākur bayn al-nās" (mutual rejection/unfamiliarity among people) in the End Times means that people will barely recognize each other. This results from the abundance of trials (fitan) and fighting, the dominance of materialism over people, and the spread of egoism.

"Ghurabāt al-Islām" (the strangeness of Islam) means that Islam began with a small number of people and will return as a stranger, just as it began, until it remains only among a few individuals.