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Message: <blockquote data-quote="I love Srilanka" data-source="post: 9748144" data-attributes="member: 244944">Education:A significant difference that distinguishes the twentieth and twentyfirst centuries from previous ages is the advance in literacy. In earlier times, the ability to read and write belonged to a particular group of people who were privileged in status, whereas, towards the end of the twentieth century, UNESCO and other government and private organizations, have organized campaigns throughout the world to counter this trend. This mobilization of educational resources, with its attendant technological innovations and humanitarian services, has born fruit in our time. According to a report by UNESCO, the average literacy rate in 1997 was 77.4%.24 This figure is certainly the highest it has been in 14 centuries. At the same time, the Prophet (saas) described society of the End Times in his hadiths:Literacy will increase—as Judgment draws nigh.(Ahmad Diya’al-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith)Construction Technology:A sign of the advanced technology of the age in which we live and which The Prophet (saas) has mentioned is the construction of tall buildings.  There will be no Judgment—until very tall buildings are constructed.(Reported by Abu Hurairah)The Hour will not be established—till the people compete with one another in constructing high buildings.(Bukhari)If we look at the history of architecture and engineering, we see that multi-storied buildings began to be constructed only towards the end of the nineteenth century. Technological developments, the growing use of steel and the use of elevators accelerated the construction of structures called skyscrapers. Skyscrapers have become an important part of the architecture of the twentieth and twentyfirst centuries, and have today become a symbol of prestige. What the hadith says has come true: people do compete in the construction of tall buildings, and nations compete with one another in building the tallest skyscrapers.Transportation Technology:Throughout history there has been a direct correlation between a people’s wealth and power and its transportation technology. Societies that were able to establish effective transportation systems enhanced their advancement.Speaking about the characteristics of the End Times, the Prophet (saas) said of the development of transportation:The Last Day will not be established until …time will pass quickly.(Bukhari)Great distances will be traversed in short spans of time.(Ahmad, Musnad)The message at the above hadith is quite clear. During the End Times, great distances will be traveled in a short time by means of new vehicles. In our time, supersonic aircraft, trains and other advanced vehicles can, in a few hours, travel the distance it used to take months to, and do it more easily, comfortably and safely. In this sense, the sign related in the hadith has come true.The Qur’an mentions vehicles that are the product of modern advanced technology: And horses, mules and donkeys both to ride and for adornment. And He creates other things you do not know. (Surat an-Nahl: 8)Here we may consider the meaning of the expression “time will pass quickly” in the first hadith, in the light of what we have related. Clearly, as the Prophet (saas) said, during the End Times, tasks would be completed in a much shorter time compared to other periods. Indeed, the advancements in science have allowed the possibility for most things to be finished in a much shorter time and with much better results. A similar hadith confirms this view: The Last Hour will not come before time contracts, a year being like a month, a month like a week, a week like a day, a day like an hour, and an hour like the kindling of a fire. (Tirmidhi)For example, ages ago, international communication, that would span a period of weeks, can now be completed in a matter of seconds by the Internet and other modern communications technology. In the past, goods that reached their destinations after trips that took months by caravan can today be transported instantly. Today, millions of books can be published in the time it took to write merely a single book a few centuries ago. Daily things we now take for granted, such as hygiene, methods of food preparation, and child-care, no longer require as much time with the help of modern technological wonders. We could easily provide numerous such examples. However, what we must stop to consider here is that the signs revealed by the Prophet (saas) in the seventh century are now coming true.Another sign of the End Times revealed in the hadiths is the spreading of commerce (Reported by Ibn Masud (r.a.)) which has paralleled the advancements in transportation technology. Modern transportation has enabled every country in the world to establish close trade relations with others.</blockquote>

Verification: Hath warak paha keeyada? (hatha wadikireema paha)

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