Is Egypt next after Iraq & Syria? What do Islamic Prophecies say?

IMAGE 1 - Ahrar al Shaam group holding their black banners, now part of ruling Hayat Tahrir al-shaam (HTS) in Syria

IMAGE 2 - image of fighting group Jabhat Fateh al-Sham with their black flags in July 2016 in Syria, now part of Hayat Tahrir al-shaam (HTS) in Syria

IMAGE 3 - Egypt purchasing wheat supplies in advance as global affairs might impact its supply.

IMAGE 4 -Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan is pictured here with former Egyptian President Mohammad Mursi. (File photo: AFP) After Mursi took power, Turkey became the regional hub for the Muslim Brotherhood's International Organization.

IMAGE 5 - from BBC shows GERD Dam on Nile in Ethiopia and its water flow upstream to Egypt. Egypts future depends on this supply.

The Islamic prophecies mention economic & political turmoil in Egypt that will be followed by turmoil in Iraq & Syria resulting in breakup of Egypt in to parts controlled by various internal and foreign forces. In fact after fall of Assad’s regime in Syria, President El-Sisi of Egypt has stated: “Their mission in Syria is over and the next objective is to overthrow the Egyptian state.” Without naming specifics, the president hinted that external and internal forces are working to undermine Egypt’s stability.

After Syrian opposition groups led by pro-Salafi ex-al Qaeda organization of Hayat Tahrir al-shaam (HTS) swept through Western Syria entering Damascus and overthrowing Assad’s regime, there is much talk on social media and on mainstream media about Egypt being next. This could be possible especially when Egypt’s military has suppressed the uprising of Salafi inspired Ikhwan ul Muslimoon (Muslim Brotherhood) against its own government several times since Egypt was established as a modern state in 1950s. The Egyptian political crises have mostly centered around the struggle between Ikhwan ul Muslimoon (Muslim Brotherhood) and Egyptian military especially when the former has assassinated or attempted to assassinate Egyptian leaders. The overthrow of Assad’s regime has definitely emboldened pro-Salafi elements inside Egypt including the Ikhwan. 

​In 2011 when protests broke out in Syria leading to a civil war, simultaneous protests began against Hosni Mubarak’s dictatorship in Egypt. In Syria the Assad’s regime continued fighting which led towards a 13 year bloody civil war but Egypt’s Mubarak decided to give up his seat which resulted in elections and Turkish backed Ikhwan ul Muslimoon (Muslim Brotherhood) winning majority under leadership of Mohammad Morsi in 2012. Morsi’s govt ruled for almost a year and then toppled by another Army General Fatah El-Sisi who has been ruling as Egypt’s president since 2014. Since Ikhwan was backed by Turkiye and El-Sisi was backed by Saudi Arabia, this soured relations between Egypt & Turkiye.

​As the Salafi inspired Hayat Tahrir al-shaam and its allied groups (SNA, FSA, etc.) took over Damascus in December, their main backers were Turkiye & U.S. who have been overtly and covertly supporting these groups to overthrow Assad’s regime since 2011. Turkiye has been a natural supporter of all Salafi Wahhabi inspired groups inside Syria and across the Arab world including Egypt’s Ikhwan ul Muslimoon (Muslim Brotherhood). The extremism of Salafi Wahhabi groups of Iraq & Syria have been warned to us in the akhir uz zamaan (apocalyptic) hadith literature as the Fitnah (turmoil) of the Black Flags:

Ali b. Abi Țalib (a.s) said “When you see the black banners, stay close to the ground, do not move your hands or your feet (do not join them). Then a weak group, hitherto unnoticed, will appear, their hearts like iron anvils (very harsh), they are the soldiers of the state (dawla — like Islamic State or want their own state), who do not keep a covenant or promise. They will call to the truth, but they are not from its people (they call towards Islam but not following it). Their names are Kunya (Abu Muhammad, Abu Ahmed etc.), their genealogies or family names are derived from towns (Al-Baghdadi, Al-Shami, Al-Zawahiri, Al-Jolani), their hair is loose like that of women — until they differ among themselves (they are known for divisions like Al-Qaeda, Al-Nusra, Daesh, HTS). Then God will bring the truth from where He wills.” (Nuaym ibn Hammad, Kitab Al-Fitan, # 520, English Trans David Cook)

​In another narration Al-Zuhri said “The black banners will advance from the east (from Iraq), men like Bactrian camels (bukht) covered in cloth (clothes wrapped around their heads and over necks), with hair (hairy head and beards like bactrian camels), their genealogies are to their villages (al-Tajiki, al-Kurdi), their names are nicknames (Abu Muhammad) — they will conquer Damascus, lifting mercy from them for three hours (They will sweep down on Damascus swiftly with fear gripping the city for sometime of the day).” (Nuaym ibn Hammad, Kitab Al-Fitan, # 510, English Trans David Cook)

​The Hayat Tahrir al-shaam (HTS) led the offensive from Idlib province on Nov 27th under leadership of Abu Mohammad al-Jolani (Jolani or Golani from Golan in Syria) and captured Damascus on December 8th in a swift offensive. HTS is an offshoot of extreme salafi groups like al-qaeda and ISIS (Daesh) that joined insurgency in Syria against Assad. They first started their bloody insurgency and sectarian conflict inside Iraq and then entered Syria in 2011. HTS started as Jubhat Al Nusra (al Nusra Front) along with several other extremist salafi groups backed by Qatar, Saudi, UAE, US, Israel & Turkiye. One thing common about these militant salafi groups has always been black flags symbol and black clothes as notified in the above images (See IMAGE 1 & IMAGE 2). To read more on this click on the link of The Fitnah (Trial) of the Black Flags in al-Shaam (Syria).
​
Below I have discussed a couple of factors that could lead towards Egypt’s turmoil as prophesied to us in the hadith and narrations of his companions.

Prophecy of Sanctions on Egypt after Iraq & Syria

If an uprising begins in Egypt then Turkiye will naturally throw its weight behind Ikhwan against El-Sisi. If the uprising successfully topples the Egyptian military control then we can naturally expect a salafi ikhwani government in power. This could have the following implications:

1. If US backed West does not accept Ikhwan takeover then they can place sanctions on Egypt like they did on Iraq and Syria which caused economy of those countries to weaken resulting in civil wars and breakup of their states. In one authentic hadith we are informed from Abu Hurairah (r.a) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying “Iraq will prevent its measure (qafiz) and dirham. Syria will prevent its measure (mudi) and dinar. Egypt will prevent its measure (irdabb) and dinar.” (Sunan Abu Dawud) In another narration we are informed that this prevention will be from the non-Arabs and Europeans: Ḥudhayfa said “The people of Iraq are about to not receive either dirham or qafīz further, since the non-Arabs (ajam) will prevent them from receiving it. The Syrians are about to not receive either dinar or bushel (muddan), since the Byzantines (Europeans) will prevent them from receiving it.” (Nuaym ibn Hammad, Kitab Al-Fitan, # 1893, English Trans David Cook)

These prophecies are sanctions imposed by U.S on Iraq under Saddam after 1991 Gulf War and imposed on Syria via Caesars Act also by U.S in 2019. This led towards major political upheaval in both countries and the region. The Egyptian Irdab is a measurement for wheat and its a fact that Egypt is one of the largest importers of Wheat in the world and its main suppliers are Russia and Ukraine. Egypt relies on Russia and Western backed Ukraine for 85 percent of its wheat imports. If the wheat supply is stopped due to worsening of the Russia-Ukraine war or if West puts a sanctions on their exports, then a wheat crises in Egypt along with existing economic crises could cause further political instability leading towards a Syrian style civil war (See IMAGE 3).

2. Another implication could be if US accepts the salafi inspired Ikhwani government in Egypt and even back it along with Turkiye like they both backed Salafi ex-al Qaeda group of Hayat Tahrir al-shaam in Syria, as long as the Ikhwan assures no threats to Israel, like HTS also promised. But the West would still impose sanctions so to keep their control over Ikhwani government just as they now keep a check over HTS govt in Damascus. This could still make Egyptian economy weaker and create instability in the country as prophesied in a narration from Kab (r.a) who said "Verily, Iraq is about to be scraped like leather, Syria is about to be split like hair, Egypt is about to be crumbled like dung - so at that time the rule [of God i.e. Rule of Imam Mahdi] will descend." (Nuaym ibn Hammad, Kitab Al-Fitan, #531, English Trans David Cook)

​Four Bows Shooting Prophecy on Egypt

Abu Utba, the mawla of Amr b. al-aṣ said “Egypt will perish when it is shot by [the shooting of] four bows: the bow of the Turks, the bow of the Byzantines(Europeans), the bow of the Ethiopians and the bow of the Andalusians.” (Nuaym ibn Hammad, Kitab Al-Fitan, #1837, English Trans David Cook)

​The ‘Bow of the Turks’ has to be Turkiye’s interference in the Egyptian political affairs to dominate the country’s politics through their support of the Ikhwan (Muslim Brotherhood) just like Turkiye supported uprising against Mubarak’s dictatorship and helped Ikhwan come to power under Morsi. Another uprising with Ikwan’s support could solidify Turkiye’s influence in Egypt like they have now in Syria (See IMAGE 4). Turkiye is second largest member of NATO, Western military alliance led by U.S, which means they are usually in alignment with the NATO's regional ambitions. This act of Turkiye is also related to the sign of the emergence of Turks in Al-Jazira (Iraq & Syria), to read more on this click on the Sign of the Khuruj al-Turk (Emergence of Turks).

​The ‘Bow of the Byzantines (Europeans)’ could either be the cutting off the wheat supply to Egypt as a result of toppling of the US & Saudi supported El-Sisi or next army general who will succeed El-Sisi. Likewise it could also be severe Western economic sanctions like those placed on Saddam’s Iraq after Gulf War (1991) resulting in overthrow of his regime in 2003. This could be partly because of Egypt’s refusal to cooperate with Israeli occupation crimes. Egyptian economy is also under a lot of pressure due to diminishing foreign reserves and its trade balance deficit. Just last year Egypt secured a total of $8 billion loan from IMF to support its economy which has been impacted by Israeli war on Gaza, the Ukraine war and the tensions in the Red Sea by Houthis blockage impacting Suez Canal shipping which has cut down the Egyptian ability to earn foreign money and flow of goods. Depending upon Egypts future relations with West or Russia the ‘bow of the Byzantines (Europeans)’ could imply military attack like Syria experienced or severe economic sanctions coupled with wheat supply cut, or both.

​The ‘Bow of the Ethiopians’ is none other than the cutting off the water supply of the River Nile in particular the Blue Nile flow that has curtailed Egypt’s water supply impacting its production and economy. Egyptians rely on all of their water consumption from Nile. The Ethiopians are building Great Renaissance Dam inside their country , one of the largest in Africa for preserving water and electricity generation (See IMAGE 5). Ethiopia started construction amidst Egypt’s uprising against Hosni Mubarak hinting at taking advantage of the political turmoil. Ethiopia continues to finish building dam and stores water despite strong protests from Egyptian government. The drying up of the Nile and its impact on Egypt is also a prophetic sign mentioned in a detailed narration copied in Imam ibn Kathirs book brief part of which I have quoted below:

Hudhaifah ibn Al-Yamaan (r.a) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Destruction will begin from the extremes of the earth, until Egypt is destroyed. Egypt is safe until Basrah is destroyed, and the ruin of Basrah will be drowning, whereas the ruin of Egypt will be the dryness of the Nile….” (pg. 71 Book of the End, Great Trials & Tribulations, Imam ibn Kathir)

​Prophecies of Civil Wars in Egypt

Once these prophetic signs in Egypt start occurring due to several external and internal factors as discussed then we will probably notice other signs prophesied of a civil war situation in the country such as overthrow of a dictator, the entry of black flags fitnah from Syria, the descent of a big Berber alliance from North Africa and European military forces and their battles:

Urwa bin Abi Qays said “A man from the Umayyads (their descendant) — if you wanted his description, so that when he is seen he would be known by his description [I would give it] — will flee to the Byzantines (Europe or West) as a result of a rage that he will feel. His government in Egypt will be overthrown or taken from him, so he will lead the Byzantines (European forces) to them (back to Egypt). (Nuaym ibn Hammad, Kitab Al-Fitan, #1330, English Trans David Cook)

Al-Najīb bin al-Sarī said “Abd al-Raḥmān (A berber) will appear leading the people of the Maghrib (North Africans) when the Byzantines (Europeans) have already taken over Alexandria (in Egypt), so they are in it, then they will fight them [the European forces], defeat them, and expel them from it.” (Kitab Al-Fitan, #747)  —  The Berbers of North African countries will unite and descend over Egypt due to a turmoil and defeat the European armies that have arrived to support the Egyptian dictator. They will then also faceoff the Salafi wahhabi black banners from Syrian (most likely the current HTS and its allied groups once they form their government in Syria).

Al-Zuhrī said “When the black banners differed amongst themselves (when they will start having differences in governing Syria), the yellow banners (North African berbers) will come to them, and they will gather at the bridge of the Egyptians. The easterners (Salafi black banners) and the westerners (berbers) will fight for seven days, then there will be defeat for the easterners, such that they descend upon Ramla.” (Kitab Al-Fitan, #729) — The HTS type of salafi groups controlling Syria will eventually try to support their salafi inspired ikhwani groups in Egypt or whoever is in authority after the fall of the Egyptian dictator, but that support will be defeated by a large North African Berber alliance that will descend on Egypt. The Berbers will then enter Syria leading to other prophetic events.

As the events unfold in the West Asia (Middle East) and the Muslim world we will see, if Allah (swt) wills, how this will actually play out. The above is a very general analysis about the future prophecies about Egypt, if there are any other analysis please feel free to share in comments. For more reading on prophecies on events happening in Syria and other parts of the Muslim world, please click on links below.

The Return of Khilafah in Al-Quds (Jerusalem)
With the Downfall of Assad in Syria, is this the beginning of the Sign of ‘Emergence of Turks’ in Al-Jazira?
The Fitnah (Trial) of the Black Flags in al-Shaam (Syria)