Is the appearance of the Antichrist one of the Major Signs of the Hour? Will repentance no longer be accepted once any of the Major Signs of the Hour appears?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

The appearance of the Antichrist is one of the Major Signs of the Hour. On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, described the Antichrist to the Companions saying that his right eye is blind and his appearance is one of the trials which will take place near the advent of the Hour. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

His appearance is one of the major trials that will distinguish between the true believer and the hypocrite or the one who is untruthful in his faith.

Only the true believing people will stand firm in the face of this trial. Anyone who follows the Antichrist and dies in that state will undoubtedly be in Hell. Anyone who repents and believes sincerely, Allaah The Almighty accepts his repentance and forgives him. Allaah The Almighty accepts repentance as long as the sun does not rise from the West. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, told us that the Hour will not be established until the sun rises from the West. Anyone who believes after that, his faith will be of no avail. [Muslim] On the authority of ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that the first sign to appear is the rising of the sun from the West and the appearance of the Beast at forenoon. [Muslim]

The trial begins when the Antichrist appears. Repentance benefits the person who does it as long as the sun does not rise from the West; it will rise from the West after the appearance of the Antichrist. The two signs mentioned in the Hadeeth of ‘Abd Allaah ibn ‘Amr are the first unfamiliar Major Signs to appear. The appearance of the Beast and its addressing people, labeling them as believers or disbelievers is a supernatural event. This is the first sign to appear on the earth. The sun rising from the West, contrary to its normal practice, is the first sign to appear in the heaven. Once it rises from the West, the belief of those who were disbelievers will be of no avail. Accordingly, saying that repentance will no longer be accepted once any of the Major Signs of the Hour appear is incorrect. This fact is confined to the rising of the sun from the West.

And Allaah Knows best.