Reflecting on Some Signs Before the Final Day

Assalamu alaikum, brothers and sisters. For a while now, I've been learning about the signs of the Hour, and since late 2022, I've had this heavy feeling that something big is coming. I've read and listened to so much about it-the earthquakes, the smoke, and the matter of the Euphrates River really stay on my mind. We all know the hadith about the mountain of gold appearing from the Euphrates, and that people will fight over it. Some scholars have suggested this 'gold' could be a metaphor for oil, which makes you think. With all the tension near the Strait of Hormuz, something just connected for me. If that crucial route is blocked, nations might take military action. Could this be how a larger conflict begins? The Euphrates flows near areas rich in oil-could this be the 'gold' that triggers that fighting the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned? I'm not making a wild claim, but it feels like the smaller conflicts we see won't just end. They might grow until the arrival of the Mahdi, insha'Allah. And with that, our comfortable way of life could change. Many of us don't even know how to grow our own food. My advice? Be sensible. Save what you can. Know where to find clean water-water is more critical than food. And never underestimate the power of sadaqah; giving charity is a protection from trials. May Allah keep us all safe and steadfast. Ameen.