The Euphrates Reveals Its Gold: Global Greed in Freefall

According to geoclimatic forecasts and scientific studies on climate change, some regions of Africa and the Middle East could become more habitable and fertile than many areas of Europe in the near future. Yet, this prospect carries a bitter realization: perhaps we will no longer be here, and the roles we know today will be reversed.

In this context, an ancient and unsettling story emerges: that of a great treasure lying beneath the waters of the Euphrates River, in Syria.

The Euphrates is not only one of the longest and most vital rivers in the Middle East; it is the beating heart of the Fertile Crescent, cradle of the first human civilizations. Its waters allowed the development of irrigated agriculture and the rise of Sumerian city-states such as Ur, Uruk, and Eridu, followed by the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians. Strategic for irrigation, trade, and politics, considered sacred and fertile, the Euphrates is at once history, legend, and a symbol of civilization.

According to Islamic tradition, an authentic ḥadīth reported by Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) and confirmed by Imām al-Bukhārī and Muslim, announces:

"The Hour will not come until the Euphrates uncovers a mountain of gold. People will fight over it, and ninety-nine out of every hundred will be killed. Each of them will say: ‘Perhaps I will be the one who is saved.’ Whoever is present at that time should not take anything from it."

The meaning of this prophecy is not merely material; it could be a warning against greed, a cautionary note about human folly that drives us to rush toward fleeting riches while the world around us changes drastically. The gold of the Euphrates thus becomes a symbol of struggle, selfishness, and the precariousness of our existence.

The geology of the Euphrates basin suggests the possibility—not yet scientifically confirmed—of gold deposits, accumulated from the erosion of surrounding mountains. But regardless of the actual existence of this treasure, the symbolism is powerful: Syria (Sham) is indicated in the ḥadīth as the theater of the great final battle between good and evil, linked to the coming of the Antichrist (Dajjāl) and the return of Jesus (ʿĪsā, peace be upon him) in Damascus. Some interpreters see these events as real wars, others as moral or symbolic struggles. Sham, crossroads of religions and civilizations, thus becomes the epicenter of human destiny.

The ḥadīth of the Euphrates is not isolated: the Qur’an has anticipated historical and scientific events that actually occurred. From the victory of the Romans over the Persians (ar-Rūm 30:2-4) to the preservation of the Pharaoh’s body (Yunus 10:92), from the expansion of Islam (al-Fath 48:28) to the discovery of embryonic stages (al-Mu’minun 23:12-14), up to the expansion of the universe (adh-Dhariyat 51:47) and the barriers between fresh and salt water (al-Furqan 25:53), the sacred text has revealed a remarkable knowledge of history and nature.

Today, the Euphrates is threatened by Turkish dams, such as the Atatürk Dam, which reduce the downstream flow, causing agricultural crises and political tensions between Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. This river, which was once a vital lifeline and a symbol of civilization, now reflects human fragility and greed.

The Euphrates, with its willows, poplars, and tamarisks, populated by migratory birds and rare fish, crosses deserts, mountains, and plains, offering stretches of quiet introspection and extraordinarily contrasting natural scenery, yet it is fragile.

Beneath its surface may lie a treasure, real or metaphorical, that will drive people to migrate toward more fertile lands, perhaps in Africa, while Europe becomes impoverished—not only materially but, above all, spiritually. We do not know what will grow beneath our feet, within us, or above us. There is no security, and life can change from one day to the next, while we are focused on getting rich, the world continues to transform—flowers bloom and die, drought destroys crops, storms annihilate what we thought eternal. The Euphrates becomes a symbol of our arrogance, our selfishness, and the fleeting nature of our certainties. Perhaps the mountain of gold is only a warning, or perhaps an inevitable future event. In either case, it forces us to reflect: to what extent are we willing to let greed shape the destiny of the world?