Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The Hour will not be established till my followers copy the deeds of the previous nations and follow them very closely, span by span, and cubit by cubit (i.e., inch by inch).” It was said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! Do you mean by those (nations) the Persians and the Byzantines?” The Prophet said, “Who can it be other than they?”
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، عَنِ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، رضى الله عنه عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَأْخُذَ أُمَّتِي بِأَخْذِ الْقُرُونِ قَبْلَهَا، شِبْرًا بِشِبْرٍ وَذِرَاعًا بِذِرَاعٍ ”. فَقِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَفَارِسَ وَالرُّومِ. فَقَالَ ” وَمَنِ النَّاسُ إِلاَّ أُولَئِكَ ”.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 7319
In-book reference : Book 96, Hadith 49
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 92, Hadith 421