Al-Masih ad-Dajjal ,descriptions in Islam

 

Al-Masih ad-Dajjal

Dajjal (Arabic: المسيح الدجّال‎, romanized: al-Masīḥ ad-Dajjāl, lit. 'the false messiah, liar, the deceiver, the deceiving messiah'; Syriac: ܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܓܠܐ‎, romanized: Mšiha Daggala) is an evil figure in Islamic eschatology. He is said to have come from several different locations, but generally from the East, usually between Syria and Iraq .Dajjāl (Arabic: دجال‎) is the superlative form of the root word dajl meaning "lie" or "deception".^[2] It means "deceiver" and also appears in Classical Syriac: daggala‎ (ܕܓܠܐ).^[3] The compound Al-Masīḥ al-Dajjāl, with the definite article al- ("the"), refers to "the deceiving Messiah", a specific end times deceiver. The Dajjāl is an evil being who will seek to impersonate the true Messiah.

A number of locations are associated with the emergence of the Dajjal, but usually, he emerges from the East. He is usually described as blind in one eye, however, which eye is disputed. Possessing a defective eye is often regarded as giving more powers to achieve evil goals.^[4] He would travel the whole world entering every city except Mecca and Medina.^[5] As a false Messiah, it is believed that many will be deceived by him and join his ranks, among them Jews, Bedouins, weavers, magicians. Further he is assisted by an army of demons. Nevertheless, the most reliable supporters will be the Jews, to whom he will be the incarnation of God. The notion of Jews comprising the majority of the Dajjal’s followers is probably a remnant from Christian Antichrist legends.^[6] The Dajjal will be able to perform miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead (although only when supported by his demonic followers it seems), causing the earth to grow vegetation, causing livestock to prosper and to die and stopping the sun's movement.^[6] he is identified as a demon (shaytan) in human form in Islamic traditions.

According to hadith, prophet Muhammad prophesied that the Masih ad-Dajjal would be the last of a series of thirty Dajjaals or "deceivers".^[9][10]

• Al-nawwas b. Sim’an al-Kilabi said:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) mentioned the Dajjal (Antichrist) saying: If he comes forth while I am among you I shall be the one who will dispute with him on your behalf, but if he comes forth when I am not among you, a man must dispute on his own behalf, and Allah will take my place in looking after every Muslim. Those of you who live up to his time should recite over him the opening verses of Surat al–Kahf, for they are your protection from his trial. We asked: How long will he remain on the earth? He replied: Forty days, one like a year, one like a month, one like a week, and rest of his days like yours. We asked: Messenger of Allah, will one day's prayer suffice us in this day which will be like a year? He replied: No, you must make an estimate of its extent. Then prophet Isa son of Maryam will descend at the white minaret to the east of Damascus. He will then catch him up at the gate of Lod and kill him.^[11]

• Narrated Mu'adh ibn Jabal:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The flourishing state of Jerusalem will be when Yathrib is in ruins, the ruined state of Yathrib will be when the great war comes, the outbreak of the great war will be at the conquest of Constantinople and the conquest of Constantinople when the Dajjal (Antichrist) comes forth. He (the Prophet) struck his thigh or his shoulder with his hand and said: This is as true as you are here or as you are sitting (meaning Mu'adh ibn Jabal).^[12]

• Narrated Abu Huraira:^[13]

Prophet Muhammad used to invoke (Allah): "Allahumma ini a'udhu bika min 'adhabi-l-Qabr, wa min 'adhabin-nar, wa min fitnati-l-mahya wa mamata, wa min fitnati-l-masih ad-dajjal. (O Allah! I seek refuge with you from the punishment in the grave and from the punishment in the Hell fire and from the afflictions of life and death, and the afflictions of Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal."^[14]

— Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Funerals, no. 130

 Sunni Muslims believe that 'Isa (Jesus) will descend on the white Eastern Minaret of Damascus - Umayyad Mosque. He will descend from the heavens wearing two garments lightly dyed with saffron and his hands resting on the shoulders of two angels. When he lowers his head it will seem as if water is flowing from his hair, when he raises his head, it will appear as though his hair is beaded with silvery pearls. Every non-believer who would smell the odor of his self would die and his breath would reach as far as he would be able to see.^[15]

Dajjal will then be chased to the gate of Lod where he'll be captured and killed by Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus son of Mary). He will then break the cross, kill the pig, abolish the jizya and establish peace among all nations. The rule of 'Isa will be just and all shall flock to him to enter the folds of the one true religion.^[16] The breaking of the Cross is said to symbolize the declaration of Christianity as a false religion and end the veneration of Cross, which Christians believe he died on. The meaning behind the killing of the pig is disputed by scholars. Some take it literally, reasoning that swine goes against the teachings of the three Abrahamic faiths and that Christians, unlike the Jews and Muslims, deviated against the biblical rulings which forbade consuming pork. Other scholars claim the saying symbolizes corrupt practices which the Christian and Jewish followers didn't adhere after the message of Islam was revealed e.g. Usury, consumption of alcohol etc.

In Twelver Shia Islam, one of the signs of the reappearance of the Mahdi, whom Twelvers consider to be their twelfth Imam from the house of the Prophet, is the advent of the Dajjal.^[36]

"Whoever denies al-Mahdi has denied God, and whoever accepts al-Dajjal has denied God (turned an infidel)." This Shi'ite hadith attributed to the Prophet strongly emphasizes the return of Dajjal and the event of the reappearance of Mahdi.^[37]

Ahadith[edit]

Ali, when asked about Dajjal, explained:

The name of Dajjal is Saeed bin Saeed. Thus one who supports him is unfortunate. And are fortunate who deny him. He shall emerge from Yahoodiya village of Isfahan. On his forehead would be inscribed: ‘Kafir’ (disbeliever) which would readable to the literate as well as the illiterate.

He shall jump into the seas. The Sun will follow him. A mountain of smoke will precede him and a white mountain will follow him, which in times of famine will be mistaken to be a mountain of food (bread). He shall be mounted on a white ash. One step of that ash will be of one mile. Whichever spring or well he reaches, will dry up forever. He will call out aloud which shall be audible to all in the east and the west from the jinns, humans, and satans.^[37][38]

He would tell his followers that he is their Lord, whereas he would be a one-eyed man with human needs and God does not have any needs nor he has an eye. Muhammed strongly warned his companions and believers about this deceiving claim. According to a tradition "Al-Dajjal will verily be given birth by his mother in Qous in Egypt, and there will be thirty years separating between his birth and appearance. The reports regarding him state that he will descend at the Damascus east gate then he will appear in the East where he will be granted caliphate." A narration by Muslim and also according to the hadith of Jassasah, "it is reported that he is confined in an abbey or a palace at an island in the Sham or the Sea of Yemen. Some hadith reports that he will emerge from Khurasan whereas some say that he will appear in a place between the Sham and Iraq."^[37] People will be deceived by his magic and sorcery for which he will be falsely claimed as Messiah. On the first day of his appearance, seventy thousand jews will follow him. They will be wearing green caps. They will consider him as their promised savior; the one who is described in their holy books. The actual cause of their faith would be their animosity with the Muslims. Ja'far al-Sadiq narrates from the Prophet Mohammed that, most of Dajjal's followers would be people from illegitimate relationships, habitual drinkers, singers, musicians, bedouins, and women. He will travel all around the world except Mecca, Medina, and Bayt al Muqaddas (Jerusalem). The earth would be under his control to such an extent that even the ruins will turn into treasures and the earth will sprout vegetation on his command. As soon as he descends, he will order a river to flow and then return and then dry up. The river will follow his command. Even the mountains, clouds and wind will be controlled by him. Due to this, his followers will gradually increase which will eventually make him proclaim himself as God.^[36] A hadith from the Prophet indicates the condition of the world. He said, "Five years prior to the advent of Dajjal there shall be drought and nothing shall be cultivated. Such that all the hoofed animals shall perish”. After his emergence, the world would be facing acute famine. He will have food and water with him. Many people will accept his claim just for some food and water. He will spread oppression and tyranny all over the world.^[36] The main aim of the Dajjal will be mischief and test of the people. The one who follows him will be exited from Islam and the one who denies him will be the believer.^[36]

When the Mahdi reappears, he will appoint Isa (Jesus) as his representative. Isa would attack him and catch him at the gate of Ludd(present days' 'Lod' near Tel Aviv)^[39][40][36] According to the narrations of Ali, when the Mahdi returns, he will lead the prayers and Isa will follow him. As soon as Dajjal sees Isa, Dajjal would melt like Lead. Ali mentions Dajjal's defeat in one of his sermons, saying that Dajjal will set out toward the Hijaz and Isa (Jesus) will intercept him at the passage of Harsha. ‘Isa will direct a horrible shout at him and strike him a decisive blow. Muhammad al-Baqir narrated that at the time when Dajjal will arise, the people would not know about God, hence making it easy for the Dajjal to claim himself as God.

source-Wikipedia