Fitna Of Ad-dajjal

“O Allah!

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I seek refuge with You from the trial of Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal

Sahih Muslim, Book 004, Chapter 68, #1225

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BOOKS:

-Ibn Kathir – The Signs Before The Day Of Judgement

-Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid – The Dajjal WEB:

-http://www.shariahprogram.ca/ -http://en.wikipedia.org/ -http://islamqa.com/en/

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LECTURES:

-Abdur Raheem Green (UK) -Moataz Al-Hallak (USA) -Salim Al-Amry (UAE) -Shaykh Ali At-Timimi (USA) -Shaykh Bilal Asad (Australia) -Shaykh Bilal Philips (Canada) -Shaykh Muhammad Musa Nasr (Palestine) -Yasir Qadhi (USA)

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FITNA OF AL-MASIH AD-DAJJAL: Before we deal with the topic, we need to bear in mind that all these issues related to the unseen or the events that will take place in the future, a Muslim should accept them based on the reliability and the authenticity of the source that through which we received this information and that is, of course, the Book of Allah (Qur’an) and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam). Had these things not mentioned in Qur’an and Sunnah, we would not have known anything about them.

WHAT IS A FITNA? What is a fitna? A fitna is a trial, a tribulation, a test. Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “There would be no creation (creating more trouble) than the Ad-Dajjal right from the creation of Adam to the Last Hour.” [Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Chapter 23, #7037] Ad-Dajjal is the greatest fitna that the human beings will ever face.

AL-MASIH AD-DAJJAL: Ad-Dajjal is mostly mentioned in ahadith as “Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal” not just Ad-Dajjal. Al-Masih, has up to fifty meanings in the famous Arabic dictionaries. It can mean anything from the best of righteous guiders to the worst of lying misleaders. Esa (Alayhis salaam) is also called Al-Masih. However, Esa (Alayhis salaam) is the righteous guider and Ad-Dajjal is the lying misleader. Ad-Dajjal covers a range of various meanings in the Arabic language. Ad-Dajjal is derived from ad-dajala which means anointing or rubbing with tar. The Arabs used to apply tar to the skin of the camel that had a certain disease. Therefore, Ad-Dajjal was named so because he covers the truth as tar covers the patches of the skin disease. Ad-Dajjal also means liar, the one who covers the truth and reveals falsehood.

AD-DAJJAL – A MAN OR A SYSTEM? Many people believe that there is Ad-Dajjal – a person and Ad-Dajjal – a system. It is a very popular belief. In fact, you find people very often linking Ad-Dajjal to a system what they call “Ad-Dajjalic System” which is also been made famous by Ahmad Thompson in his book “Ad-Dajjal – The King with No Clothes” where Freemasonry, the illuminati, the pyramid with a single eye on the back of US dollar bill, the television, in fact Britain, United States of America and Western Civilization etc and they call it Ad-Dajjalic System. However, there is no such thing as the System of Ad-Dajjal. Actually, maybe, this will just become pedantics, meaning maybe we all are going to be arguing here about the meaning of the words and you may say that it is not useful. However, we need to be very careful about the words, so let us take a look at this explanation. We could find a comparison and an example between the things that we Muslims know about Ad-Dajjal and any system of kufr e.g. let us take Pharaoh. Did not Pharaoh claim that he was the lord? And will not Ad-Dajjal claim that he is the lord? Is not one of the signs of Egyptian gods, the eye of horus, a single eye? Did not the Egyptian magicians throw their staffs and confused the minds of the people and they actually thought that their staffs have become snakes. Look at the evil empires of the Babylonians and the Romans. In fact, in any system or civilization of kufr, you will find traces of Ad-Dajjal, not because they are Ad-Dajjalic systems but because Ad-Dajjal himself is the epitome of kufr. Ad-Dajjal is the paradigm of kufr. Ad-Dajjal is the greatest manifestation of kufr. In fact all you would find is that Ad-Dajjal is every type of kufr, every type of deception, every type of misguidance and so there is inevitably going to be a similarity between all systems of kufr and AdDajjal. But it is not useful to refer to it as Ad-Dajjalic system. Also the fact that there is nothing clear from a text from Qur’an and Sunnah to say that Ad-Dajjal is preceded by a system of kufr. In fact, historically, the first Ad-Dajjal {Small Ad-Dajjal here because Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) mentioned: “the Hour will not be established till there appear about thirty liars, all of whom will be claiming to be the messengers of Allah.” [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 56, #806]}. The first of them was in the time of Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) and his name was Musailama AlKazzab (Musailama, The Liar). He claimed to be a prophet. Now, was Musailama Al-Kazzab supported by a system? No, he came at the time when Islam was victorious and the whole of the Arabian Peninsula had accepted Islam. Yet from this time of strength, came this fitna of Musailama Al-Kazzab. So, in fact, it could be exactly opposite and living under this idea that there is Ad-Dajjalic system that is going to support Ad-Dajjal may actually confuse us or it may even support Ad-Dajjal. So it is very important to

2/7 get these things right because e.g. The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) mentioned “Let him who hears of Ad-Dajjal go far from him for I swear by Allah that a man will come to him thinking he is a believer and follow him because of confused ideas roused in him by him.” [Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 37, #4305] If we think America or the West is Ad-Dajjalic system then we should flee, we shouldn’t be there giving D’awah trying to convince them back to Islam. We might get this wrong mentality. This is why confusing these things can be dangerous. Let us stick to what Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) and His Messenger (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) has said. Why do we need to add something else, and bring something else and speculate about things that we have no clear evidence?

SIGNS OF THE FORTHCOMING OF AD-DAJJAL: 1. One of the signs of the coming of Ad-Dajjal is when people will stop talking about him in their gatherings, in the khutbas. 2. The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “The time of the Ad-Dajjal will be years of confusion. People will believe a liar and disbelieve one who tells the truth. People will distrust one who is trustworthy, and trust one who is treacherous; and the Ruwaybidah will have a say. Someone asked, who are the Ruwaybidah? He said: Those who rebel against Allah and will have a say in general affairs. [Musnad Ahmad, #1332] 3. The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “The Hour will not come until 30 dajjals appear, each of them claiming to be a messenger from Allah, wealth increases, tribulations appear and al-Harj increases. Someone asked, what is al-Harj? He said: Killing, killing.” [Musnad Ahmad, Book 2, #457] 4. IMAM AL-MAHDI: The word Mahdi comes from the root Hada which signifies guidance. So alMahdi is the one who is rightly guided to the truth by Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala). We notice that al-Mahdi is not mentioned amongst the ten major signs of the Last Hour so al-Mahdi, himself, is not of the major signs. However, al-Mahdi shall be the link that joins the minor signs with the major signs. His coming shall signal the beginning of the major signs. The matter we intend to discuss has been proven by ahadith narrated from the Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) that the Mahdi will appear at the end of time and he will be the khalifah of Muslims. Many scholars believe that he will appear before the coming of Ad-Dajjal and Esa (Alayhis salaam), as the ahadith indicate. CHARATERISTICS OF IMAM AL-MAHDI: NAME: The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “If only one day of this world remained. Allah would lengthen that day, till He rose up in it a man who belongs to me or to my family whose name is the same as mine and whose father's name is the same as my father's.” [Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 36, #4269] So the name of Imam Al-Mahdi will be Muhammad ibn Abdullah. LINEAGE: The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “The Mahdi will be one of my descendants, from the children of Fatimah.” [Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 36, #4271] PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “The Mahdi will have a high forehead and a prominent nose.” [Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 36, #4272] SPIRITUAL STATE: The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “In one night Allah will prepare him to carry out his task successfully.” [Sunan Ibn Maja] Ibn Kathir writes the meaning of this hadith that Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) will accept his repentance and guide him to righteousness after he had previously not been so. RULE: The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “He will fill the earth with justice and fairness just as it was filled with injustice and oppression, and he will rule for seven years.” [Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 36, #4272] WARS: Imam Al-Mahdi will lead the Muslims in great wars. GREAT WAR & CONQUEST OF CONSTANTINOPLE: The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “The Last Hour would not come until the Romans would land at al-A'maq or in Dabiq (two cities in Syria, near Syria-Turkey border). An army consisting of the best (soldiers) of the people of the earth at that time will come from Medina (to counteract them). When they will arrange themselves in ranks, the Romans would say: Do not stand between us and those (Muslims) who took prisoners from amongst us. Let us fight with them; and the Muslims would say: Nay, by Allah, we would never get aside from you and from our brethren that you may fight

3/7 them. They will then fight and a third (part) of the army would run away, whom Allah will never forgive. A third (part of the army), which would be constituted of excellent martyrs in Allah's eye, would be killed and the third who would never be put to trial would win (this war is called the Great War) and they would be conquerors of Constantinople. And as they would be busy in distributing the spoils of war (amongst themselves) after hanging their swords by the olive trees, the Satan would cry: Ad-Dajjal has taken your place among your family but it will be a lie.” [Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Chapter 9, #6924] The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “The time between the Great War and the conquest of the city (Constantinople) will be six years, and Ad-Dajjal will come forth in the seventh.” [Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 37, #4283] 5. THE GREAT FAMINE: The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “During the three years just before Ad- Dajjal comes, there will be one year when the sky will withhold one third of its rain and the earth will withhold one-third of its crops. In the second year the sky will withhold two-thirds of its rain, and the earth will withhold two thirds of its crops. In the third year the sky will withhold all of its rain, and the earth will withhold all of its crops, and all the animals will die.” [Musnad Ahmad, Book 6, #455] It is a very important point. Remember this, those of us who live our life in constant enjoyment and luxury. Three years of famine and drought! This is what is going to happen and you will see why it is important because let us take something very important now. Every test happens in your life is a preparation for the coming of Ad-Dajjal. If you cannot pass the test that Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) sends you in this time, how are you going to face the fitna of Ad-Dajjal? Think about it.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE OF AD-DAJJAL: Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “Ad-Dajjal is: 1. Short, 2. Hen-toed, 3. Woolly-haired, 4. His head is like the branch of a tree, 5. One-eyed, his left eye is blind, and the other eye looks like a floating grape. If you are confused about him, know that your Lord is not one-eyed.” [Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 37, #4306] 6. Dajjal is blind of one eye and there is written between his eyes the word “Kafir”. He then spelled the word as which every Muslim, whether literate or illiterate, would be able to read. [Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Chapter 18, #7009] and not the Here one may ask a question that why will be the believer able to read disbeliever. The answer to this question is that the one who has faith in Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) is not reading with these eyes. Do we have any other eyes besides these eyes? The modern science says no. The Qur’an says yes. The Qur’an says the heart can see and it can also hear. When faith enters into the heart, then Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) puts Noor in the heart, light and with that light the heart can see what these eyes cannot see.

FITNA OF AD-DAJJAL: Before we discuss the fitna of Ad-Dajjal, we need to bear in mind that Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) has given Ad-Dajjal several signs and miracles in order to test the people. So we have to understand that if we are firm in our Iman, then we will not be confused by Ad-Dajjal. The people who will be confused will be the ignorant ones, those who do not know their deen and aqeedah, who do not know what truly Islam is and there is much confusion historically and at present time. You man say how it could it have been that a person could be confused about the matter of a man claiming he is the lord? Yet this day, there are people in India who follow a man called Saeed Baba who claims that he is the manifestation of Allah and there are nearly 8 million people, who call themselves Muslims, who go to him and follow him. The Ismailis, who call themselves Muslims, and yet they claim that a man, Agha Khan, is the manifestation of Allah. Similarly there are people who have claimed many aspects of divinity for themselves and there are many so-called Muslims who follow them and these people have not brought what Ad-Dajjal is going to bring.

4/7 FROM WHERE HE WILL FIRST APPEAR? The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “Ad-Dajjal will emerge in a land in the east called Khurasan. His followers will be people with faces like hammered shields.” [Jami a-Tirmidhi, #2136 & #2163] In modern day world the ancient Khurasan is divided into five central Asian countries i.e. Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. Also in another narration, the Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “He would appear on the way between Syria and Iraq and would spread mischief right and left. O servant of Allah! Adhere (to the path of Truth).” [Sahih Muslim, Book 41, Chapter 18, #7015] HE WILL CLAIM DIVINITY: Ad-Dajjal will first of all show himself off as a very holy man, and then he will claim to be a prophet. After showing many miracles [that Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) has given him in order to test the believers], Ad-Dajjal will promote himself and will claim divinity for himself. TRIALS OF AD-DAJJAL:

-Ad-Dajjal

will travel to every single city on the Earth as the Hadith indicates: “There will be no town which Ad-Dajjal will not enter except Makkah and Medina, and there will be no entrance (road) (of both Makkah and Medina) but the angels will be standing in rows guarding it against him.” [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 30, #105]

-The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said about Ad-Dajjal that: “He would have water and fire with him: (what would seem to be) fire, would be cold water and (what would seem to be) water, would be fire.” [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88, #244] Narrated Al-Mughira bin Shu'ba: Nobody asked the Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) as many questions as I asked regarding Ad-Dajjal. The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said to me: What worries you about him? I said: “Because the people say that he will have a mountain of bread and a river of water with him (i.e. he will have abundance of food and water). The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: Nay, he is too mean to be allowed such a thing by Allah” (but it is only to test mankind whether they believe in Allah or in Ad-Dajjal.) [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88, #238] The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “Then the Ad-Dajjal will come forth accompanied by a river and fire. He who falls into his fire will certainly receive his reward, and have his load taken off him, but he who falls into his river will have his load retained and his reward taken off him.” [Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 35, #4232] Hudhaifa and Ibn Mas'ud met together. Hudhaifa said: “I know more than you as to what there would be along with Ad-Dajjal. There would be along with him two canals (one flowing with water) and the other one (having) fire (within it), and what you would see as fire would be water and what you would see as water would be fire. So he who amongst you is able to see that and is desirous of water should drink out of that which he sees as fire.” [Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Chapter 18, #7013] An-Nawwas b. Sam'an reported that Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) made a mention of Ad-Dajjal one day in the morning. He sometimes described him to be insignificant and sometimes described (his turmoil) as very significant and we felt as if he were in the cluster of the date-palm trees. When we went to the Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) in the evening and he read (the signs of fear) in our faces, he said: What is the matter with you? We said: Allah's Messenger (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam), you made a mention of Ad-Dajjal in the morning (sometimes describing him) to be insignificant and sometimes very important, until we began to think as if he were present in some (near) part of the cluster of the date-palm trees. Thereupon he said: I harbour fear in regard to you in so many other things besides Ad-Dajjal. If he comes forth while I am among on, I shall contend with him on your behalf, but if he comes forth while I am not amongst you, a man must contend on his own behalf and Allah would take care of every Muslim on my behalf (and safeguard him against his evil). We said: Allah's Messenger (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam), how quickly would he walk upon the earth? Thereupon he said: Like cloud driven by the wind. He would come to the people and invite them (to a wrong religion) and they would affirm their faith in him and respond to him. He would then give command to the sky and there would be rainfall upon the earth and it would grow crops. Then in the evening, their posturing animals would come to them with their humps very high and their udders full of milk and their flanks stretched. He would then come to another people and invite them. But they would

5/7 reject him and he would go away from them and there would be drought for them and nothing would be left with them in the form of wealth. [Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Chapter 18, #7015] Someone asked, “How will the people live at that time?” Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “By saying Laa ilaaha illaa Allaah, Allaahu Akbar, Subhaan Allaah and Al-Hamdu-lillaah. This will be like food for them.” [Sunan Ibn Maja, #4077]

-Prophet

(SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “He would then walk through the waste, land and say to it: Bring forth your treasures, and the treasures would come out and collect (themselves) before him like the swarm of bees.” [Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Chapter 18, #7015]

-An-Nawwas b. Sam'an

reported that we said: Allah's Messenger (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam), how long would he stay on the earth? He said: For forty days, one day like a year and one day like a month and one day like a week and the rest of the days would be like your days. We said: Allah's Messenger (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam), would one day's prayer suffice for the prayers of day equal to one year? Thereupon he said: No, but you must make an estimate of time (and then observe prayer). [Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Chapter 18, #7015] So his stay on Earth will be for about one year, one month, one week and thirty-seven days i.e. for about one year and seventy-four days.

-The

Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said of Ad-Dajjal: “Part of his fitna will be that he will say to a Bedouin (common Arab who doesn’t have much knowledge), Do you think that if I resurrect your father and mother for you that you will testify that I am your lord? He will say, yes. So two devils will appear to him in the image of his father and mother, saying, O my son, follow him for he is your lord.” [Sunan Ibn Maja, #4067]. So, the Bedouin will be deceived and forced into believing him.

-The Prophet

(SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “Two angels resembling two Prophets, one on either side will accompany him. This will be to test mankind. Hence Dajjal will ask, Am I not your lord? Do I not give life and death? One of the angels will reply that you are a liar. However nobody will be able to hear this reply besides the other angel. The second angel addressing the first angel will say you are speaking the truth. Every body will hear what this second angel said and will think that an angel is testifying that Ad-Dajjal is the lord though in reality this second angel was addressing the first and agreeing with his reply that you are speaking the truth that Ad-Dajjal is certainly a liar.” (Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 5, Page 221)

-The

Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “Ad-Dajjal will come and encamp at a place close to Medina and then Medina will shake thrice whereupon every disbeliever and hypocrite will go out (of Medina) towards him.” [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88, #239]

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The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam): “Ad-Dajjal will come, and he will be forbidden to enter the mountain passes of Medina. He will encamp in one of the salt areas neighboring Medina and there will appear to him a man who will be the best or one of the best of the people. He will say I testify that you are Ad-Dajjal whose story Allah's Apostle has told us. Ad-Dajjal will say (to his audience), Look, if I kill this man and then give him life, will you have any doubt about my claim? They will reply, No, Then Ad-Dajjal will kill that man and then will make him alive. The man will say, By Allah, now I recognize you more than ever! Ad-Dajjal will then try to kill him (again) but he will not be given the power to do so.” [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88, #246]

-FOLLOWERS OF AD-DAJJAL: Among the non-believers, following will be the followers of Ad-Dajjal as indicated in authentic ahadith: Allah's Messenger (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “Ad-Dajjal would be followed by seventy thousand Jews of Isfahan (located about 340 km south of Tehran, Iran) wearing Persian shawls.” [Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Chapter 23, #7034] Also the people will follow him are the Turks, but not the Turks that we see today, At-Turk in those days meant parts of Mongolia and the parts near Tajikistan, towards Russia opposite to China. Ad-Dajjal will also be able to deceive the Muslims, and there are following two types of people that will follow him:

6/7 1. The People of Doubts: Those who doubt in the matters of religion and these can further be subdivided into three different groups: i. Those who are ignorant of Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) and His attributes and names and these people can be very easily deceived by this person. ii. Those who are obsessed by supernatural phenomena and anyone who goes to Ad-Dajjal and see some tricks will follow him. Imam Shafi`i in this regard have given us a golden rule. According to Imam Shafi`i, if we see a person walking on the surface of the water, we should not really judge him till we weigh him against the Book of Allah and Sunnah of Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam). We should not be deceived by people who show us supernatural stuff. iii. Those who call themselves, “forcefully” Ahl-e-Qur’an. Forcefully, because whoever rejects the Sunnah of Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam), rejects Qur’an. They come and say that show us anything about Ad-Dajjal in Qur’an. These are the group of people who will be affected by Ad-Dajjal. It is a fitna for them. It is a part of the fitna of Ad-Dajjal that he is not mentioned in the Qur’an and he is only mentioned in ahadith of Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam). Why? Because authentic Hadith has the same weigh of the Qur’an. So the people of Sunnah will be distinguished from other people who follow innovation. 2. The people of temptations: Those who are immersed in the temptations of this world. These people when they see Ad-Dajjal in the time of famine, how can they sacrifice the food and the drink? They would rather eat and drink at the expense of their deen. Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “Ad-Dajjal will come to this pond in Marriqanaat – a valley in Medina – and most of those who go out to him will be women, until a man will come to his mother in law, his mother, his daughter, his sister and his aunt, and will tie them up strongly for fear that they will go out to him.” [Musnad Ahmad, #5099] Because it is in the nature of a woman, she needs security for her family.

-The Messenger of Allah (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “When three things appear faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from his faith: the rising of the sun in its place of setting, Ad-Dajjal, and the beast of the earth.” [Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Chapter 73, #296] So it clearly means that one who falls in the trap of Ad-Dajjal, his/her repentance will not benefit him/her at all. So, we need to understand this serious matter. These days the topic of Ad-Dajjal is just another topic for us. We have to be serious and we have to prepare our self and others around us. These are the tests so people will be confused by these matters, they all will think he can bring the rain, he causes the rain to fall and the crops to grow, he brings forth treasures, and he can give life to the dead. And the people, can you imagine are starving after three years of drought. Who would be able to resist following this man? And if anyone refuses to follow him then they will suffer more droughts and more famine than they did before. So we need to strengthen our Iman, we need to get the better understanding of our religion.

HOW TO DEFEND OURSELVES FROM THE FITNA OF AD-DAJJAL? The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) has taught his ummah about that which will protect them against the fitna of the Ad-Dajjal. 1. Adhering to Islam, having the right faith and learning the Names and Most Beautiful Attributes of Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) which are not shared by anyone else. One should know that AdDajjal will be a human being who will eat and drink, and that Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) is far above that; Ad-Dajjal will be one-eyed but Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) is not one-eyed; no one can see his Lord until he dies, but Ad-Dajjal will be seen by all people. 2. Seeking refuge with Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) from the fitna of Ad-Dajjal, especially in salaah (prayer). This has been narrated in the authentic ahadith, such as: Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) used to teach them this supplication (in the same spirit) with which he used to teach them a surah of the Qur'an. He would thus instruct us: “Say, O Allah! I seek refuge with You from the torment of Hell, and from the torment of the grave, and from the trial of life and death and from the trial of Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal.” Muslim ibn Hajjaj said: “It has reached me that Tawus said to his son: Did you make this supplication in prayer? He said: No. (Upon this) he (Tawus) said: Repeat the prayer.” [Sahih Muslim, Book 004,

7/7 Chapter 68, #1225]. Du’a in Arabic is: “Allahummah inni a'udhu bika min 'azabi-jahannama, wa min 'azabil qabri, wa min fitnatil mahya wa-lmamati, wa min sharri fitnatil masihid-dajjal 3. Memorizing Aayas from Surah al-Kahf. The Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) said: “He who amongst you would survive to see him should recite over him the opening Aayas of Surah al-Kahf (Surah #18, Al-Juz 15 to 16)” [Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Chapter 18, #7015]. According to some reports, the final Aayas of this Surah were also mentioned. This means reciting the first ten Aayas or the last ten. However, one should try to memorize the whole Surah because of its great benefits. One important point it doesn’t mean the kind of recitation that we normally do. It means to recite in a manner in which we would understand the meanings of these Aayas, not just reading Arabic text but also to go through the translation. Only then we would be benefited by this significant Surah. Undoubtedly Surah al-Kahf is of great significance, containing great Aayas, such as the story of the People of the Cave, the story of Musa (Alayhis salaam) and Khidr (Alayhis salaam), the story of Dhu’l-Qarnayn and his building the dam to hold back Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj, proof of the resurrection and the blowing of the Trumpet, and explanation of those whose deeds are most lost, who are those who think that they are guided when in fact they are misguided and blind. Every Muslim should strive to read this Surah, and to memorize it and read it repeatedly. 4. Keeping far away from Ad-Dajjal. The best way is to live in Makkah or Medina, and the places which the Ad-Dajjal will not enter. When the Ad-Dajjal emerges, Muslims should keep far away from him, because of the confusion he will cause and the mighty wonders that he will have with him, which Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) will cause to happen at his hands in order to test mankind.

THE DEATH OF AD-DAJJAL: DESCENT OF ESA (Alayhis salaam): Esa (Alayhis salaam) will descend on a group that will be righteous at the time. The people will be preparing for war at the time against Ad-Dajjal. It will be time for Fajr prayers, and their Imam will be the leader (Scholars say that this Imam will be Imam Al-Mahdi). Briefly, at the time of Fajr, Esa (Alayhis salaam) will descend. When descending, Esa (Alayhis salaam)'s hands will be on the shoulders of two angels. He will descend at the white minaret in the eastern side of Damascus wearing two garments lightly dyed with saffron. When he would lower his head, there would fall beads of perspiration from his head, and when he would raise it up, beads like pearls would scatter from it. He will inquire about their enthusiasm and thoughts on Jihad against Ad-Dajjal. At the time the Imam will have proceeded forward to lead the Fajr. The Iqamat of the Salaah would have been already recited and the Imam will call Esa (Alayhis salaam) for Imamat (to lead the prayer), but Esa (Alayhis salaam) would say: No, some amongst you are commanders over some (amongst you). This is the honour from Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) for this ummah. Thus the Imam will lead the prayer and Esa (Alayhis salaam) will follow him. KILLING OF AD-DAJJAL: After the completion of Fajr, Esa (Alayhis salaam) will open the door where Ad-Dajjal will be accompanied by his 70,000 followers. When Ad-Dajjal sees Esa (Alayhis salaam), he will begin to dissolve like salt dissolves in water, and he will run away. Esa (Alayhis salaam) will catch up with him at the eastern gate of Ludd and will kill him. At that time every disbeliever, on whom the breath of Esa (Alayhis salaam) will reach, will die. His breath will reach up to the distance of his eyesight. The Muslims will thereafter defeat and wipe out Ad-Dajjal's army. The Jews will not be able to hide behind anything on that day. Every time they try to hide behind a stone, a wall, a tree or animal. Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) will make these things speak and they will say, “O servant of Allah there is a Jew hiding behind me. Come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad (boxthorn tree) would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.” [Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Chapter 72, #0293; Book 041, Chapter 18, #7015; Book 041, Chapter 9, #6924; Book 041, Chapter 16, #6985]

CONCLUSION: These are the main facts that we know from the authentic statements of the Prophet (SallAllahu 'alayhi wa'alihi wa'sallam) concerning Ad-Dajjal and his fitna. So it is our duty that once we come to know these facts, we should share these with our family, friends, relatives and the people around us. We need to equip ourselves with the correct knowledge of our religion to fight not just this great fitna of Ad-Dajjal but also the trials of these times. May Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) protect all of us from the trials and tribulations of Ad-Dajjal. [Ameen]