Sound Approach To Truth.

Sayyid Qutb

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent

Those to whom We sent the book before this believe in it, and when it is recited to them, they say: “We believe in it, for it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed even before this have we submitted ourselves to Him.

These are the ones who shall be given their reward twice for having been patient in adversity, having repelled evil with good, and having spent in charity out of what We have provided for them.

And whenever they hear frivolous talk they turn away from it and say: “To us our deeds and to you yours. Peace be to you! We will have nothing to do with ignorant folk.”

(The Story, Al-Qasas: 28: 52-55)

The surah now begins to present the case of those who sincerely look for the truth and abide by it. They have clear minds, sound approach and sincere intentions. These are a group from the people of earlier revelations who came to know of the Qur’an. The Qur’an thus tells of how they approached it once they had heard it.

“Those to whom We sent the book before this believe in it, and when it is recited to them, they say: ‘We believe in it, for it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed even before this have we submitted ourselves to Him. These are the ones who shall be given their reward twice for having been patient in adversity, having repelled evil with good, and having spent in charity out of what We have provided for them. And whenever they hear frivolous talk they turn away from it and say: ‘To us our deeds and to you yours. Peace be to you! We will have nothing to do with ignorant folk.’” (Verses 52-55)

Said ibn Jubayr mentions that these verses speak about 70 priests sent by Negus. When they met the Prophet (peace be upon him) he recited to them Surah 36, Ya Sin, from start to finish. They were in tears as they listened to it and then immediately declared their belief in Islam. These verses confirm what they did.

Muhammad ibn Ishaq reports in his biography of the Prophet:

When the Prophet was still in Makkah, some 20 Christians came to him after they had heard about him in Abyssinia. They found him in the Mosque, and they sat with him asking him about his faith. A number of unbelievers from the Quraysh were sitting in their normal gathering places around the Ka'bah. When the Christians finished their questions, the Prophet called on them to believe in Islam and read some of the Qur’an to them. When they listened to the Qur’an, they were in tears. They immediately responded to the Prophet’s call, declared their belief in God and that Muhammad was truly God’s Messenger. They confirmed that he met the description they had of him in their Scriptures. When they rose to leave him, Abu Jahl and a number of the Quraysh unbelievers intercepted them, and reproached them saying: “How ill-advised you are! Your people sent you here to get information about this man; yet you hardly sat with him before you abandoned your faith and accepted his claims. We have never seen a more stupid delegation than yours.” Members of the delegation replied: “We wish you peace, and we will not engage in futile argument with you. We follow what we choose and you follow what you choose. We have not been slow to take advantage of the good that has been offered us.”

It is reported that this Christian delegation was from the people of Najran. God knows best which report is more accurate. It is also stated that it is they that are referred to in the Qur’anic verses starting with “Those to whom We sent the book before this believe in it...” (Verse 52) However, I asked Al-Zuhri about these verses and of whom they speak. He said to me: “I have often heard from our scholars that they speak of Negus (may God be pleased with him) and his men, as also the verses in Surah 5, The Repast, which read: “You will certainly find that, of all people, the most hostile to those who believe are the Jews, and those who associate partners with God; and you will certainly find that the nearest of them in affection to the believers are those who say, ‘We are Christians’.” This is so because there are priests and monks among them and because they are not given to arrogance.

When they listen to what has been revealed to God’s Messenger, you see their eyes overflow with tears because of the Truth they recognize. They say: ‘Our Lord, we do believe; so enroll us among those who bear witness to the truth. How could we fail to believe in God and the truth that has come to us when we dearly hope that our Lord will admit us among the righteous?’ And for this God will reward them with gardens through which running waters flow, where they will abide. Such is the reward of those who do good; while those who disbelieve and deny Our revelations are destined for the blazing fire.” (5: 82-86)

Whichever group of people these verses speak about, the Qur’an is referring to a particular event that they knew about. It, thus, presents to them an example of how people with clear vision receive the Qur’an. How they respond to it, recognize its truth and how it accords with their own Scriptures. They do not allow any impediment, whether desire or pride, to stand between them and its truth. Furthermore, they are prepared to put up with any difficulty the ignorant put in their way.

“Those to whom We sent the book before this believe in it.” (Verse 52) This is one of the signs confirming its truth. All divine revelations are consistent. People who have been familiar with earlier revelations recognize the truth of the latest ones and are ready to believe in them, knowing that they all stem from God.

“And when it is recited to them, they say: ‘We believe in it, for it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed even before this have we submitted ourselves to Him.” (Verse 53) The Qur’an is so clear that it needs only to be read out and these people who have had some experience of the truth know for certain that it comes from the same source. Thus, they are reassured, knowing that it comes from none other than God: “It is truth from our Lord. Indeed, even before this have we submitted ourselves to Him.” Such submission to God is the central issue of every faith.

Significance of Mercy.

1. Allah’s Messenger said:

“Allah will not show mercy to him who does not show mercy to others.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

2. Allah’s Messenger said:

“A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim. So he should not oppress him neither should he hand him over to [his Satan or to his self which is inclined to evil]. Whoever fulfils the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfil his needs; whoever removes the troubles of his brother, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Resurrection; And whoever covers up the fault of a Muslim, Allah will cover up his fault on the Day of Resurrection.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

3. Allah’s Messenger said:

“A Muslim is brother to a Muslim. He should neither deceive him nor accuse him of lying, nor leave him without assistance. Everything belonging to a Muslim is inviolable for a Muslim; his honour, his blood and property. Piety is here [and he pointed out to his chest thrice]. Despising one’s Muslim brother is enough evil for a person.” [At-Tirmidzi]

Good Deeds

1. Abû Hurairah narrated that Allah’s Messenger said: “Allah looks not at your figures, nor at your outward appearance but He looks at your hearts and deeds.” (Muslim)

2. ‘Abdullâh bin ‘Abbâs narrated that Allah’s Messenger said : " Allah the Glorious has ordered that the good and the bad deeds be written down. Then He explained it clearly how (to write):He who intends to do a good deed and he does not do it, then Allah records it for him as a full good deed, but if he carries out his intention, the Glorious and the Great Allah writes it down for him with Him as from ten to seven hundred times, and even many times more. But if he intends to do an evil act and has not done it, then Allah writes it down with Him as a full good deed, but if he intends it and has done it, Allah writes it down as one bad deed." (Al-Bukhâri and Muslim)

3. Ibn ‘Abbâs and Anas bin Mâlik narrated that Allah’s Messenger said: “If a son of man had a valley full of gold, he would desire to have two. Nothing can fill his mouth except the earth (of the grave). Allah turns with mercy to him who turns to Him in repentance.” (Al-Bukhâri and Muslim)

A Test at the End of Time

A Test at the End of Time

Ibn Kathir.

Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and Thanks are due to Allāh, the Lord of the al-ā’lamīn. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam, is His Messenger.

The Hadith of Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah

Al-Mughirah ibn Shubah said, "No-one asked the (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) more questions about the Dajjal than I did. He said, 'You should not worry about him, because he will not be able to harm you. I said, 'But they say that he will have much food and water! He said, 'He is too insignificant in the sight of Allah to have all that." (Muslim.)

Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah said, "No-one asked the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) more questions about the Dajjal than I did." One of the narrators said, "What did you ask him?" Al-Mughirah said, "I said, 'They say that the Dajjal will have a mountain of bread and meat, and a river of water. The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'He is too insignificant in the sight of Allah to have all that." (Muslim.)

From these Hadith, we can see that Allah will test His servants with the Dajjal and by the miracles which he will be permitted to perform: as we have already mentioned, the Dajjal will order the sky to rain for those who accept him, and will order the earth to bring forth its fruits so that they and their livestock will eat of it, and their flocks will return fat and with their udders full of milk. Those who reject the Dajjal and refuse to believe in him will suffer drought and famine; people and livestock will die, and wealth and supplies of food will be depleted. People will follow the Dajjal like swarms of bees, and he will kill a young man and bring him back to life.

This is not a kind of magic; it will be something real with which Allah will test His servants at the end of time. Many will be led astray, and many will be guided by it. Those who doubt will disbelieve, but those who believe will be strengthened in their faith.

Al-Qadi 'Iyad and others interpreted the phrase "He is too insignificant in the sight of Allah to have all that" as meaning that the Dajjal is too insignificant to have anything that could lead the true believers astray, because he is obviously evil and corrupt. Even if he brings great terror, the word Kafir will be clearly written between his eyes; one report explains that it will be written "Kaf, Fa, Ra," from which we can understand that it will be written perceptibly, not abstractly, as some people say.

One of his eyes will be blind, protruding and repulsive; this is the meaning of the Hadith: "...as if it were a grape floating on the surface of the water.” Other reports say that it is "dull, with no light in it," or "like white spittle on a wall," i.e. it will look ugly.

Some reports say that it is his right eye which will be blind; others say that it is his left eye.

He could be partly blind in both eyes, or there could be a fault in both eyes. This interpretation could be supported by the Hadith narrated by al-Tabarani, in which he reports that Ibn 'Abbas said,

"The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "The Dajjal is curly-haired and white-skinned. His head is like the branch of a tree; his left eye is blind, and the other eye looks like a floating grape. "

One may ask: if the Dajjal is going to cause such widespread evil and his claim to be a "lord" will be so widely believed - even though he is obviously a liar, and all the Prophets have warned against him - why does the Quran not mention him by name and warn us against his lies and stubbornness?

The answer is:

1. The Dajjal was referred to in the Ayat:

"... The day that certain of the signs of thy Lord do come, no good will it do to a soul to believe in them then, if it believed not before nor earned righteousness through its Faith..." (Al-Anam, 6:158)

Abu Hurairah said, "The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'There are three things which, when they appear, no good will it do a soul to believe in them then, if it believed not before nor earned righteousness through its Faith. They are: The Dajjal, the Beast, and the rising of the sun from the west."

2. Jesus son of Mary will descend from Heaven and kill the Dajjal, as we have already mentioned. The descent of Jesus is mentioned in the Ayat:

"That they said (in boast), 'We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of Allah; - but they killed him not nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not:

Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is exalted in Power, Wise:-

And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment, he will be a witness against them." (An-Nisa, 4:157-9)

We think that the Tafsir (interpretation) of this Ayah is that the pronoun in "before his death" (qabla mawtihi) refers to Jesus; i.e. he will descend and the People of the Book who differed concerning him will believe in him. The Christians claimed that he was divine, while the Jews made a slanderous accusation, i.e. that he was born from adultery. When Jesus descends before the Day of Judgment, he will correct all these differences and lies.

On this basis, the reference to the descent of the Messiah Jesus son of Mary also includes a reference to the Dajjal (false Messiah Antichrist), who is the opposite of the true Messiah, because sometimes the Arabs refer to one of two opposites and not the other, but mean both.

3. The Dajjal is not mentioned by name in the Quran because he is so insignificant: he claims to be divine, but he is merely a human being. His affairs are too contemptible to be mentioned in the Quran. But the Prophets, out of loyalty to Allah, warned their people about the Dajjal and the tribulations and misguiding miracles he would bring. It is enough for us to know the reports of the Prophets and the many reports from the Prophet Mohammad (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam).

One could argue that Allah has mentioned Pharaoh and his false claims, such as "I am your Lord, Most High" (Al-Naziat, 79:24) and"O Chiefs! No god do I know for you but myself ..." (Al-Qasas, 28:38), in the Quran. This can be explained by the fact that Pharaoh and his deeds are in the past, and his lies are clear to every believer. But the Dajjal is yet to come, in the future; it will be a Fitnah and a test for all people. So the Dajjal is not mentioned in the Qur'an because he is contemptible; and the fact that he is not mentioned means that it will be a great test.

The facts about the Dajjal and his lies are obvious and do not need further emphasis. This is often the case when something is very clear. For example, when the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) was terminally ill, he wanted to write a document confirming that Abu Bakar would be the Khalifah after him. Then he abandoned this idea, and said, "Allah and the believers will not accept anyone other than Abu Bakar."He decided not to write the document because he knew of Abu Bakar's high standing among the Sahabah (Companions) and was sure that they would not choose anyone else. Similarly, the facts about the Dajjal are so clear that they did not need to be mentioned in the Qur'an.

Allah did not mention the Dajjal in the Quran because Allah SWT knew that the Dajjal would not be able to lead His true servants astray; he would only increase their faith, their submission to Allah and His Messenger, their belief in the Truth, and their rejection of falsehood. For this reason the believer whom the Dajjal overpowers will say, when he revives him, "By Allah, it has only increased my understanding that you are the one-eyed liar about whom the Prophet s.a.w spoke."

More Hadith about The Dajjal

The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam)  said, "The Dajjal will emerge in a land in the east called Khurasan. His followers will be people with faces like hammered shields."

Asma' bint Yazid al-Ansariyyah said, "The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam)  said, 'During the three years just before the Dajjal comes, there will be one year when the sky will withhold one third of its rain and the earth one-third of its fruits. In the second year the sky will withhold two-thirds of its rain, and the earth two-thirds of its fruits. In the third year the sky will withhold all of its rain, and the earth all of its fruits, and all the animals will die. It will be the greatest tribulation: the Dajjal will bring a Bedouin and say to him, "What if I bring your camels to life for you? Will you agree that I am your lord?" The Bedouin will say "Yes." So devils will assume the forms of his camels, with the fullest udders and the highest humps. Then he will bring a man whose father and brother have died, and will ask him, "What do you think if I bring your father and brother back to life? Will you agree that I am your lord?" The man will say "Yes," so the devils will assume the forms of his father and brother. Then the Prophet went out for something, and then returned. The people were very concerned about what he had told them. He stood in the doorway and asked, 'What is wrong, Asma'? I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, you have terrified us with what you said about the Dajjal. He said, 'He will certainly appear. If I am still alive, I will contend with him on your behalf; otherwise Allah will take care of every Muslim on my behalf.’ I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, we do not bake our dough until we are hungry, so how will it be for the believers at that time?’ The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'The glorification of Allah which suffices the people of Heaven will be sufficient for them.’"

Abu Hurairah RA said, "The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'The Hour will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them. When a Jew hides behind a rock or a tree, it will say, "O Muslim, O servant of Allah! There is a Jew behind me, come and kill him!" All the trees will do this except the box-thorn (al-Gharqad), because it is the tree of the Jews." (Ahmad.)

Protection Against the Dajjal.

1. Seeking refuge with Allah from his tribulation.

It is proven in the Sahih (authentic) hadith that the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam)  used to seek refuge with Allah from the tribulation of the Dajjal in his prayers, and that he commanded his Ummah to do likewise:

“Allahumma inna naudzu bika min 'adzabi jahannam, wa min 'adzabi 'l-qabr, wa min fitnati 'l-mahya'i wa'l-mamat, wa min fitnati' l-masihi 'd-dajjal."

"O Allah! We seek refuge with You from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the tribulations of life and death, and from the tribulation of the False Messiah (Dajjal)." [This Hadith was narrated by many Sahabah, including Anas. Abu Hurairah, 'Aishah, Ibn 'Abbās and Sa'd.]

2. Memorising certain Ayat from Surat al-Kahf.

Al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi said, "Seeking refuge with Allah from the Dajjal is mentioned in many Mutawatir hadith (those with numerous lines of narrators). One way of doing this is to memorise ten Ayat from Surat al-Kahf."

Abul-Dira reported that the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:"Whoever memorizes the first ten Ayat of Surat al-Kahf will be protected from the Dajjal." (Abu Dawud.)

3. Keeping away from the Dajjal.

One way to be protected from the tribulation of the Dajjal is to live in Madinah or Makkah.

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "There are angels standing at the gates of Madinah; neither plague nor the Dajjal can enter it." (Bukhari, Muslim.)

Abu Bakar reported that the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "The terror caused by the Dajjal will not enter Madinah. At that time it will have seven gates; there will be two angels guarding every gate." (Bukhari.)

Anas said, "The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'The Dajjal will come to Madinah, and he will find angles guarding it. Neither plague nor the Dajjal will enter it, in sha Allah." (Tirmidzi, Bukhari.)

It has been proven in the Sahih hadith that the Dajjal will not enter Makkah or Madinah, because the angels will prevent him from entering these two places which are sanctuaries and are safe from him. When he camps at the salt-marsh (Sabkhah) of Madinah, it will be shaken by three tremors - either physically or metaphorically - and every hypocrite will go out to join the Dajjal. On that day, Madinah will be cleansed of its dross and will be refined and purified; and Allah knows best.

The Life and Deeds of the Dajjal.

The Dajjal will be a man, created by Allah to be a test for people at the end of time. Many will be led astray through him, and many will be guided through him; only the sinful will be led astray.

Al-Hafiz Ibn 'Ali al-Abar wrote in his book of history (Al-Tarikh) that the Dajjal's Kunyah (nickname or paternal title) would be Abu Yusuf.

Abu Bakrah said, "The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "The Dajjal's parents will remain childless for thirty years, then a one-eyed child will be born to them. He will be very bad and will cause a great deal of trouble. When he sleeps, his eyes will be closed but his heart (or mind) will still be active [1]. Then he described his parents: 'His father will be a tall and bulky man, with a long nose like a beak; his mother will be a huge, heavy-breasted woman."

Abu Bakrah said: "We heard that a child had been born to some of the Jews in Madinah. Al-Zubayr ibn al-Awam and I went see his parents, and found that they matched the description given by the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam), We saw the boy lying in the sun, covered with a blanket, murmuring to himself. We asked his parents about him, and they said, 'We remained childless for thirty years, then this one-eyed boy was born to us. He is very bad and causes a great deal of trouble. When we went out, we passed the boy. He asked us, 'What were you doing? We said, 'Did you hear us?’. He said, 'Yes; when I sleep, my eyes are closed but my heart (mind) is still active.’ That boy was Ibn Sayyad." (Ahmad, Tirmidzi; this Hadith is not very strong.)

As we have already seen in the Sahih Ahadith, Malik and others think that Ibn Sayyad was not the Dajjal; he was one of a number of "lesser dajjals." Later he repented and embraced Islam; Allah knows best his heart and deeds.

The "greater" Dajjal is the one mentioned in the Hadith of Fatimah bint Qais, which she narrated from the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam), from Tamim al-Dari, and which includes the story of the Jassasah. The Dajjal will be permitted to appear at the end of time, after the Muslims have conquered a Roman city called Constantinople. He will first appear in Isfahan, in an area known as the Jewish quarter (al-Yahudiyyah). He will be followed by seventy thousand Jews from that area, all of them armed. Seventy thousand Tatars and many people from Khurasan will also follow him. At first he will appear as a tyrannical king, and then he will claim to be a prophet, then a lord. Only the most ignorant of men will follow him; the righteous and those guided by Allah will reject him.

He will start to conquer the world country by country; fortress by fortress, region by region, town by town; no place will remain unscathed except Makkah and Madinah. The length of his stay on earth will be forty days: one day like a year, one day like a month, one day like a week, and the rest of the days like normal days, i.e. his stay will be approximately one year and two and a half months. Allah will grant him many miracles, through which whoever He wills will be astray, and the faith of the believers will be strengthened. The descent of Jesus son of Mary, the true Messiah, will happen at the time of the Dajjal, the false messiah. He will descend to the minaret in the east of Damascus. The believers and true servants of Allah will gather to support him, and the Messiah Jesus son of Mary will lead them against the Dajjal, who at that time will be heading for Baitul-Maqdis (Jerusalem). He will catch up with him at 'Aqabah 'Afiq. The Dajjal will run away from him, but Jesus will catch up with him at the gate of Ludd, and will kill him with his spear just as he is entering it. He will say to him, "I have to deal you a blow; you cannot escape."

When the Dajjal faces him, he will begin to dissolve like salt in water. So Jesus will kill him with his spear at the gate of Ludd, and he will die there, as many Sahih Ahadith indicate.

Majma ibn Jariyah is reported to have said, "I heard the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) saying, 'the son of Mary will kill the Dajjal at the gate of Ludd.’" (Tirmidzi.)

The Descent of Jesus at the End of Time.

Abdallah ibn 'Amr said, "The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'The Dajjal will appear in my Ummah, and will remain for forty - "I cannot say whether he meant forty days, forty months or forty years." Then Allah will send Jesus a.s, the son of Mary, who will resemble 'Urwah ibn Mas'ud. He will chase the Dajjal and kill him. Then the people will live for seven years during which there will be no enmity between any two persons. Then Allah will send a cold wind from the direction of Syria, which will take the soul of everyone who has the slightest speck of good or faith in his heart. Even if one of you were to enter the heart of a mountain, the wind would reach him there and take his soul.

"Only the wicked people will be left; they will be as careless as birds, with the characteristics of beasts, and will have no concern for right and wrong. Satan will come to them in the form of man and will say, "Don't you respond?" They will say, "What do you order us to do?" He will order them to worship idols, and in spite of that they will have sustenance in abundance, and lead comfortable lives.

"Then the Trumpet will be blown, and everyone will tilt their heads to hear it. The first one to hear it will be a man busy repairing a trough for his camels. He and everyone else will be struck down. Then Allah will send (or send down) rain like dew, and the bodies of the people (i.e. the dead) will grow out of it. Then the trumpet will be sounded again, and the people will get up and look around. Then it will be said, "O people, go to your Lord and account for yourselves." It will be said, "Bring out the people of Hell," and it will be asked, "How many are there?" - The answer will come: "Nine hundred and ninety-nine out of every thousand." On that day a child will grow old and the shin will be laid bare." (Al-Qalam, 68:42) (Muslim)

Abu Hurairah said, "The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'The son of Mary will come down as a just leader. He will break the cross, and kill the pigs. Peace will prevail and people will use their swords as sickles. Every harmful beast will be made harmless; the sky will send down rain in abundance, and the earth will bring forth its blessings. A child will play with a fox and not come to any harm; a wolf will graze with sheep and a lion with cattle, without harming them." (Ahmad)

Abu Hurairah said, "The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'By Him in Whose hand is my soul, surely the son of Mary will come down among you as a just ruler. He will break the cross, kill the pigs and abolish the Jizyah. Wealth will be in such abundance that no-one will care about it, and a single prostration in prayer will be better than the world and all that is in it." Abu Hurairah said, 'If you wish, recites the Ayah:

"And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against them ..." (Al-Nisa 4:159) (Bukhari, Muslim).

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "The Prophets are like brothers; they have different mothers but their religion is one. I am the closest of all the people to Jesus son of Mary, because there is no other Prophet between him and myself. He will come again, and when you see him, you will recognise him. He is of medium height and his coloring is reddish-white. He will be wearing two garments, and his hair will look wet. He will break the cross, kill the pigs, abolish the Jizyah and call the people to Islam. During his time, Allah will end every religion and sect other than Islam, and will destroy the Dajjal. Then peace and security will prevail on earth, so that lions will graze with camels, tigers with cattle, and wolves with sheep; children will be able to play with snakes without coming to any harm. Jesus will remain for forty years, and then die, and the Muslims will pray for him." (Ahmad)

Ibn Mas’ud reported that the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "On the night of the Isra (night journey), I met my father Abraham, Moses and Jesus, and they discussed the Hour. The matter was referred first to Abraham, then to Moses, and both said, 'I have no knowledge of it. Then it was referred to Jesus, who said, 'No-one knows about its timing except Allah; what my Lord told me was that the Dajjal will appear, and when he sees me he will begin to melt like lead. Allah will destroy him when he sees me. The Muslims will fight against the Kefirs, and even the trees and rocks will say, "O Muslim, there is a Kafir hiding beneath me - come and kill him!" Allah will destroy the Kefirs, and the people will return to their own lands. Then Gog and Magog will appear from all directions, eating and drinking everything they find. The people will complain to me, so I will pray to Allah and He will destroy them, so that the earth will be filled with their stench. Allah will send rain which will wash their bodies into the sea. My Lord has told me that when that happens, the Hour will be very close, like a pregnant woman whose time is due, but her family do not know exactly when she will deliver'" (Ahmad, Ibn Majah)

Description of the Messiah Jesus Son of Mary, Messenger of Allah.

Abu Hurairah said, "The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'On the night of the Isra' (miraculous journey to Jerusalem) I met Moses – he was a slim man with wavy hair, and looked like a man from the Shanu'ah tribe. I also met Jesus - he was of medium height and of a red complexion, as if he had just come out of the bath'" (Bukhari, Muslim)

The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "Whilst I was asleep, I saw myself (in a dream) making Tawaf around the Ka'abah. I saw a brown-skinned man, with straight hair, being supported by two men, and with water dripping from his head. I said, 'Who is this?' They said, 'The son of Mary' I turned around and saw a fat, ruddy man, with curly hair, who was blind in his right eye; his eye looked like a floating grape. I asked, 'Who is this?' They said, 'The Dajjal' The one who most resembles him is Ibn Qatan." Al-Zuhri explained: Ibn Qatan was a man from Khuzaah who died during the Jahiliyyah (before the coming of Islam). (Bukhari)

The Appearance of Gog and Magog

They (two tribes or peoples) will appear at the time of Jesus son of Mary, after the Dajjal. Allah will destroy them all in one night, in response to the supplication of Jesus.

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "Every day, Gog and Magog are trying to dig a way out through the barrier. When they begin to see sunlight through it, the one who is in charge of them says, 'Go back; you can carry on digging tomorrow,' and when they come back, the barrier is stronger than it was before. This will continue until their time comes and Allah wishes to send them forth. They will dig until they begin to see sunlight, then the one who is in charge of them will say, 'Go back; you can carry on digging tomorrow, insha'Allah.' In this case he will make an exception by saying Insha' Allah, thus relating the matter to the Will of Allah. They will return on the following day, and find the hole as they left it. They will carry on digging and come out against the people. They will drink all the water, and the people will entrench themselves in their fortresses. Gog and Magog will fire their arrows into the sky, and they will fall back to earth with something like blood on them. Gog and Magog will say, 'We have defeated the people of earth, and overcome the people of heaven. Then Allah will send a kind of worm in the napes of their necks, and they will be killed by it' 'By Him in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, the beasts of the earth will become fat.'"

Gog and Magog are two groups of Turks, descended from Yafith (Japheth), the father of the Turks, one of the sons of Noah. At the time of Abraham a.s, there was a king called Dzul-Qarnain. He performed Tawaf around the Ka'abah with Abraham a.s when he first built it; he believed and followed him. Dzul-Qarnain was a good man and a great king; Allah gave him great power and he ruled the east and west. He held sway over all kings and countries, and travelled far and wide in both east and west. He travelled eastwards until he reached a pass between two mountains, through which people were coming out. They did not understand anything, because they were so isolated; they were Gog and Magog. They were spreading corruption through the earth, and harming the people, so the people sought help from Dzul-Qarnain. They asked him to build a barrier between them and Gog and Magog. He asked them to help him to build it, so together they built a barrier by mixing iron, copper and tar.

Thus Dzul -Qarnian restrained Gog and Magog behind the barrier. They tried to penetrate the barrier, or to climb over it, but to no avail. They could not succeed because the barrier is so huge and smooth. They began to dig, and they have been digging for centuries; they will continue to do so until the time when Allah decrees that they come out. At that time the barrier will collapse, and Gog and Magog will rush out in all directions, spreading corruption, uprooting plants, and killing people. When Jesus (AS) prays against them, Allah will send a kind of worm in the napes of their necks, and they will be killed by it.

The Destruction of the Ka’bah.

At the end of time, Dzzul-Suwaiqatain [2], who will come from Abyssinia (al-Habash), will destroy the Ka'bah in order to steal its treasure and Kiswah (cloth covering). The Ka'bah is the ancient building which was built by Abraham, and whose foundations were laid by Adam.

As Tafsir (interpretation) of the Ayah” Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier)" (Al-Anbiya, 21:96), it was reported from Ka'ab al-Ahbar that Dzul-Suwaiqatain will first emerge at the time of Jesus, son of Mary. Allah will send Jesus at the head of a vanguard of between seven and eight hundred. While they are marching towards Dzul-Suwaiqatain, Allah will send a breeze from the direction of Yemen, which will take the soul of every believer. Only the worst of people will be left, and they will begin to copulate like animals. Ka'b said: "At that time, the Hour will be close at hand."

'Abdallah ibn 'Amr said, "I heard the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) say, Dzul-Suwaiqatain from Abyssinia will destroy the Ka'bah and steal its treasure and Kiswah. It is as if I could see him now: he is bald-headed and has a distortion in his wrists. He will strike the Ka'bah with his spade and pick-axe'." (Ahmad)

It was reported from 'Abdallah ibn 'Umar that the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "Leave the Abyssinians alone so long as they do not disturb you, for no-one will recover the treasure of the Ka'bah except Dzu'l-Suwayqatayn from Abyssinia." (Abu Dawud, in the chapter on the prohibition of provoking the Abyssinians)

Ibn 'Abbas narrated that the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "It is as if I can see him now: he is black and his legs are widely spaced. He will destroy the Ka'abah stone by stone." (Ahmad)

The Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "The Hour will not come until a man from Qatan appears and rules the people." (Muslim; similar Hadith in Bukhari) This man could be Dhul-Suwaiqatain, someone else, because this man comes from Qahtan, while other reports say that Dhul-Suwaiqatain comes from Abyssinia; and Allah knows best.

Abu Hurairah said, "The Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'Day and night will not come to an end until a freed man called Jahjah holds sway'" (Ahmad) This could be the name of Dhul Suwaiqatain from Abyssinia; and Allah knows best.

'Umar ibn al-Khattab reported that he heard the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) say: "The people of Makkah will leave, and only a few people will pass through it. Then it will be resettled and rebuilt; then the people will leave it again, and no-one will ever return."

Madinah will remain inhabited at the time of the Dajjal.

It has been proven in the Sahih hadith, as already stated, that the Dajjal will not be able to enter Makkah and Madinah, and that there will be angels at the gates of Makkah toward him off and prevent him from entering.

It was reported from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "Neither the Dajjal nor plague will be able to enter Madinah." as mentioned above, the Dajjal will camp outside Madinah, and it will be shaken by three tremors. Every hypocrite and sinner will go out to join the Dajjal, and every believer and Muslim will stay. That day will be called the Day of Purification (Yawm al-Khalas). Most of those who go out to join the Dajjal will be women. As the Prophet said, "Verily it (Madinah) is good; its evil will be eliminated and its goodness will be obvious."

Allah SWT said:

"Women impure are for men impure, and men impure for women impure and women of purity are for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity'" (An-Nur, 24-26)

Madinah will remain inhabited during the days of the Dajjal, and during the time of Jesus son of Mary (Alaihis-Salam), until he dies and is buried there. Then it will be destroyed.

'Umar ibn al-Khattab said, "I heard the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'A rider will go around Madinah and say, There used to be many Muslims here'" (Ahmad)..

Footnotes:

1 "When he (Dajjal) sleeps, his eyes will be closed but his heart (or mind) will still be active" - means that his evil ideas will still come to him even while he is asleep.

2 Dzu'l-Suwayqatayn: al-Suwayqatayn is the diminutive of al-Sequin (legs); his legs are described as being "small" because they are thin. Thin legs are, in general, a characteristic of the Sudanese and people of the Horn of Africa.

[Via Islamic Network]

Surah Yunus (Jonah)

Introduction by Syed Abu Al-Ala Al-Maududi.


Name.

The Surah, the tenth, takes its name from V. 98, in which there is a reference to Prophet Yunus (Jonah). The name, as usual, is symbolical and does not indicate that the Surah deals with the story of Prophet Jonah.

Period of Revelation.

We learn from traditions, and this is supported by the contents of the Surah itself, that the whole of this Surah was revealed at Makkah. But there are some people who are of the opinion, that some of its verses were revealed at Al-Madinah. This is, however, a superficial view. The continuity of the theme clearly shows that this does not comprise isolated verses or discourses that were revealed at different times and on different occasions. On the contrary, it is, from the beginning to the end, a closely connected discourse which must have been revealed at one sitting. Besides this, the nature of its theme is itself a clear proof that the Surah belongs to the Makkan period.

Time of Revelation.

We have no tradition in regard to the time of it's revelation, but its subject matter gives clear indication that it must have been revealed during the last stage of the Holy Prophet's residence at Makkah. For the mode of the discourse suggests that at the time of its revelation, the antagonism of the opponents of the Message had become so intense that they could not tolerate even the presence of the Holy Prophet and his followers among themselves, and that things had come to such a pass as to leave no hope that they would ever understand and accept the Message of the Prophet. This indicates that the last stage of the Prophet's life among thee people had come, and the final warning like the one in this Surah had to be given. These characteristics of the discourse are clear proof that it was revealed during the last stage of the Movement at Makkah.

Another thing that determines more specifically the order of the Surahs of the last stage at Makkah is the mention (or absence) of some open or covert hint about Hijrah (Emigration) from Makkah. As this Surah does not contain any hint whatsoever about this, it is a proof that it preceded those surahs which contain it. Now that we have specified the time of its revelation, there is no need of repeating its historical background because that has already been stated in Surahs VI and VII.

Subject.

This discourse deals with the invitation to the Message, admonition and warning. In the very introductory verses, the invitation has been extended like this:-

"The people consider it a strange thing that this Message is being conveyed by a human being and charge him with sorcery, whereas there is nothing strange in it nor has it any connection with sorcery or sooth saying. It simply informs you of two realities.

First, Allah, Who has created the universe and manages it, is, in fact, your Master and Lord, and He alone is entitled to your worship.

The second reality is that after the life in this world, there will be another life in the Next World, where you shall have to render full account of the life of this world and be rewarded or punished according to whether you adopted the righteous attitude as required by Him after acknowledging Him as your Masters or acted against His will.

Both of these realities, which the Messenger is presenting before you, are "realities" in themselves whether you acknowledge them as such or not. He is inviting you to accept these and regulate your lives in accordance with them; if you accept these, you will have a very blessed end; otherwise join shall meet with evil consequences."

Topics

After the introduction, the following topics have been dealt with in an appropriate order:-

Proofs of the doctrines of Tauhid, Providence and Life-after-death have been given by such arguments as may satisfy the minds and hearts of those who listen to the Message without prejudice and bigotry with the sole intention of safeguarding themselves against deviation and its evil results and not for the sake of seeking opportunities for useless discussions.

Those misunderstandings which were (and always are) hindering people from accepting the doctrines of Tauhid and the Hereafter, have been removed and they have been warned to guard against those negligences that stand in their way.

Those doubts have been removed and answers to those objections given which were being raised about the Prophethood of Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) and the Message brought by him.

Graphic descriptions of the life in the Hereafter have been presented in order to warn the people beforehand so that they should mend their ways here and be not sorry afterwards for their conduct in this world.

They have been admonished and warned that the life in this world is really a test and a trial, and that the time allowed for it is only up to the last moment of the earthly life, and that this is the only opportunity that shall be given to them for accepting the Message and achieving success in the test. Therefore, they should make the best use of the opportunity that has been provided for them by the appointment of Prophet Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) for their guidance and obtain the true knowledge of the Reality from the Quran that is being sent down to him. Otherwise, they shall be remorseful for ever and ever.

Their attention has been drawn to some of their acts of manifest ignorance and deviation which were the direct result of discarding Divine Guidance from their lives. In this connection, the story of Prophet Noah has been related in brief and that of Prophet Moses in detail in order to impress four things on the minds:

First, "As your behavior towards Prophet Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) is like that of the peoples of Prophet Noah and Prophet Moses towards them, you should know it for certain that you also shall meet with the same consequences which they met with."

Secondly, "You should not be deluded into believing by the helpless and weak condition of the Prophet and his followers, you are witnessing today, that it will always remain like this. You should know that the same All-Powerful Allah Who supported Prophets Moses and Aaron, is supporting them and that He changes the circumstances in such a sudden and thorough manner that none can foresee it."

Thirdly, "If you do not make use of the term that has been granted to you by Allah and mend your ways now, and postpone this to the last moment like followers of the Holy Prophet have been reassured that they should not lose heart because of the severity of the circumstances created by their opponents, especially at the time when they themselves were in an utterly helpless condition. They have also been given instructions as to how they should carry on their Mission under those harsh conditions. Moreover, they have been warned to be on their guard against the kind of behavior which was adopted by the Israelites, when they were rescued by Allah from the tyranny of the People of Pharaoh.

At the end of the Surah, the Holy Prophet has been commanded to make a declaration to this effect: "This is the Creed and this is the rule of conduct that has been prescribed for me by Allah: no change can be made at all in this: whoso will accept this will do so for his own good and whoso will reject this will do so at his own peril."

Confirmation of the Islamic Message.

Sayyid Qutb


In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent

Now when the truth has come to them from Us, they say: “Why has he not been given the like of what Moses was given?” But did they not deny the truth of what Moses was formerly given? Indeed they said: “These are two kinds of sorcery, each supporting the other.” And they add: “We reject both of them.”

Say: “Produce, then, a Book from God which would offer better guidance than these two and I shall follow it, if what you say be true! (49)

But if they do not respond to you, then know that they are following only their own whims. Who could be more astray than one who follows his own whims without any guidance from God. Certainly God does not guide those who are wrongdoing. (50)

We have indeed caused this word (of Ours) to reach them so that they may reflect. (51)

(The Story, Al-Qasas: 28: 48-51)

In its first comments on Moses’ story, the surah refers to the objections made by the unbelievers in Makkah to the fact that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) should have been given the like of what Moses was given. Clearly, their objections were dishonest. Hence, the Qur’an puts the following question to them: “But did they not deny the truth of what Moses was formerly given?” (Verse 48) There were Jews in Arabia who had the Torah, but the Arabs neither accepted this nor believed in it. They were also aware that the Torah gives a clear description of Muhammad. They also sought the advice of some followers of earlier religions asking them about Muhammad’s message. In turn, those learned ones answered them that it was true, fully consistent with their own revelations. Yet still the idolaters would not accept such assertions. They claimed that both the Torah and the Qur’an were magic; hence, each confirmed the other: “Indeed they said: ‘These are two kinds of sorcery, each supporting the other.’ And they add: ‘We reject both of them.’” (Verse 48) It is all, then, argument for argument’s sake. It has nothing to do with the proper pursuit of the truth, nor with proper evidence to confirm it.

Nevertheless, the Qur’an takes a further step to put the truth before them. It says: If you like neither the Qur’an nor the Torah, then show me a divine writ which provides better guidance than these two books and I will follow it: “Say: ‘Produce, then, a Book from God which would offer better guidance than these two and I shall follow it, if what you say be true!” (Verse 49) Nothing, then, could be fairer. Whoever rejects the truth after this is merely being obstinate, following his own desire with little concern about evidence to support his position:

But if they do not respond to you, then know that they are following only their own whims. Who could be more astray than one who follows his own whims without any guidance from God. Certainly God does not guide those who are wrongdoing. (Verse 50)

The truth is clear in this Qur’an, and the argument Islam presents is clear and powerful. Anyone who knows Islam well but who still rejects it is only doing so because he prefers to pursue his own desires. There are only two ways: Either commitment to the truth which breaks the grip of desire, and leads to submission and acceptance of the faith, or evading the truth and pursuing desire, which means rejecting the truth and denying faith. The unbelievers cannot present any argument on the basis of ambiguity, confusion or lack of proof. “But if they do not respond to you, then know that they are following only their own whims.” (Verse 50) This is a fact that allows no argument as it is clearly stated by God. Those who do not respond positively to this faith pursue their own desire and self-interest. They have no excuse. They offer no sound argument as they turn away from the truth.

“Who could be more astray than one who follows his own whims without any guidance from God.” (Verse 50) In this they are also transgressors and wrongdoers: “Certainly God does not guide those who are wrongdoing.” (Verse 50)

The Qur’an leaves no excuse for those who claim that they have not understood its message, or who claim that they do not comprehend Islam. Once this faith is presented and explained to them, all argument ceases and excuses are futile. The Qur’an is indeed the epitome of clarity. No one denies it except those who are deliberate wrongdoers: They wrong themselves and are unjust to the truth. As such they do not deserve divine guidance: “God does not guide those who are wrongdoing.” (Verse 50) As the message is given to them, the issues are set out clearly and no excuse can be made for turning away: “We have indeed caused this word (of Ours) to reach them so that they may reflect.” (Verse 51)

The surah now begins a new round, presenting the case of those who sincerely look for the truth and abide by it. They have clear minds, sound approach and sincere intentions. These are a group from the people of earlier revelations who came to know of the Qur’an. The Qur’an thus tells of how they approached it once they had heard it.

“Those to whom We sent the Book before this believe in it, and when it is recited to them, they say: ‘We believe in it, for it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed even before this have we submitted ourselves to Him.’ These are the ones who shall be given their reward twice for having been patient in adversity, having repelled evil with good, and having spent in charity out of what We have provided for them. And whenever they hear frivolous talk they turn away from it and say: ‘To us our deeds and to you yours. Peace be to you! We will have nothing to do with ignorant folk.’” (Verses 52-55)

We will discuss these verses next time, God willing, when we will relate the story of those people of earlier revelations who came to see the Prophet in Makkah and declared themselves believers.

The Dajjal

Imam Ibn Kathîr


Ibn 'Omar said, "The Prophet SAW mentioned the Dajjal to the people. He said, "Allah is not one-eyed, but the Dajjal is blind in his right eye, and his eye is like a floating grape.'" (Muslim)

Anas Ibn Malik said, "The Prophet SAW said, 'there has never been a Prophet who did not warn his people against that one-eyed liar. Verily he is one-eyed and your Lord is not one-eyed. On his forehead will be written the letter Kaf, Fa, Ra (Kafir).'" (Muslim, Bukhari)

Hudhayfah said, "The Prophet SAW said, 'I know more about the powers which the Dajjal will have than he will know himself. He will have two flowing rivers: one will appear to be pure water, and the other will appear to be flaming fire. Whosoever lives to see that, let him choose the river which seems to be fire, then let him close his eyes, lower his head and drink from it, for it will be cold water. The Dajjal will be one-eyed; the place where one eye should be will be covered by a piece of skin. On his forehead will be written the word Kafir, and every believer, whether literate or illiterate, will be able to read it.'" (Muslim)

Abu Hurairah said, "The Prophet SAW said, 'Shall I tell you something about the Dajjal which no Prophet has ever told his people before me? The Dajjal is one-eyed and will bring with him something which will resemble Paradise and Hell; but that which he calls Paradise will in fact be Hell. I warn you against him as Noah warned his people against him.'" (Bukhari, Muslim)

Mohammad ibn Munkadir said: "I saw Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah swearing by Allah that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal, so I asked him, 'Do you swear by Allah?' He said, 'I heard 'Omar swear to that effect in the presence of the Prophet, and the Prophet did not disapprove of it.'"

Some 'ulama' (scholars) say that some of the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) believed Ibn Sayyad to be the greater Dajjal, but that is not the case: Ibn Sayyad was a lesser dajjal.

Ibn Sayyad travelled between Makkah and Madinah with Abu Sa'id, and complained to him about the way that people were saying that he was the Dajjal. Then he said to Abu Sa'id,

"Did not the Prophet say that the Dajjal would not enter Madinah? I was born there. Did not he say that he would not have any children? - I have children. Did not he say that he would be a Kafir? - I have embraced Islam. Of all the people, I know the most about him: I know where he is now. If I were given the opportunity to be in his place, I would not resent it.'" (Bukhari, Muslim)

'Abdullah ibn 'Umar said, "The Prophet SAW said, 'While I was asleep, I saw myself a dream performing Tawaf (circumambulation) around the Ka'abah. I saw a ruddy man with lank hair and water dripping from his head. I said, 'Who is he?" and they said, "The son of Mary." Then I turned around and saw another man with a huge body, red complexion, curly hair and one eye. His other eye looked like a floating grape. They said, "This is the Dajjal." The one who most resembles him is Ibn Qatan, a man from the tribe of al-Khuza'ah'." (Bukhari, Muslim).

Jabir ibn 'Abdallah said, "The Prophet SAW said, 'The Dajjal will appear at the end of time, when religion is taken lightly. He will have 40 days in which to travel throughout the earth. One of these days will be like a year, another will be like a month, a third will be like a week, and the rest will be like normal days. He will be riding a donkey; the width between its ears will be 40 cubits. He will say to the people: "I am your lord." He is one-eyed, but your Lord is not one-eyed. On his forehead will be written the word Kafir, and every believer, literate or illiterate, will be able to read it. He will go everywhere except Makkah and Madinah, which Allah has forbidden to him; angels stand at their gates. He will have a mountain of bread, and the people will face hardship, except for those who follow him. He will have two rivers, and I know what is in them. He will call one Paradise and one Hell. Whoever enters the one he calls Paradise will find that it is Hell, and whoever enters the one he calls Hell will find that it is Paradise. Allah will send with him devils who will speak to the people. He will bring a great tribulation; he will issue a command to the sky and it will seem to the people as if it is raining. Then he will appear to kill someone and bring him back to life. After that he will no longer have this power. The people will say, "Can anybody do something like this except the Lord?" The Muslims will flee to Jabal al-Dukhan in Syria, and the Dajjal will come and besiege them. The siege will intensify and they will suffer great hardship. Then Jesus son of Mary will descend, and will call the people at dawn: "O people, what prevented you from coming out to fight this evil liar?" They will answer, "He is a Jinn." Then they will go out, and find Jesus son of Mary. The time for prayer will come, and the Muslims will call on Jesus to lead the prayer, but he will say, "Let your Imam lead the prayer." Their Imam will lead them in praying Solat al-Subuh (Morning prayer), then they will go out to fight the Dajjal. When the liar sees Jesus, he will dissolve like salt in water. Jesus will go to him and kill him, and he will not let anyone who followed him live'." (Ahmad).

Warnings against the Dajjal.

The Hadith of Al-Nuwas ibn Sam'an Al-Kilabi

Al-Nuwas ibn Saman said, "One morning the Prophet SAW spoke about the Dajjal. Sometimes he described him as insignificant, and sometimes he described him as so dangerous that we thought he was in the clump of date-palms nearby. When we went to him later on, he noticed that fear in our faces, and asked, 'What is the matter with you?’ We said, 'O Messenger of Allah, this morning you spoke of the Dajjal; sometimes you described him as insignificant, and sometimes you described him as being so dangerous that we thought he was in the clump of date-palms nearby.’ The Prophet SAW said, 'I fear for you in other matters besides the Dajjal. If he appears whilst I am among you, I will contend with him on your behalf. But if he appears while I am not among you, then each man must contend with him on his own behalf, and Allah will take care of every Muslim on my behalf. The Dajjal will be a young man, with short, curly hair, and one eye floating. I would liken him to 'Abd al-Uzza ibn Qatan. Whoever amongst you lives to see him should recite the opening Ayat of Surat al-Kahf. He will appear on the way between Syria and Iraq, and will create disaster left and right. O servants of Allah, adhere to the Path of Truth.’

We said, 'O Messenger of Allah, for the day which is like a year, will one days prayers be sufficient? He said, 'No, you must make an estimate of the time, and then observe the prayers.’

We asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, how quickly will he walk upon the earth? He said, 'Like a cloud driven by the wind. He will come to the people and call them (to a false religion), and they will believe in him and respond to him. He will issue a command to the sky, and it will rain; and to the earth, and it will produce crops. After grazing on these crops, their animals will return with their udders full of milk and their flanks stretched. Then he will come to another people and will call them (to a false religion), but they will reject his call. He will depart from them; they will suffer famine and will possess nothing in the form of wealth. Then he will pass through the wasteland and will say, 'Bring forth your treasures, and the treasures will come forth, like swarms of bees. Then he will call a man brimming with youth; he will strike him with a sword and cut him in two, then place the two pieces at the distance between an archer and his target. Then he will call him, and the young man will come running and laughing.’

At that point, Allah will send the Messiah, son of Mary, and he will descend to the white minaret in the east of Damascus, wearing two garments dyed with saffron, placing his hands on the wings of two angels. When he lowers his head, beads of perspiration will fall from it, and when he raises his head, beads like pearls will scatter from it. Every Kafir who smells his fragrance will die, and his breath will reach as far as he can see. He will search for the Dajjal until he finds him at the gate of Ludd[1], where he will kill him.

Then a people whom Allah has protected will come to Jesus son of Mary, and he will wipe their faces (i.e. wipe the traces of hardship from their faces) and tell them of their status in Paradise. At that time Allah will reveal to Jesus: "I have brought forth some of My servants whom no-one will be able to fight. Take My servants safely to Al-Tur."

Then Allah will send Gog and Magog, and they will swarm down from every slope. The first of them will pass by the Lake of Tiberias, and will drink some of its water; the last of them will pass by it and say, "There used to be water here." Jesus, the Prophet of Allah, and his Companions will be besieged until a bull's head will be dearer to them than one hundred dinars are to you nowadays.

Then Jesus and his Companions will pray to Allah, and He will send insects who will bite the people of Gog and Magog on their necks, so that in the morning they will all perish as one. Then Jesus and his Companions will come down and will not find any nook or cranny on earth which is free from their putrid stench. Jesus and his Companions will again pray to Allah, Who will send birds like the necks of camels; they will seize the bodies of Gog and Magog and throw them wherever Allah wills. Then Allah will send rain which no house or tent will be able to keep out, and the earth will be cleansed, until it will look like a mirror. Then the earth will be told to bring forth its fruit and restore its blessing. On that day, a group of people will be able to eat from a single pomegranate and seek shelter under its skin (i.e. the fruit would be so big). A milch camel will give so much milk that a whole party will be able to drink from it; a cow will give so much milk that a whole tribe will be able to drink from it; and a milch-sheep will give so much milk that a whole family will be able to drink from it. At that time, Allah will send a pleasant wind which will soothe them even under their armpits, and will take the soul of every Muslim. Only the most wicked people will be left, and they will fornicate like asses; then the Last Hour will come upon them." (Muslim)

Hadith Narrated From Abu Umamah Al-Bahili

Abu Umamah al-Bahili said, "The Prophet SAW delivered a speech to us, most of which dealt with the Dajjal and warned us against him. He said, 'No tribulation on earth since the creation of Adam will be worse than the tribulation of the Dajjal. Allah has never sent a Prophet who did not warn his Ummah against the Dajjal. I am the last of the Prophets, and you are the last Ummah. The Dajjal is emerging among you and it is inevitable. If he appears while I am still among you, I will contend with him on behalf of every Muslim. But if he appears after I am gone, then every person must contend with him on his own behalf. He will appear on the way between Syria and Iraq, and will spread disaster right and left. O servants of Allah adhere to the path of Truth. I shall describe him for you in a way that no Prophet has ever done before.

He will start by saying that he is a Prophet, but there will be no Prophet after me. Then he will say, "I am your Lord," but you will never see your Lord until you die. The Dajjal is one-eyed, but your Lord, glorified be He, is not one-eyed. On his forehead will be written the word Kafir, which every Muslim, literate or illiterate, will be able to read. Among the tr he will bring will be the Paradise and Hell he will offer; but that which he calls Hell will be Paradise, and that which he calls Paradise will be Hell. Whoever enters his Hell, let him seek refuge with Allah and recite the opening Ayat of Surah al-Kahf, and it will become cool and peaceful for him, as the fire became cool and peaceful for Abraham.

He will say to a Bedouin, What do you think if I bring your father and mother back to life for you? Will you bear witness that I am your lord? The Bedouin will say Yes, so two devils will assume the appearance of his father and mother, and will say, "O my son, follow him for he is your lord."

He will be given power over one person, whom he will kill and cut in two with a saw. Then he will say, 'Look at this slave of mine, now I will resurrect him, but he will still claim that he has a Lord other than me. Allah will resurrect him, and this evil man (the Dajjal) will say to him, 'Who is your Lord?’ The man will answer, 'My Lord is Allah, and you are the enemy of Allah. You are the Dajjal. By Allah, I have never been more sure of this than I am today.’

Abu Said said, "The Prophet SAW said, 'That man will have the highest status among my Ummah in Paradise."

Abu Said said, "By Allah, we never thought that that man would be any other than 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, until he passed away."

Al-Muharibi said: "Then we referred to the Hadith of Abu Rafii, which said, 'Part of his Fitnah will be the fact that he will pass through an area whose people will deny him, and none of their livestock will remain alive. Then he will pass through a second area whose people will believen him; he will order the sky to rain and the earth to bring forth crops, and their flocks will return from grazing fatter than they have ever been, with their flanks stretched, their udders full. He will pass through every place on earth - except Makkah and Madinah, which he will never enter, for there are angels guarding every gate of them with unsheathed swords - until he reaches al-Zarib Al-Ahmar and camps at the edge of the salt-marsh. Madinah will be shaken by three tremors, after which every Munafiq (hypocrite) will leave it, and it will be cleansed of evil, as iron is cleansed of dross. That day will be called Yawm al-Khalas (The Day of Purification)."

Umm Sharik bint Abil-Akr said, "O Messenger of Allah, where will the Arabs be at that time?" He said, "At that time they will be few; most of them will be in Baitul-Maqdis (Jerusalem), and their Imam will be a righteous man. Whilst their Imam is going forward to lead the people in praying Solat al-Subuh (the morning prayer), Jesus son of Mary will descend. The Imam will step back, to let Jesus lead the people in prayer, but Jesus will place his hand between the mans shoulders and say, 'Go forward and lead the prayer, for the Iqamah was made for you. So the Imam will lead the people in prayer, and afterwards Jesus (alaihissalam) will say, 'Open the gate. The gate will be opened, and behind it will be the Dajjal and a thousand Jews, each of them bearing a sword and shield. When the Dajjal sees Jesus, he will begin to dissolve like salt in water, and will run away.

Jesus a.s will say, 'You will remain alive until I strike you with my sword. He will catch up with him at the eastern gate of Ludd[1] and will kill him. The Jews will be deflated with the help of Allah. There will be no place for them to hide; they will not be able to hide behind any stone, wall, animal or tree - except the boxthorn (al-Gharqarah) - without saying, 'O Muslim servant of Allah! here is a Jew, come and kill him!"

The Prophet SAW said, "The time of the Dajjal will be forty years; one year like half a year, one year like a month, and one month like a week. The rest of his days will pass so quickly that if one of you were at one of the gates of Madinah, he would not reach the other gate before evening fell."

Someone asked, "O Messenger of Allah, how will we pray in those shorter days?" He said, "Work out the times of prayer in the same way that you do in these longer days, and then pray." The Prophet SAW said, "Jesus son of Mary will be a just administrator and leader of my Ummah. He will break the cross, kill the pigs, and abolish the Jizyah (tax on non-Muslims). He will not collect the Sadaqah,[2] so he will not collect sheep and camels. Mutual enmity and hatred will disappear. Every harmful animal will be made harmless, so that a small boy will be able to put his hand into a snakes mouth without being harmed, a small girl will be able to make a lion run away from her, and a wolf will go among sheep as if he were a sheepdog. The earth will be filled with peace as a container is filled with water. People will be in complete agreement, and only Allah will be worshipped. Wars will cease, and the authority of Quraish will be taken away. The earth will be like a silver basin, and will produce fruits so abundantly that a group of people will gather to eat a bunch of grapes or one pomegranate and will be satisfied. A bull will be worth so much money, but a horse will be worth only a few dirhams."

Someone asked, "O Messenger of Allah, why will a horse be so cheap?" He said, "Because it will never be ridden in war." He was asked, "Why will the bull be so expensive?" He said, "Because it will plough the earth. For three years before the Dajjal emerges, the people will suffer severe hunger. In the first year, Allah will order the sky to withhold a third of its rain, and the earth to withhold two-thirds of its fruits. In the third year, He will order the sky to withhold all of its rain, and the earth to withhold all of its fruits, so that nothing green will grow. Every cloven-hoofed creature will die except for whatever Allah wills." Someone asked, "How will the people live at that time?" He said, "By saying La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar, Subhan Allah and Al-Hamdu-lillah. This will be like food for them."

The Prophet SAW said, "The Dajjal will come forth, and one of the Believers will go towards him. The armed men of the Dajjal will ask him, 'Where are you going? He will say, 'I am going to this one who has come forth. They will say, 'Kill him!’ Then some of them will say to the others, 'Hasnt your lord [ie the Dajjal] forbidden you to kill anyone without his permission?’ So they will take him to the Dajjal, and when the Believer sees him, he will say, 'O People, this is the Dajjal whom the Prophet s.a.w told us about. Then the Dajjal will order them to seize him and wound him in the head; they will inflict blows all over, even in his back and stomach. The Dajjal will ask him, 'Dont you believe in me?’ He will say, 'You are a false Messiah.’ The Dajjal will order that he be sawn in two from the parting of his hair to his legs; then he will walk between the two pieces. Then he will say 'Stand! and the man will stand up. The Dajjal will say to him, 'Dont you believe in me?’ The believer will say, 'It has only increased my understanding that you are the Dajjal.’ Then he will say, 'O people! He will not treat anyone else in such a manner after me.’ The Dajjal will seize him to slaughter him, but the space between his neck and collar-bone will be turned into copper, and the Dajjal will not be able to do anything to him. He will take the man by his arms and legs and throw him away; the people will believe that he has been thrown into Hell, whereas in fact he will have been thrown into Paradise." The Prophet SAW said, "He will be the greatest of martyrs in the sight of Allah, the Lord of the Worlds." (Muslim). © Islamic Network.

Good Manners (Al-Adab).

1. Narrated byAbu Huraira, The Prophet Muhammad said:

"Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales;

and do not look for the others' faults

and do not spy,

and do not be jealous of one another,

and do not desert (severe your relation with) one another,

and do not hate one another;

and O Allah's worshipers! Be brothers (as Allah has ordered you!) "

[Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73, Number 90]

2. Narrated byAnas bin Malik, The Allah's Apostle said:

"Do not hate one another,

and do not be jealous of one another,

and do not desert each other, and O, Allah's worshipers! Be brothers. Lo! It is not permissible for any Muslim to desert (not talk to) his brother (Muslim) for more than three days."

[Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73, Number 91]

3. Narrated by Abu Huraira, The Allah's Apostle said:

"Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales.

and do not look for the others' faults,

and do not do spying on one another,

and do not practice Najsh,

and do not be jealous of one another

and do not hate one another,

and do not desert (stop talking to) one another.
And O, Allah's worshipers! Be brothers!"

[Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73, Number 92]

Consequence of Arrogance

  Consequence of Arrogance

In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All the praise and thanks is due to Allāh. Peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

 1. Narrated on the authority of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud that the Apostle of Allah (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) , said:

 "He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride [arrogance] shall not enter Paradise."

[Sahih Muslim]

A person (amongst his hearers) said: Verily a person loves that his dress should be fine, and his shoes should be fine.

He (the Holy Prophet(Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) ) remarked:

"Verily, Allah is Graceful and He loves Grace. Arrogance is disdaining the truth (out of self-conceit) and contempt for the people."

[Sahih Muslim,  0164]

2. Narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said:

"None shall enter the Fire (of Hell) who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of Iman and none shall enter Paradise who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride."

[Sahih Muslim 0165]

3. Narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah that the Apostle of Allah (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said:

He who as in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise.

[Sahih Muslim 0166]

And Allāh Almighty Knows best.