Dajjal, The greatest tribulation of the end times

The Dajjal (Antichrist) and Its Fitna (Trial) in Islamic Narrations

In Islamic narrations, particularly those transmitted through the Sunni schools of thought from the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH), there is mention of a fitna (trial) described as the greatest fitna of the End Times. According to these narrations, since the beginning of Adam’s creation until the Day of Judgment, no fitna like it has ever occurred. This great event and terrifying fitna is referred to in the narrations as the “Emergence of the Dajjal” (Antichrist).

Although numerous narrations have been reported concerning the characteristics, actions, and behavior of the Dajjal,¹ it must be admitted that comprehending all aspects of this subject is not easily possible, nor can one achieve a complete and unambiguous picture of this strange and unparalleled phenomenon. Nevertheless, considering the necessity of recognizing this end-time event and the importance of preparing to confront this global fitna, this article, utilizing narrations, will explain some aspects of the fitna of the Dajjal.

1. The Meaning and Concept of Dajjal
“Dajjal” follows the Arabic morphological pattern “fa”al,” which is an intensive form indicating that the subject performs an action frequently or extensively. Lexicons offer several possibilities for the root and meaning of this word, some of which are mentioned here:

a) The word Dajjal is derived from “Dujayl,” meaning “tar” (Qatran).² It is noteworthy that the Arabs in the past used to coat their camels’ bodies with a black substance called Qatran to cover their blemishes. In Arab custom, completely coating a camel’s body with this substance was called “Tadjeel.” Since the Dajjal, like tar, will cover the entire earth, he is referred to by this title.

b) The aforementioned word is derived from “Dajl,” meaning “lie” and “deception.” The reason for naming the Dajjal this is that he claims divinity, and this act is the greatest of lies.

c) The root of the word Dajjal is “Dajl,” meaning “to roll up” or “to traverse.” This name is given to the Dajjal because he will traverse most regions of the world and bring them under his dominion.

d) Dajjal is derived from “Tadjeel,” meaning “covering” or “concealing.” He is called by this name because he conceals people with his disbelief, or covers the earth with the multitude of his armies, or covers the truth with falsehood.

e) This word is taken from “Tadjeel,” which means “to gild” or “overlay with gold” for the purpose of deception. According to this view, the reason for naming the Dajjal is that he makes falsehood appear as truth through his lies and deceit, and by expressing the opposite of what is in his heart, he causes people to be deceived.

f) The word Dajjal is derived from “Dujal,” meaning “gold” or “gold water” (gilding); because wherever the Dajjal steps, treasures of gold accompany him.

g) The root of this word is “Dajjalah,” meaning “a large group of fellow travelers.” He is named thus because he will cover the entire earth with his numerous followers.

h) This word is taken from “Dijal,” meaning “dung”; because the Dajjal, like dung, will pollute the expanse of the earth with his deeds.³

The author of the lexicon “Taj al-‘Arus,” after quoting the aforementioned opinions, writes: “The compiler has well explained all the possible aspects, but the most correct and best aspect is that which said: Dajjal means a great liar, and his lie includes sorcery, deception, slander, concealing the truth, and expressing matters not in his heart.”⁴ It is worth noting that the author of the book ‘Alam-e-Quran has expressed another possible root for the word Dajjal, which is worth considering. He writes in this regard: “In the author’s view, Dajjal is a compound word, and its ‘al’ and ‘lam’ are the same ‘al’ and ‘lam’ found in names like Daniel and Ezekiel, meaning ‘God’. The first part, whatever it may be, means adversary, opponent, and enemy, and it is not unlikely that it shares a root with ‘Daj’ (meaning evil/false in Persian concept), ‘Doshman’ (enemy), and ‘Doshvar’ (difficult).”⁵ Although this view contains original points, finding support for it among lexicographers is difficult.

2. The Dajjal in Narrations
By taking a cursory look at the collection of narrations concerning the emergence of the Dajjal and related events, we encounter numerous topics and headings, a comprehensive examination of which requires deep and extensive research. In this brief space, we will examine some of these topics and headings.

a) The Inevitability of the Dajjal’s Emergence: Numerous narrations emphasize the inevitability of the Dajjal’s emergence as one of the events of the End Times or signs of the Hour (Day of Judgment). For instance, in a narration quoted by Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (AS) from the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH), we read: “Before the Hour [of Judgment], there are ten inevitable events: [the emergence of] the Sufyani, [the emergence of] the Dajjal, and…”.⁶
In some narrations, the inevitability of the Dajjal’s emergence is likened to the inevitability of the appearance of Imam Mahdi (AS), and its denial is considered disbelief. Among these is the following prophetic narration: “Whoever denies the emergence of the Mahdi has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad, and whoever denies the descent of Jesus has disbelieved, and whoever denies the emergence of the Dajjal has disbelieved.”⁷

b) The Greatness of the Dajjal’s Fitna: Many narrations emphasize that the fitna of the Dajjal is great and unparalleled. According to one such narration, the Great Prophet (PBUH) said in one of his sermons:
“O people! There has been no fitna on earth greater than the fitna of the Dajjal. Indeed, Almighty God has not sent any prophet except that he warned his nation about him.”⁸ In another narration on the same subject, the Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said: “From the creation of Adam (peace be upon him) until the establishment of the Hour, there has been no matter greater than the Dajjal.”⁹

c) Warning of All Prophets About the Dajjal’s Emergence:
The danger of the Dajjal to human societies is so widespread and destructive that all divine prophets have warned about it and cautioned their followers against him. The Holy Prophet of Islam said in this regard: “There was no prophet except that he warned his followers about the Dajjal.”¹⁰

d) The Necessity of Seeking Refuge in God from the Evil of the Dajjal: Numerous narrations recommend seeking refuge in God from the evil of the Dajjal’s fitna. Among them, a narration from the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) states: “When any of you finishes the final Tashahhud, let him seek refuge [with God] from four things: from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the trial of life and death, and from the evil of the Messiah, the Dajjal.”¹¹ Some narrations also offer recommendations for being safe from the evil of the Dajjal’s fitna. For example, one prophetic narration reads: “Whoever memorizes the first ten verses of Surah al-Kahf will be protected from the fitna of the Dajjal.”¹²

e) Characteristics of the Dajjal: Before examining the characteristics enumerated for the Dajjal in narrations, it is necessary to note that in Shia hadith sources, unlike Sunni sources, the topic of the Dajjal has been addressed less frequently. To the extent that in books like “Al-Kafi” by Thiqat al-Islam Kulayni (RA), “Kitab al-Ghaybah” by Nu’mani (RA), and “Al-Irshad” by Shaykh Mufid (RA), which contain numerous narrations about the signs of the appearance (of Imam Mahdi), not even one narration about the Dajjal is found. The total number of narrations on this topic in “Kamal al-Din wa Tamam al-Ni’mah” by Shaykh Saduq (RA) and “Kitab al-Ghaybah” by Shaykh Tusi (RA) does not reach ten. Furthermore, most of the narrations transmitted through Sunni sources about the Dajjal and his characteristics suffer from weak chains of transmission (sanad) or are mixed with myth-making and the expression of strange and improbable matters.

Given the above, some contemporary authors have doubted the very existence of the Dajjal or his specific characteristics, and ultimately believe that the characteristics attributed to the Dajjal are symbolic and metaphorical, and do not apply to a specific person or entity. Sayyid Muhammad Sadr, after listing twelve characteristics of the Dajjal based on narrations, writes in his examination of these traits: “Undoubtedly, if we disregard the symbolic and metaphorical meanings of these expressions, we cannot accept any of them, nor can we consider them correct; because from the perspective of criteria for chain of transmission, most of them are solitary reports (Ahad) that are not reliable, and even if we disregard the chain of transmission criteria, we see that these narrations attribute miraculous matters to the Dajjal, despite him being an infidel, rebellious, and tyrannical person – and we have previously said that the occurrence of a miracle from an infidel is impossible… Given these weaknesses, the matter is limited to two possibilities: either we must reject all these reports, or we must interpret them in a symbolic and metaphorical sense, contrary to their apparent meaning, and it is clear that interpreting them symbolically is better than discarding and rejecting them.”¹³

Another contemporary author, after presenting the narrations about the Dajjal, expresses doubt about them and writes: “The root of the Dajjal story should be found in the Bible and Christian teachings. Afterwards, most of its hadiths and details are found in Sunni books and through their chains. In any case, the original story of the Dajjal, in brief, is not unlikely to be authentic, but the definitions and descriptions provided about him lack a reliable basis. So, assuming the original story of the Dajjal is authentic, it has undoubtedly been mixed with myths and lost its true form.”¹⁴

The author of the book “Yawm al-Khalas” (The Day of Deliverance) also writes before examining the narrations related to the Dajjal: “The author has not reached a definitive conclusion regarding the Dajjal; because the narrations reported about the Dajjal are mostly not reliable, and within them are matters that are certainly fabricated, and their text testifies that they are not the words of an Infallible. In these hadiths, the taste and disposition of the fabricators have had an effect; they were fabricated according to their preferences and tastes, and what was actually transmitted from the Noble Messenger of Islam (PBUH) has been lost among the fabricated hadiths of the caliphate apparatus, and distinguishing them seems very difficult.”¹⁵

After this introduction, we will examine the most important apparent and behavioral characteristics of the Dajjal. According to narrations, being an infidel, claiming divinity, traversing the entire world, having a long life, being one-eyed, etc., are among the most important characteristics of the Dajjal. To clarify these features, we will examine several narrations reported on this subject.

In one prophetic hadith, the Dajjal is described as follows: “I have spoken to you about the Dajjal, and I fear that you may not comprehend (the full extent of) it. The Messiah, the Dajjal, is a short man with bow legs, curly hair, and one eye. His other eye is completely obliterated, with neither protrusion nor indentation remaining. If his matter becomes ambiguous to you, know that your Lord is not one-eyed, and you will never see your Lord until you die.”¹⁶

It is also narrated from the Great Prophet (PBUH) in this regard: “The Dajjal is a person whose left eye is blind, and between his eyes is written ‘Kafir’ (disbeliever). Over his eye is a thick fleshy growth (nail-like growth).”¹⁷ ¹⁸ In another prophetic narration, also reported in Shia hadith sources, we read about the characteristics of the Dajjal: “O people! God did not send a prophet except that he warned his people about the Dajjal, and Almighty God has delayed it for you until today. If his matter becomes ambiguous to you, know that God is not one-eyed. The Dajjal will emerge riding a donkey, the distance between whose ears is a mile. Most of his followers will be Jews, women, and Bedouins. He will enter every corner of the earth except Mecca and its two precincts, and Medina and its two precincts.”¹⁹

In a narration reported from Amir al-Mu’minin (AS), in response to Asbagh ibn Nubatah, who asked him about the characteristics of the Dajjal, he (AS) said: “The Dajjal is Sa’id (or Sayyad) ibn Sayyad. Wretched is the one who believes him, and blessed is the one who denies him. He will emerge from a city called Isfahan, from a village known as Yahudiyyah. His right eye is blind (effaced), and his other eye, which is on his forehead, shines as if it were the morning star, and in it is a clot mixed with blood. Between his eyes is written ‘Kafir,’ which every scribe and illiterate person can read. He will descend into the seas, the sun moves with him. Before him is a mountain of smoke, and behind him is a white mountain which people think is food. He will emerge during a severe drought, riding a white donkey, the distance of each step being a mile. The earth will be rolled up beneath him, stage by stage. He will not pass by any water source except that it will dry up until the Day of Judgment. He will call out in a loud voice that will be heard by jinn, humans, and devils in the east and west of the world: ‘O my friends! Come to me! I am the one who created, proportioned, measured, and guided. I am your most high Lord.’ While that enemy of God is lying. He is one-eyed, eats food, and walks in the markets. Your Lord is not one-eyed, does not eat food, does not walk, and has no decline.”²⁰

f) The Ultimate Fate of the Dajjal: Regarding the ultimate fate of the Dajjal and by whose hand he will be destroyed, we encounter two groups of narrations. One group emphasizes that the Dajjal will be killed by Imam Mahdi (AS), while another group mentions Prophet Jesus (AS) as the killer of the Dajjal.

In the first narration of the first group, reported from Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (AS), we read in this regard: “Know that most of his followers are illegitimate children and people wearing green Taylasan (a type of cloak)²¹ (or Jews). God will destroy him at the mountain pass of Afiq,²² by the hand of the one behind whom Jesus, son of Mary (AS), prays, three hours past on Friday.”²³

Imam Sadiq (AS) also said in this regard: “The day of Nowruz (Persian New Year) is the day on which God will grant victory to our Qa’im from the Ahl al-Bayt and the final Guardian of the Cause over the Dajjal, and he will crucify him in the Kanasah of Kufa.”²⁴ In one of the narrations from the second group, quoted from the Great Prophet (PBUH), it is stated: “While he is in such a state, God, the Almighty, will raise the Messiah, son of Mary (AS). He will descend near the white minaret on the eastern side of Damascus, wearing a yellow garment, placing his hands on the wings of two angels. He will pursue him until he catches him near the eastern gate of Ludd²⁵ and kills him.”²⁶

In this regard, it is also narrated from the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) that he said: “The Dajjal will emerge in my nation and will remain among them for forty days, or forty years, or forty nights, or forty months, until God raises Jesus, son of Mary (AS) – while he resembles ‘Urwah ibn Mas’ud al-Thaqafi – and he will overcome the Dajjal and destroy him.”²⁷ Given the aforementioned narrations, it is not possible to make a definitive statement about how the Dajjal will be destroyed, and we must inevitably leave its knowledge to God.

g) The Dajjal and Other False Claimants: Another point gleaned from narrations about the Dajjal is that before the emergence of the real Dajjal, numerous Dajjals or liars (Kadhdhabun) will emerge, each in some way causing people to be deceived and led astray. In a narration reported by Anas ibn Malik from the Great Prophet (PBUH), it is stated: “Before the emergence of that Dajjal, more than seventy Dajjals will emerge.”²⁸

In another narration on this subject, the Final Prophet (PBUH) said: “In the End Times, lying Dajjals will appear. They will present hadiths to you that neither you nor your fathers have heard. So beware, lest they lead you astray and deceive you.”²⁹ It is also narrated from him that he said: “Soon, in my nation, thirty liars will arise, each thinking that he is a prophet, while I am the seal of the prophets, and there is no prophet after me.”³⁰ Considering the aforementioned narrations and numerous others reported on this topic,³¹ it can be said that the Dajjal with the characteristics enumerated in this article has only one instance, and the other cases referred to as “Dajjal” in recent narrations are merely analogous to the real Dajjal in terms of making false claims and deceiving people, not that dozens of Dajjals with the unique features mentioned here will emerge in the End Times.

3. The Symbolic and Metaphorical Interpretation of the Dajjal
We mentioned that some researchers, considering the problems in the Dajjal narrations, interpret these narrations symbolically and metaphorically, viewing the Dajjal as a symbol of a phenomenon that will appear in the End Times and cause widespread misguidance.

To clarify this interpretation, we quote a statement from a contemporary author on this subject: “The most important and universal sign that must be considered is precisely the concept of the Dajjal, which is a symbol of anti-Islamic movements during the Major Occultation, i.e., the era of trials and deviations. It refers to the new European civilization, which has a deceptive, spectacular, and dazzling face, capturing the public thoughts of people worldwide and resulting in dire consequences. Such as many Muslims leaving Islam, their submission to other deviant religions and philosophies, and the corruptions, destructions, and oppressions it has created in human societies. Therefore, it can be said that from the creation of Adam until the Day of Judgment, there has been no creature greater in terms of deviation and crookedness like this Dajjal; because the awe and splendor of European civilization, its material greatness, inventions, and destructive weapons, and its compelling humans to deny the power of God – such a thing has never been seen in history, and in the future, nothing like it will be seen, for the future belongs to the supporters of truth and justice. Supporting this interpretation is the saying of the Messenger of God (PBUH) in that narration: ‘There is no matter greater than the Dajjal from the creation of Adam until the Day of Judgment.’ The use of the word ‘matter’ (Amr) indicates that the Dajjal is not a person, but rather a civilized intellectual movement that is hostile to Islam!”³²
Based on the totality of what has been presented in this article, we understand that the fitna of the Dajjal is a terrifying, complex, and highly misleading trial, from which one must seek refuge only in Almighty God to be safe.³³

Footnotes:
¹ For more, see: Mu’jam Ahadith al-Imam al-Mahdi (AS), Vol. 2, pp. 137-5; Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani, Muntakhab al-Athar, Vol. 3, pp. 103-111.
² “Qatran” is a thin, sticky, black substance obtained by boiling wood, coal, and the like, used to preserve wood from decay. (Larousse Dictionary, Vol. 2, p. 1649).
³ For more, see: Sayyid Muhammad Murtada al-Zabidi, Taj al-‘Arus min Jawahir al-Qamus, Vol. 14, p. 228, entry “Dajl”; Sa’id al-Khuri al-Shartuni, Aqrab al-Mawarid fi Fush al-Arabiyyah wa al-Shawarid, Vol. 1, p. 320; Fakhr al-Din al-Turayhi, Majma’ al-Bahrayn, Beirut, Mu’assasat al-Wafa’, 1403 AH, Vol. 5, p. 369; Ali Akbar Dehkhoda, Loghatnameh, Vol. 7, p. 10481.
⁴ Taj al-‘Arus, Vol. 14, p. 228.
⁵ Mohammad Khazaeli, A’lam-e-Quran, Tehran, Amir Kabir, 1999, p. 479.
⁶ Shaykh Tusi, Kitab al-Ghaybah, p. 436, Hadith 426; Muhammad Baqir Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 52, p. 209, Hadith 48.
⁷ Fara’id al-Simtayn, Vol. 2, p. 334, Hadith 585.
⁸ Ibn Hammad, Al-Fitan, Vol. 2, p. 517, Hadith 1446.
⁹ Ibid., p. 518, Hadith 1450.
¹⁰ Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, Vol. 5, p. 221.
¹¹ Ibid., Vol. 2, p. 237. Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 412, Chapter 25, Hadith 588.
¹² Sahih Muslim, Vol. 1, p. 555, Hadith 809.
¹³ Sayyid Muhammad Sadr, Tarikh al-Ghaybat al-Kubra (History of the Major Occultation), translated by Sayyid Hasan Eftekharzadeh, pp. 642-643.
¹⁴ Ibrahim Amini, Dadgostar-e Jahan (The World’s Justice-Spreader), pp. 225-226.
¹⁵ Kamil Sulayman, Yawm al-Khalas (The Day of Deliverance), translated by Ali Akbar Mahdipour, Vol. 2, p. 1143.
¹⁶ Al-Fitan, Vol. 2, p. 519, Hadith 1454.
¹⁷ “Nakhonak” (nail-like growth) refers to a triangular fleshy growth (pterygium) that extends from the conjunctiva (white of the eye) onto the cornea (black of the eye). This growth occurs on the nasal side. (See: http://www.daneshnameh.roshd.ir)
¹⁸ Al-Fitan, Vol. 2, p. 519, Hadith 1455.
¹⁹ Shaykh Saduq, Kamal al-Din wa Tamam al-Ni’mah, translated by Mansour Pahlavan, Vol. 2, p. 319; Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 52, pp. 193-194.
²⁰ Kamal al-Din wa Tamam al-Ni’mah, Vol. 2, pp. 313-314.
²¹ “Taylasan” is a garment that surrounds the body, woven for wearing without tailoring or stitching. It is a circular, green, hemless garment whose warp or weft is made of wool, worn by the elite among scholars and elders, and it was a garment of the Persians. (Loghatnameh Dehkhoda, Vol. 10, pp. 15603-15604).
²² Dehkhoda Dictionary states that “Afiq” is the name of several locations: 1. The name of a city located on the border of Judah and Benjamin, northwest of Jerusalem, near Socoh, now called “Balad al-Fawqah,” where the Israelites were defeated by the Philistines… and the Ark of the Covenant was taken from them… (See: Loghatnameh, Vol. 2, p. 3107).
²³ Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 52, p. 194.
²⁴ Ibid., p. 308, Hadith 84.
²⁵ “Ludd” is a village near Jerusalem, in the land of Palestine. “Bab Ludd” (Gate of Ludd) is mentioned in some narrations as the place where Jesus (AS) descends. (Marasid al-Ittila’, Vol. 3, p. 1302).
²⁶ Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, p. 2250, Hadith 7.
²⁷ Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, p. 2258, Chapter 23, Hadith 2940; Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 2, p. 166.
²⁸ Al-Fitan, Vol. 2, p. 519, Hadith 1455.
²⁹ Sahih Muslim, Vol. 1, p. 12, Hadith 7.
³⁰ Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 5, p. 278.
³¹ For further study on this topic, see: Mu’jam Ahadith al-Imam al-Mahdi (AS), Vol. 2, pp. 32-43.
³² Tarikh al-Ghaybat al-Kubra, p. 662.
³³ For further study on the topic of the Dajjal, see: Sa’id Ayyub, ‘Aqidat al-Masih al-Dajjal fi al-Adyan (Qira’ah fi al-Mustaqbal), 1st edition: Beirut, Dar al-Hadi, 1411 AH; Ibn Kathir al-Dimashqi, Al-Masih al-Dajjal, edited by Abu Muhammad Ashraf ibn ‘Abd al-Maqsud, 1st edition: Beirut, Mu’assasat al-Kutub al-Thaqafiyyah, 1419 AH.