Who is the evil Dajjal 

By Mohammed Ali Ibn Zubair Ali  

Note: Prophet Mohammed has exhorted the regular recital of the opening verses (first 10) of Chapter

Imraan bin Husain (R.A.) relates that, "I heard Prophet Mohammed saying: "Since the birth of Adam till the advent of the day of judgment there is no fitnah (evil, test) much greater that of Dajjal."

Huzaifah (R.A.) says, Dajjal will be blind in his left eye. He will have very thick hair on his body and he will also have his own type of Jannah (Heaven) and Jahannam (Hell) with him: Although his heaven will appear amazingly beautiful, in reality it will be hell and likewise though his hell will appear as extremely terrible, in reality it will be heaven.
(Hadith: Muslim)

Imraan bin Husain (R.A.) says Prophet Mohammedsaid: "Those who hear about Dajjal should stay far from him. By Allah! A person will approach him thinking him to be a Believer, but on seeing his amazing feats he will become his follower."

Ubadah bin Saamit (R.A.) once said Prophet Mohammed said, "I have explained Dajjal to you but I fear that you might not have understood. Maseeh Dajjal will be short, and his legs will be crooked. The hair on his head will be extremely twisted. He will have one eye (with which he can see, and this is the protruding eye about which other Hadith inform us) while his other eye will be totally flat. It will neither be deep (in its socket) nor protruding.

If you still have any doubt regarding him then remember that your Sustainer (Rabb) is not one-eyed. (Because Dajjal will eventually claim to be Allah).

The dajjal has been alive since the days of the Prophet Mohammed, here is an extract from a lengthy Hadith stating this, Sahih Muslim Hadith - Hadith 7028 Narrated by Fatimah, daughter of Qays and sister of ad-Dahhak ibn Qays:
"He addressing the congregation in the mosque said: By Allah, I have not made you assemble for exhortation or for a warning. I have detained you here because Tamim Dari, a Christian who came and accepted Islam, told me something which agrees with what I was telling you about the Dajjal. He narrated to me that he had sailed in a ship with thirty men of Banu Lakhm and Banu Judham and had been tossed by waves in the ocean for a month. Then these (waves) took them (near) the land within the ocean (island) at the time of sunset. They sat in a small rowing-boat and landed on that island. There was a beast with long thick hair (and because of this) they could not distinguish his face from his back.

They said: Woe to you, who can you be?

Thereupon it said: I am al-Jassasah.

They said: What is al-Jassasah?

It said:" O people, go to this person in the monastery as he is very much eager to know about you."

He (the narrator) said: When it named a person for us we were afraid of it lest it should be a Devil. Then we hurried on till we came to that monastery and found a well-built person there with his hands tied to his neck and iron shackles gripping his legs by the ankles.

We said: Woe to you, who are you?

He said: You soon come to know about me, but tell me who you are.

We said: We are people from Arabia and we embarked upon a boat but the waves had been driving us for one month and they brought us near this island. We took to the rowing-boats and landed on this island. Here a beast with profusely thick hair met us and because of the thickness of his hair his face could not be distinguished from his back. We said: Woe be to thee, who are you? It said: I am al- Jassasah. We said: What is al-Jassasah? It said: You go to this very person in the monastery for he is eagerly waiting for you to know about you. So we came to you in hot haste fearing that that might be the Devil.

He (that chained person) said: Tell me about the date-palm trees of Baysan.

We said: In which respect do you seek information about it?

He said: I ask you whether these trees bear fruit or not.

We said: Yes.

Thereupon he said: I think these will not bear fruit.
He said: Inform me about the lake of Tabariyyah?

We said: What do you want to know about it?

He said: Is there water in it?

We said: There is an abundance of water in it.

Thereupon he said: I think it will soon dry up.
He again said: Inform me about the spring of Zughar.

They said: What do you want to know about it?

He (the chained person) said: Is there water in it and does it irrigate (the land)?

We said to him: Yes, there is an abundance of water in it and the inhabitants (of Medina) irrigate (land) with its help.

He said: Inform me about the unlettered Prophet; what has he done?

We said: He has left Mecca and has settled in Yathrib (Medina).

He said: Do the Arabs fight against him?

We said: Yes.

He said: How does he deal with him?

We informed him that he had overcome those in his neighborhood and they had submitted themselves before him.

Thereupon he said to us: Had it actually happened?

We said: Yes.

Thereupon he said: If it is so that is better for them that they show obedience to him. I am going to tell you about myself. I am the Dajjal and will be soon permitted to leave. So I shall leave and travel in the land, and shall not spare any town where I shall not stay for forty nights except Mecca and Medina: these two (places) are prohibited (areas) for me and I shall not attempt to enter either of them. An angel with a sword in his hand will confront me and bar my way and there will be angels to guard every road leading to it.

Then Allah's apostle striking the pulpit with the help of the end of his staff said: This implies Tayba meaning Medina. Have I not told you an account (of the Dajjal) like this? The people said: Yes, and this account narrated by Tamim Dari was liked by me for it corroborates the account which I gave to you in regard to him (Dajjal) at Medina and Mecca. Behold he (Dajjal) is in the Syrian sea (Mediterranean) or the Yemen sea (Arabian sea). Nay, on the contrary, he is in the east, he is in the east, he is in the east, and he pointed with his hand towards the east. I (Fatimah bint Qays) said: I preserved it in my mind

In another lengthy Hadith narrated by Abu Saeed (R.A.), Prophet Mohammed is reported to have said: "Dajjal will come but it will be prohibited and impossible for him to enter Madina or Mecca. He will set up camp in a barren land outside Madina. One person who will be the best of persons will confront him by saying: "I bear witness that you are the very Dajjal about whom Prophet Mohammed has informed us."

Dajjal will say to his followers, "If I kill this person and then revive him, you people will still doubt me?"

 They will reply, "No."

He will then kill this person, (according to another narration he will split this person in two) and thereafter revive him. This person will say, "I am totally convinced more than ever before that you definitely are Dajjal."

 Dajjal will attempt to kill this person again but his efforts will now be in vain.

 (According to a Hadith, after this incident, Dajjal will not be able to harm anyone.)

Anas (R.A.) says that Prophet Mohammed said: "Dajjal will come and finally reach the outskirts of Medina. There will be three tremors. At that time, all the disbelievers and hypocrites will flee (from Medina).

 In this way Medina will be purified of all the evil hypocrites.

Asma bint Yazeed (R.A.) narrates that Prophet Mohammed once came to my house and there he spoke about Dajjal. He said that before the emergence of Dajjal there will be three spells of drought. In one year the skies will withhold one third of its rains, causing the earth to withhold one third of its produce. In the second year the skies will withhold two thirds of its rains, causing the earth to withhold two thirds of its produce. In the third year, the skies will withhold all its water and there will be no crops that year. All animals, be they hoofed or toothed, will die as a result. The greatest evil of Dajjal will be to approach anyone and ask him: "If I bring your camel back to life, will you then believe that I am your Rabb?"

 This person will reply, "Most certainly."

Thereafter Shaytaan (from the many Shayateen who will always accompany Dajjal) will appear before this person in the form of his camel with a fat hump and fully laden udders.

 Likewise Dajjal will appear before another person whose father and brother have long passed away and ask him, "If I bring your father and brother back to life will you believe that I am your Rabb?"

 This person will reply, "Why not?"

 Shaytaan will once again take on the appearance of his brother and father...
(Ahmad)

 Mughira ibn Shu'ba (R.A.) says that, "No one asked Prophet Mohammed about Dajjal as much as myself. Prophet Mohammed said to me, "How can he possibly harm you?"

I said: "People are saying that he will have with him a mountain of bread (provisions) and a river of water."

 Prophet Mohammed said: "In the sight of Allah he is much more disgraced than that. (i.e. Allah knows full well that in reality Dajjal has nothing with him, and all that which appears to be with him is but deception). (Bukhari and Muslim).

More on Dajjal:

He will emerge between Shaam and Iraq, and his emergence will become known when he is in Isfahaan at a place called Yahudea.
The Yahudis (Jews) of Isfahaan will be his main followers.
Apart from having mainly Jewish followers, he will have a great number of women followers as well.
He will have with him fire and water, but in reality the fire will be cold water while that what appears to be cold water will in reality be a blazing fire.
Those who obey him will enter "his Jannat" while those who disobey him will enter "his Jahannam."
There will be a thick fingernail-like object in his left eye.
The letters "Kaa" "Faa" "Raa" will appear on his forehead and will be deciphered by all Mu'mineen regardless of them being literate or not.
He will have a wheatish complexion.
He will travel at great speeds and his means of conveyance will be a gigantic mule. It is said that he will play beautiful music.
Despite his strange appearance he will appear pleasing for disbelievers and weak in faith to look at. He will be able to charm people with the greatest of ease imaginable, and he will fascinate people with his powers.
Only the true believers will be able to see his real appearance, but despite this the Prophet strictly instructed the Muslims to leave the place if they hear he is nearby, and for protection to recite the opening verses of Surah Al-Kahf from the Quran (scholars say first 10 verses would be sufficient).