The Antichrist in Islam

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The Antichrist in Islam (ad-Dajjal)

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Introduction

Muslims believe that before the Last Hour, there will arise a character known as

ad-Dajjal

(Arabic for the deceiver, the liar), also known as theAntichrist (

al-Masih ad-Dajjal

). Just as the title "Christ" does not have thesame meaning in Christianity and Islam, the descriptions of ad-Dajjal andthe descriptions of Antichrist in the Bible are also very different. As such,to avoid confusion, we refer to this character in Islam as ad-Dajjal, theDajjal, the Antichrist in Islam, etc. This character is to be distinguishedfrom the Antichrist described in the Bible.Given that ad-Dajjal is a very important apocalyptic figure in the EndTimes in Islam, do we have any other corresponding figure(s) in theBible? Yes! In other articles on this website, we see that

·

al-Mahdi corresponds to the Antichrist in the Bible

, and

·

Isa corresponds to the Second Beast (False Prophet) in the Bible.So, who does ad-Dajjal correspond to in the Bible?This article will first examine the hadiths and teachings of Muslimsconcerning ad-Dajjal. Then we will look into the Bible for thecorresponding figure(s). After which we will give a summary. If you like,you can scroll to the bottom of this article to check out the summary tableand then come back and read the detailed comparison. You can alsocheck out this comparison in table form.

Descriptions of Ad-Dajjal

In this section, we consider what the hadiths and Muslim teachers have tosay about the character of ad-Dajjal.2A quick search at theOnline Hadith Compilationat USC MSA revealsthat the number of hadiths (although many are repeated) concerning ad-Dajjal far outnumber the number of hadiths dealing with al-Mahdi or about Isa's coming. Thus, ad-Dajjal represents a very important character in Islam in the End Times.

Beware the Dajjal!

According to the hadiths, Muhammad repeatedly warned his followersabout the coming of ad-Dajjal, and to watch out for the trial of ad-Dajjal.Muhammad taught that all prophets since Noah have warned their followers about ad-Dajjal, but he gave the most details: Narrated Ibn Umar:Once Allah's Apostle stood amongst the people, glorified and praisedAllah as He deserved and then mentioned the Dajjal saying, "

l [

sic

] warnyou against him (i.e. the Dajjal) and there was no prophet but warnedhis nation against him

. No doubt, Noah warned his nation against him but I tell you about him something of which no prophet told his nation before me. You should know that he is one-eyed, and Allah is not one-eyed. (Sahih Bukhari 4.553. Also,Sahih Bukhari 4.553

,Sahih Muslim41.7000,Sunan Abu Dawud 37.4318, etc). The number of hadiths concerning ad-Dajjal is so numerous, that it isundeniable that Muhammad had taught it to his followers. Many devoutMuslims will be on the lookout for the appearance of this bizzarecharacter.As for why ad-Dajjal is called

al-Masih

(the Messiah), Muslim scholarshave given many varied reasons. Thomas Hughes in his Dictionary of Islam tells us:The compiler of the Qanus says there have been at least fifty reasonsassigned for his being called al-Masih. Some say it is because he will havehis eyes touched (masah) and be rendered blind; others, that the word isoriginally masikh, a "monster" (see Hujaju 'l-Kalimah, p. 401). Sale, in the preface to his translation of the Qur'an, says Muslim writers state that the

3Jews will give him the name of al-Masih, because they will mistake himfor the true Messiah, who has come to restore the kingdom of Israel tothem. (Thomas Hughes, Dictionary of Islam, p. 318).Ad-Dajjal is such a fearful character that Muhammad often prayed for forgiveness of sins, and also to seek refuge from the trials of ad-Dajjal:'A'isha reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) used tomake these supplications:" O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of Hell-Fire; and from the torment of Hell-Fire; and from the trial of thegrave and torment of the grave; and from the evil of the trial of theaffluence and from the evil of the trial of poverty and

I seek refuge inThee from the evil of the turmoil of the Dajjal

. O Allah, wash away mysins with snow and hail water, purify my heart from the sins as is purifiedthe white garment from the dirt, and keep away at a distance the sins fromme as yawns the distance between the East and the West; O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from sloth, from senility, from sin, and from debt." (SahihMuslim 35.6534)

Ad-Dajjal's Physical Looks

The first thing about ad-Dajjal, and probably the most prominentcharacteristic mentioned in the hadiths, is that he is blind in one eye. Narrated Ibn Umar:Once Allah's Apostle stood amongst the people, glorified and praisedAllah as He deserved and then mentioned the Dajjal saying, "l [

sic

] warnyou against him (i.e. the Dajjal) and there was no prophet but warned hisnation against him. No doubt, Noah warned his nation against him but Itell you about him something of which no prophet told his nation beforeme.

You should know that he is one-eyed

, and Allah is not one-eyed. (Sahih Bukhari 4.553. Also,Sahih Bukhari 4.554,Sahih Muslim 41.7000, etc)The hadiths, however, are contradictory as to which eye will be blind:4 Narrated Abdullah:The Prophet mentioned the Massiah Ad-Dajjal in front of the peoplesaying, Allah is not one eyed while

Messsiah[

sic

], Ad-Dajjal is blind inthe right eye and his eye looks like a bulging out grape

. (Sahih Bukhari3.425, alsoSahih Muslim 41.7005, etc) Hudhalfa reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said:

Dajjal is blind of left eye

with thick hair and there would be a garden andfire with him and his fire would be a garden and his garden would be fire.(Sahih Muslim 41.70101) Narrated Abdullah:The Prophet mentioned the Massiah Ad-Dajjal in front of the peoplesaying, Allah is not one eyed while

Messsiah[

sic

], Ad-Dajjal is blind inthe right eye and his eye looks like a bulging out grape

. (Sahih Bukhari3.425, etc) Not only is his eye blind in one eye, but his eye (did not say which one) isalso bulging like a grape. Obviously, he will be quite ugly in his looks.This physical defect is repeatedly emphasized in the hadiths.The physical defect in ad-Dajjal actually has to do with another importantarea that Muslims believe in. Muslim theologians teach that Allah is perfect, and all his prophets are without physical or moral defects.According to Muslim theologians, there are six essentials of Prophethood:truthfulness, trustworthiness, communication of God's commands,intelligence, infallibility, and lack of any mental and physical defect.History records that Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, had these six essential attributes in a most perfect fashion.(Fethullah Gulen, "Essentials of the Islamic Faith - Prophethood andMuhammad's Prophethood", 2001).It is worthy to be mentioned here that all the Prophets were unblemishedand free from any kind of physical and moral defects. (Islamic Voice,"The Stone Started Running away with the Clothes", Nov 1999)

5In conclusion, all the Prophets were perfect both mentally and physically,with nothing to suggest any defect. (The Way of Truth, "THE PROPHETSWERE FREE FROM ALL BODILY AND MENTAL DEFECTS")Due to this belief that Allah does not use anyone with moral or physicaldefects as a prophet, Muslims reject all the records of the sins of prophetsin the Bible, claiming the records to be corrupted. For example, the Biblerecorded that Abraham told lies about Sarah, Isaac told a lie aboutRebekah, Moses got angry when the Israelites asked for water, Davidcommitted adultery and murder, Job argued with God, etc. Muslims alsoreject the record of Job's contracting physical sores that Satan inflicted onhim because of the belief that prophets have no physical defect.On the other hand, Jews and Christians accept that even prophets arehuman and can sin, but God is so powerful that He is able to transcendabove their sins and still be able to bring His message across. In thisregard, the ultimate example is that of Christ whom Christians believed to be God who came as a humble being, even though Jesus never sinned.Again, this difference in beliefs contributes to the way each side sees thesame issue. The defect in ad-Dajjal is thus a clear indication that he is nota prophet in Islam. (A side note: Mullah Omar, spiritual head of Taliban,is blind in one eye).The hadith also say that ad-Dajjal will be a bulky man with redcomplexion and thick hair:'Abdullah reported on the authority of his father 'Umar b. Khattab that heheard from the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) say: I wassleeping when I saw myself making circuit around the Ka'bah, and I sawthere a man of fair complexion with straight hair between two men. Water was flowing from his head or water was falling from his head. I said: Whois he? They answered: He is the son of Mary. Then I moved forward andcast a glance and there was a bulky man of red complexion with thick locks of hair on his head, blind of one eye as it his eye was a swollengrape. I asked: Who is he? They said: He is Dajjal. He had closeresemblance with Ibn Qatan amongst men. (Sahih Muslim 1.327)6

Ad-Dajjal The Infidel Par Excellence

Ad-Dajjal, of course, is not a Muslim. He will be against the Muslims, andwill also be a leader of the infidels (

kafirs

). Muhammad taught that theDajjal will have on his forehead the letters or word "

kfr

", i.e.,

kafir

, whichevery Muslim will be able to recognize. Narrated Mujahid:That when the people mentioned before Ibn 'Abbas that

the Dajjal wouldhave the word Kafir, (i.e. unbeliever) or the letters Kafir (the root of the Arabic verb 'disbelieve') written on his forehead

, I heard Ibn'Abbas saying, "I did not hear this, but the Prophet said, 'If you want to seeAbraham, then look at your companion (i.e. the Prophet) but Moses was acurly-haired, brown man (who used to ride) a red camel, the reins of which was made of fires of date-palms. As if I were now looking down avalley." (Sahih Bukhari 4.574)Ibn Shihab said: 'Umar b. Thabit al-Ansari informed me that some of theCompanions of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) informed himthat the day when Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) warned people against the Dajjal, he also said:

There would be written betweenhis two eyes (the word) Kafir (infidel)

and everyone who would resenthis deeds would be able to read or every Muslim would be about to read,and he also said: Bear this thing in mind that none amongst you would beable to see Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, until he dies. (Sahih Muslim41.7000)In other words, according to the hadiths, he will have the letters "

kfr

"(

kafir

meaning infidel)

ﻙ ﻑ ﺭ

(separately) or

ﻙﺍﻑﺭ

(joined together).

Ad-Dajjal's Miracles

The hadiths tell of some of the miracles that ad-Dajjal will be able to perform:

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