"ḤADĪṮS" AND TRADITIONS IN SOME RECENT BOOKS UPON THE DAǦǦĀL (ANTICHRIST)

Author(s): ROBERTO TOTTOLI

Source: Oriente Moderno, Nuova serie, Anno 21 (82), Nr. 1, Hadith in Modern Islam (2002), pp.
55-75
Published by: Istituto per l'Oriente C. A. Nallino
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25817812
Accessed: 23-06-2015 19:59 UTC

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 ROBERTO TOTTOLI
(UniversitAdi Torino)

HAD'm AND TRADITIONS IN SOME RECENT BOOKS

UPON THE DAGGAL (ANTICHRIST)

Introduction

Classical literature collecting or discussing hadits (sayings of the Prophet

Muhammad) or traditionsgoing back to thefirstgenerations of believers is
widely diffused inMuslim Arab countries. This, along with theQur^an,
represents the fundamental point of referencefor rituals and beliefs.As well as
the editions of these classicalworks, thereare also theworks written by contem
porary authors which discuss anew the contents of hadits and early traditions.
The aim of theseworks is to deal with, principally, thequestion of authenticity in
the lightofmodern criticism and also to offera new and up-dated interpretation
to the community. All theworks of this kind are addressed to a type of reader
who is sufficientlyversed in the themes of religious heritage,well-acquainted
with the questions relating to the history of hadits and traditions inMuslim
criticism and with the controversies connected to them.No doubt theseworks
are also
responding toWestern attitudes and scepticism about thismaterial.
Apart from this literature there are also works discussing peculiar topics
which, while relying upon the same classical traditions and materials, are ad
dressed to a wider audience of readers.These often consist of books or even
pamphlets, of a hundred or so pages, in paperback editionswhich usually have
rich coloured covers to attract the reader's attention.One of themost popular
contemporary subjects of thisgenre of literatureis theDaggal, i.e. theAntichrist
ofMuslim tradition.1This figure, though not mentioned in theQuPan, iswell
attested in a range of hadits included in themost importanthadit collections.2

1 - The denomination does not correspond to the exact meaning of the Arabic daggdl, prop

erly meaning "Deceiver". His full name is usually given as al-Masih al-daggdl, "The False (de

ceiver) Messiah" against al-Masih cIsa Ibn Maryam, "The Messiah Jesus son ofMary". As re
see below, p. 62-63.
gards the reading al-masih al-daggdl,
-
2 The most important study upon the Daggal is by D.J. Halperin, "The Ibn Sayyad Tradi
tions and the Legends of al-Dajjal", Journal of the American Oriental Society, 96 (1976), p.

213-225; but see also El2 s.v.

?Dadjdjal? (A. Abel); A.S. Tritton, "Ed-Dajjal, Antichrist", in:
2 (1922), p. 1117-1127;
Proceedings and Transactions of theFifth Indian Oriental Conference,
E.J. Jenkinson, "The Moslem Anti-Christ Legend", The Moslem World, 20 (1930), p. 50-55;
A. Morabia, "L'Antichrist s'est-il manifest^ du vivant de l'envoye' d'Allah?", Journal
(ad-daggdl)
Asiatique,267 (1979), p. 81-99; and, aboveall,L. Kaptein,EindtijdenAntichrist
(ad-Daggdl)

OM, XXI n.s. (LXXXII), 1,2002

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56 Roberto Tottoli

was never a subject in itsown right inmedie

Notwithstanding this, theDaggal
val literature,and certainly not at the same level as theAntichrist inChristian
tomod
history.3 In fact, as pointed out byDavid Cook in his article dedicated
ern apocalyptic literature,"the Daggal was not themost popular figure in the
rare to
fantasy land ofMuslim apocalyptic stories during classical times. It is
find books dedicated to him".4 It is thereforeonly in the last century that the
more regularlyevoked and has gradually become a
figure of theDaggal has been
main religious subject and, consequently, an attractive topic forMuslim writers
and publishers.5
This increasing interest in the Daggal in theMuslim Arab world and in
cen
Egypt in particular has somehow deepened in the last decade of the 20th
tury.Around thirtybooks on theDaggal have appeared along with many others
about eschatological matters and related arguments. Apart from the large
amount itself,peculiarities both in appearance and in the contents of all these
volumes areworthy of some attention and study.These are books with colourful
covers, painted and signed by a few artistswith theirown definite style inmost
cases, which are intended formass circulation,with formats ranging from the
most common octavo to the editions.6 As on the other hand con
pocket regards
tents, though generally this kind of book does not include themost sophisti
cated analysis of religious tradition according to classical rules, such textsbear
witness of a more popular religious discourse which attempt in differingand of
ten contrastingways to interpretthe heritage.The vitality of thispopular litera
ture is thus instructive in that it sheds lightupon various tendencies among cer
tain strata of literateMuslims, as well as upon the competing forces at work in
a use
religious disputes in definite literarygenre. In thisway an inquiry into the
and interpretationof hadits as a
it emerges in these books is central question,
given the importance of hadits in Islam.
In the following pages I shall discuss thismost recent literatureand in par
ticular those books dedicated to theDaggal which appeared and were diffused in
Egypt afteral-Masih al-Daggdl of Sacid Ayyub and which are listed in the final

in de Islam.
Eschatologie bij Ahmed Bican (+ca. 1466), Leiden 1997, in part. p. 77-134 and the
final complete
bibliography.
-
3 The literature about the Christian Antichrist is very rich. The most
comprehensive study
on the now B. McGinn,
subject is Antichrist. Two Thousand Years
of theHuman Fascination
with Evil, New York, 1996, where a few pages are also dedicated to the
Daggal: p. 111-113.
4 - See above, "Hadit, authority and the End of theWorld: traditions in modern Muslim

apocalyptic literature", p. 36.

-
5 See for instance, s.v.
Encyclopaedia Iranica, ?Dajjal? (H. Algar), London-Boston, 1982f.,
Ill, p. 605, about various 20th century identifications of theDaggal with Bolshevism, Ataturk,
or Western civilisation and cAli Sancatl's identification of ?the Dajjal with the one-dimen
sional man of Herbert Marcuse?.

6 - See for ex. al-Misri, Fitnat al-masih al-daggdl; cAbd al-cAziz, al-Masih wa
al-daggdl Ydgug
wa al-Manawi, Sahih al-aqwdl can al-masih
Mdgug, al-daggdl (abridged pocket version).

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 ... UPON THE DAGGAL (ANTICHRIST)
HADIJS AND TRADITIONS 57

use of hadits and traditions in this kind of

bibliography.7 I first analyze the
work, either according to the formalmethod of quoting thismaterial and in the
implicit or explicit evaluation of transmittersand classical authors.A part de
voted to a discussion of the interpretativeeffortsbased upon thismaterial will
precede some final conclusions.

The use ofhadits and traditionsin the booksabout theDaggal

The features of these numerous contemporarymonographs about theDaggal

vary greatly, ranging frombooks of hundred of pages to pocket booklets of small
dimensions as regards their shape and from lengthypersonal reflectionsto sim
most typicalexample of this last
ple listsof hadits in termsof theircontents.The
attitude is thework of al-cAdawi where hadits and reportsare quoted with clear
indication of sources, subject-headings and full explanations in notes, but with
out even a word of comment on the contents.8The most comprehensive study,
from a traditional point of view, of the hadits on the subject and of their au
thenticityis the volume of one of themost renowned experts in hadit literature,
al-Albanl.9 There is also some difference in the contents of the books, since
some of them are not solely dedicated to theDaggal but also deal with what are
considered subjects related to it, such as, for instance, the return of Jesus (al~
masih cIsh) before the end of time,10or the storyofGog andMagog (Yagug wa
on the sub
Magug)}1 Quite surprisingly,despite themultitude ofworks written
ject, only one of the sources considered demonstrates an awareness of thewide
circulation of other books about theDaggal.12 References to other contempo
raryworks are very rare. For example, the book ofAyyub ismentioned only in a

- Works
7 about the Daggal have also been published before AyyQb's, see for ex. Muhammad
cAbd al-Razzaq cId al-Rucud, Gdmic al-ahbdr wa l-aqwdl fi l-masih al-daggdl, al-Qahirah,
1985. We have not taken this nor the other earlier works into consideration, such as cAbd al
Ganl al-MaqdisI (d. 1203), Ahbdr al-Daggdl, al-Qahirah, 1993, Muhammad al-Safarlm (d.

1774), al-Masih wa asrdr al-sdcah, al-Qahirah, 1983; and the excerpts from other
al-daggdl
largerworks, such as Ibn Katir (d. 1371), al-Masih al-daggdl, various editions: see al-Qahirah,

1981, 1996; al-Qurtubi (d. 1272), al-Masih al-daggdl, al-Qahirah, n.d. (2000?), Id., al-Masih
wa nuziil cIsd Ibn al-Qahirah, 2001. Also the book by cAta, al-Masih al
al-daggdl Maryam,
is instead an excerpt from al-Qurtubi, as stated in the first page after the cover.
daggdl,
8 - al-cAdawi, Ahbdr al-daggdl.
-
9 al-Albanl, Qissat al-masih al-daggdl.
-
10 See for ex. cAsur, al-Masih al-daggdl, and Sakir, al-Masih al-daggdl; cf. also cAskar,Hu

lasat al-maqdl can al-Mahdi wa l-masih al-daggdl.

11 - See Ahmad, al-Masih al-daggdl wa Yagug wa Magug, al-Sahawi, al-Masih al-daggdl wa

wa wa wa
Ydgug Magug, cAbd al-cAziz, al-Masih al-daggdl Ydgug Mdgug, al-Manawi, Sahih al
Sacfan, al-Sdcah al-hdmisah wa l-cisrun: al-masih and al-Mahdi. To these
aqwdl; al-daggdl:
works it can be added those works titled taldtahlarbacah yantaziruhum al-cdlam dealing with
all these topics.

12 - al-TahtawT, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 7.

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 58 Roberto Tottoli

few of thesevolumes as an importantessay,13while only in one case it ispolemi

cally attacked, though neither his name nor his work are explicitlymentioned.14
This general attitude is nevertheless relevant, since the termsof the discussion in
some of the sources recall - usually in polemical contraposition - the
positions
of otherworks not explicitlymentioned. It is thus clear that explicit references
are only made to classical sources and that contemporary
competing books are
only alluded to.
The literature considered in this article differs in various aspects ranging
from theway ofmaking use of the religious classical heritage and the interpreta
tions given to the same material. All of theseworks discuss and introduce the
sayings of the ProphetMuhammad {hadits) and, secondly, the traditions (ahbar,
dtdr), taken from the classical literatureand dealing with all the angles of the
Daggal, from themeaning of thewords masih and daggal, the description of his
face and his physical appearance, to the signs of his arrival and the
prodigies
connected to him bywhich he will deceive people. The contents of the numer
ous hadits
relating to the differentepisodes of the vicissitudes of theDaggal are
in fact usually ordered according to the topic and put one after the other in all
the books considered here,while attempting,where possible, to harmonize their
contents.

An overall and most important common peculiarity is not only the absolute
prominence given to thewords of the Prophet, but the scarce attention that ac
these words as the usual chains of names of transmitters ac
company regards
cording to the hadit criticism rules.Thus, inmost cases only the name of the
firsttransmitteror companion ismentioned and there is no mention of the full
isndds,while a simple reference to thework fromwhich thematerial isquoted is
indicated in the textor in its footnotes. In this regard, only a few of theworks
considered appear to have adopted a sophisticated approach to the
subject-mat
ter,by for example, giving complete isndds}^ or, in other cases indicating clearly
if that hadit is sahih or hasan etc.16 Some other authorsmake scanty use of hadit
criticism rules only in connection to some
specificpurpose or subject and not as
a preliminary Al-Sahawi, for instance, rejectsonly one
methodological approach.

-
13 See for ex. al-cAdam,Bayna yaday al-daggdl, who often quotes Ayyub and his book: p.
11, 29, 43, 44, 46, 51, 56 passim, and states that it is the most text on the
important subject
(p. 11); Id., Ihdarii l-masih al-daggdl, p. 16; Salamah, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 40-42, 46, at p.
41-42 also quotes the book on the
Daggal by cArif; among the others, only cAbd al-Hamid,
Iqtaraba huriig al-masih al-daggdl, p. 64, quotes works by other contemporary authors on the
subject: al-Huyut al-hafiyyah and Ihdarii l-masih al-daggdl byMuhammad cIsa Dawud.
14 - Sacfan, al-Sdcah al-hdmisah wa l-cisriin: al-masih
al-daggdl, p. 10, 12, 18, 22, where he
mentions "the author of al-Masih (i.e. Ayyub).
al-daggdl"
-
15 Ahmad, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 15f.

16 - al-cAdawi, Ahbdr
al-daggdl-, al-Sayyid, Qissat huriig al-masih al-daggdl; Lammadah, Mddd
tacrafu can al-masih al-daggdl, p. 17f.: and he limits its choice to the hadits which are sahih
and hasan. Al-TayyibI, Ahir ex. p. 17 n. 2,
al-maqdl, for passim, sometimes gives indications on
hadits and isndds in the notes.

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 HADfTS AND TRADITIONS... UPON THE DAGGAL (ANTICHRIST) 59

tradition according towhich theDaggal will come fromKufah stating it is a

hadit mawqufi but in other passages makes an inconsistent use of the term
hadit}7 Abu SadI tries to account for contrasting reports about theDaggaTs ill
eye, stating that a hadlt quoted byMalik is to be preferredbecause of its isndd.1*
Similar hadits on the appearance of theDaggal are dismissed by al-Manawi stat
ing that they are mawducah, citing the authority of al-Dahabi and Ibn Katir.19
The most sophisticated criticism, and one which conforms to the rules of hadit
criticism, is in thework of al-Albanl who discusses at length in a traditionalway
the authenticity of the reportson theDaggal.20 Apart from the examples given
here and those quoted below, all the other books simply list the sayings of
Muhammad or other traditionswithout any theoreticaldiscussion about the au
of the contents or the of the transmitters.
thenticity reputation Consequently,
the author's attitude towards the hadits must be deduced by thematerial that
has been chosen, and the firstquestion to consider is that of the sources used
and
quoted.
The most favoured referencesare the two collectionspar excellenceof hadits,
the Sahihs of al-Buhari andMuslim, with a clear preferencefor the latter.21
This
preference is not at all strangegiven that in theSahih ofMuslim thereare several
specific and long chapters dealing with theDaggal within the book entitled al
Fitan wa asrat al~sacah ("Seditions and portents of the last hour"),22 while al
Buharl has littleof thatkind inhis most authoritativecollection.23 In one case it
even seems clear thatMuslim is themain source and recourse ismade to the
other collections onlywhen Muslim does not help.24 Frequent reference ismade
to the other
prestigious collections of hadits, such as those of IbnMagah, Tirmi
di, Abu Dawiid and theMusnad ofAhmad b. Hanbal, thus reflectingthe high
regard inwhich these classicalworks are held in the contemporary Sunn! Islam.
But what is most interesting, traditions containing sayings of the Prophet
Muhammad are also quoted from a largenumber of otherworks, usually side by
side with the traditions taken from the collections so far mentioned. In fact, no
one of the authors and works considered here includes any
preliminary discus
sion of the hadits quoted according to the source fromwhere they are taken.
Thus, traditions from theMwannafe of IbnAbl Saybah and cAbd al-Razzaq and

-
17 al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 16; but cf. p. 17, where he makes reference to a story
al-Sahawi,
back to Kacb as a hadit (on this see below, n. 29).
going point
-
18 Abu Sadi, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 29.
-
19 al-Manawi, Sahih al-aqwdl, p. 16.

20 - al-Albam, Qissat al-masih see in part. p. 39-117.

al-daggdl,
21 - is the best source
See for instance cArif,Hal al-daggdlyahkumu al-calam?, p. 60: Muslim
about the topic. See also cAbd al-cAziz, al-Masih al-daggdl wa Ydgug wa Mdgug.

22 - See Muslim, al-Sahih, ed. F. cAbd al-Baql, al-Qahirah, 1991, IV, p. 2221 f., and in part,

p. 2240-2267, chapts. 19-25.

-
23 al-Buhari has only two short chapters dealing with the Daggal: Sahih, Bayrut, 1992, VIII,

p. 440-442.
24 - This is the case of cAsur, al-Masih al-daggdl.

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 60 Roberto Tottolj

from sunan or musnad collections or from later authors are sometimes added

without expressing reservation about theirauthenticity.25There is only one case

inwhich reservation is expressed, that is the content of a reporthanded down by
al-Tabaranl, which becomes the targetof a direct attack and rebuttal,26while the
same al-Tabaranl, in another book, as one of the sources.27
emerges preferred
This general attitude is quite surprisingwhen dealing with the name ofKacb
al-Ahbar, themost famous of Jewish converts of the time ofMuhammad, and
also with Nucaym b. Hammad (d. 842), the author of themost ancient collec
tion of eschatological traditions.These names are sometimes quoted with no
comment, even when preserving traditions not attributed to the Prophet.28 In
one case, a story included under the name of Kacb is evenmentioned using the
termhadit?^ Given the forcefulcriticismof thename ofKacb and the traditions
which became a widespread phenomenon in 20th century
defined as isrd3iliyydt,
Islam and which has taken deeper root in the lastdecades, a case like thiswhich
involves a quotation of his name and his reports is one which merits close atten
tion.30The usual stance is in fact to the contrary: cAbd al-Hamld shows caution
in connection with these names or other similar,when states thatNucaym was
chargedwith the spreading of traditionsof Jewish origin (isrd^iliyydt)^ cAskar
quotes the doubts of the same kind ofMuhammad cAbduh (d. 1905) who
maintained thatKacb was implied in (i.e.: the falsificationof) the stories on the

-
25 See for ex. Abu al-Haggag, GardJib
wa
agd^ib al-masih al-daggdl, quoting al-Haytami,
Ibn Abi and also al-Muttaqi al-Hindl. Mention of the existence of a
Saybah huge number of
traditions upon the Daggal is in al-Tahtawi, al-Masih
al-daggdl, p. 17, quoting al-Sawkanl,
who enumerated exactly a hundred. Ahmad, al-Masih most traditional dis
al-daggdl, offers the
cussion, see for ex. p. 34 n. 1,where he corrects the name of a transmitter.

26 - Dawud, al-Huyut al-hafiyyah, p. 11.

-
27 al-Tucmi, Tahdir al-rigdl, p. 32 passim.

28 - See for instance,

regarding the physical appearance of the Daggal, cArif,Hal al-daggdl
al-cdlam?, 82; al-Tucmi, Tahdir 40, 42, 51. The name of Kacb and tradi
yahkumu al-rigdl, p.
tions going back to him are also inAhmad, al-Masih
quoted al-daggdl, p. 41-42; Abu Sadi, al
Masih al-daggdl, p. 48, 53; and Dawud, al-Huyut al-hafiyyah, 99, who later quotes also Nu
caym (p. 100).
-
29 al-Masih
Al-Sahawi, al-daggdl, p. 17; Id., Arbac ah yantaziruhum al-cdlam, p. 5. In this
case theword ismentioned in itsmodern meaning and not as a technical term.
-
30 On this point see R. Tottoli, Biblical Prophets in theQurDdn and Muslim Literature, Lon
don, 2002, p. 175-183.
-
31 cAbd al-Hamid, Iqtaraba hurug al-masih al-daggdl, p. 167, and see also p. 238, where the
names ofWahb, Kacb and cAbd Allah b. Saba3 are in negative terms. But in other
quoted
he quotes reports from Nucaym with no comment same attitude
passages (p. 31 passim). The
towards Nucaym's Fitan is also expressed by a book about the end of the world such as cAbd
al-Wahhab cAbd al-Salam Tuwaylah, al-Masih al-muntazar wa nihdyat al-cdlam, al-Qahirah,
Dar al-salam, 1999, p. 9-10, who
expresses some doubts about his materials but then quotes
from him in any case.

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 HADITS AND TRADITIONS ... UPON THE DAGGAL (ANTICHRIST) 61

states thatvarious beliefs and false reportson theDaggal inter

Daggal;32 Sacfan
twinedwith traditionsof Jewish origin originated byWahb and Kacb that even
writers such as al-Tabari, Ibn Katir, al-Suyuti included in theirworks.33 Apart
from these critical evaluations, itmust be concluded that in theworks about the
Daggal as a whole the question of authenticity and the distinction between
sound and is not a concern or, otherwise, that the works
spurious reports major
are not interested in instructing the readers on how to distinguish among the
classical reports.
Ifwe come from the generations of the firstextant hadlt works tomore re
cent times,we find thatvarious laterwriters and authorities in the field of hadlt
are also quoted at length.Al-Qurtubl and his Tadkirah are almost
ubiquitous,
mainly in connection with some peculiar subject,34 followed closely by Ibn Ha
garwith his commentary upon the Sahlh of al-Buhari, and by Ibn Katir and his
Nihayat al-biddyah. A few sources also make reference to al-NawawI with his
commentary upon the Sahlh ofMuslim and al-Hattabi with his commentary
upon theSunan ofAbu Dawud.35 One of thementors of contemporaryMuslim
thought and literature such as Ibn Taymiyyah is also mentioned,36 In some of
theworks al-BagawI with his Tafilr emerges as the favourite referencewhen deal
ingwith the exegetical questions relating to theDaggal, while among the other
names, along with those quoted above, we find also al-Qadi cIyad, Ibn Hazm,
al-Tahawi, al-Gubba3! and al-Safarlnl.37When discussing of ginn, reference is
made in one case to al-Sibll, an authority in thisfield,38while in another case an
author of more disputed fame and reliability, such as Ibn Abl al-Dunya, is
case of al-$ahawl appears quite original in this contextwhere he
quoted.39 The
mentions the example of a sufi such as Abu Yazld al-Bistami, with the aim of

- an al-Mahdi wa a tradi
32 cAskar, Huldsat al-maqdlc l-masih al-daggdl, 65; he also quotes
tion attributed to Kacb by Nucaym.
-
33 Sacfan, al-Sdcah al-hdmisah wa l-cilrun: al-masih al-daggdl, p. 9, 25-27.
-
34 The Tadkirah in connection with the ten explanations given to the
is often mentioned
of term see for ex. Lammadah, Mddd
meaning the daggal. tacrafii can al-masih al-daggdl, p. 12
13; al-Sahawi, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 13; al-Tahtawi, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 9; Abu SadI, al
Masih al-daggdl, p. 30; ecc.
-
35 See for ex. Sakir, al-Masih al-daggdl; al-Sahawi, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 9, quotes al-Na
wawl
along with gumhur al-culamdJ. Long discussions confronting opinions and interpreta
tions of medieval exegetes and scholars of traditions are given by al-Tahtawi, al-Masih al-dag
and see for ex. p. 45, where he discusses the
gdl, contrasting opinions of al-NawawI and Ibn al
cArabi upon the question of the script kdfir on the forehead of the Daggal. See also Yusuf, al

Masih al-daggdl, p. 61: al-Hattabi.

-
36 See cAbd al-Karim b. Salih al-Hamld, Muqaddimdt al-daggdl; al-Sahawi, al-Masih al

daggdl, in pan. p. 24-25.

- See for ex.
37 al-Tahtawi, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 45f.; cAbd al-Hamid, Iqtaraba hurug al
masih al-daggdl, p. 12f.; cAsur, Taldtahyantaziruhum, p. 42.
- cAbd
38 al-Hamid, Iqtaraba hurug al-masih al-daggdl, p. 148 passim.
-
39 al-cAdani, Baynayaday al-daggdl, p. 42.

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62 Roberto Tottolj

of the
warning readers about the prodigies which will accompany the coming
Daggal.40
The quotation ofmodern or contemporary authors emerges only in some of
the books considered here. A complex and articulated discourse founded upon
the discussion of the opinions of a wide range of earlier authors is that of al
Manawi, who quotes, among the others, also al-Sawkani, Siddlq Hasan Han.41
Others quote Abu al-Kalam Azad or SayyidQutb and his commentary to the
In some are recalled in
QurDan.42 cases, instead, further 20th century Muslims
case of authors such asMuhammad cAb
polemical contraposition. This is the
duh, Rasld Rida and Abu who are attacked for their sceptical attitude to
Rayyah
wards certain hadits.We shall discuss their opinions and the arguments against
themwhich are contained in some of theworks upon theDaggal in the next
to the discussion of the contents of some hadits. Lastly,
paragraph when coming
the Bible is also quoted in a few of theseworks in relation to the advent of the
Antichrist. The aim is usually apologetical: to show how also in Jewish and
Christian scripturesand traditions the coming of theDaggal was prefigured.43
A final question deserving a treatment is that concerning the exact complete
name of the figure of theDaggal. The name contained in hadits is almost always
some of theworks here considered bear from the
given as al-Masih al-daggal, but
title differentspelling, calling him al-Masih al-daggdl.44The existence of a pos
a
sible confusion between the two termshas an ancient origin45 and is also curi

40 - al-Sahawi, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 25.

-
41 al-Manawi, Sahih al-aqwdl, p. 6, 10 passim.
42 - Respectively -
Salamah, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 21; Sacd Muhammad, al-Masih al-daggdl,
p. 26.
- See
43 above all Yusuf, al-Masih al-daggdl; and cAskar,Huldsat al-maqdl can al-Mahdi wa l
masih al-daggdl, p. 42, passim; cAbd al-Hamid, Iqtaraba huriig al-masih al-daggdl, p. 13-14,
are also numerous inTuwaylah,
passim; Biblical quotations mainly from New Testament al
Masih al-Muntazar, p. 103-104, 260f.

44 - This is the case ofMustafa Mahmud, al-Masih 1997 (5* ed.); and
al-daggdl, al-Qahirah,
then cAsur, al-Masih al-daggdl; Lammadah, Mddd can al-masih
tacrafu al-daggdl; Muhammad
cIsa Dawud, al-Huyut al-hafiyyah; Id.,Ma qibla l-damdr, Id., Ihdaru l-masih al-daggdl; Sirri,
al-Masih cAta, al-Masih
al-daggdl; al-daggdl; Abu Sadi, al-Masih al-daggdl; cArif,Hal al-daggdl
yahkumu al-cdlam?; Ibrahim, Asrdr mutallat Birmudd; Sacfan, al-Sdcah al-hdmisah wa l-cisrun:
al-masih al-Daggdl; al-Tucmi, Tahdir al-rigdl.
-
The form al-masih seems the version a
45 preferred by minority: it is already attested in
Tirmidi, al-Gdmic al-sahih, al-Qahirah, 1975, V, p. 582 no. 3604, and also in one tradition in
Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, al-Qahirah, 1311 E., II, 22 (more recent printings express doubts
about this reading, see for instance the ed. cAbd Allah Muhammad al-Darwis, Bayrut, 1991,
II, p. 247 no. 4743 which has instead al-masih). The variant is also discussed and quoted by al

Qurmbi, al-Gamic li-ahkdm al-Qur^dn, al-Qahirah, IV, 89, and then rejected by
1952-1967,
Ibn Hagar, Path al-Bdri, Bayrut, 1986, XIII, 94. Quite confusing is the edition of the book of
al-Safarini published as al-Masih wa asrdr al-sdcah, text as
al-daggdl though the always quotes it
al-masih and even explains that this is the correct reading (p. 55-57)!

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 HADITS AND TRADITIONS ... UPON THEDAGGAL (ANTICHRIST) 63

ously reflected in some books where the two forms are cited one close to the
other.46Among the usual exegetical devices used to explain away the variants,
was intended
including that ascribed to Ibn al-cArabi that the reading al-masih
to distinguish theDaggal from theMessiah (al-masih) Jesus,47one emerges in
particular and isworth evidencing.While cAbd al-cAziz states in fact that the
as prompted also by al-Azhar in a
reading al-masih is a mistake, fatwa,^ al-Ma
nawl cannot but admit that common people (al-cammah min al-nds) know only
of al-masih.^ It is thus clear and admitted that in this case, in some of theworks
on theDaggal, the common use has precedence over the letterof tradition.

of the traditionsabout theDaggal

Contemporary interpretations
Differences in approach among the books on theDaggal published in the last
ten years are more evident ifwe examine their attempts to the hadits.
interpret
Firstly itmust be noted that some works limit themselves to quoting traditions
on various
topicswithout adding any commentary.On the other hand, others
attempt to offer interpretationswith the clear intention of responding to con
Muslims in connection with the various of these same tra
temporary particulars
ditions.

The overall majority of theworks state in the preface that the storyof the
Daggal is fact and not fiction.Only in a few cases is the topic approached with
the acknowledgement that there can be differingopinions about thequestion of
theDaggal as a whole, and that some assert that the stories are fantasy.This is
not only a rhetoricalway of introducing the topic and thus creating the necessity
for a new book to deal with the subject. In his interestingand detailed essay, for
example, al-Manawi cites and discusses at lengthhadits along with the opinion
of themost important authorities, stating that the storyof theDaggal is reality
-
though a lot of legends are spread about it; it is because of this he implicitly
- that
suggests though the proofs are clear in the Book and in the sunnah, a lot
of people either deny it or distort itwith fanciful interpretations.50As Sakir
points out, not to believe in the contents of the hadits is likenot believing in the
prophetic mission ofMuhammad.51 The doubts about the realityof this figure
and the contents of all these traditions, and thus a "rationalistic" are
approach,

46 - See for instance al-cAdam,

Baynayaday al-daggdl, p. 30, 32; Abu SadT, al-Masih al-daggdl,
for ex. p. 4, 26, 28, 34. Cf. also Nil, Taldtah yantaziruhum al-c dlam: it has al-masih in the ti

tle, but al-masih in the text of the book; and the opposite in Iqtaraba hurug al-masih al-daggdl
of cAbd al-Hamid: al-masih on the cover but al-masih in the text.
- See
47 Sulayman, Lugz al-masih al-daggdl, p. 8; Id., Ihdarii l-masih al-daggdl, p. 13-14; al
cAdani, Bayna yaday al-daggdl, p. 100.

48 - cAbd al-cAziz, al-Masih al-daggdl wa Ydgug wa Mdgug, p. 10.

-
49 al-ManawT, Sahih al-aqwdl, p. 7.
-
50 al-Manawi, Sahih al-aqwdl, see intr. p. 3. His major target iswhat he defines as ration
- i.e. - see p. 17-24, 29, 34.
alistic Caqldniyyah) pseudo-scientific interpretations,
- 41.
51 Sakir, al-Masih al-daggdl, p.

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64 Roberto Tottoli

we shall
directly rejected and attacked by a few authors.52One of the reasons, as
see, substaining these doubts, is the large number of contradictoryhaditsy and
this becomes in one case an the doubts themselves: so many
argument against
reports are evidence of the authenticityof the storyof theDaggal and it should
not be forgotten thatmany authorities of the past stressed the importance of
these traditions.53
The question of authenticity becomes a major theme in connection to a
haditwhich can be considered central in the storyof theDaggal: thatofTamim
al-Dari who recounted to the Prophet thathe had seen theDaggal in chains in a
distant and unknown island and also interrogatedhim receiving a long descrip
tion of the signs before his advent and accompanying him.What ismore rele
vant in this regard is that thisproper haditwas one of themain arguments in the
discussion on traditions that emerged from the circles ofMuhammad cAbduh
(d. 1905) and Rasid Rida (d. 1935), who subjected thematerial included in clas
sical literature to a strong criticism.54Their attitude influenced thework of a
pupil of the latter, Mahmud Abu Rayyah, who applied their same kind of criti
cism to hadit literaturein hisAdwd* cald l-sunnah al-muhammadiyyah}^ In this
work, Abu Rayyah substantially rejected the report traced back to Tamim al
Darl, stating that this hadit is false since it derived from traditionsof Christian
origin (masihiyydt),because itsoriginator,Tamim al-Darl, was a Christian con
vert, even if this hadit was included in the Sahih ofMuslim.56 In most of the
works considered, thus,discussion of this report involves the questions raised by
Abu Rayyah, but, not so surprisingly,only in a few cases we find a direct and

-
52 This is the aim of a work such as that of Sakir, al-Masih see for ex. p. 37, where
al-daggdl,
it is stated that only HarigTs, Muctazilis and Gahmis do not believe in the Daggal; and see p.
40 where also Ibn Qutaybah and al-Tahawi rejecting rationalistic confutations of traditions are

quoted. In the same terms, see also Ahmad,

al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 21; al-Manawi, Sahih al

aqwdl, p. 29; Lammadah, Mddd tacrafu can al-masih al-daggdl, p. 91; al-TahtawI, al-Masih al
daggdl, p. 14; al-Sahawi, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 48; cAskar, Huldsat al-maqdl1an al-Mahdi wa
l-masih al-daggdl, p. 61. This criticism goes back to Ibn Katir.
-
53 al-Tahtawi, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 17.
-
54 This attitude iswell
reflected in the Tafiir al-mandr initiated and
inspired by cAbduh and
continued by Rasid Rida. About their criticism and their role as
leading figures in the history
of Islam at the see J. Jomier, Le commentaire
beginning of the last century coranique du Mandr,
Paris, 1954, and R. Wielandt, Offenbarung und Geschichte imDenken Moderner Muslime, Wies
baden, 1971, p. 49-94.
-
55 Adwdy cald l-sunnah 19946 (1st ed. 1946). About Abu
al-muhammadiyyah, al-Qahirah,
and this work, see the
Rayyah study of G.H.A.
comprehensive Juynboll, The Authenticity of
Tradition Literature, Leiden, 1969, p. 38-43, 130-137. The attitude of Abu
Rayyah is defined
by D.W. Brown as antl-hadit, see his Tradition inModern
Rethinking Islamic Thought, Cam
bridge, 1996, p. 42, 89, 95.
-
56 AdwdJ, p. 155-158. About see also
this passage Juynboll, The Authenticity of Tradition
Literature, p. 137. To the discussion of the hadits about the in the
Daggal light of this criti
cism, al-Qusaymi (m. 1935), Muskildt ahddit al-nabawiyyah wa baydnuhd, Bayrut, 1985, had
a
already dedicated chapter: p. 83-96.

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 HADITS AND TRADITIONS ... UPON THE DAGGAL (ANTICHRIST) 65

explicit confrontation. First of all the same critical approach is shared by two of
the sources considered here: Kamil Sacfan, in his al-Sdcah al-hdmisah wa l
cisrun, says that the story recounted by Tamim cannot be believed and can
frightenonly children.57Also cAskarmentions the same doubts about the story,
though inmore general terms:on theDaggal andfitan in generalmost ofwhat
was transmitted is false.Most interestingly,he states in his conclusions that he
does not agree with cAbduh and, instead, believes the story as a whole, saying
that the truth is that theDaggal will come and theMuslims will always fight the
58
Jews.
Apart from these two opinions, all the otherworks mention this tradition
with no problems nor doubts of any kind, tryingto explain away or give inter
pretations about all the numerous details it contains, thus taking itsauthenticity
and the veracity of its contents for granted. In most cases no polemical hint re
fers explicitly to themodernist doubts, but this is not the rule.Al-Albam, for
example, begins his monograph mentioning the sceptical attitude ofMuham
mad cAbduh, Rasid Rida, al-Azhar graduates and Mahmud Sal tut, etc.59A re
view of these sceptical opinions also introduces thework of al-Tayyibl, who
mentions the opinions ofMuhammad FarldWagdi, al-Maragi, Abu Rayyah,
Muhammad Rasid Rida and Ahmad Amin.60 Refutations are sometimes quoted
side by sidewith harsh accusations. Sakir states that the storyofTamim al-Dari
is sound and that the arguments on thispoint byAbu Rayyah are not justifiedat
all and his scepticismmakes no sense, sincewhat men do not understand of the
words of theQur^an or of the Prophet are due to their inability to understand
and not to deficiencies of the texts.61 Itmust be concluded that these lastposi
tions are not a peculiarity of only this contemporary literatureabout theDaggal.
They reflect the substantial lack of success of znti-hadit debates and the abso
lutelypreminent position acquired by revivalistsof sunnah in the lastdecades.62
A conservative attitude about the contents of hadit literatureis not restricted
to the hadit of Tamim al-Dari but also in connection with the
emerges clearly
storyof a man called Ibn Sayyad. This figure is a controversial one frommedie
val times, in relation to those hadits inwhich it is affirmed that theDaggal was
identified as a contemporary of the Prophet, of Jewish descent, called just Ibn
Sayyad.63Most of theworks considered here take one of the exegetical directions
of medieval religious learning already known, stating that this Ibn Sayyadwas
only one of the numerous daggdls of human historybut not theDaggal appear

-
57 Sacfan, al-Sdcah al-hdmisah wa l-cisriin, p. 14-15.
- wa l-masih
58 cAskar,Huldsat al-maqdl can al-Mahdi al-daggdl, p. 65, 67.
-
59 al-Albam, Qissat al-masih al-daggdl, p. 9f.
-
60 al-Tayyibl, Ahir al-maqdl, p. 7-15.
-
61 Sakir, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 20: this is a classical exegetical device which is here applied
also to thewords of the Prophet.

62 - This situation iswell described by Brown, Rethinking Tradition, p. 139-141.

- see
63 About this figure Halperin, "The Ibn Sayyad Traditions and the Legends of al-Daj
at n. 2.
jal", quoted

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 66 Roberto Tottoli

are attempting to har

ing at the end of time.64By adopting this solution they
monize differing reports about the eschatological Daggal and those containing
the definition of Ibn Sayyad as Daggal. If some doubts emerge theydo not affect
the authenticity of these hadits, but, rather, the capability to reconcile the large
number of versions, i.e. the is not in the material but in human capa
problem
bility tomake sense of it.65 In any case, thepoint isnot a polemical one and the
discussion is offered following the paths traced by classical interpretations
with
no differences from one source to the other.
particular
One of themost peculiar featureswhich emerges in some of the contempo
rary literatureabout theDaggal is a violent anti-Zionistic and anti-Jewishpo
lemical attitude, similar to that already attested in theMasth al-daggdl of Sacid
Ayyub and comprehensively described by David Cook.66 This is in fact a well
known attitude in certain contemporaryMuslim literature which has been con
stantly increasing in the lastdecades since the foundation of the state of Israel.67
In the case of the storyof theDaggal it can find fertileground since some ex
plicit hadits state that theDaggal will be of Jewishdescent and thathis firstand
main followerswill be Jews.These traditional statements are projected inmore
fanciful interpretations which try to demonstrate that Jews are behind everyde
ceiving action in theworld today.Their alleged involvement in the substantial
"degeneration" of theworld becomes a sign of the coming of the eschatological
time.Muhammad cIsa Dawud and, following him, cArifare more explicit in
this regard and join the interpretationsofMuslim traditions and sayings of
Muhammad to from the most famous Western literature about the Pro
excerpts
tocols of the Elders of Zion, the Jewish secretgovernment of theworld and the
connection of Jews with Masonry and other The Protocols of
organizations.68

64 - Sakir, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 35; al-Misri, Fitnat al-masih al-daggdl, p. 50-51. This opin
ion goes back to Ibn Katlr (al-Masih 1991, p. 17); in this regard seeMo
al-daggdl, al-Qahirah,
rabia, "L'Antechrist", p. 93. More articulated and prudent is the discussion by al-Tahtawi, al
Masih al-daggdl, p. 24-32 where the to which the hadit of Tamim al-Dari
opinions according
excludes that Ibn Sayyad was are
the Daggal
reported, along with differing interpretations; see
also Abu Sadi, al-Masih 55. See also al-cAdawI, Ah bar
al-daggdl, p. al-daggdl, p. 54-60 where
he states that authors such as al-Nawawi and stated that
al-Bayhaql people have differing opin
ions upon the question of Ibn
Sayyad. See instead the brief discussion in cAbd al-Hamid, Iqta
raba hurug al-masih also quoting theFirst Letter ofJohn from theNew Tes
al-daggdl, p. 32-34,
tament.
-
65 See for ex. cAsur, al-Masih wa Allah aclam bi-l
al-daggdl, p. 13-14, who concludes with
sawdb, and p. 21-24 where he states that the story of Ibn Sayyad and Tamim in any case attest
that the Daggal was alive at the time ofMuhammad. See also Ahmad, al-Masih
al-daggdl, p.
62-64; Salamah, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 27-30.
-
66 authority and the end of the world", p. 38-41. See in particular, Ayyub, al-Masih
"Hadit,

al-daggdl, p. 24f.
-
67 See on this regard Tottoli, The Biblical
Prophets..., p. 181-183.
-
68 Dawud wrote three books on these questions: Ihdaru l-masih
al-daggdl (1992); al-Huyut
al-hafiyyah (1994); Ma qibla l-damar (1999); in this last one a
significant section is dedicated
to a to criticism of the two
polemical response previous books: p. 66-\48. See in particular

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 H ADITS AND TRADITIONS ... UPON THE DAGGAL (ANTICHRIST) 67

the Elders of Zion are also evoked by cAbd al-Hamid as one of themain argu
ments used by the Jews to master theworld
through theDaggal who will be
theirmeans par excellence.^ A discussion of both Biblical passages and contem
porary political trends is for instance used to show the connection between the
Vatican and Jews.70Only cAskarcomes to a differentconclusion where he main
tains that according to another hadit it is instead clear that the time of the
Daggal will begin when Palestine will be inMuslims' hands and the Jewswill
constitute theDaggaTs army coming forth from Isfahan.This means that con
temporaryJews are not related to this army and, consequently, that the existence
of the state of Israel has no relation to the coming of theDaggal.71
The question of the image of the Jews in contemporaryMuslim literature
has been subjected to various interpretations.On the one hand, some interpret
their treatmentas an indirectway of attacking the local government and itspoli
cies (i.e. Egyptian peace treatywith Israel),whereas on the other, the opinions
expressed about Jews are seen as a manifestation of the growth of a generic anti
Judaic sentiment.72The latter seems the most correct answer in the case of
popular literaturewith a wide circulation and in particular in connection to the
Daggal, both from the contents of theseworks and the covers of the books,
sometimes truculent in drawing the image of a JewishDaggal.73

Dawud, Ihdaru
l-masih al-daggdl, p. 105-130; Id.,Ma qibla l-damdr, p. 207f. See also cArif,
Hal who and
al-daggdlyahkumu al-cdlam?, repeats develops the arguments of Dawud: the ad
vent of the means the over theworld
Daggal coming Jewish rule (p. 9-10), the Jewish conspir
acy with Masonry, Rotary and Lions Club (p. 9, 43), theMasonry conspiracy (p. 47, 53); the
hand of Jews over USA in every field (p. 19); The Protocols secret rule over
(p. 24), the Jewish
the world, starting from Disraeli (p. 40); the degeneration of aestethic taste,
prompted by Jews,
as in the case of 20th century artists such as Picasso
(p. 104). Cf. also cAbd al-Hamid, Iqtaraba
hurug al-masih al-daggdl, p. 176f., in part. p. 255-272, quoting as example the picture includ
ing theMasonry pyramid in the American dollar (p. 269); cf. also Id., cAsr al-masih al-daggdl
where these arguments are deepened publishing also material from the internet.
-
69 cAbd al-Hamid, Iqtaraba hurug al-masih al-daggdl, p. 192-230, where, along with the
Protocols of the Elders of Zion, we also find mention of Karl Marx, G. Mazzini, A.I.
Cherep
Spiridovitch, Y. Rabin, A. Hitler, B. Mussolini, and also the supposed danger for al-Masgid al

Aqsa which the Jews could try to destroy with the aim of again building theirTemple to adore
in it the Daggal (sic); see also Id., cAsr al-masih al-daggdl, where the same argumentations are
some other more traditional reconstructions,
deepened. Also in there ismention of the Jews
and of their fundamental involvement in the story of the Daggal who will be their leader, see

Lammadah, Mddd tacrafu 1an al-masih al-daggdl, p. 6, 95f.

70 - cAskar,Huldsat al-maqdl can al-Mahdiwa l-masih al-daggdl, p. 45-48.
- an al-Mahdiwa
71 cAskar,Huldsat al-maqdlc l-masih al-daggdl, p. 68-69.
-
72 these arguments generally and in fundamentalist circles in particular, see J.J.G.
Regarding
Jansen, The Dual Nature of Islamic Fundamentalism, Ithaca, NY, 1997, chapt. 6 "The Jews:
Back to the Golden p. 117-137, in part. 128.
Age",
- Most of these works, connecting Jews and Daggal show that kind of characterization
73
similar to anti-semitic propaganda already pointed out by Jansen, The Dual Nature of Islamic

Fundamentalism, p. 126.

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68 Roberto Tottoli

Another question usually faced regardswhether the advent of theDaggal is

near or not. The opinions are divergent on this point, and leaving aside those
who do not seem interestedin adopting a position in this regard,a few deny that
there are elements pointing to a near coming of theDaggal74 and a few others
maintain that instead some of the signs announcing him have already happened
and are happening now.75 One of themost typical examples of this is given by
theworks of Dawud who wrote threemonographs covering a total of a thou
sand pages. In his firstwork, Ihdaru l-masih al-daggdl> along with the usual dis
cussions on the connection of theDaggal with the Jews, he listswhat he con
siders themost important signs of his imminent return in a passage which is the
core of his work and also by far one of themost interestingof all this literature.
The signs are: 1. the oblivion of theDaggal, fulfillinga saying of the Prophet
-
from al-Hindi so, according to Dawud, the contemporary
quoted al-Muttaqi
world has now forgotten theDaggal; 2. the spread of evil and godless practices
attested in various hadits; 3. the appearance of a comet, Halley's Comet, as at

tested from the interpretationof a traditionquoted byNucaym b. Hammad; 4.

the draining of the Lake Tiberias, mentioned in the story of Tamim al-Dari,
which is occurring because of the use of itswater by the Israelis; 5. the outbreak
of Intifadah,which corresponds to the interpretationof a traditiongoing back
toAbu Amamah taken fromAhmad b. Hanbal;76 6. thewar between Iran and
Iraq corresponding towhat is said in a hadit fromAbu Hurayra taken from al
Buharl according towhich two factionswill fightwith a great loss of lives; 7.
The invasion of Kuwait by Iraq as fulfilmentof a saying ofMuhammad quoted
from al-Tabaranl; 8. the gathering of the Jews in Palestine, as has been happen
ing since the creation of the state of Israel in relation towhat is stated inCor.
17:104: ?AndWe said to theChildren of Israel afterhim, "Dwell in the land;
and when the promise of theworld to come comes to pass,We shall bring you a
rabble"?; 9. the economic depression all over theworld in agreementwith a
hadit quoted by al-Hakim al-Nisabun in hisMustadrak77 What ismost
signifi

-
74 Abu al-Haggag, GardJib wa
aga*ib al-masih al-daggdl, p. 26; cAskar, Huldsat al-maqdl
can al-Mahdl wa l-masih
al-daggdl, p. 68-69. See also Salamah, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 7: only a
few of the signs have
appeared.
-
75 cArif,Hal al-daggdl yahkumu al-cdlam?, 8 passim, in part. p. 29; al-Hamid, Muqaddimdt
al-daggdl, in part. p. 11: the sign of his imminent arrival is the indifference towards the Daggal
(see instead Abu al-Haggag, Gard^ib wa agd^ib al-masih al-daggdl, p. 26: one the signs that his
advent is not near is that there is no indifference towards the See also cAbd al-Ha
Daggal!).
mid, Iqtaraba hurug al-masih al-daggdl, p. 170-175, who mentions eighteen signs
denoting
that his advent is close.
-
76 Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, VIII, p. 310 no. 22.383, where the states that a group
Prophet
of his community will continue to the enemies, and thiswill take in
fight place Jerusalem.
-
77 Dawud, Ihdaru l-masih al-daggdl, p. 143-156; cArif,Hal
al-daggdl yahkumu al-cdlami>, p.
63-74: but he omits no. 7. Some of these are
interpretations repeated by cAbd al-Hamid, Iqta
raba al-masih who mentions the draining of the Lake Tiberias and
hurug al-daggdl, p. 176-179,
the gathering of the Jews in Palestine. See also Salamah, al-Masih
al-daggdl, p. 38: this sign

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 HADITS AND TRADITIONS... UPON THE DAGGAL (ANTICHRIST) 69

cant in this list is that the recent facts- at the timewhen the book was written -
and signs connected to Jews are followed by the interpretationof some peculiar
hadits. Reference to the religious tradition is the basis of reliabilitybut it seems
clear that is here to facts over the contents of the traditions.
prevalence given
The reverseprocedure is also adopted, for example by Sakirwhen tryingto give
reason for the hadit connecting the advent of theDaggal to the conquest of Co
was conquered by Muslims in 1453. He
nstantinople, while Constantinople
suggests thatmaybe this should be intended as theMuslim re-conquest of the
town after the reformsofK. Atatiirk.78
A few books contain, along with theseharsh judgements of the present situa
tion in connection to the Jews, other considerations in connection with what is
the assumed contemporarymoral corruption and the imminent return of the
Daggal. In this regard, the transmissionof foreignmovies or TV programmes in
Muslim countries is considered absolutely contrary to religious precepts and a
major sign of degeneration. cArif,for example, states that thesemodern prod
ucts - considered of Jewish inspiration- should be wholly rejected, to the point
that not only movies and TV programmes, but also cartoons for children are to
be condemned for spreading evilmessages 79The same arguments can be noted
in cAbd al-Hamid which attacks the same products originating fromUnited
States as the means which will conduct as its final stage to the time of the
as these are no doubt attacks against the contents
Daggal.80 Interpretationssuch
of the products more than againstmodernity in itself,but, it should not be un
derevaluated, a
they represent minority.81
The tendency to draw straight and fanciful connections between modern
and contemporary facts or phenomena and tradition is best exemplified in rela
tion to the following two questions: 1. the identificationof the island inwhich
the Daggal is imprisoned, according to Tamlm al-Darl; 2. the explanation of
those hadits and reportswhich describe prodigious dimensions and velocity of
the beast mounted by the Daggal. The terms of this discussion have been
prompted firstlyonce again by Dawud who identified the Bermuda Triangle as
the place where theDaggal ishidden before his advent and flying saucers (UFO)
as his and his demoniac followers' vehicles. This interpretationisproposed along
with articulated treatmentsabout the evil interventionsof theDaggal in human
history through the ages throughout theworld, but with a limited use of hadits.
This theoryhas also been stronglymaintained by cAbd al-Hamid who tried to
deepen its historical and scientific argumentation with a more comprehensive

already happened and quotes from al-Ahrdm, 16.4.1999; elsewhere (p. 39), he tries to recon
cile thiswith the hadit stating that the people of Gog and Magog will drink the lake waters.
-
78 Sakir, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 30-31.
-
79 cArif,Hal al-daggdl yahkumu al-cdlam?, p. 43, 54.

80 - cAbd al-Hamid, Iqtaraba hurug al-masih al-daggdl, p. 273-282.

-
81 Only al-ManawT, Sahih al-aqwdl, p. 3, rejects them directly.

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70 Roberto Tottoli

discussion of hadit literature.82He stronglydefended Dawud's interpretation

and explained that the traditionalhints at the prodigies bywhich theDaggal will
come are an implicit confirmation that upon his returnhe will make use of the
most modern and sophisticated tools.83With the aim of completing his treat
ment, cAbd al-Hamid also states that the identificationof theflying saucerswith
the activity and sedition of theDaggal ismaintained even by some learned in
Christian religious traditions, and among his sources, along with theworks of
Dawud, he adds the book aUMasih al-daggdl... al-hatar aUqddim of the Copt
Magdi Sadiq.84
Ifwe consider all the published works on theDaggal and the number of
those accepting or quoting the connection between theDaggal and Bermuda
islands and flying saucers, itmust be concluded that it is accepted by a small
minority. Most of theworks remain silent on the question or, in a few cases,
contest and discuss this interpretationor attack itdirectly.The most controver
sial question is that of the flying saucers. Lammadah, for example, explains in a
well documented discussion that the identificationof theDaggal with the flying
saucers is a result of igtihdd- i.e. an interpretativeeffortbased upon traditional
basis - and requires a clearer and more probative demonstration, though admit
ting thatmodern and contemporary technological progress could be of use for
theDaggal since hadits expressly state that his arrivalwill be accompanied by
great prodigies.85Quite relevant in this regard is the question of the interpreta
tion of those traditions describing the donkey mounted by theDaggal and its
velocity. The point at issue here is the possibility of stretchingthe interpretation
of those hadits describing the incredible swiftnessof theDaggaTs movements
from place to place and the large dimensions of his donkey as far as possible.
Lammadah states that the use by theDaggal of modern technological means
(such as flying saucers) is a possible interpretationof the hadits of this kind.86
On the other hand, cAbd al-Hamid firmlymaintained this identificationthrough
a combined exegesis of various hadits fromMuslim, Ahmad and otherswith a
tradition taken from thework ofNucaym b. Hammad according towhich the

82 - cAbd al-Hamid, Iqtaraba hurug al-masih on the Bermuda

al-daggdl: Triangle and the dis
cussion of some mysterious cases see p. 45f., while saucers and the vari
concerning the flying
ous UFO see p. 63f., in part. p. 135: the creatures in the saucers are demons
sightings, flying
under the orders of theDaggal.
-
83 cAbd al-Hamid, Iqtaraba hurug al-masih See also Ibrahim, Asrdr
al-daggdl, p. 28-31.
mutallat Birmudd, on theDaggal: p. 53-56.

84 - cAbd al-Hamid,Iqtaraba hurug al-masih al-daggdl, p. 64. This book by Sadiq is at the
of a response
origin by the Copt Samaw^il Masriqi (MusahdJ kadbah, al-Qahirah, 1996) and
another book on the subject of the same Hal wulida al-masih
Sadiq: al-daggdl? (al-Qahirah,
1997).
-
85 Lammadah, Mddd tacrafu can al-masih al-daggdl, p. 7: where he prudently states that in
every age men claim to be close to the advent of theDaggal.

86 -
Lammadah, Mddd tacrafu can al-masih al-daggdl, p. 114-115: theDaggal will take advan
tage of modern knowledge.

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 HADITS AND TRADITIONS ... UPON THE DAGGAL (ANTICHRIST) 71

vehicle bearing theDaggal will have a minbar, and thus concluding that only a
mechanical vehicle could combine all these features.87A differentand harsher
approach isproposed by al-Manawi who states thatwhen theDaggal appears the
world will not be such as it is now, and consequently these interpretativeefforts
are nonsense.88

Less controversies are attested in theworks considered in relation to the

identificationof themysterious Bermuda Triangle as the place where theDaggal
is awaiting the time to appear. The place, it is said by cArif,could be one of
these island or also Formosa, but anyhow he agrees to a literal interpretationof
the hadit of TamTm al-Dari.89 The same path is followed also by Sulayman in
his monograph on the argument: following on from a two chapters discussion of
theDaggal and of themysterious facts in the Bermuda Triangle, he concludes
by explaining that the two are connected, and states that theDaggal is alive now,
as is suggested by the storyof Tamlm al-Dari.90 The clearcut
position is once
again that of al-Manawi: afterpremising thathe does not want to dismiss hadits
- a fact that -
gives arms to the enemies of Islam and to the orientalists he asks
why satellitesdo not pick up this islandwhere theDaggal supposedly is.91
Finally, in the discussion of all the questions connected to theDaggal more
classical topics are also dealt with. One work, for instance,mentions one of the
most typical polemical targets in popular literature:according to al-cAdani in
fact there are also daggdls in theMuslim community and theyare the culamdJ
and the hukkdm of todaywhen too closely connected to political power.92Other
works discuss one of themajor concerns about the storyofDaggal: the fact that
it is not mentioned explicitly in theQur^an. Most of them state clearly that this
does not constitute a problem since sound hadits attest it in uncontroversial
terms. In some cases reference is made to the of those medieval exe
opinions
geteswho combined Qur3an and some hadits to demonstrate that theQurDan
implicitly indicates this event.93A furtherexplanation for the silence ofQuPan

-
87 cAbd al-Hamid, Iqtaraba hurug al-masih al-daggdl, p. 151-152.
88 - al-ManawT, Sahih al-aqwdl, p. 25. On pseudo-scientific explanations in general see the
introduction of Sacd - Muhammad, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 3-6.
-
89 cArif,Hal al-daggdlyahkumu al-cdlam?, p. 33. See also cAbd al-Hamid, Iqtaraba hurtig
al-masih al-daggdl, p. 38-41, where he discusses the contents of this tradition calculating the
distance of the island inwhich Tamim al-Dari saw the Daggal from Arabian peninsula.
- a few booklets of this
90 Sulayman, Lugz al-masih al-daggdl, it should be added that quite
same kind have been in the last few years on the Bermuda Triangle and itsmyster
published
ies, and not exclusively in connection with the Daggal.

91 -al-Manawi, Sahih al-aqwdl, p. 17-19.

-
92 al-cAdani, Baynayaday al-daggdl, p. 8, 10-11.
- The
93 favourite authority in this is usually Ibn Hagar who lists three reasons and interpreta
tions about this question. The first and most relevant is that in fact theQur^an alludes to the
a hadit from Abu see Ahmad, al-Masih al
Daggal, by reading Qur. 7:158 along with Hurayra:
daggdl, p. 9-10; and also Sakir, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 50-52; Salamah, al-Masih al-daggdl, p.

20-22; al-Manawi, Sahih al-aqwdl, p. 11; SirrI, al-Masih al-daggdl, p. 85-86; Yusuf, al-Masih

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 72 Roberto Tottoli

about theDaggal is offeredby quoting al-Bulqlnl (Sirag al-Din, d. 1403) who

maintained that theQur^an when dealing with evildoers recountswhat hap
-
pened in the past but does not tellwhat will happen in future an interpreta
tionwhich is directly rejected by al-Sahawi who, in his al-Masih al-daggal, uses
the example of themention of Gog and Magog.94 Sacfan, as in other cases,
maintains another answer: theQur^an does not mention theDaggal since it
mentions no other names from those of some and
apart messengers, prophets

angels.95

Conclusions

The works discussed here are examples of a kind of religious literatureproduced

in the lastdecade inArab countries and mainly originating inEgypt and deemed
forwide circulation. The topic of theDaggal is firstlyto be considered as a fa
vourite one, and one that has also received treatments which demonstrate the

range ofways of dealing with hadits and theway of interpretingand, ifpossible,

"updating" them.What ismore significant is that in all of this literature little
interest is shown in theoretical discussions about authenticity and the general
question of the value and role of thesehadits. This is a sign of the clear refusal to
examine the contents of hadit from a critical or sceptical perspectivewhich re
flects themore general tendency of the revivalism of sunnah. Thus, thewords
and acts of the Prophet Muhammad as attested in the classical literatureas a
whole are the only and constant point of reference and no doubts are raised
about the contents of thewords and acts preserved in hadits. Their authenticity
is taken for granted. Discussions such as those about
reliabilityof transmitters
are considered irrelevant and avoided and for this reason names
consequently
and sources usually defined as suspect are quoted without problems orwith only
the barest criticism.96
The works on theDaggal and those of a similar type in fact aim to
satisfya
public of readers that is not interested in casuistic discussions or
methodological

al-daggdl, p. 52-53. See also the most interesting treatment in al-Tahtawi, al-Masih al-daggdl,
p. 11-13, who adds this interpretation: the choice not to mention directly the question in the
is a means to
QurJan distinguish believers from unbelievers, such as was the case for the suc
cession ofMuhammad after his death, also not mentioned in theQur^an. See Yusuf, al-Masih
54: it is not in the but it is in
al-daggdl, p. quoted Qur3an quoted the sunnah, that is, one of
the two fundamental sources of Islam.
(asdsiyyah)
94 - cAsur, al-Masih
al-daggdl, p. 17, quotes al-Bulqini with no particular comment; al-Saha
wi, al-Masih al-daggal, p. 12, rejects it
stating that the mention of Gog and Magog belies this
see also the
interpretation; rejection by Ahmad, al-Masih al-daggdl, 10.
-
95 Sacfan, al-Sdcah al-hdmisah wa l-cisrun, p. 23.

96 - This well also

explain some peculiarities of the books considered, first of all the fact that
the question of a
isrdJiliyydt is not major concern. No doubt, we can suggest that those authors
or almost
relying only exclusively upon sources such as Muslim or al-Buhari and upon the
other most authoritative collections must have had inmind a criticism of this kind, but the
lack of every is nevertheless
preliminary discussion significant.

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 HADITS AND TRADITIONS ...UPON THE DAGGAL (ANTICHRIST) 73

tools, but are looking formore effectiveresponses, such as about those signs and
to the near or remote
prodigies, mentioned by hadits and traditions,connected
advent of the eschatological Deceiver ofMuslim tradition, theDaggal. Diver
are thus not in the to the material but in the inter
gences apparent approach

pretations and in theway tomake hadits useful for the contemporaryMuslims

a
facing rapidly changingworld. To thisend theworks upon theDaggal consid
ered here show differingattitudes ranging from scanty reviewsof the contents of
the hadits and traditions to themost fancifuldescriptions and interpretationsof
the prodigies of eschatological time. For all these reasons, this literaturecan be
defined as "popular" - at least a more popular literary layer than that of the
theoretical discussions which are continuously written inMuslim world and
constitute a definite and "higher" literarygenre - and representthematerial read
by a consistent stratum of theMuslim population, who are literateand mainly
urban, and are attracted by eschatological themes and who look for those easy
religious arguments and interpretations which can be immediatelyunderstood.

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