Al-Masih ad-Dajjal or Dajjal is a fiendish figure in Islamic eschatology masquerading as the promised Messiah. He will appear before the Day of Resurrection. Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) prognosticated his first appearance from the East, though it varies, but it is generally between Syria and Iraq.
The emergency of Dajjaal is the first major sign of the final hour. He is one of the sons of Adam (AS) i.e. he is a human being, but with extraordinary powers. Almighty Allah granted him these powers in order to test the faith of Muslims. He is the biggest trial for Muslims and of which Prophet (P.B.U.H) feared for his Ummah the most.
He is called Dajjal because he is a trickster, imposter and liar. He will claim divinity and will deceive people by saying that I am lord of the worlds. Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) said, “The Dajjal is one-eyed and your lord is not one-eyed” (Al Bukhari). He is the greatest Fitnah which will be faced by Muslims. According to a Hadith, every massenger has warned his people about the Dajjal but prophet Muhammad PBUH said, I will give you one additional information about him that he is one-eyed.
The description of Dajjal is that he is a short man with a large physique, curly hair and big head. Both of his eyes would be defected and his left eye would be covered with skin. On his head would be written Kafir (disbeliever). According to Hadith of prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H), “By Allah the hour will not begin until the thirty liars have emerged, the last of whom would be one-eyed Dajjal, whose left eye is abraded” (recorded by Ahmad ibn Hiban).
Dajjal will appear when the people would be ungodly and unrighteous. He will travel round the globe, except Makah and Madinah, where he will never be allowed to enter. He will have forty days during which he will travel about. First day would be like a year, second day like a month, and third day like a week. and rest of days like normal days.
He will cause very much turmoil. He will claim divinity and exhort people to follow him. He will ask the sky to shower the rain and it will start raining. He will ask the earth to bring forth the produce and it will do so. He will have with him a garden and fire to deceive the people. But his fire would be garden and his garden would be fire. Similarly his fire would be water and his water would be burning fire. According to a narration, he will ask a Bedouin, what if I resurrected your parents for you, will you believe I am your lord? He will reply yes and Dajjal will command two devils to conjure up who will say the Bedouin that he is your lord and believe in him.
Almighty Allah has mentioned many major and minor signs of the world, but Quran doesn’t mention the Dajjal. The possible reason behind the same could be that “there are three things which when they appear, it will do no good to a person to believe then if he didn’t believe before: the Dajjal, the beast and the rising of the sun from west” (Al Tirmidhi).
Prior to Dajjal’s appearance, wars between Muslims and Roman Christians will take place in which Muslims will prevail. Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) said, “The flourishing state of Jerusalem will be when Yathrib is in ruins, the ruined state of Yathrib will be when the great war comes, the outbreak of the great war will be at the conquest of Constantinople and the conquest of Constantinople when the Dajjal (Antichrist) comes forth. He (the Prophet) struck his thigh or his shoulder with his hand and said: This is as true as you are here or as you are sitting” (Sunan Abi Dawud).
Dajjal would be tempting and confusing. He will pull all stops to lead astray believers. Only true believers will be protected from his deception. Finally, some time after the coming of the Dajjal, Isa (A.S.) will descend on a white minaret to the east of Damascus, deemed to be in the Minaret of Isa in the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. Dajjal will be killed at the gate.

The writer is a law student at Kashmir University. He tweets at @ummar_jamal and can be reached at [email protected]

Ummar Jamal