All praises is due to Allah. We praise Him, ask him, and seek his forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from evils of ourselves and mischiefs of our deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides, cannot be guided. Peace and blessings be upon the Final Messenger MuhammedIntroduction
,
on his family and his noble companions
, Ameen
Belief in Doomsday is one of the fundamentals and pillars of faith. It is the day when everyone is to get recompense and punishment for one's work and has to go to heaven or hell according to one's deeds. This is the reason each and every Prophet warned his people of the Day of Judgement.
As for the knowledge of the time
of Qiyamah (End of the World) , it has not been given to any angel
or Prophet. Nobody besides
Allah knows when the final hour is.
The Quran
states, O Prophet the infidels ask you about the time of Qiyamah. So tell
them that it's knowledge is with Allah only. (Surah Luqman)
However certain events are going
to take place prior to the coming of the final hour. These events are known
as the Signs of Qiyamah. All the Prophets informed their people of the
signs of the final hour. Our Prophet Muhammed
being the last and the seal of Prophets, knowing that Doomsday is to come
upon this very ummah, explained clearly and in considerable detail the
signs of the final hour to the extent that sometimes He
would lecture his companions all day on this subject.
Abu Zaid (R.A.)
says, 'The Holy Prophet
sat down on the pulpit after Fajar
Prayer and began a deliver a long sermon until the time
for Zohr prayer came. After saying the Zohr prayer He
again sat on the pulpit and began the sermon, which continued till Asr
prayer. After the Asr prayer He
resumed the sermon so much so that the sun set. He
related whatever happened in the past and also related in detail whatever
is to happen in the future. Those amongst us who had good memories retained
many things.' (Muslim)
The signs of the final hour can be
divided into two groups.
1) Minor signs
Minor signs are events of normal
nature prophesised by our Prophet Muhammed
to take place before Qiyamah like the consumption of alcohol,
lifting of knowledge and prevalence
of ignorance and immorality and signs of this nature. The majority of the
minor signs have appeared while some are occurring and some will appear
with major signs.
2) Major signs
Major signs ae events of extraordinary
nature prophesied by our Prophet
to take place before Qiyamah like all the events mentioned in the following
hadith narrated by Hudhaifa ibn Usayd that the Prophet
said, 'The last our will not arrive till you have seen ten signs.
He
then mentioned the Smoke, Dajjal, Beast, Rising of the Sun from the place
of it's setting, the Descent of Isa, Ya'juj Ma'juj, Three Landslides, one
in the East , one in the West and one in the Arabian Peninsula after that
a Fire would spread from Yemen and drive the people to their place of gathering.'
(Muslim)
This book written by the Ulama of
the Institute is a concise summary of only the major events leading up
to the Day of Judgement. Each of the following signs: Mahdi, Dajjal, Descension
of Isa, Ya'juj Ma'juj, Landslides, Smoke, Rising of the Sun from the east,
Beast and the Fire are explained in detail. The supporting evidences are
written at the end of every section and have been taken from various authentic
Hadith collections.
All Praises belong to Allah,
Lord of all the world.
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The Coming of Imaam Mahdi is one of the signs of Qiyamah as is the belief of the Ahlus-Sunnah and he has yet to appear.
Abdullah-bin-Masood
has reported that the Prophet
said, "The world will not pass away before the Arabs are ruled by a man
(referring to Mahdi) of my family whose name will be the same as mine."
(Abu Daud)
However, many people in the past
falsely claimed to be Imaam Mahdi. One of these false claimants was Mohd-bin-Tomart,
a tyrant who spread corruption and even buried some of his companions because
they didn't believe that he was the Mahdi described by the Ahadith of Prophet .
Some believe it was Mohd-bin-al Askari who disappeared at the age of 5
and went into hiding and has been hiding for 10 centuries. Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad (The Cursed) was also one of those who claimed to be the
Mahdi as well as many other people. Besides those mentioned there were
many others who claimed the office of Mahdi, the most recent being somebody
from Manchester who claimed the position for himself.
It should be noted that none of the
above or anybody else who claimed to be the Mahdi in the past fulfilled
the conditions laid down by the Prophet .
A list of some of the signs which
will precede Imaam Mahdi and some that describe him have been gathered
in this book so that we Muslims are not misled to believe in somebody claiming
to be the Mahdi who in reality is a blatant liar.
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said:
2) Note. The Double Eclipse In Ramadan statement quoted from Darequtni is NOT verified, indeed it's authenticity is questionable. It is NOT to be considered as authentic Hadith.
3) The
Battle in Mina
Before Imaam Mahdi emerges an inter-tribal
fight will take place. In the same year Haji's
will be looted and a battle will erupt in Mina in which many people will
be killed.
Amr-bin-Shuaib reported from his
grandfather that the Messenger of Allah
said, ''In Dhul-Qada
(Islamic month) the tribes will fight, Hajis will be looted and there will
be a battle in Mina
in which many people will be slain and blood will flow until it runs over
the Jamara-tul-aqba. Their companions (referring to Imaam Mahdi) will flee
to a point between the Corner and the Maqaam and will be forced to accept
people's allegiance.'' (Al-Fitan Nuaim-b-Hammad)
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4) The
Euphrates Will Disclose Mountain of Gold
The final hour will not come until
the river Euphrates (which flows through Syria and Iraq and finally opens
in the Gulf) will disclose a mountain of gold over which people will fight
and die. It should be noted that this is a sign, which will precede Imaam
Mahdi only according to some Ulama. Abu Huraira (R.A.) reported that the
Messenger of Allah
said, ''The hour shall not occur until the Euphrates will disclose a mountain
of gold over which people will fight . Ninety- nine out of which
hundred shall be killed and every one of them will say' Perchance I shall
be the one to succeed. ''(Muslim)
In another narration we have been
told that whoever is present at the time when the Euphrates discloses a
mountain of gold should not take the gold.
5) Emergence
of the Suffyani
The Suffyani (a descendant of Abu
Sufyan) will emerge before Imam Mahdi from the depths of Damascus. According
to some weak narration his name will be Urwa bin Muhammed and his Kuniya
'Abu-Utba'. The Ahadith regarding the Suffyani specify that he is a tyrant
who will spread corruption and mischief on the earth before Imam Mahdi.
He will be such a tyrant that he will kill the children and rip open the
bellies of women. When he hears about the Mahdi, he will send an army to
seize and kill him. However the Earth will swallow this army before it
even reaches Imam Mahdi.
Abu Huraira (R.A.) has narrated
that the Prophet
said, ''A man will emerge from the depth of Damascus. He will be called
Suffyani. Most of those who follow him will be from the tribe of Kalb.
He will kill by ripping the stomachs of women and even kill the children.
A man from my family will appear in Haram, the news of his advent will
reach the Suffyani and he will send forth one of his armies. He (referring
to Imam Mahdi) will defeat them. They will then travel with whoever remains
until they come to a desert and they will be swallowed . None will be saved
except the one who had informed the others about them. '' (Mustadarak)
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6) The Emergence
of Haris-Al-Harrath and Mansur
Hazrat Ali reported that the Prophet
said, ''There will be a man from Transoxania who will be called Harith-Harrath
and a man called Mansur will be at his vanguard. He will give abode to
the family of Mohammad (referring to Imam Mahdi) just as the Quraish gave
abode to the Prophet
(Mishkat)
7) An army
will perish in Baidah
Once he has appeared an army that
has come to fight him will perish in Baidah (a flat piece of land next
to Madinah facing the direction of Makkah).
Umme-Salama (R.A.) reported that
the Prophet
''There shall be differences and intense dispute at the time of the death
of a Khalifh. Then a man from the inhabitants of Madinah (referring to
Imam Mahdi) will come out of the flee to Makkah (so that he does not get
caught in the dispute and is not made the Khalifh). Some Makkans will come
to him and take him out though he will be unwilling. They will then make
him accept their Bayat between the Black Stone and the place of Ibrahim .
An army will then be sent to fight him from Syria , however it will perish
in Baidah, between Makkah and Madinah. When the people see and hear about
this event ,the awliya (God fearing people) of Syria and Iraq will make
Bayat with him.'' (Abu Daud)
8) A
star with a luminous tail will rise from the east before his emergence.
(Al-Iza'ah).
9) A voice in Ramadhan will awaken sleeps and alarm those that are awake (Ibid)
10) The emergence of al-A'hraj al-Kindi, Abqa and Ashab before Imam Mahdi (Ibid)
11) The earth will swallow a village near Damascus (Ibid)
12) An army with black banners will come from the East (Ibid)
There are many other signs which
will precede Imam Mahdi. For more information read the relevant Books
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1) He will be from the progeny of
the Prophet
and descendent of Fatimah (R.A).
Umme Salama (R.A) reported: I heard the Prophet of Allah ()
saying, "The Mahdi will appear from my progeny, from the descendants of
Fatimah." (Abu Daud)
2) His name will be Muhammad
or Ahmad and his father's name will be Abdullah. Ibne
Masood (R.A) reported that the Prophet
said, "If there remains in the world but a day, the mighty Allah will greatly
prolong that day till he will send there in a man from me or from the members
of my house. His name will be similar to my name and his father's name
to my father's name." (Abu Daud)
3) He will resemble the Prophet
in character. Hadrat Ali (R.A) once
looked at his son and remarked, "This son of mine is Saiyid who was named
by the Prophet
and soon from his loins will come forth a man by the name of your Prophet
and who will resemble him in conduct but not in appearance." (Abu Daud)
4) He will have a shiny forehead
and a high bridge nose. Abu Saeed reported that the Prophet
said, "The Mahdi will appear from me, shining of forehead, long of nose."
(Abu Daud).
5) Once Hadrat Ali (R.A) was
asked regarding his description. He replied, "He is a well built youth
of average height and a handsome face, his hair reaches his shoulders and
the light of his face is contrasted by the darkness of his hair and beard."
(Al-Isha'ah)
6) He will be slow of speech
(a slight stutter) and when he is delayed, he will strike his left thigh
with his right hand." (Al-Isha'ah)
7) He will appear from the
east. Thawban (R.A) reported that the Prophet
said, "Three men will be killed at the place where your treasure is. Each
of them will be the son of a Khalifah but none of them will get hold of
the treasure. Then the black banners will come out of the east, and they
will slaughter you in a way that has never been seen before. If you see
him give him your allegiance, even if you have to crawl over ice, because
he is the Khalifah of Allah, the Mahdi." (Ibne Majah)
Only some of the signs that will
precede Imaam Mahdi and of the Mahdi himself have been gathered in this
book. The true Mahdi, the one referred to in the Ahadith of Prophet
as one of the signs of Qiyamah, is the one in whom the pre-mentioned signs
are found.
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After the death of a Khalifh there
shall be intense dispute and difference of opinion in whom should become
the next Khalifh. Fearing he may get caught up in the dispute and made
the Khalifh, Imaam Mahdi will flee from Madinah to Makkah. However, to
his surprise on reaching Makkah, some Makkans will bring him out of his
house against his will and take him to Masjid Haraam and 313 as has been
mentioned in the hadith reported by Imam Hakim in Al-Mustadrak will force
him to accept their Bayat between the Rukn (corner of the Ka'aba containing
the black stone) and the place of Ibrahim. The news of his allegiance will
quickly spread and thus an army from Syria will be sent to fight him. However
no harm will come to Imaam Mahdi nor his followers who will be supported
by Allah. The earth will swallow up this army before it can get near to
the Imaam in a place called Baidah (a flat piece of land between Makkah
and Madinah). After seeing and hearing about this extraordinary event and
sign, the Awliya (pious saints) of Syria and Iraq will come to Imaam Mahdi
and swear allegiance to him between the black stone and the Maqam (the
place of Ibrahim which is near the Ka'aba). (The above content can be found
in the Hadith of Umme Salama/Abu Daud)
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His first battle will be against
the tribe of Kalb. A short period after the eminent saints of Syria and
Iraq have sworn allegiance; a man from the Quraish will rise whose maternal
uncle's belong to the Kalb tribe and he will send an army to fight Imaam
Mahdi. However this army will be overcome and defeated. This will be his
first victory.
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(The author of al-Isha'ah has mentioned
that this battle will take place in Imam Mahdi's time).
Imam Mahdi will have to fight many
battles, the most important and difficult being the battle against the
Christians in which a large number of Muslims will be martyred.
' Yusayr bin Jabir said, "A red sandstorm erupted in the city of Kufah. Afterwards, a man came shouting and repeating the same words, 'O Abdullah bin Mas'ud! The hour has come.' He (Yusayr) then said that he sat up after he was leaning (on his side) and said, ''The hour will not arrive until no inheritance will be divided and no war possessions will bring about satisfaction. ''He pointed with his hands towards Ash-Sham saying, ''An enemy will gather its forces against the followers of Islam.''I said, ''Do you mean Ar-Rum? He said ''Yes.''Then, during this war, fierce fighting will occur. Muslim will ask for a volunteer expedition that will vie to die or return victorious. They will fight until the night separates them. Both sides will return to their camps not yet victorious and the expedition will perish.
Muslims will then (in the third day) ask for volunteer expedition that will vie to die or return victorious. They will fight until the night separates them. Both sides will return to their camp not yet victorious and the expedition will perish. In the fourth day, the rest of the Muslim forces will turn against them (the disbelieves) and Allah will defeat them (the disbelieves). They will suffer casualties never heard of before or he said, ''Never seen before, even birds flying near them will not pass without falling down dead.
Afterwards, sons of the same fathers (from the Muslim side), who were near a hundred, will count the survivors and will find out only one of them survived. Therefore, what war possession will bring satisfaction and what inheritance will be divided? While they are doing this they will hear of an even bigger calamity; That is, a man will scream amongst them that the Dajjal has appeared among their families which they left behind. They will discard what they have in their hands and proceed. They will send ten horsemen as an expedition force.
The Messenger of Allah
said, ''I know their names and their fathers name and the colours of their
horses. They will be the best horsemen on the face of Earth, ''or (he said)
''(They) Will be amongst the best horsemen on the face of Earth.''
(Muslim)
The cause of this great battle will
be the Christians. The Christians and Muslims as allies will conquer a
third enemy. However, the Christians will act treacherously as they will
claim the victory on the strength of their religion, thus the Muslims will
be driven to arms and will fight them.
Dhu Makhbar said, ''I
heard the Apostle of Allah ()
say, ''You will make a secure peace with the Byzantines, then you will
fight an enemy behind you, and you will be victorious, take the boot, and
be safe you will the return and alight in a meadow with mounds and one
of the Christians will raise the cross and say, 'The cross has conquered'.
One of the Muslims will become angry and smash it, and the Byzantines will
act treacherously and prepare for battle.''
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The great war between the Christians
and Muslims will result in the Muslims conquering Constantinople (which
is modern day Istanbul) without army by the sheer force of Takbeer (Allahu
Akbar).
Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet
said, ''Have you heard of a town of which a part is in the sea?''
''Yes'' said they. He said: 'The
last hour shall not occur till 70,000 of the children of Isaac shall attack
it. When they come to it, they (Muslims) will not fight with arms, nor
throw arrows. They will only say: There is no god but Allah, Allah is the
greatest, and then on of its sides will fall down. They will recite for
the second time : there is no god but Allah, Allah is the greatest, and
then another of its side will fall down. After that they will say it for
the third time: there is no god but Allah and Allah is the greatest, and
then it will be opened for them and they will enter and acquire booty.
While they will be dividing the booty, a proclaimer will come to them and
proclaim: 'Verily Dajjal has come out. 'Then they will leave everything
and return. ' (Muslim)
It should be noted that the conquests
will take place a very short period. Abdullah-b-Busr has reported that
the Messenger of Allah
has said: 'Between the Great War and the conquest of the city (Constantinople)
there will be six years, and the Dajjal shall appear in the seventh year,'
(abided)
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Once again the Quran and Sunnah will
govern the people, this time by the rightly guided Khalifh, Imam Mahdi.
Islam will gain an upper hand and will be firmly established in the land.
The oppression, tyranny, and darkness that prevailed all over the globe
will be replaced with justice, peace and equity. The smile, which was long
forgotten, will be restored on the Muslim faces and the inhabitants of
the Heaven and Earth will be pleased with him. Everybody will be happy
to the extent that even birds an wild animals will rejoice in his rule.
Heaven will end rain profusely, livestock will be in abundance, land will
become fertile, the earth will become green and sprout with abundant fruit
ad vegetation.
(The above content has been taken from various hadith, which can be found
in Abu-Daud and from the hadith narrated by Abu-Saeed al-Khudri in Musnad
Ahmad.)
Due to the booty gained from the
various conquest everyone will have so much wealth that an eyebrow will
not even be raised at somebody else's wealth. Callers will proclaim in
the street, ''Is anybody in need of anything?'' Nobody will respond except
one person. In the latter part of Abu-Saeed al-Khudri's hadith it is mentioned
''A caller will call 'Who is in need of wealth?' Only one person will stand
(and response to the call and say I am in need of wealth) he will be told
to go to the treasurer and tell him that the Mahdi orders you to give some
wealth. 'Gather and take it', he will be told. (He will begin to put it
in his lap, when he realized that nobody else has come and he was the only
one) he will regret it and say 'I was the greediest from among the Ummah
of Muhammed .
The narrator says, he will return it but it will not be accepted and it
will be said to him that we do not accept what we have given.
(Ahmad)
Abu-Saeed al-Khudri has also reported
that the Prophet
said regarding Mahdi; that a man will come to him and say, 'Give me, give
me'. Then he will spread his cloth and put in it as much as he can carry.
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There are different narration's regarding
his reign as a Khalifh. Some traditions indicate that is reign will be
seven years like the hadith of Umme Salama in Abu-Daud, ''He will remain
seven years, then die, and Muslims will pray over him. '' (Abu-Daud)
Other traditions indicate that his
reign will last seven, eight or nine years like the Hadith of Abu Saeed
in Mustadrak.
Due to different traditions the period of Imaam Mahdi's reign is disputed.
Many Scholars have taken seven years to be the period of his reign due
to the fact that the Ahadith which indicate seven years are the most authentic.
Other Scholars like Shah Rafiud-din, after careful analysis have concluded
that the first seven years if his reign will pass without worry, he will
spend the eight preparing to fight the Dajjal and spend the ninth with
Prophet
Isa (Jesus)
He will thereafter die, Prophet Jesus
will read his funeral prayer and bury him.
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The emergence of the Dajjal is the most important sign as his trial and fitna will be the biggest ever seen on the Face of the earth and even those firm in faith will be shaken.
The Messenger of Allah
said, "Between the creation of Prophet Adam
and the coming of the last hour, their will arise no matter more serious
than the Dajjal." (Imran-b-Hussain/ Muslim)
Due to the severity of this turmoil,
every Prophet from the first to the last warned and informed his people
about, the Dajjal and his turmoil. (Anas / Bukhari, Muslim)
The Dajjal will appear once the Muslim army, have conquered Constantinople
and reached Syria. Emerging from the east, moving from city to city he
will perform unusual feat and cause fitna wherever he goes. Before we move
onto his trials many important questions need to be answered. 'Is he alive?'
'Which signs will precede him?' 'How will we recognise him?' and so forth.
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The story of Tamim Dari which follows, answers the first and most important question, is the Dajjal alive? and whether Hadrat Tamim Dari and his companions have seen him when they were thrown by the waves on to some remote Island.
Fatimah-bint-Qais reported, "I heard
the proclaimer of the Messenger of Allah
proclaiming (for) 'Congregational
Prayer'. I went to the mosque and prayed with the Prophet .
When he finished his prayer, he sat upon the pulpit smiling and said, 'Let
every man remain in his seat.' He then asked, 'Do you know why I have called
you together?' They replied, 'Allah and his Messenger know best.' The Prophet
said, 'By Allah, I have not called you together for hope or for fear, I
have called you together because Tamim ad- Dari who was a Christian, came
and embraced Islam.
He narrated a
story to me, which agreed with the account I had given to you about the
Dajjal. He informed me that he had embarked upon a sea-boat with thirty
men of Lakhm and Jozam. Then the sea waves played with them for a month
and threw them on to an island when the sun was about to set. They sat
in a small side boat and landed on the Island. A beast with very coarse
hair met them. They could not tell its front from its back due to its excessive
hair. They asked, 'Woe to thee! Who art thou?" It replied, 'I am a spy.
Go to this man in the monastery, as he is eager to receive the information
you bring.
' Tamim Dari
said, 'When it named a man for us, we fled away from it lest it might be
the devil. Then we hurriedly went on until we entered the monastery and
found a big-bodied man whom we had never seen before. He was firmly tied
up, his hands tied to his neck, the place between his knees, and joints
tied up with iron chains.' We asked, 'Woe to thee! What are thou?' He replied,
'You have the power to get my information. Inform me about yourselves.
' They replied,
'We are people from Arabia, we embarked upon a sea boat, but the sea waves
played with us for a month and threw us onto this island. A beast of coarse
hairs met us and said, 'I am a spy. Go to the man in the monastery.' So
we approached you hurriedly. He asked, 'Tell me about the trees of Baisan.
Do they bear fruit?.' 'Yes' We replied. He said, 'Behold! Soon they will
not yield fruit.' He asked, 'Inform me of the lake of Tiberias. Is there
water in it?' We replied, 'It is full of water.' He informed us, 'Soon
its water will disappear.' He then asked, 'Inform me of the fountain of
Zugara. Is there water in it and do its inhabitants irrigate with the water
of the fountain?' 'Yes, it is full of water and it's inhabitants irrigate
from its water. He asked, 'Inform me of the Prophet of the illiterates.
What does he do?' We said, 'He has just come out of Makkah and gone to
Yathrib.' He asked, 'Have the Arabs fought with him?' 'Yes' We replied.
He asked, 'How did he treat them' We informed him that he had got the upper
hand of those of the Arabs who opposed him and they obeyed him. He said,
'Behold! It is better for them if they obey him. As for myself I am certainly
the Anti-Christ and it is near that an order will be passed for me to come
out. I shall then come out and travel the world. I shall leave no village
at which I shall not land within 40 nights except Makkah and Taibah, which
will be forbidden to me. Whenever I wish to enter one of the two, an angel
with a sword in his hand will encounter me and prevent me therefrom. There
will be angels on every side to guard
it. The apostle of Allah struck his pulpit with his staff and said, 'This
is Taibah meaning Madinah. Behold! Did I not tell you?' 'Yes' they replied.
'Behold, he is in the Syrian sea or sea of Yemen; no, rather he is from
the eastern direction. He then pointed out with his hand to wards the East.'
(Muslim)
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The
coming of Imaam Mahdi
In light of many Ahadith the Ulama
of the Ahlus-Sunnah are of the opinion that Imaam Mahdi will come before
the Dajjal and the Dajjal will appear in the later parts of Imaam Mahdi's
reign.
The
Great Famine
There will be a famine for three
years before his appearance. In the first year of the famine the heaven
will withhold one third of its rain and the earth one third of its crops.
In the second year of the famine heaven will withhold two thirds of its
rain and the earth will withhold two thirds of its crops. In the third
year there will not be a single drop of rain and not a single thing will
grow and thus all the animals with hoofs and biting teeth will die and
the Tasbeeh will suffice the believers hunger. (Asma-b-Yauzeed-Mishkat)
Dajjal's
parents
His father will be tall and thin
and his nose will be pointed like a beak while his mother will be fat with
two long hands. They will both remain thirty years without a child. After
thirty years a one eyed son with biting teeth and of little benefit will
be born to them whose heart will remain awake while his eyes will sleep.
(Abu-Bakara-Tirmidhi)
General
signs that will precede Dajjal
From the hadith of Umme Shareek
which can be found in Muslim we could conclude the Arabs will be less in
numbers. At the same time we can conclude from the hadith of Jabir-b-Abdullah
which can be found in An-Nihaya that religious learning will be at a low
and very few people will be aquainted with religious principles and doctrines
and thus ignorance will prevail.
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Dajjal's
Physical description
The Dajjal is a young1
fat 2 man, wheatish3 in complexion with
a broad chest 4 and biting teeth. Resembling Abdul Uzzah bin
Qatad from the tribe of Khuza'a his head is covered7 with
curly hair8 with the letters "Ka' "Fa" "Ra''9
written between his eyes which every believer will be able to clearly see
and read literate or illiterate, he has a shining forehead10
and defect in both eyes. His left eye has a swelling pupil11 while
he is blind12 from the right. He has a brisk walk13and
no children14
Footnote:
1) Nawwas-b-Samaan /
Muslim
8) Nawwas-b-Samaan / Muslim
2) Ibne-Umar / Bukhari
/1 Muslim
9) Hudaifah / Muslim
3) Abdullab-b-Mugaffal
/ Kanzul-Ummal 10) Abu Huraira / Musnad
Ahmad
4) Abu Huraira / Musnad
Ahmad
11) Hudaifah / Muslim
5) Abu Bakara / Tirmidhi
12) Ibne Umar / Bukhari / Muslim
6) Nawwas-b-Samaan /
Muslim
13) Ubiadah / Abu Daud
7) Hudaifah / Muslim
14) Abu Saeed al-Khudri / Muslim
Conquering Constantinople with Takbir,
the Muslims will begin to take the booty. While they are distributing the
war posses- sions a proclaimer will proclaim that the Dajjal has appeared
and causing fitna in your homes. On hearing this cry the Muslims will leave
the booty and head towards Syria1. It will come to their knowledge
that this was a false rumour. However after reaching Syria the Dajjal will
truly emerge. He will come out from a road between Syria and Iraq2
and
his emergence will become known in Isfahan3 at a place called
Yahoodah. Riding a white ass4, the two ears
of which will be forty hands apart, 70,000 Jew's of Isfahan will follow
him with hoods on their heads. Also accompanied by Devils6
and Jewish magicians7 he will first claim Prophethood8
and then God hood. Travelling as fast as those clouds which are driven
by the winds he will travel to east and west entering every country, carrying
out murders, pillage, devastation and performing unusual feats wherever
he goes9.
Footnote:
1) Abu Huraira / Muslim
2) Nawwas-b-Samaan / Muslim
3) Anas / Al-Fathur-Rabbani
4) Abu Huraira / Baihaqi
5) Anas / Muslim
6) Jabir-b-Abdullah / An-Nihayah
7) Ibne Abbas / Kanzul-Umaal
8) Abu Umamah / lbn Majah
Dajjal's
Deception
Two angels resembling two Prophets,
one on either side will accompany him. This will be to test mankind. Hence
Dajjal will ask, "Am I not your lord? Do I not give life and death?" One
of the angels will reply, "You are a liar." However nobody will be able
to hear this reply besides the other angel. The second angel addressing
the first angel will say, "You are speaking the truth." Every body will
hear what this second angel said and will think that an angel is testifying
that the Dajjal is Allah though in reality this second angel was addressing
the first and agreeing with his reply that you are speaking the truth that
the Dajjal is certainly a liar. (Narrated by Safeena-Musnad
Ahrnad)
He will come to a Bedouin whose parents have passed away and will say to him, "Will you believe that I am your Lord if I bring your parents back to life." He will reply, "Yes." The devils that are accompanying him will take the form of his parents and after resembling his parents will say to him, "Oh child believe in him and follow him, he is your Lord.' The Bedouin will be deceived and forced into believing him. (Abu Umamah/Ibne Majah)
He will come to another Bedouin and say, "Will you believe in me as your Lord if I bring your camel back to life?" "Yes", he will reply. He will make a figure for him like his camel, which will have a beautiful odour and a big hump. (Asma-b-Yazeed /Mishkat)
He will have water and fire with
him. As for that which the people will see as water, in reality will be
fire, which will burn and as for that which people will see as fire, in
reality will be cold, sweet water. The Prophet's
advice is: "Whoever meets the Dajjal and sees the water and the fire, he
should fall in the fire and not the water, as the fire in reality is water
and the water in reality is fire.'' (Hudaifah/Mishkat)
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Believers in Allah will face hardship while The believers in Dajjal will temporarily rejoice
He will come to people and tell them he is Allah and they will believe him. The sky on his order will pour rain and the earth will grow crops for these people. Their animals will graze on his land and return to them in the evening with large udders and their flanks full. He will then proceed to some other people and call them but they will refuse to believe him. Without forcing them he will leave and carry on with his mission. However, when these true believers wake up in the morning they will find that they are penniless and all their properties have been destroyed. (Nawwas-b-Samaan/Muslim)
The
Earth will disclose treasure at his command
Passing by a place in ruins, he
will order it to take out its hidden treasure. The earth will immediately
take out its hidden treasure. The earth will immediately take out its treasure
and the treasure will literally follow him wherever he goes like
bees following the queen bee. (Nawwas-b-Samaan/Muslim)
Dajjal
faces Opposition
On hearing about the Dajjal a true
believer will head towards him. However, on the way he will be stopped
by Dajjal's soldiers and asked where he is intending to go. Replying that
he is going to meet the person who claims that he is Allah, the soldiers
doubting him will ask, ''Do you not believe in our Lord (Dajjal)?'' He
will reply there is nothing hidden about our Lord Allah so how can I take
Dajjal as my Lord. Angry at his reply they will decide to kill him. But
all of a sudden one of them will say, ''Hasn't our Lord (Dajjal) prohibited
us from killing anyone without his permission?" Thus they will take him
to the Dajjal. On seeing the Dajjal he will shout, "O people this is the
Dajjal the Prophet
mentioned and warned the believers of". Dajjal will order to kill him.
He will be placed on his belly and severely beaten. He will be asked, "Do
you still not believe in him?" "No! You are the lying Dajjal" he will reply.
The true believer will then be sawn into two pieces, the Dajjal will walk
in between the two pieces and address him, "Stand up." The true believer
will become alive and stand up in one piece. Yet again he will be asked,
"Do you now believe in me?" He will reply, "It has only added to my insight
concerning you that you are really the Dajjal." The believer will then
proclaim, "O people he will not be able to do anything to any man after
me." The Dajjal angry at his refusal will grab hold of him and place a
knife between his neck and throat to slaughter him but he will be unsuccessful
as Allah will place copper in that area and the knife will find no way
to penetrate. The Dajjal will grab hold of his hands and legs and throw
him into the fire. However, the fire will turn into a pleasant garden for
him. This person will be the greatest martyr in the eyes of Allah and achieve
the highest position due to his first death, which was caused by severance
of the body in two pieces.(Abu Saeed al-Khudri /Muslim)
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Dajjal's
Trickery
Doctors and surgeons are not able
to restore the eyesight of those born blind or cure the leper. Dajjal will
be able to cure those born blind, restore their eyesight and cure the leper.
(Abdullah-b-Mugaffal-Kanzul-Unimal)
Dajjal's
Greed
He will have a mountain of bread
with him but he will only give bread to those that believe and follow him.
(Jabir-b-Abdullah-An-Nihaya)
Dajjal
Lures the Women
The Dajjal will make a stop at a
place called Markanat, near Taif. On hearing about his arrival the womenfolk
will rush towards him, the men will be forced to tie their mothers, daughters,
and sisters fearing they will believe in him and get caught up in fitna.
(Ibne Umar-Musnad Ahmad)
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The Dajjal will remain on earth for
40 days, the first of which will be a year long, second a month , the third
a week, and the remaining 37 days like our normal days, moving from city
to another causing fitna1. Finally he will proceed towards Makkah
and Madina2 but he will be unable to enter these holy cities,
Masjid Tur and Masjid al-Aqsa3. Every time he tries to enter
these holy places, angels guarding these holy cities with swords in their
hand will encounter him and chase him away, leaving Dajjal stationed behind
Uhud4. Meanwhile, earthquakes will hit Madinah thrice and all
the hypocrites will be forced to leave5.
Footnote:
1) Nawwas-b-Samaan / Muslim
2) Fatimah-b-Qais / Muslim
3) Junaid-b-umaiya / Al-Fathur-Rabbani
4)Abu-Huraira / Bukhari
5)Amr-b-Sufyan / Ad-Darrul-Manthur
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Losing hope of entering these
holy places, Dajjal will turn towards Syria. Imaam Mahdi will already have
arranged a Muslim army and will be on the verge of leading the Muslims
in morning prayer when Prophet Jesus
will descend and Kill the Dajjal. (Usamah / Ibne Majah)
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Reciting
of Surah - Kahf
The recitation of Surah Kahf is
a safe guard from the Dajjal's turmoil. The Prophet (s) said, "Whoever
memorises the first ten verses of Surah Kahf will be safe from the Dajjal's
Fitna." (Abu-Darda / Muslim)
The Prophet
said, 'Whoever meets the Dajjal amongst you then he should recite the opening
verse of Surah Kahf onto him." (Nawwas-b-Samaan / Muslim)
Seeking
refuge in Allah
Whoever seeks Allah's refuge and
protection from Dajjal's fitna especially in Salah, Inshallah will be protected.
The Prophet
would pray in Salah, "Oh Allah protect me from the punishment of the grave
and protect me from Dajjal's fitna." (Aisha / Bukhari / Muslim)
Staying
miles apart
When the Dajjal appears one should
stay as far away from him as possible. The Prophet
said, "Those who hear about the 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." (Imran-b-Hussain
/ Abu Daud)
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Safe
Haven of Makkah and Madinah
One should try to migrate
to Makkah or Madinah, as he will not be able to enter these two holy cities.
Thus one will be protected from his fitna. (Fatimah-b-Qais / Muslim)
Knowledge
of Allah's Attributes
One should seek Islamic knowledge
especially knowledge of Allah's attributes. By possessing knowledge of
Allah's attributes one will not be misled by the Dajjal. This knowledge
teaches that Allah is perfect, can't be seen, and not in need of anything
while the Dajjal is imperfect, can be seen by both believers and non-believers
and in need of food and water.
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Brief History
of Prophet Jesus
Due
to the fact that the Jews had become deaf and blind to the words of God
and deviated from the teachings of Moses and the right path, Allah honoured
Jesus
with Prophethood and sent him as a messenger to the children of Israel.
Bearing all hardships Prophet Jesus
spent all day and night conveying the message of Allah. Unfortunately,
in spite of his tremendous effort the children of Israel did not respond
and accept the message. Seeing that the poor and weak were becoming inclined
towards him and fearing they would lose their leadership the Jews secretly
tried to kill him. However Allah saved Prophet Jesus
from their wicked scheme and gave him greater dignity by raising him alive
to the heavens.
Allah says in the Quran, "They did
not kill him and nor did they crucify him but the resemblance of him (Jesus )
was put over another man and those who differ there in, are in doubt. They
have no certain knowledge. They are following nothing but conjecture for
surely they did not kill him but Allah raised him up to him." (Surah Nisa)
Allah says in the Quran "When Allah says, Jesus; I will take thee to me and I will purify thee of the unbelievers" (Surah A'li-Imran)
These verses clearly prove that the
Jews did not kill Prophet Jesus
and that he was raised alive to the heavens. It is due to verses like those
mentioned above and many authentic Ahadith we Muslims believe that Prophet
Jesus
is alive in heaven at this moment in time. We further believe due to the
following verses and authentic Ahadith that Prophet Jesus
will return before Qiyamah and his return is a major sign of Qiyamah.
Allah says in the Quran,
"And he (son of Mary) shall be a known sign for (the coming of) the hour."
(Surah Zukhruf)
Ibne Abbas has
said that the meaning of this verse is that Prophet Jesus's descent
before Qiyamah is a sign of Qiyamah. (Ibne Abbas/ Musnad)
Allah says, "There is not a single
section of the people of the book that will certainly believe in Jesus
before his death and on the Day of Resurrection he will be a witness against
them." (Surah Nisa) This verse clearly indicates that before the demise
of Prophet Jesus
everyone from the people of the book will believe in him. The Jews will
disappear as Jews after his demise but at the present the Jews are very
much there. The conclusion is clear that the Prophet Jesus has
not died; if so all the Jews would have become believers, which they have
not. He will return before Qiyamah and it is then that all the people of
the book will believe in him.
Jabir (R.A) reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "A party of my followers will not cease to fight for victory until the Day of Resurrection. He said, then Jesus, son of Mary, will come down. Their Imaam will say, "Come and lead our prayer" He will reply, "Some of you are rulers over others on account of divine honour upon these people." (Muslim)
Abu Huraira (R.A) reported that the
Messenger of Allah
said, "By the one whose hands my life is in, surely the son of Maryam(
)
will descend amongst you as a just ruler. He will destroy the cross, kill
the swine and abolish the tax." (Bukhari)
Hadrat Hudaifah-b-Osaid reported:
The Holy Prophet
suddenly came to us while we were talking. He asked, "What are you talking
about?" They replied "We were talking about the last hour." Prophet (s)
said, "It will never come until you see ten signs before it," He then mentioned
the Smoke, the Dajjal, the Beast, the Rising of the Sun in its place of
setting, the Descent of Jesus son of Mary and Yajuj and Ma'juj. (Muslim)
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Prophet Jesus
will have three main tasks, when he descends on the Earth for the second
time:
1) The first and most important
will be that he will destroy the Dajjal.
2) Protect the Muslims from
the barbarous tribes of Yajuj and Majuj by taking them to Mount Tur and
then Praying for their (Yajuj and Majuj's) destruction.
3) Reign as a Khalifh according
to the Quran and Sunnah and elevate Islam.
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The Dajjal having failed to enter
the holy city of Madinah will proceed to Syria gathering his forces on
the way.
Imaam Mahdi will have arranged the
Muslim army and will be on the verge of leading the Muslims in the morning
prayer (Abu Umamah / Ibne-Majah) when Prophet Jesus
will descend to the white Minaret (Nawwas-b-Samaan/Muslim) in the east
of Damascus, wearing two garments died with saffron, placing his hands
on the wings of two angels.
All those that are present will
recognise him, as he will look exactly like the description of the Prophet .
Resembling the Sahabi Urwa bin Masood (Abu- Huraira/ Muslim) the colour
of his skin will be reddish white (Ibne Abbas/ Bukhari), he will be well
built and his hair will be soft and reach his ears. When he lowers his
head, beads of perspiration will fall from it and when he raises his head,
beads like pearls will scatter from it. (Nawwas-b-Samaan/Muslim).
Every Kaafir who smells his sweet
breath will die and his breath will reach as far as he can see. On seeing
prophet Jesus.
Imaam Mahdi will take a couple of steps backwards so Prophet Jesus
can lead the prayer however Prophet Jesus
will place his hands on the Imaam's shoulder and will say, ''Go forward
and lead the prayer as the Iqamah was made for you'' thus Imaam Mahdi will
lead the prayer. (Abu Umamah/ Ibne-Majah).
After the prayer Prophet Jesus
will say, ''Open the gate''. The gate will be opened and the Dajjal will
be waiting behind it accompanied by an army of 70,000 Jews, each armed
with a sword and shield. The Dajjal on seeing Prophet Jesus
among the Muslims will begin to dissolve like salt in water and will begin
to flee. Prophet Jesus
will say to him, ''You will remain alive until I strike you with my spear,
''He will catch up with him at the Eastern gate of Ludd (Ludd is a mountain
in Syria. Some say that it is a village in Jerusalem, and some say that
it is a village in Palestine) and then Prophet Jesus
will kill him with a small spear.
The Muslims will thereafter
defeat and wipe out Dajjal's army. The Jews will not be able to hide behind
anything on that day. Every time they try to hide behind a stone, a wall,
a tree (except a boxthorn tree), or animal. Allah will make these things
speak and they will say, ''O servant of Allah there is a Jew hiding behind
me. come kill him.''
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The Ulama of the Ahlus - Sunnah have
given many different reasons in the returning of Prophet Jesus
to this world or the second time. A few are listed below:
1) The Jews believe that they had
killed Prophet Jesus,
Allah will send him before the end of time to prove that they had not killed
him and that he is alive. It is he who will kill the Jews and their leader
Dajjal. (Fathul - Bari)
2) Some Ulama have said that
Prophet Jesus
found many virtues of the followers of Prophet Muhammad
in the bible and thus he prayed to Allah to make him amongst the Ummah
of Prophet Muhammad .
Allah answered his prayer and he will return for the second time as one
of the followers of Prophet Muhammad .
(Ibne-Khathir)
3) It is the Law of Allah
that anything that is created from the Earth has to be buried in the Earth
and not the Heavens. Thus he will return to the Earth for the second time,
kill the Dajjal, live for a period of time and then he will die a natural
death and will be buried with the Prophet .
(Ashratus-Sa'ah).
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A short period after Prophet Jesushas
killed the Dajjal, the two mighty tribes of Yajuj and Ma'juj will appear,
causing murder, pillage and devastation wherever they go. The emergence
of Ya'juj and Ma'juj is also another major sign of Qiyamah. Through the
invocation of Prophet Jesus
they will be destroyed. (Nawwas-b-Samaan-Muslim).
More detail regarding them follows
in the next sign.
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The Prophet
said, "By him whose hands my life is in, surely the son of Maryam will
come down amongst you as a just ruler. He will break the cross, kill the
pigs, and abolish the tax. Wealth will be in such abundance that none will
care about it and a single prostration in a Prayer will be better than
the world and all that is in it." (Abu Huraira/Bukhari,
Muslim)
The above hadith clearly indicates
that when Prophet Jesus
returns to the world for the second time he will not reign as a Prophet
no, will he bring a new Shariah or Deen, as Islam is the last religion,
the Quran is the last book to be revealed and our Prophet Muhammad
is the last Prophet. There is no Prophet to come after him and the Quran
has made this fact very clear.
Allah says in the Qur'an, "Muhammad
()
is not the father of any of you but is the Messenger of Allah and the last
of the Prophets (Surah-Al-Ahzaab)
When Prophet Jesus
returns for the second time he will reign as a Khalifh and not a Prophet,
follow the Qur'an and Sunnah and rule according to it. He will break the
cross the Christians worship (indicating that he will bring Christianity
to an end), elevate and spread Islam through out the world.
He will also kill the pig which
the Christians consider Halaal to eat (and use) and abolish the Jizya (tax).
In Prophet Jesus
reign they will not pay this tax because he will not accept anything but
Islam for the non believers and they will all believe in him. The Qur'an
says, "There is not a single section of the people of the book (Jews and
Christians) but will believe in him and on the Day of Resurrection he will
be a witness against them." (Surah-An-Nisa)
Secondly there will be an abundance
in wealth, so much so that it will flow like water and there will not remain
anybody who could be given this money, thus this tax will be abolished.
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All types of spiritual and worldly
blessings will descend on Earth in his time. Wealth will flow like water,
everyone will be independent and have surplus wealth and property to the
extent that nobody will be in the need of Zakat and Sadaqa thus receiving
of Zakat and Sadaqa will be discarded.
All hearts will be free from misery,
envy, malice, and jealousy. Each harmful animal will be made harmless.
Camels will graze with the lions and the cheetahs with cattle. A little
girl will chase a lion and make it run away from her like children chasing
a puppy and this lion will not harm her.
Venom will be taken out from all
venomous animals, a little boy will put his hand in a snake's mouth, but
it will not harm him. The Jackal will live with the sheep and protect them
as if it were a sheep dog. Peace, harmony and tranquillity will prevail
in the world.
People will be in complete agreement,
wars will cease, the earth will be filled with peace like a silver basin
and it will sprout with vegetation like at the time of Prophet Adam.
The fertility of the land will increase to the extent that if a seed is
planted in a rock, it will sprout. 700 mudd of wheat will sprout without
ploughing the land. The earth will produce so much fruit that a large group
of people will sit to eat a bunch of grapes or a pomegranate and they will
be satisfied and use it's peel as an umbrella. There will also be blessing
in milk. The milk of a single she camel will be sufficient to satisfy the
hunger of a large group of people. A cow will produce what is sufficient
for a tribe of people, and a sheep will produce milk, which is sufficient
for a family of people. Horses will be cheap as they will be never ridden
in war and bulls will be expensive, as they will be needed to plough the
land.
Life will be very pleasant and enjoyable
after his descension and the Muslims will live in comfort in his reign
as a Khalifh. (Nawwas-b-Sarnaan-Muslim/Abu Umamah-Ibne Majah)
Marriage
Many Ahadith specify that after
his descension he will get married and have children and remain on the
earth for a period of 19 years after his marriage. (Al-Fitan Nuaim
bin Hammad).
Death
Prophet Jesus
after his return to the Earth for a second time will live for a period
of time (some scholars have mentioned 40 years in the light of a hadith
which can be found in Abu Daud) and thereafter will die a natural death.
The Muslims will perform his Janaza (funeral prayers) and according to
the hadith narrated by Abdullah bin Amr in Mishkat he will be buried next
to the Holy Prophet .
See also: The
Prophet I'sa (Jesus)
Comparative Analysis from an Islamic, Christian & Qadiani (Ahmadiyya)
perspective by Shaykh Rashid Ali Seth
Nourished by the British, Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad the impostor from Qadiyan (Northern India) made many ridiculous claims
in his lifetime. Besides claiming to be a Prophet and revivalist he also
claimed to be the Mahdi and the Promised Messiah though he was nothing
but a liar. Thus it was thought necessary to include a short summary which
will act as a comparison between Mirza Ghulam and the real Messiah so that
no Muslim is misled into believing him.
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We learn from the Hadith of Nawwas bin Sam'an (R.A), which can be found in Muslim and from the Hadith of Abu Umamah Al-Bahilee (R.A) which can be found in Ibne Maja the following regarding the Promised Messiah: -
1) The Promised Messiah's name
is Jesus and his mother's name was Maryam.
2) The Mahdi and the Dajjal
will already have appeared before his descension.
3) He will descend from the
heavens to the white minaret in the east of Damascus wearing two garments
slightly dyed with Saffron and his hands will be placed on the wings of
two angels.
4) Every Kaafir who smells
his breath will die and his breath will reach as far as he can see.
5) He will kill the Dajjal
at the Eastern gate of Ludd.
6) The barbarous tribes of
Yajuj and Ma'juj will appear in his time and the promised Messiah will
take the believers to Mount Tur for their protection.
7) He will elevate Islam by
breaking the cross, bringing an end to Christianity.
8) The Jews and Christians
will believe in him before his death.
9) He will kill the pig that
the Christians consider halal to eat and the non- muslims will not have
to pay tax.
10) Wars will cease in his time,
as everybody will be in complete agreement with one another.
11) There will be so much wealth
that the receiving of Sadaqa will be discarded as everybody will have enough
wealth of his own.
12) In his time all harmful animals
will be made harmless and the venom will be taken out of all venomous animals.
A child will put his hand in a snake's mouth and it will not harm him,
a little girl will be able to chase a lion away and it will not harm her.
13) The earth will sprout with vegetation
and will produce fruit in such abundance that a large group of people will
gather to eat a bunch of grapes or a pomegranate and it will suffice them.
14) From the hadith of Abu Harith
in Muslim we learn that the Promised Messiah will perform Hajj and Umrah
from a place called Rawha.
15) From the Hadith of Abdullah
bin Amr we learn that he will he buried next to the Holy Prophet .
Mirza Ghulam fulfilled NONE of the above conditions. His name was Ghulam Ahmad and not Jesus; he was the son of Chiragh and not Maryam. The Mahdi and the Dajjal did not appear before him and thus there was no question about him killing the Dajjal. He did not descend from the heavens and nor did any Kaafir die from his breath. The tribes of Ya'juj and Ma'juj did not appear in his time nor did the Jews and Christians believe in him before his death. He did not elevate Islam but insulted it by claiming to be the Mahdi, the Messiah, and a Prophet. He did not kill the pig but enjoyed eating it. Wars did not cease in his time as the Muslims were fighting with the British in India. The receiving of Sadaqa was not discarded nor was the venom taken out of venomous animals in his time. He never performed Hajj or Umrah and he died in a toilet. I am sure by now you have easily come to the conclusion that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was not the Promised Messiah but an impostor and a liar, who's aim and purpose in life was to keep the British content.
See also: Who was the Imposter of Qadiyan? Qadiyanism-Ahmadiyya-Mirzaiyat
The emergence of the mighty tribes
of Ya'juj and Ma'juj is also a major sign of Qiyamah.
Allah says in the Qur'an, "When
Ya'juj and Ma'juj are let loose (from their Barrier) and they swiftly swarm
from every mound" (Surah Al-Anbiya)
Allah says in the Qur'an, " (Zulqarnain) said, 'This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the promise of my Lord comes, He shall level it down (the barrier) to the ground. And the promise of my Lord is ever true." (Surah Al-Kahf)
Zainab-b-Zahash says: "Once the Prophet
awoke from such a sleep that his face was red and these words were on his
tongue, "There is none worthy of worship but Allah. Destruction is upon
the Arabs on account of that evil which has come close to them. Today a
hole as big as this has opened in the wall of Yajuj and Ma'juj. (The Prophet
indicated the size of the hole with his finger and thumb)"
(Bukhari/Muslim)
In the lengthy Hadith of Nawwas-b-Saman
it has been mentioned, "And Allah will send Yajuj and Ma'juj and they will
come from every lofty place." (Muslim)
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Many thousands of years ago the barbarous
tribes of Yajuj and Ma'juj were imprisoned behind an iron wall built by
Zulqarnayn. Referred to in the Qur'an in Surah Al-Kahf. Zulqarnayn was
a Muslim Arab (fathul bari) who lived at the time of the Prophet Ibraheem
and not Alexander the Great as it is commonly known. From amongst one of
the four that ruled the entire world (the other three being Prophet Sulayman,
Nimrod & Buktnasr) he was a pious and just king, provide with all forms
of strength through which he was able to carry his conquests and missions.
Once he carried a mission in three directions, the far west, far east, and then in a northerly direction. Travelling first in the westerly direction, he conquered the lands he passed through establishing the laws of Allah therein until he reached the setting of the sun. There he met people that didn't believe in Allah. Given a choice of punishing them for their kufr or being lenient by inviting them first to Islam; he chose the latter and addressed them, ''Those evil-doers who do injustice to themselves by rejecting Allah will be punished by death in this world and the hereafter, the fire of hell is their abode. As for those who accept the invitation and believe in Allah they will be treated leniently and in the hereafter Jannah is their place of rest.''
After the journey towards the west he made preparation for the journey towards the east. Conquering the lands he passed through, establishing he laws of Allah therein. He continued travelling in the easterly direction until he reached the rising of the sun. In this area of the east he saw a nation receiving the sunshine without any obstruction and they were dealt with like the previous people in the west.
After the journey to the east
he started his northern Journey, he kept on travelling until he reached
the midst of two mountains, it was here he came across a tribe who complained
to him about the tribes of Ya'juj and Ma'juj. Ya'juj and Ma'juj inhabited
the land behind the mountains, plundered them, committed bloodshed, and
then ran away. Observing Zulqarnain's power they asked to set a barrier
in return for a wage for their protection from the disaster and bloodshed,
which they often bore at the hands of Ya'juj Ma'juj. Refusing to accept
any
wealth he built an iron wall with their help which Ya'juj Ma'juj could
not cross or pierce. (Qurtubi/ Ibne-Kathir)
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Many different opinions have been expressed as to the location of the iron wall of Zulqarnain. Having read many books, the best on the subject I came across was Sheikh Hifzur-Rahman's "Stories of the Qur'an" and thus have chosen to share a brief summary of what he has written.
He writes "The Yajuj Ma'juj caused
destruction and blood- shed in a vast area, and because of their oppression
many barriers and walls were erected in different times and places by different
kings. Four being the most famous:
1) The Great Wall of China which
was built by the Chinese King Fagfor 3460 years after Prophet Adam
was put on the Earth.
2) The wall in central Asia near
Bukhara and Tirmidh in a place called Derbent.
3) The wall in Dagistan Russia also
known as Derbent near the Caspian sea.
4) The wall which is in the westerly
direction to the third in the region of the Caucasus.
Because these walls were built for
one purpose and are all situated in the North, it has always been very
difficult to determine exactly the wall built by Zulqarnain."
He further writes, "The biggest out of the four is the great wall of China and nobody is of the opinion that this is the wall built by Zulqarnain as it is in the easterly direction while the Qur'an indicates the wall of Zulqarnain is in the Northerly direction."
Thus leaving walls 2, 3, and 4.
He writes, "Historians like Masoodi,
Istakhari and Hamawi are of the opinion that the wall of Zulqamain is wall
number 3 or 4. Those that have said it is wall number two have confused
the issue due to the location of Derbent which is near Bukhara and also
in Degistan.''
He finally writes, ''Out of
two, the historians are of the opinion that it is wall 3 or 4, the master
of hadith Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri in his book Aqeeda-tul-Islam holds
the opinion that the wall of Zulqarnain is wall number 4, the one in the
region of Caucasus.' (Stories of the Qu'ran)
After this short summary I find myself
inclined to Allama Aloosi's opinion I conclude with his words, ''We do
not know the location of this wall and it is very probable that great seas
and mountains stand between us and the wall, and between Ya'juj Ma'juj
and the rest of the world.''
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Abu Huraira (R.A.) narrated that every day Ya'juj Ma'juj try to break free through the wall of Zulqarnain until they reach the end of it to the extent that they could actually see the light on the other side. They then return home saying, ''We will break through tomorrow. '' However, Allah causes the wall to revert to its original thickness and the next day they start all over again. This process continues each day as long as Allah wills for them to remain imprisoned. When Allah wishes for them to be released, then at the end of that day they will say, ''If Allah wills, we will break through tomorrow.'' The next day they will find the wall as they left it the previous day and after breaking through the rest they will escape. (Ahmed, Tirmidhi, Ibne Majah)
Note: Some ulama have written that this hadith is weak and has been taken from the Jews as it contradicts with the verse from the Qur'an, ''They are not able to cross it or pierce it.'' ( Surah Al-Kahf)
However, if found that it is a Marfoo
hadith, it still does not contradict the Qur'an as the Qur'an is referring
to the time Zulqarnain built the wall and secondly the word ''naqb'' means
a complete hole through which they are able to break free.
The great master of
Hadith Ibne Hajr al-Askalani giving reference of Ibne Hibban and Abd- b-Humaid
has mentioned this Hadith and not raised any doubt or indicated that this
hadith is not Marfoo but positively mentioned that Ibne Arabi has said
three miracles are evident from this Hadith and then mentioned the three
miracles:
1) It never occurs to these tribes that they must continue work throughout the night. After all, they are in such large numbers that they can easily delegate the