Dajjal's Donkey

نحمده ونصلى ونسلم على رسوله الكريم

Islamic prophecy is unique in associating the Antichrist, or Dajjal, with a donkey. In a previous post we looked at how the Bible says that the Davidic Messiah comes into Jerusalem “lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass” (Zechariah 9:9).

Riding upon a donkey or the foal of a donkey is associated with humility, a quality loved by God, and was one of the characteristics of the true Messiah, who rode into Jerusalem with humbleness seated upon a donkey.

But in contrast, Islamic prophecy reveals that the Antichrist is a man of arrogance who exalts himself. The donkey associated with the Antichrist is therefore not an ordinary donkey, but described as being exceedingly large:

وَلَهُ حِمَارٌ يَرْكَبُهُ ، عَرْضُ مَا بَيْنَ أُذُنَيْهِ أَرْبَعُونَ ذِرَاعًا . فَيَقُولُ لِلنَّاسِ : أَنَا رَبُّكُمْ . وَهُوَ أَعْوَرُ ، وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَيْسَ بِأَعْوَرَ ، مَكْتُوبٌ بَيْنَ عَيْنَيْهِ كَافِرٌ ك ف ر مُهَجَّاةٌ يَقْرَؤُهُ كُلُّ مُؤْمِنٍ ، كَاتِبٌ وَغَيْرُ كَاتِبٍ

He has a donkey upon which to ride. The width between its two ears is forty cubits. He will say to the people: “I am your Lord”. He is one-eyed, but verily your Lord is not one-eyed. Between his eyes is written Disbeliever “K F R”, every Believer shall be able to read it, both the literate and the illiterate.

(Musnad Ahmad)

It is my understanding that the Dajjal’s donkey is in fact an advanced form of transportation, perhaps the modern aircraft. 40 cubits is the average wingspan of a jet. According to another narration:

يَخْرُجُ الدَّجَّالُ عَلَى حِمَارٍ أَقْمَرَ ، مَا بَيْنَ أُذُنَيْهِ سَبْعُونَ بَاعًا

The Dajjal will come upon an exceedingly white donkey, the width between its two ears being seventy yards

(Tarikh al-Kabir of Imam al-Bukhari)

70 yards, or approximately 65 meters, is the average wingspan of a medium sized aircraft. The word Aqmar in this Hadith is a precise description of the silvery white and metallic color of modern aircraft.

The word “donkey” has been used to describe the Dajjal’s mode of transportation as a nod to the following Verse of the Holy Qur’an:

وَالْخَيْلَ وَالْبِغَالَ وَالْحَمِيرَ لِتَرْكَبُوهَا وَزِينَةً ۚ وَيَخْلُقُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

And [He created] the horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride and [as] adornment. And He creates that which you do not know. (16:8)

Horses, mules and donkeys are the names of standard vehicles of transportation, which is why future modes of transportation regarding which the people at the time of the revelation of this Verse were unaware of will be described with the same names, i.e., horse, mule or donkey.

In another narration, Dajjal’s Donkey has been described as Rijs (filth or impurity):

يَخْرُجُ الدَّجَّالُ عَلَى حِمَارٍ , رِجْسٌ عَلَى رِجْسٍ

Dajjal will come upon a donkey. Filth upon filth!

(Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shayba)

Regarding the speed with with Dajjal will be able to travel, the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

كَالْغَيْثِ اسْتَدْبَرَتْهُ الرِّيحُ

Meaning he will move quickly upon the Earth, like a cloud driven by the wind (Sahih Muslim).

This Hadith indicates that the ability of Dajjal to move so fast will be through means of advanced transport, such as the modern aircraft.