Island of Dajjal (Part 3)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلوة والسلام على رسوله الكريم

والعاقبة للمتقين

Previously, I discussed the reality of the Hadith of the Jassasa, also popularly known as the Hadith of Tamim al-Dari^RA. I mentioned the fact that the great Hanafi scholar, Ali al-Qari (d. 1014 H), interpreted this Hadith to mean that the Dajjal or Antichrist was seen in another dimension and not in this world. This is also my position, although some Muslim scholars have either outright rejected this Hadith or criticized it and regarded it as “problematic”. From among the modern-day Salafis, Rashid Rida and Ibn Uthaymin, rejected or questioned this Hadith because its contents apparently contradict more authentic narrations concerning the Dajjal:

إن صح الحديث رواية فهذا التردد من النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في مكان الجزيرة التي ذكرها تميم الداري في أي البحرين هي ، ثم إضرابه عنهما ، وجزمه بأنه في جهة المشرق إلخ . إشكال آخر في متنه ، ينظر إلى اختلاف الروايات الأخرى في مكان الدجال بعين ، وينظر إلى اختلاف الروايات في ابن صياد بالعين الأخرى ، وينظر بالعينين كلتيهما إلى سبب هذا التردد ومنافاته ؛ لأن يكون كلامه صلوات الله وسلامه عليه في أمر الدجال عن وحي من الله تعالى " انتهى من " تفسير المنار" (9/412).

" النفس لا تطمئن إلى صحته عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ؛ لما في سياق متنه من النكارة ، وقد أنكره الشيخ محمد رشيد رضا في تفسيره إنكاراً عظيماً ؛ لأن سياقه يبعد أن يكون من كلام النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم " انتهى من " لقاء الباب المفتوح " (8/ 28، بترقيم الشاملة آليا)

 

One of the students of Ibn Uthaymin, Dr. Yasir Qadhi, has explained some of the problematic aspects of the Hadith of the Jassasa, noting:

1. This is the only Hadith which mentions the Jassasa (there is no mention of it in any other Hadith)

2. According to what is apparent from this Hadith, the Dajjal is alive at present, while other Hadith suggest the Dajjal will be born in the future

3. It apparently contradicts the Hadith that everyone alive on the surface of the Earth shall die within a hundred years of a certain night without exception:

أَرَأَيْتَكُمْ لَيْلَتَكُمْ هَذِهِ، فَإِنَّ رَأْسَ مِائَةِ سَنَةٍ مِنْهَا لاَ يَبْقَى مِمَّنْ هُوَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الأَرْضِ أَحَدٌ

“Do you realize (the importance of) this night? Nobody present on the surface of the earth tonight will be living after the completion of one hundred years from this night.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

4. The Hadith describes the Dajjal as gigantic whereas other narrations describe him as short and stocky:

إِنَّ مَسِيحَ الدَّجَّالِ رَجُلٌ قَصِيرٌ

“Verily, the Antichrist is a short man” (Sunan Abi Dawud #4320)

5. The Hadith makes no mention of the word ‘Kafir’ being written between the eyes of the Dajjal

6. The Hadith makes no mention of one of the most obvious features of the Dajjal, i.e., the defect in one of his eyes

7. The Prophet (peace be upon him) suspected Ibn Sayyad of being the Dajjal, so how could the person who Tamim al-Dari (may Allah be pleased with him) met on a faraway island be the Dajjal?

But as I have explained, in accordance with the view of Mulla Ali al-Qari, this Hadith should not be dispensed with but understood as an encounter with the Dajjal that occurred in another dimension, and that the Dajjal may be beheld in different forms or bodies because of this and Allah Most High knows best about the reality of this Dajjal.