Three Brief Matters
Complementing the Previous Twenty Matters
FIRST MATTER
Just as in some narrations, Jesus (Peace be upon him) is called “the Messiah” (al-Masih), so are both Dajjals called Messiah, and in all the narrations it says: “... from the dissension of the Messiah Antichrist (al-Masih al-Dajjal) ... from the dissension of the Messiah Antichrist (al-Masih al-Dajjal).” What is the wisdom and meaning of this?
The Answer: God knows best, the wisdom in it is this: just as at the Divine command, Jesus (Peace be upon him) abrogated some of the burdensome ordinances of the Mosaic Law, making lawful some things agreeable to the appetites like wine, so too at the command of Satan and due to his temptations, the Great Dajjal will abrogate the injunctions of the Christian Law, and destroying the bonds in accordance with which the life of Christian society is administered, he will prepare the ground for anarchy and Gog and Magog. Similarly, the Sufyan, the Islamic Dajjal, due to the devices of Satan and the evil-commanding soul, will try to abrogate some of the eternal injunctions of the Shari‘a of Muhammad (PBUH), and destroying the material and spiritual bonds of human life, and leaving headstrong, drunken, giddy souls without restriction, he will unfasten the luminous chains of respect and compassion. By giving people a freedom which is pure despotism so they fall on one another in a swamp of putrid lust, he will open up the way to a terrible anarchy. There will then be no way those people can be kept under control other than by the most repressive despotism.
SECOND MATTER
Mentioned in the narrations are the wondrous achievements of the two Dajjals, and their superhuman power and majesty. It is foretold even that some unfortunates will ascribe a sort of godhead to them. What is the reason for this?
The Answer: The knowledge is with God, their achievements being so great and extraordinary is because since they mostly consist of destruction and exciting the appetites, they carry out those works easily, so that it says in one narration: “A single of their days is a year.” That is, the works they carry out in one year would not normally be carried out in three hundred. There are four aspects of and reasons for their power appearing to be superhuman:
• The First: Since, as the result of a Divine scheme permitting them to do so, the good things and advances which are achieved through the strength of brave armies and active nations in their despotic, huge states, are unjustly attributed to them, it leads to their persons being imagined to have the power of a thousand men. But rightfully and according to the rules, the positive good, honour, and booty won through the actions of a community should be divided among the community and given to its members. And any evils, destruction, and losses should be ascribed to its leader’s lack of precautions and faults. For example, if a batallion conquers a citadel, the booty and honour is due to their bayonets. While if there are any losses due to faulty planning, they are the commander’s.
Thus, entirely contrarily to this fundamental principle of truth and reality, since positive progress and all things good are ascribed to those fearsome leaders, and negative developments and evils are attributed to their unfortunate peoples, as the result of a Divine scheme, those persons, who deserve to be abominated by everyone, are loved by all the heedless and neglectful.
• The Second Aspect and Reason: Because both Dajjals employ the severest despotism, the greatest tyranny, and the maximum violence and terror, they appear to have vast power. Yes, a despotism so extraordinary that under the cloak of laws, they intervene in everyone’s consciences and religious beliefs, and even their clothes. It is my guess that with a premonition of the future the lovers of freedom at the end of the last century perceived this awesome despotism, and letting fly their arrows at it, attacked it. But they were sorely mislead and attacked on the wrong front. It is tyranny and coercion so great that it wipes out a hundred villages because of one man, punishing hundreds of innocent people and ruining them by forced migrations.
• The Third Aspect and Reason: Because both Dajjals will win the assistance of a secret Jewish society which nurtures a terrible desire for revenge on Islam and Christianity, and that of another secret society which uses women’s liberation as a screen, and because the Islamic Dajjal will deceive even the Masonic lodges and win their support, they will be supposed to possess tremendous power. Also, it is understood from the divinations of some of the saints that the Dajjal called Sufyan who will come to lead the Islamic world will be a leading politician who is extremely capable, intelligent, and active, does not like ostentation and gives no importance to personal rank and glory; he will be a military leader who is extremely bold, forceful, energetic, and resolute, and does not condescend to fame-seeking, and he will captivate the Muslims. Taking advantage of their lack of hypocrisy, he will have their extraordinarily brilliant works ascribed to himself, as well as the progress they have achieved driven by the severe need arising from the transformation and renewal of the large army and state and the upheavals of the First World War, and he will have it bruited everywhere by eulogists that he possesses a wondrous and extraordinary power.
• The Fourth Aspect and Reason: The Great Dajjal will have spellbinding, charismatic qualities. While the Islamic Dajjal will have fascinating, hypnotic powers in one eye. It even says in narrations: “The Dajjal will be blind in one eye.”41 By drawing attention to this and pointing out that one of the Great Dajjal’s eyes will be blind, and one eye of the other Dajjal will be blind in comparison with his other eye, the Hadith is indicating that since they will be absolute unbelievers, they will have only one eye and their sight will be restricted to this world, and they will have no eyes that see the hereafter and consequences of actions.
I too saw the Islamic Dajjal in a spirit world. I observed with my own eyes that he possessed a spellbinding hypnotic power in one of his eyes, and I understood him to be a total denier of God. He will attack religion and the sacred with a boldness and insolence arising from his absolute denial. But since the ordinary people will not know the truth of the matter, they will suppose it to be an extraordinary power and courage.
Also, because such a magnificent, lucky, successful, and cunning commander, who is merely being led on by God, appears at the time of a heroic and glorious nation’s defeat, with their love of heroism the people will applaud and fete him without considering his hidden, terrible true nature, and will want to cover up his iniquities. However, it is understood from narrations that through the light of belief and light of the Qur’an in their spirits, the heroic, mujahid army and religious nation will see the truth and will try to repair that commander’s terrible destruction.
THE THIRD BRIEF MATTER
This consists of three instructive incidents.
First Incident: One time, God’s Noble Messenger (Peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out to ‘Umar (May God be pleased with him) one of a group of Jewish children, and said: “He is his very image!” ‘Umar said: “Then I shall kill him!” But God’s Messenger (PBUH) replied: “If that is the Sufyan, the Islamic Dajjal, you cannot kill him. And if it is not, he cannot be killed through his image.”42
This narration indicates that at the time of his rule, the Sufyan’s image will appear on numerous things, and that he will be born a Jew. It is strange that although ‘Umar (May God be pleased with him) was sufficiently angry and hostile towards him to be able to kill a child resembling him, someone the Sufyan most admired and liked and spoke off with praise and appreciation turned out to be ‘Umar.
Second Incident: Many people narrated that the Islamic Dajjal will be curious about the meaning of the Sura, By the fig and the olive,43 and will ask about it.
It is strange but the verse Nay, but man transgresses all bounds44 in the following Sura, Read! In the name of your Sustainer,45 according to jafr reckoning and its meaning, also indicates his time and person, pointing out that he will overweeningly aggress against the mosques and the people who perform the prayers. That is to say, that man, who is being led on by God, perceives that a short Sura is concerned with him, but makes a mistake and knocks on its neighbour’s door.
Third Incident: It says in a narration: “The Islamic Dajjal will appear in Khorasan.”46
None knows the Unseen save God, an interpretation of it is this: the Turks, the bravest and most numerous and powerful people of the east and the heroic army of Islam, were at the time of the narration, around the region of Khorasan and had not yet made their homeland in Anatolia. By mentioning the region they inhabited, it is indicating that the Sufyan Dajjal would appear from among them.
It is strange, exceedingly strange, he will temporarily try to use the Turkish nation and Turkism, which for seven hundred years has been a flashing diamond sword, a mark of honour, in the hand of Islam and the Qur’an, against some of the marks of Islam. But he will not be successful and will withdraw. It is understood from the narrations that “The heroic army will save it, taking the reins from his hand.”
And God knows what is best * None knows the Unseen save God.
FOOTNOTES
1. It is now more than forty years ago. [This corrected version, which Bediuzzaman designated The Fifth Ray, was compiled in Kastamonu, most probably in 1938. Muhâkemat was published in Istanbul in 1911. —Tr.]
2. Qur’an, 47:18.
3. Qur’an, 3:7.
4. Qur’an, 3:7.
5. There are numerous Hadiths about the Muslim Antichrist, known as ‘the Sufyan’ (al-Sufyani). See, for example, al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 520. [Tr.]
6. Hadith Qudsi: A saying of the Prophet (PBUH) imparted to him by revelation or inspiration, the wording of which was his own. [Tr.]
7. Muslim, Janna, 31, No: 2844; Musnad, iii, 341.
8. See, Bayhaqi, Shu’ab al-Iman, 403; Zahabi, Mizan al-I’tidal, iv, 352; Suyuti, al-Durr al-Manthur, i, 329.
9. Tirmidhi, Fitan, 35; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 494; Ibn Hibban, al-Sahih, viii, 299.
10. Suyuti, al-Fath al-Kabir, i, 190, 202; al-Manawi, Fayd al-Qadir, i, 532, No: 1068; ii, 12, No: 1201.
11. Muslim, Fitan, 34.
11. Tirmidhi, Fitan, 62; Abu Da’ud, Malahim, 14; Musnad, iii, 420; iv, 226; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 529-30.
12. Tirmidhi, Fitan, 62; Abu Da’ud, Malahim, 14; Musnad, iii, 420; iv, 226; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 529-30.
13. Bukhari, Fitan, 26; Muslim, Fitan, 101, 102; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 62; Musnad, iii, 115, 211, 228, 249, 250; v, 38, 404-5; vi, 139-40.
14. Muslim, Fitan, 104, 109; Ibn Maja, Fitan, 33; Musnad, v, 397.
15. Muslim, Iman, 234; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 35; Musnad, iii, 107, 201, 259.
16. al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 508; Ibn Kathir, Nihayat al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya, i, 125-6; Musnad, iv, 20; v, 372.
17. Suyuti, al-Fath al-Kabir, i, 315; ii, 185; iii, 9; al-Hawi li’l-Fatawa, ii, 217; Abu ‘Abdullah Daylami, Musnad al-Firdaws, i, 266.
18. Bukhari, Da’wat, 37, 39, 44, 45, 46; Adhan, 149; Jana’iz, 88; Fitan, 26; Muslim, Masajid, 127-8, 130-4; Musnad, vi, 139.
19. Suyuti, al-‘Urf al-Wardi fi Akhbar al-Mahdi (al-Hawi li’l-Fatawa), ii, 234; Ahmad Zayni Dahlan, al-Futuhat al-Islamiyya, 294; al-Barzanji, al-Isha’a fi Ashrat al-Sa’a, 95-9; Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, al-Fatawa al-Hadithiyya, 36; al-Qurtubi, Mukhtasar al-Tadhkira, 133-4.
20. Bukhari, Nikah, 110. For Hadiths stating that one man will look after fifty women, see, Bukhari, ‘Ilm, 21; Ashriba, 1; Muslim, ‘Ilm, 9; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 34; Ibn Maja, Fitan, 25; Musnad, iii, 98, 176, 202, 213-4, 273, 289.
21. Muslim, Fitan, 110; Abu Da’ud, Malahim, 14; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 59; Ibn Maja, Fitan, 33; Musnad, iv, 181.
22. Tirmidhi, Fitan, 62; Abu Da’ud, Malahim, 14; Musnad, iii, 420; iv, 226; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 529-30.
23. Bukhari, Anbiya’, 49; Muslim, Iman, 244-5, 247; Ibn Maja, Fitan, 33; Musnad, ii, 336; iii, 368.
24. Muslim, Fitan, 124; Musnad, iii, 224, 292; iv, 216-7.
25. See, Qur’an, 18:94, 21:96.26. Ibn Kathir, Nihayat al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya, i, 103-4; ‘Ala’ al-Din al-Hindi, Kanz al-‘Ummal, xiv, 330; Suyuti, al-Durr al-Manthur, v, 355; al-Hawi li’l-Fatawa, ii, 588; al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id, viii, 244.
27. Ibn Kathir, Nihayat al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya, i, 106; Ibn Abi Shayba, al-Musannaf, vii, 495-500.
28. Abu Da’ud, Malahim, 18; Musnad, i, 170; iv, 193.
29. Qur’an, 32:5.
30. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir Gilani (Geylani) (470/1077-561/1166), founder of the Qadiri Order.
31. Shaykh Baha’ al-Din Naqshband (d. 791/1389), founder of the Naqshbandi Order.
32. Four spiritual poles: Ahmad al-Rufa’i, Ahmad al-Badawi, Ibrahim al-Dassuqi, and Abu’l Hasan al-Shazali.
33. Bukhari, Fitan, 25; Tafsir al-Sura, vi, 9; Riqaq, 40; Musnad, Tawba, 31; Iman, 248-9; Fitan, 39, 40, 118, 128-9; Abu Da’ud, Jihad, 2; Malahim, 11-2; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 21; Tafsir al-Sura, vi, 8-9; Ibn Maja, Fitan, 25, 28, 32; Darimi, Siyar, 69; Musnad, i, 192; ii, 164, 201; iii, 31; iv, 6-7.
34. Muslim, Iman, 249; Fitan, 39-40, 118, 129; Abu Da’ud, Malahim, 11-2; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 21; Tafsir al-Sura, vi, 9; Ibn Maja, Fitan, 28, 31, 32; Musnad, ii, 164, 201, 295; iv, 6-7; v, 268, 357.
35. See, Qur’an, 3:103.
36. See, Qur’an, 105:3-4.
37. Qur’an, 34:14.
38. See, Qur’an, 27:82.
39. Qur’an, 2:286.
40. Qur’an, 2:32.
41. Bukhari, Fitan, 26; Anbiya’, 77; Muslim, Fitan, 100, 109; Abu Da’ud, Malahim, 14; Sunna, 25; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 56, 62; Ibn Maja, Fitan, 33; Muwatta, Sifat al-Nabi, 1; Musnad, i, 176, 182, 240, 311; ii, 22, 27, 37, 39, 122, 124, 127, 131, 144, 154, 159; iii, 79, 103, 115, 173, 233, 333; iv, 139-40; v, 13, 383, 397.
42. Bukhari, Jana’iz, 80; Jihad, 178; Muslim, Fitan, 85, 86, 95; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 63.
43. Qur’an, 95:1.
44. Qur’an, 96:6.
45. Qur’an, 96:1.
46. Tirmidhi, Fitan, 57; Ibn Maja, Fitan, 33; Musnad, i, 4, 7; al-Albani, Silsilat al-Ahadith, iv, 122.