his own falsehood without that falsehood ever becoming manifest.

For this very reason, the most severe of all ordeals is the ordeal of the great impostor, the Antichrist (al-Dajjāl). Along with his claim to divinity he will be granted certain extraordinary feats, yet these feats will be accompanied by evidences of his falsehood from several angles:

Among them: he claims godhood even though he is one-eyed, whereas Allah is not one-eyed; between his eyes is written “kāfir” (disbeliever), which every believer, whether literate or illiterate, will read; and, exalted is Allah, no one will see Him until he dies. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—mentioned these three signs in the sound hadiths.

As for a liar who is continually supported, granted victory, and whose mission is permanently made dominant—this has never occurred. Whoever bases his judgment on Allah’s habitual way (sunnah) in creation will see that this is what actually takes place; and whoever reasons on the basis of divine wisdom will find that His wisdom precludes such a thing, for the All-Wise would never act in that manner.

Allah, Exalted is He, has said:

“If those who disbelieve should fight against you, they would certainly turn their backs and flee; then they would find no protector and no helper.” ⦗al-Fath 48:22⦘

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“This is Allah’s way that has passed on before, and you will never find any change in Allah’s way.” ⦗al-Fath 48:23⦘

Thus He has informed us that Allah’s unalterable way is the victory of the believers over the disbelievers. And the faith that entails such victory includes obedience to Allah and His Messenger; so when that is violated—