—at each of its mountain passes on that day stand two angels who repel from it the terror of al-Masīḥ. (1) Aḥmad alone transmitted it through both chains. (2)

Imām Aḥmad also said: Abū Jaʿfar al-Madāʾinī—Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar—narrated to us; ʿAbbād ibn al-ʿAwwām narrated to us; Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq narrated to us; from Muḥammad ibn al-Munkadir; from Anas ibn Mālik, who said:

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ declared, ‘Ahead of the Dajjāl there will come years of deception: in them the liar will be believed, the truthful one denied, the trustworthy deemed treacherous, the traitor considered trustworthy, and the ruwaybiḍah will speak.’

It was asked, ‘Who are the ruwaybiḍah?’ He replied, ‘The paltry, corrupt man who speaks about the affairs of the public.’”

This chain is sound and strong; Aḥmad alone transmitted it through this route. (3)

Imām Aḥmad further said: ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd Allah narrated to us; Muʿādh—meaning Ibn Hishām—narrated to us; he said, “I found in my father’s handwriting a report that I did not hear directly from him: from Qatādah; from Abū Maʿshar; from Ibrāhīm al-Nakhāʿī; from Hammām; from Ḥudhayfah, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

‘Within my community there will be twenty-seven lying dajjāls, four of whom are women. I am the seal of the prophets; there will be no prophet after me.’” (4)

[Discussion of the narrations concerning the Dajjāl]

Muslim said: Ḥarmalah ibn Yaḥyā ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Ḥarmalah ibn ʿImrān al-Tujībī narrated to me; Ibn Wahb narrated to me; Yūnus narrated to me; from Ibn Shihāb, who said: Sālim ibn ʿAbd Allah informed him that ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar informed him that ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb set out with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, accompanied by a group of men, toward Ibn Ṣayyād. They found him playing with the children near the fortress of Banū Maghālah, and at that time Ibn Ṣayyād was nearing puberty. He did not perceive their approach until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ struck him on the back with his hand. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said to Ibn Ṣayyād:

“Do you testify that I am the Messenger of Allah?”

Ibn Ṣayyād looked at him and said, “I testify that you are the messenger of the unlettered.”

Ibn Ṣayyād then asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, “Do you testify that I am the messenger of Allah?” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ dismissed him and said, “I believe in Allah and His messengers.”

He then asked him, “What do you see?”

Ibn Ṣayyād replied, “A truthful one comes to me, and a liar.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The matter has been confused for you.”

He then said to him, “I have kept something hidden for you.”

Ibn Ṣayyād answered, “It is ad-dukhkh (smoke).”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Begone! You will never rise above your station.”

ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Messenger of Allah, allow me to strike off his head!”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “If he is indeed the one, you will have no power over him; and if he is not, then killing him will do you no good.”

Sālim ibn ʿAbd Allah added: I heard ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar say: