Ahmad likewise said: “Ibn Abi ‘Adi narrated to us; Dawud narrated to us; ‘Amir narrated to us, from ‘A’ishah, that the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘The Dajjal will not enter Mecca or Madinah.’” Al-Nasa’i also transmitted it, from Qutaybah, from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Abi ‘Adi with this same chain; yet the version that has been reliably preserved is the narration of ‘Amir al-Sha‘bi from Fatimah bint Qays, as mentioned earlier (1).

It is authenticated in the Sahih, through the report of Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, from his wife Fatimah bint al-Munthir, from Asma’ bint Abi Bakr, that—within the narration concerning the eclipse prayer—she said: During his sermon that day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ declared, “It has been revealed to me that you will soon be tested in your graves,” or, “with a trial like that of the Messiah, the Dajjal”; I do not know which of the two wordings Asma’ used… the ḥadith continues in full (2).

It is likewise recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, in the narration of Ibn Jurayj, from Abu al-Zubayr, from Jabir, from Umm Sharik, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “People will most certainly flee from the Dajjal until they reach the peaks of the mountains.” I asked, “O Messenger of Allah, where will the Arabs be on that day?” He replied, “They will be few” (3).

[Hadith of Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her)]

Ibn Wahb said: Mukharramah ibn Bukayr informed me, from his father, from ‘Urwah, who related that Umm Salamah said: “I mentioned the Messiah, the Dajjal, one night, and sleep deserted me. When morning came I entered upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and told him. He said, ‘Do not do that. If he appears while I am among you, Allah will suffice you through me; and if he emerges after I have died, Allah will suffice you through the righteous.’” He then stood and said: “There has never been a prophet who did not warn his nation about him, and I am indeed warning you about him. He is one-eyed, whereas Allah is not one-eyed.” Al-Dhahabi said: Its chain of transmission is strong (4).

[Hadith of Rafi‘ ibn Khadij]

Al-Tabarani narrates, through the route of ‘Atiyyah ibn ‘Atiyyah, from ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah, from ‘Amr ibn Shu‘ayb, from Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyab, from Rafi‘ ibn Khadij, from the Prophet ﷺ: he condemned the Qadariyyah, affirming that they are the heretics of this community. During their era there will be oppression by the ruler, injustice, and self-seeking favoritism; then Allah will send a plague that will annihilate most of them. After that will come the earth’s swallowing (khasf), and only a few will escape. On that day the believer will know little joy and great sorrow. Then will come the metamorphosis (maskh), and He will transform