In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
Publisher’s Introduction
All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and ask His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and from our evil deeds. Whomever Allah guides, none can lead astray, and whomever He leads astray, none can guide. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
To proceed: It is well established in the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāʿah (the people of the Sunnah and the community) that belief in the Last Day is a pillar of faith, and that minor and major signs will precede it. Among the major signs are the emergence of the false Messiah, the Dajjāl, and the descent of Jesus son of Mary (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Imam Muslim narrated in his Sahīh (2901) that Hudhayfah ibn Usayd al-Ghifārī said:
The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) came upon us while we were engaged in discussion and asked, “What are you discussing?” They replied, “We are discussing the Hour.” He said, “It will not come until you see ten signs before it.” He then mentioned: “The smoke, the Dajjāl, the Beast, the rising of the sun from the west, the descent of Jesus son of Mary (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), Gog and Magog, and three sinkings of the earth: one in the east, one in the west, and one in the Arabian Peninsula. The last of these will be a fire that emerges from Yemen, driving people to their place of gathering.”
Because of the grave danger posed by the Dajjāl and the evil of the trial he will bring, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
“There has been no prophet who did not warn his people against the Dajjāl, and I warn you against him. He is blind in one eye, whereas Allah is not blind in one eye. He walks upon the earth, and the heavens and the earth belong to Allah. Indeed, the false Messiah’s right eye is like a protruding grape.”
Reported by Ibn Khuzaymah (p. 32) from Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).
The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) also commanded that refuge be sought from the evil of his trial during prayer, saying: “Upon finishing