Fourth: Reside in Mecca or Medina, for both are sanctuaries safe from him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“The Dajjāl will come and traverse the earth, except Mecca and Medina. He will come to Medina and find rows of angels at every approach to it.”

Reported by al-Bukhārī, Muslim and others from Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) (1).

The same applies to al-Aqsā Mosque and Mount Sinai, as will be seen in paragraph (24 - the narrative).

Know that Allah has made these sacred places a protection from the Dajjāl only for those who reside there as believers, fulfilling the rights and duties they owe to their Lord. Merely settling there—while living far removed from the conduct expected of a believer there—will not protect a person from him. As will be seen in paragraph (25 - Abū Umāmah, 30 - the narrative), when the Dajjāl—may Allah’s curses be upon him—comes to the Prophet’s city and the angels prevent him from entering it, the city will shake its inhabitants with three tremors. Every hypocrite, man or woman, will then go out to him.

Thus, living in the Prophet’s city will not protect these hypocrites, men and women—whose hypocrisy may be in their deeds—from the Dajjāl. Rather, they will go out to him and become his followers, like the Jews! By contrast, the believers in the city who are sincere in their faith are protected from his trial, yet some of them may go out to him in defiance