—sound ḥadiths transmitted through multiple chains.”
Thus concludes Ibn Kathīr’s (may Allah have mercy on him) synopsis of the story of the Dajjāl as it appears in the authentic sources—an excellent and beneficial summary.
The same texts further indicate that, as part of the Dajjāl’s ordeal, whoever responds to him will receive his favor: he will command the sky and it will send down rain, and he will command the earth and it will bring forth crops from which both their livestock and they themselves will eat; their animals will return to them fat, full of milk.
But whoever refuses him and rejects his claim will be struck by lean years, drought, scarcity, the death of livestock, and a decrease in wealth, lives and fruits.
The treasures of the earth will follow him like swarms of bees, and he will kill a young man and then bring him back to life.
All of this is a test by which Allah will try His servants at the end of time. Through it He will lead many people astray—yet it is trivial for Allah. The Dajjāl himself is intrinsically defective: his imperfection, wickedness and injustice are obvious, even though he will possess extraordinary feats. The word kāfir (unbeliever) will be written between his eyes, and whatever occurs at his hands is only a trial from Allah for His servants—a grave trial from which none will be saved except people of faith and certainty.
Because his trial is so perilous and his temptation so severe, the prophets warned their nations about him, and the one who warned his community most emphatically was Muḥammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
Abū ʿUbaydah ibn al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say, ‘No prophet who came after Noah failed to warn his people about the Dajjāl. Now I am warning you about him.’” Reported by Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, also instructed his community to seek refuge with Allah from the Dajjāl’s tribulation at the end of every prayer. Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “When one of you finishes the final tashahhud, let him seek refuge with Allah from four things: from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the trial of life and death, and from the evil of the false Messiah.” Reported by Imām Aḥmad and Muslim.
Sound ḥadiths coming from numerous lines of transmission establish the Dajjāl’s emergence, detail his tribulation, and command seeking refuge from him, and the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāʿah are unanimously agreed that the Dajjāl will appear at the end