3079—“O Aisha, the Arabs will be few in number that day”—meaning, before the coming of the Dajjal. I asked, “What food will suffice the believers that day?” He said, “That which suffices the angels: declaring Allah’s transcendence, magnifying Him, praising Him, and affirming His oneness.”

Ahmad (6/75–76 and 125) and Abu Yaʿlā (7/78/4607) narrated it through Hammād ibn Salamah, from ʿAlī ibn Zayd, from al-Hasan, from Aisha: that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, mentioned a severe hardship that would occur before the coming of the Dajjal. I asked, “O Messenger of Allah, where will the Arabs be that day?” He said … and then mentioned it. He added:

“What wealth will be best that day?” He said, “A strong young man who gives his family water to drink. As for food, there will be no food.”

I say: Its narrators are trustworthy narrators used by Muslim, apart from ʿAlī ibn Zayd—namely, Ibn Judʿān—who is weak.

Al-Hasan—al-Baṣrī—practised concealment in transmission extensively, as al-ʿAlāʾī stated in Jāmiʿ al-Taḥṣīl (p. 194). Even if what he reports (p. 198), namely that al-Hasan heard from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, is sound, that is of no benefit in view of his ambiguous “from” transmission.

However, the hadith has supporting narrations—or a supporting narration—by which it is strengthened, apart from the addition at the end. This is found in the lengthy hadith of Abu Umāmah concerning the trial of the Dajjal, recorded by Ibn Mājah (4077) and others; it is cited in Ẓilāl al-Jannah (391).

I would add here that al-Ḥākim narrated its opening portion (4/536–537) and said, “Authentic