Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
The Belief of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah regarding Dajjaal
The emergence and fitnahs of Dajjaal are included in the kitaabs of Aqaa’id (Islamic beliefs). The Ulama of Aqaa’id are unanimous that believing in the emergence of Dajjaal is part of the aqaa’id of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah.
The Ahaadith in which Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had forewarned the ummah regarding the fitnahs of Dajjaal are so abundant that the kitaabs of Aqaa’id have all included believing in the coming of Dajjaal to be among the beliefs of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah. Hence, the great Muhadditheen have regarded those who have refuted the coming of Dajjaal to be among the deviated sects such as the Khawaarij, Mu’tazilah, etc.
According to Allaamah Suyooti (rahimahullah), if one has to deny the Ahaadith that prove the existence of Dajjaal, one will become a kaafir. This is established from the following Hadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam):
من كذب بالدجال فقد كفر ومن كذب بالمهدي فقد كفر
The one who rejects Dajjaal has committed kufr, and the one who rejects the Mahdi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) has committed kufr. (Al-Qowl-ul-Mukhtasar pg. 16)
The Belief of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah is that Dajjaal is a Specific Human Being
The illustrious Muhaddith and renowned Faqeeh, Allaamah Qaadhi Iyaaz (rahimahullah), has explicitly mentioned that the belief of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah is that Dajjaal is a specific human being. Allaamah Qaadhi Iyaaz (rahimahullah) mentioned:
These Ahaadith which Imaam Muslim (rahimahullah) and others narrated in regard to Dajjaal are a proof for those who are on the path of Haq, establishing the existence of Dajjaal and that he is a specific human being. Allah Ta‘ala will send him as a trial for the servants of Allah Ta‘ala and give him the ability to carry out certain supernatural acts, such as giving life to the dead whom he had killed, bringing forth things of beauty in the world and causing a barren land to become lush, possessing things of comfort and punishment and rivers (that he will cause to flow), making the wealth of the earth follow him, commanding the skies to rain and the earth to produce crops. All these supernatural feats will manifest with the power of Allah Ta‘ala and His permission. Thereafter, Allah Ta‘ala will cause all his powers to fail, and he will not be able to kill the person (whom he had killed and brought to life, as mentioned in the Hadith), nor any other person. Nabi Isa (‘alaihis salaam) will kill him and Allah Ta‘ala will bless the believers with steadfastness upon Deen. This is the view of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah, and all the Muhadditheen, the Fuqahaa and Ulama of Aqaa’id, contrary to those who reject Dajjaal such as the deviated sects of the Khawaarij, Jahmiyyah and some of the Mu’tazilah.
