Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
In many Ahaadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) informed the ummah about the fitnahs of Dajjaal and the widespread mischief which he will cause in the earth after his emergence.
Initially, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was not informed by Allah Ta‘ala regarding the exact time of Dajjaal’s appearance in the world. This can be gauged through the following Hadith wherein Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) mentioned the possibility of Dajjaal emerging during his lifetime or after his lifetime. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “If he emerges at a time when I am among you, then I will combat him, and if he emerges at a time when I have left this world and I am not in your midst, then each person should try to save himself from the fitnah of Dajjaal, and may Allah Ta‘ala be my representative in saving every Muslim.” (Saheeh Muslim #2937)
However, prior to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) leaving this world, Allah Ta‘ala informed Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) of the exact place of Dajjaal as well as the time of his emergence before Qiyaamah. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then informed the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) through many Ahaadith that Dajjaal’s emergence in the world will occur before Qiyaamah, and that Nabi Isa (‘alaihis salaam) will be sent to kill him.
Furthermore, before Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) left the world, Hazrat Tameem Daari (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) also informed Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) of his meeting with Dajjaal, and Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) informed the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) regarding his meeting with Dajjaal.
Hazrat Tameem Daari (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) embraced Islam in the ninth year after hijrah, and Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) left this world in the beginning of the eleventh year after hijrah. (Siyar A’laamin Nubalaa 2/442)
After embracing Islam, Hazrat Tameem Daari (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) came to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and informed him that prior to him accepting Islam, while he and his companions were once traveling at sea, they had encountered a severe storm which caused their ship to be pushed to an island. On this island, they had seen Dajjaal, bound in chains, and a lengthy discussion ensued between them and Dajjaal.
Hazrat Tameem Daari (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and His Companions Meeting Dajjaal
Hazrat Faatimah bint Qais (radhiyallahu ‘anha) reports that on one occasion, after completing the salaah, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) sat on the mimbar. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was smiling and addressed the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) saying, “Every person should remain seated in the place where he performed his salaah.”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thereafter asked, “Do you know why I have gathered you?” The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) responded, “Allah and His Rasul (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) know best.”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “By Allah! I did not gather you to inform you of something of desire (i.e. receiving booty), nor did I call you to inform you of something of fear (i.e. the approach of an enemy, etc.). Rather, I gathered you here because Tameem Daari, who was a Christian, has come and pledged allegiance of Islam at my hand. He has informed me of an incident which transpired in his life that conforms to that which I used to tell you regarding Al-Maseeh, Dajjaal.
“Tameem Daari told me that he was once sailing aboard a ship with thirty men from the tribes of Lakhm and Juzaam. During the voyage, the waves of the ocean tossed the ship from side-to-side (preventing them from reaching their destination) for the period of one month. Eventually, they managed to bring their ship close to an island in the west. On nearing the island, they (disembarked from the ship and) sat in a small boat which they used to reach the island.
“On setting foot on the island, they were met by a hairy beast. The beast was covered in so much of hair that its front could not be distinguished from its back. Seeing the beast, they exclaimed, ‘Woe to you! What are you?’ The beast replied, ‘I am the spy (of Dajjaal).’ They asked, ‘Whose spy are you?’ The beast did not explain, and instead said, ‘O people! Proceed to this man in the monastery (in the cave), as he is extremely desirous of hearing some information from you.’
“Tameem Daari then said, ‘When we heard the beast mention a man, we were gripped by the fear that perhaps this beast may be a shaitaan. Hence, we hastened towards the monastery and entered it. On entering the monastery, our eyes suddenly fell on the largest man that we had ever seen in built, and the most strongly bound, with his hands shackled to his neck and his knees shackled to his ankles.”
“Seeing him, we exclaimed, ‘Woe to you! What are you?’ He replied, ‘You will soon gain information about me (as I will soon tell you about myself). Hence, inform me regarding yourselves.’ We replied, ‘We are Arabs who were sailing aboard a ship. We then encountered turbulent waters when the sea became rough and stormy. The waves then tossed us from side-to-side until we neared this island of yours. We then boarded the small boat of the ship and came to the island, after which an extremely hairy beast met us. The beast was so hairy that its front could not be distinguished from its back. We said to the beast, “Woe to you! What are you?” It replied, “I am the spy.” We asked it, “Whose spy are you?” However, it replied, “Proceed to this man in the monastery, as he is extremely eager to hear information from you.” We thus hastened towards you and were wary of the beast, as we feared that it may be a shaitaan.”
“The man then asked, “Tell me regarding the date palms of Baisaan.” We asked, “In regard to what aspect of the date palms are you enquiring?” He said, “I am asking as to whether the palms bear fruit.” When we replied that the palms were bearing fruit, he said, “Behold! Soon they will no longer bear fruit!”
He next asked, “Tell me about the spring of Zughar.” We asked him, “In regard to what aspect of the spring are you enquiring?” He asked, “Is there water in the spring, and are the people using this water in their farms?” We replied, “Yes! The spring has abundant water and the people are using the water to irrigate their farm.”
“He then asked, “Tell me about the Nabi of the unlettered people (i.e. the Arabs). What has he done?” We replied, “He departed from Makkah Mukarramah and settled in Yathrib (i.e. Madinah Munawwarah).”
He asked, “Did the Arabs fight him?” We replied, “Yes.” He asked, “How did he deal with them?” We informed him that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had conquered the Arabs in his vicinity and they had expressed submission before him.” The man asked, “Did that happen?” When we replied in the affirmative, he said, “That is better for them, that they obey him. I will now inform you regarding myself. I am the Maseeh, and I will soon be granted permission to emerge. I will then emerge and travel through the earth. There will not be a single village except that I will descend into it in a period of forty days, besides Makkah Mukarramah and Taibah (Madinah Munawwarah), as these two cities are forbidden upon me. Whenever I will intend to enter one of the two cities, an angel with a bared blade will face me and repel me from it. Upon every path and entrance to these cities will be angels guarding them.”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then prodded the mimbar with his staff and said, “This is Taibah, this is Taibah, this is Taibah (i.e. Madinah Munawwarah). Behold, had I not informed you of that?” The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) replied, “Yes!” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then said, “Indeed the incident of Hazrat Tameem Daari (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) pleases me, as it conforms to that which I had informed you regarding Dajjaal, Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah. Behold! He is in the sea of Shaam or in the sea of Yemen. No, rather he is in the east, he is in the east, he is in the east,” Saying this, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) gestured to the east with his blessed hand.” (Saheeh Muslim #2942)
Conclusion
From the abovementioned statement of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) “Indeed the incident of Tameem Daari pleases me, as it conforms to that which I had informed you regarding Dajjaal”, we understand that before leaving this world, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was informed by Allah Ta‘ala that Dajjaal will not appear in his lifetime, but will only appear before Qiyaamah, at the time when the Mahdi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and Nabi Isa (‘alaihis salaam) will be sent to the world.
