Protection against the fitnah of the Dajjaal

Praise be to Allaah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has taught his ummah about that which will protect them against the fitnah of the false messiah (al-maseeh al-dajjaal). He left his ummah on a path that is clear, and no one deviates from it except the one who is doomed. He did not leave any good thing without pointing it out to his ummah, or any evil thing without warning them against it. Among the things which he warned us against  was the fitnah of the Dajjaal, because it is the greatest fitnah which the ummah will face until the Hour comes. Every Prophet warned his ummah against the one-eyed Dajjaal, but Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the only Prophet who warned his ummah more about him. Allaah told him many of the attributes of the Dajjaal so that he could warn his ummah. The Dajjaal will undoubtedly emerge among this ummah, because it is the last ummah, and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the Seal of the Prophets. There follow some of the Prophetic guidelines which the Chosen Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) set out for his ummah so that it may be protected against this mighty fitnah, from which we ask Allaah to save us and grant us refuge: 

Adhering to Islam, having the right faith and learning the Names and Most Beautiful Attributes of Allaah which are not shared by anyone else. One should know that the Dajjaal will be a human being who will eat and drink, and that Allaah is far above that; the Dajjaal will be one-eyed but Allaah is not one-eyed; no one can see his Lord until he dies, but the Dajjaal will be seen by all people, believers and kaafirs alike, when he emerges.

Seeking refuge with Allaah from the fitnah of the Dajjaal, especially in salaah (prayer). This has been narrated in the saheeh ahaadeeth, such as that narrated from Umm al-Mu’mineen ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray in his salaah: “Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min ‘adhaab al-qabri, wa a’oodhu bika min fitnat il-maseeh il-dajjaal, wa a’oodhu bika min fitnat il-mahyaa wa fitnat il-mamaat. Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min al-ma’tham wa’l-maghram (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from the torment of the grave, I seek refuge with You from the fitnah of the Dajjaal, and I seek refuge with You from the trials of life and death. O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from sin and debt).” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 789)

Muslim narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘When any one of you says Tashahhud, let him seek refuge with Allaah from four things, and say: “Allaahumma inni a’oodhi bika min ‘adhaab jahannam wa min ‘adhaab al-qabri wa min fitnat il-mahyaa wa’l-mamaat wa min sharri fitnat al-maseeh al-dajjaal (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from the torment of Hell, from the torment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the fitnah of the Dajjaal).”’” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 924)

Memorizing aayaat from Soorat al-Kahf. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to recite the opening verses of Soorat al-Kahf against the Dajjaal. According to some reports, the final verses of this soorah was mentioned. This means reciting the first ten verses or the last ten. Among the ahaadeeth narrated concerning this was the lengthy hadeeth narrated by Muslim from al-Nawwaas ibn Sam’aan, in which it says: “Whoever among you sees him (the Dajjaal), let him recite against him the opening verses of Soorat al-Kahf.”  (Hadeeth 5228).

Muslim (no. 1342) narrated from Abu’l-Dardaa’ that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever memorizes ten aayaat from the beginning of Soorat al-Kahf will be protected from the Dajjaal” – i.e., from his fitnah. Muslim said: “Shu’bah said, ‘from the end of al-Kahf.’ Hammaam said, ‘from the beginning of al-Kahf.’”

Al-Nawawi said: “The reason for this is because at the beginning of (this soorah), mention is made of wonders and signs, and whoever ponders them will not be deceived by the fitnah of the Dajjaal. And at the end of this soorah, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Do then those who disbelieve think that they can take My slaves as awliyaa’ (lords etc.) besides Me?’ [al-Kahf 18:102].” (Sharh Saheeh Muslim, 6/93).

This is one of the special features of Soorat al-Kahf. There are ahaadeeth which encourage reading it, especially on Fridays. Al-Haakim narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever recites Soorat al-Kahf on Friday, it will be a light for him from one Friday to the next.” (al-Mustadrak, 2/368. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani, Saheeh al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer, hadeeth 6346)

Undoubtedly Soorat al-Kahf is of great significance, containing great aayaat, such as the story of the People of the Cave, the story of Moosa and al-Khidr, the story of Dhu’l-Qarnayn and his building the dam to hold back Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj, proof of the resurrection and the blowing of the Trumpet, and explanation of those whose deeds are most lost, who are those who think that they are guided when in fact they are misguided and blind.

Every Muslim should strive to read this soorah, and to memorize it and read it repeatedly, especially on the best day on which the sun rises, namely Friday.

Fleeing from the Dajjaal and keeping far away from him. The best way is to live in Makkah or Madeenah, and the places which the Dajjaal will not enter. When the Dajjaal emerges, Muslims should keep far away from him, because of the confusion he will cause and the mighty wonders that he will have with him, which Allaah will cause to happen at his hands in order to test mankind. A man will come to him, thinking that he is a strong believer, then he will follow the Dajjaal. We ask Allaah to grant us and all the Muslims refuge from his fitnah.

Imaam Ahmad (19118), Abu Dawood (3762) and al-Haakim (4/31) narrated from ‘Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever hears of the Dajjaal, let him keep far away from him, for a man will come to him and think that he is telling the truth because of the wonders that are sent with him.”

We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound.

Islam Q&A 
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid