THE FITNAH OF DAJJAL(FALSE MESSIAH) AND THE IMPORTANCE OF RECITING SURAH KAHF
Dajjal is a false prophet and is a liar who will lead people astray. He is the messiah of misguidance who will tempt people by means of the signs that he is given, such as bringing down rain, reviving the earth to bring forth vegetation, and other “miracles.”
The root dajala means to mix. The word dajala is used to mean deliberately confusing matters and being vague and ambiguous. The Dajjal is the one who speaks in vagaries, who tells many lies and deceives many people. The word “Dajjal” became a title given to the lying, one-eyed, false messiah. The Dajjal is so called because he will conceal his kufr from the people by lying to them, deceiving them and confusing them.
The Dajjal will emerge from the direction of the East, from Khurasaan, from among the Jews of Isfahaan. He will then travel throughout the Earth and will leave no city without entering it, apart from Makkah and Madeenah, which he will not be able to enter because the angels are guarding them.
Faatimah bint Qays (may ALLAH be pleased with her), the Prophet ﷺ said concerning the Dajjal: “He will (emerge) from the direction of the Syrian sea or from the direction of the Yemeni sea… No, rather from the east…” – and he pointed towards the east. (MUSLIM:5228)
Hudhayfah (may ALLAH be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of ALLAH ﷺ said: ‘I know what the Dajjal will bring with him: he will have two rivers flowing. One will clearly look like water and the other will clearly look like blazing fire. If any one of you sees that, let him choose the river which looks like fire, then let him close his eyes and lower his head and drink from it, for it will be cool water.’” (MUSLIM: 5223)
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever memorizes ten aayaat from the beginning of Surat al-Kahf will be protected from the Dajjal” – 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 surah), mention is made of wonders and signs, and whoever ponders them will not be deceived by the fitnah of the Dajjal. And at the end of this surah, ALLAH says ‘Do then those who disbelieve think that they can take My slaves as awliyaa’ (lords etc.) besides Me?’ (al-Kahf 18:102).” (MUSLIM, 6/93)
Every Muslim should strive to read this surah, and to memorize it and read it repeatedly, especially on the best day on which the sun rises, namely Friday.
