Signs of Reappearance Of Imam Mahdi (Part 4)

Opinion of Ahle Sunnat scholars about Dajjal

The same incident is quoted from Abu Saeed Khudri in Sharh Sunnah and it is mentioned therein that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) asked him:
What can you see?
He replied: “I can see a throne on water.”
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: “It is the throne of Iblis.”
Abu Sulaiman says: In my view that incident occurred when a treaty was signed between the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and the Jews and their successors and Ibne Sayyid was also present in this armistice. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) had been told that he claimed to be a soothsayer; hence he tested him and found that he was a soothsayer or a sorcerer or that he controlled a jinn or a devil.
The author says: There is difference among Ahle Sunnat whether Ibne Sayyad and Dajjal are same or not. According to one view they are different and it is due to this that there is a report that Ibne Sayyad repented at a later stage and passed away in Medina. When his face was uncovered he was found dead.
Another report from Abu Saeed Khudri also shows that Ibne Sayyad was not Dajjal.
On the other hand some people believe that Ibne Sayyad was in fact Dajjal and this view is supported by the reports of Ibne Umar and Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari. ¹

Shaykh Saduq’s Statements about Dajjal

The author says: People of malice and denial accept all such reports and they consider reports about Dajjal, his occultation, long age and his advent in the last period of time as correct. But they are not prepared to accept that the Qaim is present, that he will remain in occultation for a long time and then finally reappear and fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be fraught with injustice and tyranny. This is despite the fact that we have traditions from the Prophet and the Imams regarding the Imam’s name, lineage and occultation. And there are traditional reports on prolongation of occultation. The aim of their denial is to put out the light of Allah and invalidate the matter of the Wali of Allah. But Allah will perfect His light even though polytheists may find it distasteful. Our opponents say that the reason of their denial is that the traditions regarding the Imam and his occultation that are present in our collections are not in their books of traditional reports.
This is the same argument that apostates, Hindus, Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians give for denying the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.).
They also say that the reports you quote with regard to his miracles and evidences, are not found in our books. Through this we prove the falsity of those reports. If we accept the objection of our opponents to be true, what would be done with the objection of those who deny the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) who are more than the deniers of the Imam? ¹

Objections

In the same way our opponents also object that they also cannot understand how the age of a person can exceed the age of the people of his time like it is thought about our Imam.
Thus we shall tell them: You agree that it is possible for the age of Dajjal in occultation to exceed the age of other people, and in the same way you admit to the longevity of the accursed Iblis; yet you don’t accept this could be possible with regard to the Qaim, inspite of the fact that there are traditional reports with regard to his occultation, long lifespan and his reappearance and advent after the divine command. Such traditions have also been presented in this book. This is further supported by the tradition of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) that says: Whatever had passed in the previous nations, the same will come to pass in this, exactly.
And it has been mentioned that many prophets and Divine Proofs had long life spans. Like Prophet Nuh (a.s.) who lived for 2500 years. And the Quran say that he lived in his nation for 950 years.
We have also presented the tradition whose chain of narrators is mentioned in this book that it says: In the Qaim there is resemblance to Prophet Nuh (a.s.) and that is having a long lifespan. Then what is the reason that you cannot understand this and that you consider it impossible? You should in fact accept it, because the existence of the Imam is proved by the traditions of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.).
Accepting the existence of the Qaim is necessary just as it is necessary to accept that the People of the Cave slept in their cave for 309 years. If the latter report can be accepted then the former is also worthy of acceptance.
How are the reports of Wahhab bin Munabbah and Kaab bin Ahbar accepted when there is no statement of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) vouchsafing their truthfulness? Their traditions do not fit any logic. While people are in doubt and they deny whatever has been related by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) with regard to Qaim, about his occultation and his reappearance, even though it is about a true fact. Is it anything other than a willful denial of truth?
How can the opponents say that a person cannot exceed the age of the people of his time while the statement of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) is true that all the practices of the past nations will be repeated in this Ummah, especially in well known aspects. Now which aspect is more well known than that of the Qaim? Who is it that is mentioned by the people of the east and the west? Who is it that is mentioned by those who believe in him as well as those who deny him? Thus if the occultation of the Qaim has been proved invalid even though there are authentic traditions of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) it would in fact prove the invalidity of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), because he has informed about the occultation of the Qaim.
Thus in this way the prophethood of the Prophet will be proved false.
Although the opponents accept that the Prophet said regarding Ammar Yasir that he would be killed by a rebellious group, and that the beard of Amirul Momineen (a.s.) would be dyed in the blood of his head, he said regarding Imam Hasan (a.s.) that he would be martyred through poison, and that Imam Husain (a.s.) would be martyred through the sword. Then why don’t the opponents deny his sayings stating the occultation of the Qaim and his name and lineage etc?
Indeed the Prophet was true in all his statements and held particular views. No one can have perfect faith till one does not accept the decisions of the Prophet and submits to all his commands without there being the slightest doubt. This is what Islam is. Islam means submission and obedience and one who brings a religion other than Islam, it would not be accepted and such a person will be a loser in the hereafter.
The most surprising fact is that our opponents narrate that Prophet Isa (a.s.) passed through Kerbala and saw a herd of deer. When he moved closer he saw that they were weeping. Seeing this Prophet Isa (a.s.) sat down and his disciples sat around him.
Thus Isa (a.s.) cried and his disciples also cried even though they did not know why he had sat down and why he was crying. They asked: O spirit of Allah and His word, why did you cry? He asked: Do you know this land?
They said: No, we don’t. He said: It is the land where the son of Ahmad, the prophet of the last period of time and son of the Purified Batool (s.a.) who is an image of my respected mother, Maryam will be martyred and buried. The dust of this land is purer than musk, because it is the burial ground of this oppressed martyr. And the essence of the prophets and his progeny is such.
These deer talk me to me and they say that they graze on this land in devotion to the oppressed Imam as a result of which they feel secure over here. After that Isa (a.s.) split their droppings and smelt them and said: O Lord, preserve these dropping in this state so that the father of the martyr may smell them and obtain comfort. Thus those droppings remained till the time of Ali (a.s.). When Amirul Momineen (a.s.) passed from there he smelt those droppings, cried and informed about the impending tragedy of Kerbala.
Our opponents accept the veracity of this incident and agree that those droppings remained for more than five hundred years and there was no difference in their freshness and smell. The passage of time did not affect them in any way. But they don’t accept that the Qaim of Aale Muhammad, the Imam of the Age is alive. And that he will rise with the sword, eliminate the enemies of Allah make the religion of Allah dominant while there are authentic traditions of the Prophet and Imams in this regard, which mention his name, lineage, his long occultation and which also state that the practice of the previous nations with regard to long life spans has been decreed for this Imam. This denial is only due to malice, bigotry and obstinacy against acceptance of truth. [We seek Allah’s refuge from humiliation]. ¹

References:

1. The Promised Mahdi (English Translation of Biharul Anwar volumes on Imam Mahdi a.s.) – Part I, Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi [r.a.][↩][↩][↩]

[Quran Chapter 30:5-6] 5. In Allah's support. He supports whomever He wills. He is the Almighty, the Merciful. 6. The promise of Allah—Allah never breaks His promise, but most people do not know.