Riyad as-Salihin

I have retained in my memory the saying of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that: "No one is considered an orphan after he has attained the age of maturity; and it is unlawful to remain silent from dawn till night.".

Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) came upon a woman named Zainab from the Ahmas tribe and noticed that she was observing total silence. He said: "What has happened to her? Why does she not speak?'' People informed him that she had sworn to remain silent. He then said to her: "You should speak, it is not permissible (to observe silence), for it is an act of the Days of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah)." (After hearing this) she started speaking. .

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who (falsely) attributes his fatherhood to anyone besides his real father, knowing that he is not his father, will be forbidden to enter Jannah.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not turn away from your fathers, for he who turns away from his father, will be guilty of committing an act of disbelief."

I saw 'Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) giving a Khutbah (sermon) from the pulpit and I heard him saying: "By Allah, we have no book to read except Allah's Book and what is written in this scroll. He unrolled the scroll which showed a list of what sort of camels to be given as blood-money, and other legal matters relating to killing game in the sanctuary of Makkah and the expiation thereof. In it was also written: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Al-Madinah is a sanctuary from 'Air to Thaur (mountains). He who innovates in this territory new ideas in Islam, commits a sin therein, or shelters the innovators, will incur the Curse of Allah, the angels, and all the people, and Allah will accept from him neither repentance nor a ransom on the Day of Resurrection. The asylum (pledge of protection) granted by any Muslim (even of the) lowest status is to be honoured and respected by all other Muslims, and whoever betrays a Muslim in this respect (by violating the pledge) will incur the Curse of Allah, the angels, and all the people; and Allah will accept from him neither repentance nor a ransom on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever attributes his fatherhood to someone other than his (real) father, and takes someone else as his master other than his (real) master without his permission, will incur the Curse of Allah, the angels and all the people, and Allah will accept from him neither repentance nor a ransom on the Day of Resurrection.".

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: "A person who attributes his fatherhood to anyone other than his real father, knowing that he is not his father, commits an act of disbelief. And he who makes a claim of anything which in fact does not belong to him, is none of us. He should make his abode in Hell, and he who labels anyone as disbeliever or calls him the enemy of Allah and he is in fact not so, his charge will revert to him.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah, the Exalted, becomes angry, and His Anger is provoked when a person does what Allah has declared unlawful.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who takes an oath and involuntarily says: 'By Al-Lat and Al-'Uzza' should at once affirm: 'La ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah)', and he who says to his companion: 'Come let's gamble' should make expiation by giving something in charity.".

One morning the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made a mention of Dajjal, and he described him to be insignificant and at the same time described him so significant that we thought he was on the date-palm trees (i.e., nearby). When we went to him (the Prophet (ﷺ)) in the evening, he perceived the sign of fear on our faces. He said, "What is the matter with you?'' We said: "O Messenger of Allah, you talked about Dajjal this morning raising your voice and lowering it until we thought he was hiding in the palm-trees grove: He said: "Something other than Dajjal make worry about you. If he appears while I am with you, I will defend you against him. But if he appears after I die, then everyone of you is his own defender. Allah is the One Who remains after me to guide every Muslim. Dajjal will be a young man with very curly hair with one eye protruding (with which he cannot see). I compare (his appearance) to that of Al-`Uzza bin Qatan. He who amongst you survives to see him, should recite over him the opening Ayat of Surat Al-Kahf (i.e., Surat 18: Verses 1-8). He will appear on the way between Syria and Iraq and will spread mischief right and left. O slaves of Allah! Remain adhered to the truth.'' We asked: "O Messenger of Allah! How long will he stay on the earth?'' He said, "For forty days. One day will be like a year, one day like a month, one day like a week and the rest of the days will be like your days.'' We said: "O Messenger of Allah! Will one day's Salat (prayer) suffice for the Salat of that day which will be equal to one year?'' Thereupon he said, "No, but you must make an estimate of time and then offer Salat.'' We said: "O Messenger of Allah! How quickly will he walk upon the earth?'' Thereupon he said, "Like cloud driven by the wind (i.e., very quickly). He will come to the people and call them to his obedience and they will affirm their faith in him and respond to him. He will then give command to the sky and it will send its rain upon the earth and he will then send his command to the earth and it will grow vegetation. Then in the evening their pasturing animals will come to them with their humps very high and their udders full of milk and their flanks stretched. He will then come to another people and invite them, but they will reject him and he will leave them, in barren lands and without any goods and chattels! He would then walk through the waste land and say to it: `Bring forth your treasures', and the treasures will come out and follow him like swarms of bees. He will then call a person brimming with youth and strike him with the sword and cut him into two pieces and make these pieces lie at a distance, which is generally between the archer and his target. He will then call that young man and he will come forward, laughing, with his face gleaming out of joy; and it will be at this very time that Allah will send `Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary) who will descend at the white minaret in the eastern side of Damascus, wearing two garments lightly dyed and placing his hands on the wings of two angels. When he will lower his head, there would fall drops of water from his head, and when he will raise it up, drops like pearls would scatter from it. Every disbeliever who will find his (i.e., `Isa's) smell will die and his smell will reach as far as he will be able to see. He will then search for Dajjal until he will catch hold of him at the gate of Ludd (village near Jerusalem), and will kill him. Then the people, whom Allah will have protected, will come to `Isa son of Maryam, and he will wipe their faces and will inform them of their ranks in Jannah, and it will be under such conditions that Allah will reveal to `Isa these words: `I have brought forth from amongst my slaves such people against whom none will be able to fight, so take these people safely to the mountain.' And then Allah will send Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog people) and they will sworn down from every slope. The first of them will pass the Lake Tabariyah (near the Dead Sea in Palestine) and drink all its water. And when the last of them will pass, he will say: `There was once water there.' Prophet `Isa (ﷺ) and his companions will then be so much hard-pressed that the head of an ox will be dearer to them than one hundred dinar, and `Isa along with his companions, will make supplication to Allah, Who will send insects which will attack their (Ya'juj and Ma'juj people) neck until they all will perish like a single person. Prophet, `¦sa and his companions will then come down and they will not find in the earth as much space as a single span which would not be filled with their corpses and their stench. Prophet `Isa and his companions will then again beseech Allah, Who will send birds whose necks will be like those of Bactrian camels, and they will carry them and throw them where Allah will desire. Then Allah will send down rain which will spare no house in the city or in the countryside. It would wash away the earth until it appears like a mirror. Then the earth will be told to bring forth its fruit and restore its blessings; and as a result of this, there will grow such a big pomegranate that a group of people will eat from it and seek shelter under its skin. Milk will be so blessed that the milk of one she-camel will suffice for a large company and the cow will give so much milk, that it will suffice for a whole tribe. The sheep will give so much milk that the whole family will be able to drink out of that, and at that time Allah will send a pleasant wind which will soothe people even under their armpits, and will take the life of every Muslim and true believer, and only the wicked will survive. They will commit adultery in public like asses and the Resurrection Day will be held.'' .

I accompanied Abu Mas'ud Al-Ansari to Hudaifah bin Al-Yaman (May Allah be pleased with them). Abu Mas'ud said to him: "Tell us what you heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about Dajjal (the Antichrist)." Hudaifah said: He (ﷺ) said, "Dajjal will appear, and with him will be water and fire. That which people consider to be water will in fact be a burning fire, and that which people will consider to be fire will in fact be cool and sweet water. He who from amongst you happens to face him, should jump into that which he sees as fire for that will be nice and sweet water." Abu Mas'ud said: "I have also heard this from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Dajjal (the Antichrist) will appear in my Ummah and he will stay in the world for forty. I do not know whether this will be forty days or forty months or forty years. Allah will then send (Prophet) 'Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). 'Isa will pursue him and slaughter him. Then people will survive for seven years (i.e., after the demise of 'Isa) in the state that there will be no rancour between two persons. Then Allah will send a cool breeze from the side of Ash-Sham. None will remain upon the face of the earth having the smallest particle of good or Faith in him but he will die, so much so that even if someone amongst you will enter the innermost part of a mountain, this breeze will reach that place also and will cause him to die. Only the wicked people will survive and they will be as fast as birds (i.e., to commit evil) and as ferocious towards one another as wild beasts. They will never appreciate the good, nor condemn evil. Then Shaitan (Satan) will come to them in the garb of a man and will say: 'Will you not obey me?' They will say: 'What do you order us to do?' He will command them to worship idols. They will have abundance of sustenance and will lead comfortable lives. Then the Trumpet will be blown. Every one hearing it, will turn his neck towards it and will raise it. The first one to hear that Trumpet will be a man who will be busy repairing the basin for his camels. He will become unconscious. Allah will send, or will cause to send, rain which will be like dew and there will grow out of it (like wild growth) the bodies of the people. Then the second Trumpet will be blown and they will stand up and begin to look around. Then it will be said: 'O people! Go to your Rubb.' Then there will be a command: 'Make them stand there.' After it they will be called to account. Then it will be said: 'Separate from them the share of the Fire.' It will be asked: 'How much?' It will be said: 'Nine hundred and ninety-nine out of every thousand.' That will be the Day which will make children hoary-headed men because of its terror and that will be the Day when the Shin will be uncovered.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There will be no land which will not be trampled by Dajjal (the Antichrist) but Makkah and Al-Madinah; and there will be no passage leading to them which will not be guarded by the angels, arranged in rows. Dajjal will appear in a barren place adjacent to Al- Madinah and the city will be shaken three times. Allah will expel from it every disbeliever and hypocrite.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Dajjal (the Antichrist) will be followed by seventy thousand Jews of Isfahan and will be dressed in robes of green coloured satin.".

I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "People will run away from Dajjal (the Antichrist) seeking shelter in the mountains.".

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "Between time of the creation of Adam and the Resurrection Day, there is nothing greater than the mischief of Dajjal (the Antichrist).".

I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "Dajjal (the Antichrist) will come forth and a person from amongst the believers will go towards him and the armed watchmen of Dajjal will meet him and they will say to him: 'Where do you intend to go?' He will say: 'I intend to go to this one who has appeared.' They will say to him: 'Don't you believe in our lord (meaning Dajjal)?' He will say: 'There (i.e., we know Him to be Allah, Alone, without any partners) is nothing hidden about our Rubb.' Some of them will say: 'Let us kill him', but some others will say: 'Has your lord (Dajjal) not forbidden you to kill anyone without his consent?' So they will take him to Dajjal. When the believer will see him, he will say: 'O people! This is Dajjal about whom the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has informed us.' Dajjal will have him laid on his stomach and have his head. He will be struck on his back and on his stomach. Dajjal will ask him: 'Don't you believe in me?' He will say: 'You are the false Messiah.' He will then give his order to have him sawn with a saw into two from the parting of his hair up to his legs. After that Dajjal will walk between the two halves and will say to him: 'Stand up', and he will stand on his feet. He will then say to him: 'Don't you believe in me?' The person will say: 'It has added to my insight that you are Dajjal'. He will add: 'O people! He will not be able to behave with anyone amongst people in such a manner after me.' Dajjal will try to kill him. The space between his neck and collarbone will turn into copper and he will find no way to kill him. So he will catch hold of him by his hand and feet and throw him into (what appears to be the fire). The people will think that he has been thrown into the fire whereas he will be thrown into Jannah." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) added, "He will be the most eminent amongst the people with regard to martyrdom near the Rubb of the worlds."

No one asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) more about Dajjal than I asked him. He said to me, "He will not harm you." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, it is reported that he will have with him a mountain of bread and a river full of water." Thereupon he said, "He (Dajjal) is far too worthless and insignificant near Allah (to let him deceive the believers).".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There has not been a Prophet who has not warned his Ummah of that one-eyed liar (Dajjal). Behold, he is blind in one eye and your Rubb (Allah) is not blind. On his forehead are the letters: (K.F.R.) (meaning Kafir- disbeliever).".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Let me tell you something about Dajjal (the Antichrist) which no Prophet had told his people. He is blind (in one eye) and will bring with him something like Jannah and Hell; but what he calls Jannah will be in fact Hell.".

One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) mentioned Al-Masih Dajjal (the Antichrist) in the presence of the people and said, "Verily, Allah is not one-eyed but Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal is blind in the right eye which looks like a swollen grape."