Episode Fourteen: The False Messiah (1)

The meaning of Messiah: Abu Abdullah Al Qurtubi mentioned twenty-three sayings as regard the etymology of this word; the author of the book “Al Qaamuus” mentioned it to be fifty sayings.

This word “Messiah/المسيح” can be said to mean “The truthful person”, and “The misguided person that misleads people and perpetual liar”.

Allah qualified Isa bn Maryam(alayhi salaam) with the word “Messiah” in the Qur’an; in Suratu Al Imran verse 45, Allah says:
“إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ”

Allah created two Messiahs, one is the opposite of the other. Isa bn Maryam is the truthful Messiah while a man called Dajjaal is the perpetual liar and misguided fellow.

Isa calls and guides people to the way of Allah, heals the dead by the will of Allah; while Dajjaal causes problems and dangers on earth with the power bestowed upon him by Allah.

Numerous are the hadeeth of the Prophet concerning the coming of the Dajjaal or the false Messiah.

Actually, the Prophet spoke about many great liars and deceivers, which is what the word Dajjaal implies, who will appear before the Day of Judgment.

For example, Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded that the Prophet said, “The Last Hour would not come until there would arise about thirty impostors, liars, and each one of them would claim that he is a messenger of God.”

Those can be considered “minor dajjaals” and from the minor signs of the Day of Judgment.

The “major dajjaal” is the greater sign of the Day of Judgment and concerning whom the Prophet, reserved his greatest warnings.

These ahadeeth demonstrate what a great trial and temptation this person is going to be for all humans, believers and disbelievers alike.

For example, the Prophet mentioned that all of the previous prophets also warned their people about the coming of the Dajjaal.

Recorded in Saheeh Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet said: “There has never been a prophet who has not warned the Nation of that one-eyed liar (the Dajjaal).”

Furthermore, the Prophet, as recorded in authentic hadeeth, used to seek refuge in Allah during his prayers from the trials of the false messiah. The various hadeeth of the Prophet provide a great deal of information about the Dajjaal.

The Prophet, for example, made it clear that he is a human being.

To be continued…