Is Ibn Sayyad Dajjal?

Introduction

The non-Ahmadi Muslims believe that Dajjal is an actual man like any other and his descriptions in the ahadith should all be understood literally. One of the proofs for that statement is the belief of the Sahaba (R.A) that a Muslim named Ibn Sayyad was a Dajjal. Thus, the argument is that if Sahaba RA thought a man was Dajjal, rather than a group of people or a system, then the Ahmadis are clearly wrong.

This article will prove why this argument is against the Quran and Ahadith and how it backfires on non-Ahmadis themselves.

Explanation

Let’s look at the narrations which prove that the Sahaba (R.A) believed that Ibn Sayyad was a Dajjal.

I saw Jabir bin `Abdullah swearing by Allah that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal. I said to Jabir, “How can you swear by Allah?” Jabir said, “I have heard `Umar swearing by Allah regarding this matter in the presence of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Prophet (ﷺ) did not disapprove of it.”

[Sahih al-Bukhari 7355]
[Sahih Muslim 2929]

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:

Umar and a group of the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) set out with the Prophet to Ibn Saiyad. He found him playing with some boys near the hillocks of Bani Maghala. Ibn Saiyad at that time was nearing his puberty. He did not notice (the Prophet’s presence) till the Prophet (ﷺ) stroked him on the back with his hand and said, “Ibn Saiyad! Do you testify that I am Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)?” Ibn Saiyad looked at him and said, “I testify that you are the Apostle of the illiterates.”

Then Ibn Saiyad asked the Prophet. “Do you testify that I am the apostle of Allah?” The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, “I believe in Allah and His Apostles.” Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said (to Ibn Saiyad). “What do you see?” Ibn Saiyad replied, “True people and false ones visit me.” The Prophet said, “Your mind is confused as to this matter.” The Prophet (ﷺ) added, ” I have kept something (in my mind) for you.” Ibn Saiyad said, “It is Ad-Dukh.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to him), “Shame be on you! You cannot cross your limits.”

On that ‘Umar said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! Allow me to chop his head off.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “If he should be him (i.e. Ad-Dajjal) then you cannot overpower him, and should he not be him, then you are not going to benefit by murdering him.”

[Sahih al-Bukhari 1354]

Ibn Sa’id said to me something for which I felt ashamed. He said: I can excuse others; but what has gone wrong with you, O Companions of Muhammad, that you take me as Dajjal? Has Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) not said that he would be a Jew whereas I am a Muslim and he also said that he would not have children, whereas I have children, and he also said: verily, Allah has prohibited him to enter Mecca whereas I have performed Pilgrimage, and he went on saying this that I was about to be impressed by his talk. He (however) said this also: I know where he (Dajjal) is and I know his father and mother, and it was said to him: Won’t you feel pleased if you would be the same person? Thereupon he said: If this offer is made to me, I would not resent that.

[Sahih Muslim 2927b]

Abu Sa’id reported:

I accompanied Ibn Sayyad to Mecca and he said to me: What I have gathered from people is that they think that I am Dajjal. Have you not heard Allah’s Messenger (may peace upon him) as saying: He will have no children, I said: Yes, of course. Thereupon he said: But I have children. Have you not heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He would not enter Mecca and Medina? I said: Yes, of course. Thereupon he said I have been once in Medina and now I intend to go to Mecca. And he said to me at the end of his talk: By Allah, I know his place of birth his abode where he is just now. He (Abu Sa’id) said: This caused confusion in my mind (in regard to his identity).

[Sahih Muslim 2927a]

Nafi’ reported that Ibn ‘Umar met Ibn Si’id on some of the paths of Medina and he said to him a word which enraged him and he was so much swollen with anger that the way was blocked. Ibn ‘Umar went to Hafsa and informed her about this. Thereupon she said:

May Allah have mercy upon you, why did you incite Ibn Sayyad in spite of the fact that you knew it would be the extreme anger which would make Dajjal appear in the world?

[Sahih Muslim 2932a]

From the above ahadith, it is clear that

• The Sahaba (RA) believed that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal.
• Muhammad (SAW) believed the same as he did not correct Umar (RA) who swore the same in his (SAW) presence

Were Sahaba correct?

This proves that the Sahaba (RA) believed that Ibn Sayyad was the same Dajjal prophesized to come in the latter days as per many ahadith. This also proves that all the Sahaba (RA) and the Prophet (SAW) were wrong in this ijtihad (reasoning) because Ibn Sayyad wasn’t the Dajjal.

Thus, it is completely useless and contradictory for the non-Ahmadis to use the wrong ijtihad of the Sahaba (RA) to prove that the Dajjal is an actual person. It is like using the example of the rebellion of Ayesha (RA) against Ali (RA) to prove that rebellion against a Khalifa or a ruler is allowed. Especially when she herself accepted her mistake and repented from Allah.

Ibn Sayyad did not meet the descriptions of Dajjal

The second reason that the ahadith of Ibn Sayyad backfires on the non-Ahmadis is the fact that Ibn Sayyad did not show ANY characteristics of the Dajjal (Anti-Christ) that are mentioned in the ahadith. Yet, the Holy Prophet (SAW) and his companions (RA) still believed he was Ad-Dajjal.

• He did not have Kafir written on his forehead.
• He did not have a Paradise/Hell with him.
• He did not have a mountain of food and water with him.
• He did not travel to every city except Mecca or Medinah.
• He did not have a large donkey with him.
• He did not resurrect anyone from the dead.

On the contrary, he did indeed go to Medina or Mecca! We see Ibn Sayyad asking the same to the other Sahaba (RA):

Verily, Allah has prohibited him to enter Mecca whereas I have performed Pilgrimage…

[Sahih Muslim 2927a]

Moreover, as per the non-Ahmadis, the Dajjal will be born a Jew, yet Ibn Sayyad was a Muslim and died as one. This is the same question that Ibn Sayyad asks the Sahaba (RA).

O Companions of Muhammad, that you take me as Dajjal? Has Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) not said that he would be a Jew whereas I am a Muslim…

[Sahih Muslim 2927b]

Muhammad (SAW) and Sahaba (RA) did not interpret the descriptions of Dajjal literally

Despite that Ibn Sayyad did not meet the physical descriptions of Ad-Dajjal, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and Sahaba (RA) still believed that he was one. This is because ahadith about the Dajjal are not meant to be understood literally. They are dreams and visions of the Prophet (SAW) and are filled with metaphors. We have explained this in another article.

In short, prophecies are not meant to be fulfilled literally. Even though Ibn Sayyad did not fulfill the majority of the descriptions of the Dajjal, he was labeled as one just because of one similarity i.e his ability to deceive people in the past.

Prophecies are a test of faith

One of the main aspects of the prophecies is to test the faith of the people. This is why the Sahaba (RA) did not wait for Ibn Sayyad to meet all the descriptions of the Dajjal. The acceptance of prophecies requires faith.

This is how the Jews accepted Isa (AS) even though he did not fulfill the prophecies of the Messiah by establishing a kingdom of Jews, nor did he fight against the Romans, as mentioned in the prophecies.

This is how the Jews of the time accepted Prophet Muhammad (SAW) even though he also did not clearly fulfill the prophecies in Torah. The Jews were waiting for the Israelite prophet but he came from the Ishmaelites.

These ahadith prove the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah (AS)

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS) is the same Messiah spoken of in the ahadith

When non-Ahmadis ask for the exact similarity between Isa (AS) and Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS), they are contradicting how the Sahaba (RA) understood prophecies. They claim since the Promised Messiah (AS) isn’t named Isa, nor his mother is Maryam, he cannot be the same person prophesized in the ahadith.

The Promised Messiah (AS) does not need to have the same mother i.e Maryam to be called Ibn Maryam. He does not need to be named Isa (AS) to be called Isa in the hadith.

For example, when a brave person is called a Lion, it doesn’t mean that he will have claws, teeth, and the rest of the body like an actual lion. Or that he will sound like a lion, live like one, walk like one, etc. The title of the lion is given only with a minor similarity i.e due to the courage, and bravery of the person.

Similarly, Promised Messiah (AS) was named Isa (AS) or Ibn Maryam due to the similarity in his mission, his character, and the time he was sent in. This is explained in detail here.

Every single event in the ahadith need not be fulfilled exactly how it is described

Non-Ahmadis also claim that as per a certain hadith, the Promised Messiah (AS) did not travel to a certain place, or that a certain army did not fight another army in a certain location e.t.c, thus, he is not the Messiah described in the ahadith.

Firstly, we have already proven that the ahadith of the coming of the Messiah and Dajjal in the latter days are a prophecy. Prophecies usually require interpretation and are a test of faith for the believers.

Secondly, those ahadith are dreams and visions of the Prophet (SAW). Dreams/visions require interpretation as well. Every non-Ahmadi agrees with it and this is explained in the other article.

Thirdly, not every single event or description in the hadith has to happen exactly as described for the prophecy to be true. This is understood from the example of the Sahaba (RA) and the Prophet (SAW) as described above. They believed that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal but he did not meet the majority of the clearest descriptions as described in the ahadith.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the argument of the non-Ahmadis that the Dajjal is a single person because the Sahaba (RA) believed the same is not only wrong, but it backfires on them. The Sahaba (RA) were incorrect about this and all the Muslims agree that it was just an interpretation mistake, which even prophets can do.

On the other hand, it proves the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah (AS) and refutes the common objections of the non-Ahmadis regarding whether he fulfilled the ahadith of the coming of the Messiah.