Riyad as-Salihin

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."

The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said, "The Last Hour will not come until the Muslims fight against the Jews, until a Jew will hide himself behind a stone or a tree, and the stone or the tree will say: 'O Muslim, there is a Jew behind me. Come and kill him,' but Al-Gharqad tree will not say so, for it is the tree of the Jews.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, the world will not come to an end until a man passes by a grave and will lie over it saying, 'Would that I were in this grave (i.e., dead)!' Not he will say so because of religious reasons but because of widespread mischief and severe trials of this world.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not come to pass before the River Euphrates dries up to unveil the mountain of gold, for which people will fight. Ninety-nine out of one hundred will die (in the fighting) and every man amongst them will say: 'Perhaps I may be the only one to remain alive."'Another narration is: "The time is near when the River Euphrates will dry up to unveil a treasure of gold. Whosoever may be alive at that time, should not take anything of it."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "People will desert Al-Madinah in spite of it being in better condition except for wild beasts and birds. The Last Hour will happen upon two shepherds of the tribe of Muzainah. They will enter Al-Madinah driving their sheep but will find it full of wild beasts and would turn away. When they will arrive at the hill named Thaniyyat-ul-Wada' they will fall on their faces.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "From your caliphs there will be one in the Last Days who will distribute wealth without counting it.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A time will come when a man will go about with alms from his gold and will not find anyone to receive it. One man will be seen being followed by forty women dependant upon him on account of the scarcity of men and excess of women.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A man bought a piece of land from another man, and the buyer found a jar filled with gold in the land. The buyer said to the seller: 'Take your gold, as I bought only the land from you and not the gold.' The owner of the land said: 'I sold you the land with everything in it.' So both of them took their case before a third man who asked: 'Have you any children?' One of them said: 'I have a boy.' The other said, 'I have a girl.' The man said: 'Marry the girl to the boy and spend the money on them; and whatever remains give it in charity."'.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There were two women, each had her child with her. A wolf came and took away the child of one of them. One woman said to her companion: 'The wolf has taken your son.' The other said: 'It has taken your son.' So both of them took the dispute to Prophet Dawud (David) (ﷺ) who judged that the boy should be given to the older lady. Then they went to Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon) (ﷺ) son of Dawud and put the case before him. Prophet Sulaiman said: 'Give me a knife so that I may cut the child into two and give one half to each of you.' The younger woman said: 'Do not do so; may Allah bless you! He is her child.' On that Prophet Sulaiman decided the case in favour of the younger woman.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The pious men will depart one after another, the dregs of people, like the sediment of barley or dates will remain; Allah will not raise them in value and esteem.".

Jibril (Gabriel) came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked him: "How do you estimate among you those who participated in the battle of Badr?" He replied, "They were the best of Muslims" (or he may have said something similar to that). Jibril said: "The same is the case with the angels who were at Badr.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If Allah afflicts punishment upon a nation, it befalls the whole population indiscriminately and then they will be resurrected and judged according to their deeds.".

There was a trunk of a date-palm tree upon which the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recline while delivering Khutbah (sermon). When a pulpit was placed in the mosque, we heard the trunk crying out like a pregnant she-camel. the Prophet (ﷺ) came down from the pulpit and put his hand on the trunk and it became quiet.Another narration is: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to stand by a tree or a date-palm on Friday (to give the Khutbah). Then an Ansari woman or man said, "O Messenger of Allah! Shall we make a pulpit for you?" He replied, "If you wish." So they made a pulpit for him and when it was Friday, the Prophet (ﷺ) sat on the pulpit .

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah, the Exalted, has laid down certain duties which you should not neglect, and has put certain limits which you should not transgress, and has kept silent about other matters out of mercy for you and not out of forgetfulness, so do not seek to investigate them."

We accompanied the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in seven expeditions, and we ate locusts..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A believer should not be stung twice from the same hole.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There are three (types of) people with whom Allah will neither speak on the Day of Resurrection nor purify them (from sins) and there will be a painful chastisement for them: A person who has spare water in a desert and he refuses to give it to the traveller; a person who sells a commodity to another person after the afternoon prayer and swears by Allah that he has bought it at such and such price, and the buyer pays him accordingly though in reality it was not true; and a person who pledges allegiance to an Imam (leader) just for some worldly benefit, and then if the Imam bestows on him (something out of that) he fulfills his allegiance, and if does not give him, he does not fulfill it.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Between the two Blowing of the Trumpet there will be an interval of forty." The people said, "O Abu Hurairah! Do you mean forty days?" He said, "I cannot say anything." They said, "Do you mean forty years?" He said, "I cannot say anything." They said, "Do you mean forty months?" He said, "I cannot say anything. The Prophet added: 'Everything of the human body will perish except the last coccyx bone (end part of the spinal cord), and from that bone Allah will reconstruct the whole body. Then Allah will send down water from the sky and people will grow like green vegetables'.".

Once the Prophet (ﷺ) was speaking to us when, a bedouin came and asked him: "When will the Last Day be?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) continued his talk. Some of those present thought that he had heard him but disliked the interruption and the other said that he had not hear him. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) concluded his speech he asked, "Where is the one who inquired about the Last Day?" The man replied: "Here I am." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "When the practice of honouring a trust is lost, expect the Last Day." He asked: "How could it be lost?" He replied, "When the government is entrusted to the undeserving people, then wait for the Last Day.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Your leaders will lead you in Salat (prayer). If they conduct it properly, you and they will be rewarded; but if they make mistakes you will earn the reward and they will be held responsible (for the mistakes).".

"You are the best of peoples ever raised up for (the benefit of) mankind..." (3:110): The best for mankind are those who bring them with chains round their necks till they embrace Islam (and thereby save them from the eternal punishment in the Hell-fire, and make them enter Jannah in the Hereafter).".

the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah marvels at those people who enter Jannah in chains.".

the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The dearest parts on the face of the earth near Allah are its mosques, and the most hated parts near Allah are its markets.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not, if you can help, be the first to enter the market and the last to leave it because it is an arena of Satan and the standard of Satan is set there.".There are other narrations with some variation in the wordings.

'Abdullah bin Sarjis (May Allah be pleased with him) said to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "O Messenger of Allah! May Allah forgive all your sins!" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "And yours also." 'Asim reported: I asked 'Abdullah: "Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) seek forgiveness for you?" He replied: "Yes, and for you also." Then he recited the Verse: "Seek forgiveness for your sins and for the believing men and the believing women." (47:19).

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "One of the admonitions of the previous Prophets which has been conveyed to people is that if you have no modesty, you can do whatever you like.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The first matter concerning which people will be judged on the Day of Resurrection will be the matter of blood."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Angels were created from light, jinns were created from a smokeless flame of fire, and 'Adam was created from that which you have been told (i.e., sounding clay like the clay of pottery).".

The conduct of the Prophet (ﷺ) was entirely according to the Qur'an..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him; and he who dislikes to meet Allah, Allah abhors to meet him." I ('Aishah) said: "O Messenger of Allah! So far as the feelings of aversion against death is concerned, we all have this feeling." Thereupon he said, "I do not mean that. What I meant is that when a (true) believer is given the glad tidings of the Mercy of Allah, His Pleasures and His Jannah (at the time of death), he loves to meet Allah, and Allah also loves to meet him. When a disbeliever is given the news of the Torment of Allah and His Wrath (at the time of death), he dislikes to meet Allah and Allah also abhors to meet him.".

I came to visit the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was in the state of I'tikaf .

I was in the company of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the day of (the battle of) Hunain. Abu Sufyan bin Al-Harith and I did not leave the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) throughout the battle. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was riding on his white mule. When the Muslims had an encounter with the pagans, Muslims took to their heels. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) began to urge his mule towards the disbelievers, holding the bridle of his mule. I was trying to restrain it from going very fast, and Abu Sufyan was holding the stirrup of the mule of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "O Abbas! Call out the People of As-Samurah .

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "O people! Allah is Pure and, therefore, accepts only that which is pure. Allah has commanded the believers as He has commanded His Messengers by saying: 'O Messengers! Eat of the good things, and do good deeds.' (23:51) And He said: 'O you who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism)! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you..."' (2:172). Then he (ﷺ) made a mention of the person who travels for a long period of time, his hair are dishevelled and covered with dust. He lifts his hand towards the sky and thus makes the supplication: 'My Rubb! My Rubb!' But his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothes are unlawful and his nourishment is unlawful, how can, then his supplication be accepted?".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There are three (types of) people whom Allah will neither speak to on the Day of Resurrection nor will He purify them (i.e., from their sins), nor will look upon them; and they will have a painful chastisement. These are: An old man who commits fornication; a king who is a great liar and a poor man who is proud."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Saihan (Oxus), Jaihan (Jaxartes), Al-Furat (Euphrates) and An-Nil (Nile) are all from the rivers of Jannah.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took hold of my hand and said, "Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, created the earth on Saturday, the mountains on Sunday, the trees on Monday, the things entailing labour on Tuesday, light on Wednesday, He spread out animals of all kinds on Thursday, and created Adam in the afternoon on Friday, and it was the last hour of Friday between the afternoon and the night.".

In the battle of Mu'tah, seven swords were broken in my hand, and all that remained with me was a Yemeni sword..

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "When a judge utilizes his skill of judgement and comes to a right decision, he will have a double reward, but when he uses his judgement and commits a mistake, he will have a single reward."

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Fever comes from the vehement raging of Hell, so cool it with water.".