Judaism, Christianity and Islam are replete with teachings about the end times and perhaps one of the most well-known of these is about the Antichrist. In Christianity, the antichrist is someone who will claim to be Christ before Jesus’ second-coming in the first and second epistle of John, where he is described as someone who denies the Father and the Son.’ Jesus also spoke about false prophets in Matthew chapter 24 and Mark Chapter 13 and other allegories mention that which are believed to be about the Antichrist.
These vague descriptions of the Antichrist has led many to believe that the Prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammad is the Antichrist especially after John of Damascus and John Calvin interpreted verses in the New Testament to point out to Prophet Muhammad.
According to John Tolan, A Biblical historian. ‘In Daniel’s description of this beast, Alvarus sees the career of the Antichrist Muhammad and his disciples. This eleventh king who arises after the others, “diverse from the first,” who subdues three kings, is it not Muhammad, who vanquished the Greeks, the Romans, and the Goths? “And he shall speak great words against the most High”: did he not deny the divinity of Christ, thus, according to Saint John, showing himself to be an Antichrist? He “shall wear out the saints of the most High”: is this not a prediction of the persecutions inflicted by the Muslims, in particular of the martyrdoms of Córdoba? He will “think to change times and laws”: did he not introduce the Muslim calendar and the Koran?’
Sadly, this was the popular view among Christians upon their early interactions with Muslims which led to much animosity and blood-shed. But do Muslim teachings agree that Prophet Muhammad was indeed the Antichrist? Let’s find out.
The Antichrist in Islam is called the Maseeh Ad Dajjal which literally translates to the words ‘the fake annointed’ or ‘the fake messiah’ as Jesus is known in both Islam and Christianity as the true anointed and real messiah who was able to heal the sick, the blind, the lepers and give life back to the dead. The Antichrist, which will appear in the end times, according to Islamic sources and he will show the people that he possesses the same powers as Jesus himself.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ANTICHRIST
Prophet Muhammad said, “No Prophet was sent but he warned his people about the one-eyed liar. He is one-eyed, but your Lord is not one-eyed, and between his eyes will be written ‘kaafir.’” Narrated by Imam Al Bukhari. According to another report: “Written between his eyes will be ‘kaf fa’ ra’ which means disbeliever.’” Narrated by Imam Muslim. According to a report narrated by Hudhayfah, “This will be read by every believer, literate or illiterate.”
Ibnu Hajar Al Asqalani elaborated on how could the illiterate read what is written between the eyes of the Antichrist, “This is because Allah causes people to understand something when looking at it, as He wills and when He wills. So the believer will see this with his insight, even if he is illiterate, and the disbeliever will not be able to see it, even if he is literate. By the same token, the believer will see with his insight evidence that the disbeliever will not see. Allah will enable the believer to understand without him being literate, because at that time, extraordinary things will be happening.”
THE EMERGENCE OF THE ANTICHRIST
Prophet Muhammad said, “The Antichrist will emerge from a land in the east called Khurasan.” And upon his emergence, he will cause great tribulations to everyone including the believers.
The scholars mentioned about the tribulations brought about by the Antichrist that the tribulation of the Antichrist will be the greatest tribulation from the time Allah created Adam until Judgement Day begins. This is because of the mighty miracles that Allah will create with him, which will dazzle people’s minds and amaze them.
It was reported that he will have a paradise and a hell with him, but his paradise will be his hell and his hell will be his paradise. He will have rivers of water and mountains of bread. He will command the sky to send down rain, and it will rain, and he will command the earth to bring forth vegetation and it will do so. The treasures of the earth will follow him, and he will travel rapidly, like clouds driven by the wind. And he will do other extraordinary feats.
Prophet Muhammad said, ‘The Antichrist will be one-eyed, blind in his left eye, and will have thick hair. He will have a paradise and a hell with him, but his paradise will be a hell and his hell will be a paradise.’
The scholars summarized the events of the victory of the real Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary against the false Messiah, “The Antichrist will die at the hands of the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, as is indicated prophetic narrations. The Antichrist will appear on earth and will gain many followers, spreading his tribulation far and wide. No one will escape his tribulation except a few of the believers. At that point, Jesus, son of Mary, will descend to the eastern minaret in Damascus, and the believing slaves of Allah will gather around him. He will lead them towards the Antichrist, who at the time of the descent of Jesus will be heading for Jerusalem. Jesus will catch up with him at the gate of Ludd, a place in Palestine near Jerusalem. When the Antichrist sees him, he will start to melt like salt melting in water, but Jesus will say to him, “I have some business with you, you will not get away from me.” Then he will catch up with him and will kill him with his spear.”
