Sheikh Muhammad `Ali Al-Hanooti, member of the Fiqh council of North America, states the following: “The appearance of Al-Massih Ad-Dajjal or Antichrist is part of big trials that would herald the end of the world. All of the Prophets of Allah, may Allah be pleased with them all, gave warning to their peoples against the Antichrist. He is called Dajjal because he is a liar and called Massiah because he happens to be one-eyed. He will claim Lordship (Rububiyyah) by performing many miraculous acts to attract people.
The Dajjal has a writing on his face between his eyes that reads “Kafir” or disbeliever. Also, he can travel very fast and will have with him something that looks similar to heaven and similar to hell. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, says, “His fire is a Paradise and his Paradise is a Hell-Fire.”. It stands to reason that the Antichrist will seek help from the Satans.
Part of the trials that will follow the appearance of the Antichrist is that by ordering for rain, it’ll rains, by ordering for the earth to be covered by plantation and plants, it will be, he will make all the beasts to follow him; by ordering the buried treasures to be uncovered, they will be brought forth to the surface.”
“Indeed, the appearance of Antichrist is confirmed by authentic Hadiths from the Prophetic Sunnah, but no one knows the exact time of his appearance as it is part of the Unseen and knowing the Unseen is something related to Allah alone.
A Muslim should seek refuge with Allah from the tribulations in general, and from the torments of the Antichrist in particular; he should pray to Allah, openly and in secret, to help him remain steadfast both in this world and in the Hereafter.
Here are some few facts about the Antichrist:
1. “We believe that every Prophet has warned his people about this person.
2. The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, stated that mankind will never experience a greater trial than that of the trial of the Antichrist.
3. He will make his emergence from Iran or its precincts.
4. A large number of his followers will be the Jews.
5. When he comes, he will come at a time when there is famine and starvation and war, and he will amplify his authority by manipulating people because of the great need of food and peace on the earth at that time.
6. Before he arrives, the earth will suffer from an unprecedented drought that will cause vegetables and cattle to die off. At this time, he will come with huge amounts of food and water and other means.
7. He will first declare that he is a prophet, and then eventually claim Divinity. Those who accept him as their lord, he will cause rain to fall on their land and supply with food and other essentials. Those who reject him, he will forbid rain from falling on their land and will prevent food and other means from being supplied to them.
8. His powers will be so great that he will rule the earth for a few years. Then when he gathers an army together to fight against those that reject him, Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, will descend and eventually destroy him.
9. Jesus will unite the world under one Government, one religion.(Of course we Muslims believe that he will unite the world under the banner of Islam).
10. Jesus will live on the earth for a time, marry, have children and then eventually die a natural death.”
As for the issue of the second coming of Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, as well as the signs that coincide with his return, Dr. Muzzamil Siddiqi, former president of the Islamic Society of North America, states the following:
“Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim quoted the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, as saying: “Soon the Son of Mary will descend among you as a just judge. He will break the cross, kill the pig, remove the Jizyah and the wealth will overflow to the extent that people will get disinterested in it, and until the prostration (as-Sajdah) will be better than the world and whatever is in it. Then Abu Hurayrah said, ‘Read if you wish, ‘And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness on them.”(An-Nisa’ 4:159)
The second coming of Jesus is clearly a well- established fact, according to the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah. We Muslims should not have any doubt about this matter. The Hadiths make it very clear that:
1. Jesus’ coming will be “a sign of the approaching Day of Judgment”. If any one makes a claim of being the Messi`ah during the approach of the Day of Judgment, neither in his life nor soon after him, then it is proved that he was a false pretender and not a true Messi`ah.
2. Jesus will not come to add or subtract anything from Islam. He will not claim himself to be a new Prophet or Messenger. He will not even lead a prayer of Muslims, he will follow in prayers the Imam of Muslims.
3. Jesus will fight the Dajjal and will kill him near Jerusalem.
We do not know when Jesus will come, but he will surely come. It is important to believe whatever Allah has said in the Qur’an and whatever is explained in the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.”