There is no fitna that we have been warned against more than the Fitna of the Dajjaal. It will be such that many people, Muslims included, will fall prey to it. So you need to be on your guard against this.
The Tribulations of the Dajaal
‘Abd Allaah ibn ‘Umar said, “The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘While I was asleep, I saw myself in a dream performing Tawaaf around the Ka’bah. I saw a ruddy man with lank hair and water dripping from his head. I said, “Who is he?” and they said, “The son of Mary.” Then I turned around and saw another man with a huge body, red complexion, curly hair and one eye. His other eye looked like a floating grape. They said, “This is the Dajjaal.” The one who most resembles him is Ibn Qatan, a man from the tribe of al-Khuzaa’ah’.’ ” [Bukhaaree, Muslim]
Jaabir ibn ‘Abd Allaah said, “The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘The Dajjaal will appear at the end of time, when religion is taken lightly. He will have 40 days in which to travel throughout the earth. One of these days will be like a year, another will be like a month, a third will be like a week, and the rest will be like normal days. He will be riding a donkey; the width between its ears will be 40 cubits. He will say to the people: “I am your lord.” He is one-eyed, but your Lord is not one-eyed. On his forehead will be written the word Kaafir and every believer, literate or illiterate, will be able to read it.
He will go everywhere except Makkah and Madeenah, which Allaah has forbidden to him; angels stand at their gates. He will have a mountain of bread, and the people will face hardship, except for those who follow him. He will have two rivers, and I know what is in them. He will call one Paradise and one Hell. Whoever enters the one he calls Paradise will find that it is Hell, and whoever enters the one he calls Hell will find that it is Paradise.
Allaah will send with him devils who will speak to the people. He will bring a great tribulation; he will issue a command to the sky and it will seem to the people as if it is raining. Then he will appear to kill someone and bring him back to life. After that he will no longer have this power. The people will say, “Can anybody do something like this except the Lord?”
The Muslims will flee to Jabal al-Dukhaan in Syria, and the Dajjaal will come and besiege them. The siege will intensify and they will suffer great hardship. Then Jesus son of Mary will descend, and will call the people at dawn. “O people, what prevented you from coming out to fight this evil liar?” They will answer, “He is a Jinn.” Then they will go out, and find Jesus son of Mary. The time for prayer will come, and the Muslims will call on Jesus to lead the prayer but he will say, “Let your Imaam lead the prayer.” Their Imaam will lead them in praying Salaat al-Subh (Morning prayer) then they will go out to fight the Dajjaal.
When the liar sees Jesus, he will dissolve like salt in water. Jesus will go to him and kill him, and he will not let anyone who followed him live.’ ” [Ahmad]
Protection against Dajjaal
The Prophet (ﷺ) has ordered us to run away from the Dajjaal, not to confront him, and to memorise the first or last 10 verses of Surat Al-Kahf, or to live in either Makkah or Madeenah (as the Dajjaal cannot enter these two places).
