Bin Babawaih narrates that Amir’ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (as) once announced from the pulpit, “Ask me questions before I get away from you!”
Saasa, a companion of Amir’ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (as), asked, “O Vicegerent of the Prophet (S)! When will Dajjal attack?”
The Imam (as) replied, “There are certain signs of Dajjal’s presence, which are:
• People will stop offering prayers,
• dishonesty will be the way of life,
• falsehood will become a virtue,
• people will mortgage their faith for worldly gains,
• usury and bribery will become legitimate,
• imbeciles would rule over the wise,
• blood of innocents would be shed,
• pride will be taken on acts of oppression,
• the rulers will be corrupt,
• the scholars will be hypocrite,
• adultery will be rampant,
• women will rub shoulders with men in doing business,
• women will dress like men and men like women,
• the liars and treacherous will be respected,
• there will be acute famine at the time,
Dajjal will be killed by the one who will have prophet ‘Isa (as) offering prayer behind him and under his leadership.
After the killing of the Dajjal, there will be a great upheaval!”
Then Isbaq bin Nabata or Kanana stood up and asked the Imam (as), “Who is Dajjal?”
Amir’ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (as) replied, Near the city of Asbahan? there is a hamlet called Yahudiah. Dajjal will come from there. His right eye will be damaged. The left eye will shine like a star on his forehead. On the space between his eyes it will be written in bold letters:
“Kafir (infidel)!” Everyone who set his eyes on him will be able to read this. In front of him there will be a mountain of smoke and in his rear too there will be a mountain. People will think that these are mountains of bread. At the time of his emergence there will be acute famine in the world. He will have a white donkey of such huge proportions that with one step it would cover the distance of a mile. Any river negotiated by the donkey would run dry. Dajjal would come shouting at the top of his voice, “Friends! Come to me! I am your sustainer and god! I have made your limbs! I have designed your destiny!”
The Imam (as) said, “That enemy of Allah will be a false god! He will be one-eyed monster that needs food and water for sustenance, as any other living creature! Your Allah is above all this! Most of the followers of Dajjal will be illegitimate offspring of fornicating people. These followers will wear a green cap as the headgear. Dajjal will be killed by a person whose sign would be that he would lead prophet ‘Isa (as) at the congregation. This will happen in Uqbah Rafee, a place in Syria, on a Friday afternoon. Then a great upheaval will follow!”
The people asked what that upheaval would be?
The Appearance of Daabbat Al Ardh
Amir’ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (as) said, “Daabbat al-Ardh will be born near the mount of Safa. He will have the ring of Prophet Suleiman (as) and the Staff of Prophet Musa (as). He will make a mark on the forehead of the mu’mins (the pious) and one on the foreheads of the infidels with the Staff. The mark on the foreheads of the pious would read, ‘This is Mu’min, verily! (Haada mu’minun haqqun), and on the foreheads of the infidels the inscription would be, ‘This is the infidel (Haadah kaferun)’ Then Daabbat al Ardh would raise his head and the people would see him. This event will take place after the sunset at the time of Maghreb. This will be around the time when the door for repentance will be closed!”
Then the Imam (as) said, “Don’t ask any more about Dajjal! It is the instruction of the Holy Prophet (S) that further information must be given only to the Ahl-ul-Bayt.”
The narrator says, “I asked Saasah?, ‘Who is the person behind whom prophet ‘Isa (as) would join the congregation?’”
He said, “He will be the 9th Imam (as) from the progeny of Imam Husayn (as). He will emerge from the point between the Hajr al Aswad(the holy black stone) and the Muqam al-Ibrahim in Ka’ba. He will establish the Rule of Law and Justice. He will free the world of the infidels.”
Many traditions suggest that the Daabbat al Ardh would, in fact, be Amir’ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (as). He will come after the appearance of Saheb-il-Amr (a.j.), the Last Imam, and this will be the time very close to the Doomsday!