Think for a moment — this morning you woke up, picked up your phone, and started scrolling. Someone told you something, someone showed you something. You believed it. You shared it. You gave away precious minutes of your life to something that may not have been true at all.
This is not a small matter. This is the very trial that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned about thousands of years ago — that a time would come when people would mistake falsehood for truth, and truth for falsehood. That time is now.
“The Dajjal is not simply the name of one man. The Dajjal is a system. A way of thinking. A blinding light that appears to be the truth — but is deception.”
What Does “Dajjal” Actually Mean?
In Arabic, the root word of “Dajjal” is “dajl” — which means to cover, to conceal, to paint over. In other words: one who hides the truth and presents falsehood in a polished, attractive form. Now ask yourself — who is doing this work today? Just one individual? Or an entire system?
Today’s media, today’s entertainment, today’s politics — all are engaged in this very work. Repeat a lie enough times until it sounds like truth. Normalise evil until it feels normal. And label the one who speaks the truth as a madman, an extremist, a conspiracy theorist.
The Light That Contains Fire
A hadith tells us that the Dajjal will come with what appears to be “water” and “fire.” What looks like water will actually be fire, and what looks like fire will actually be cool, refreshing water. The Prophet ﷺ said: whoever sees the Dajjal’s fire — jump into it — because in reality it will be cool and safe.
This is today’s world. What appears to be “progress” is destruction. What appears to be “freedom” is enslavement. What appears to be “entertainment” is heedlessness. And what is labelled as “backward” or “extreme” — perhaps that is where the truth lies.
“The glitter of this world is not light — it is deception.”
The Dajjal’s Eye — and Our Eye
The hadith tells us the Dajjal will be one-eyed. Scholars explain that this one eye is a symbol of a vision that sees only the world — not the Hereafter. That sees only the surface — not the inner reality. That sees only the body — not the soul.
And today, that same one-eyed vision has crept into all of us. We only see what is on a screen. We only think what is trending. We only believe what the majority believes. The second eye — the one that sees the Hereafter — has shut.
“Yet Allah has written on the Dajjal’s forehead: “K-A-F-R” — Disbeliever. And He said that every believer will be able to read it, whether literate or not. Whoever has faith in their heart will recognise the Dajjal.”
Surah Al-Kahf — The Secret of Protection
The Prophet ﷺ said: Whoever memorises the first and last ten verses of Surah Al-Kahf will be protected from the trial of the Dajjal. But this is not merely a recitation to be repeated mindlessly. Surah Al-Kahf is the complete story of a person who, despite seeing the glitter of the world, never turned away from Allah.
The People of the Cave lived under a tyrannical system — they chose to flee, but never abandoned their faith. The story of Khidr and Musa — something that appeared harmful on the surface contained wisdom within. Dhul-Qarnayn — given enormous power, yet never overtaken by arrogance. These are precisely the qualities that will be needed in the era of the Dajjal: faith, patience, trust in Allah, and the conviction that what appears before us is not always what it truly is.
The Dajjali System in Today’s World
The interest-based banking system — in which the entire world is trapped. Media empires — that decide what you should think. The entertainment industry — that exists to maintain your heedlessness. The pharmaceutical industry — that wants you dependent on medication rather than health. Social media algorithms — designed to keep you addicted.
All of these are connected to one another. But in truth, this system is the continuation of Iblis’s ancient strategy — distance humanity from Allah, entangle them in the world, make them forget the Hereafter.
“You are waiting for the Dajjal to arrive. But the Dajjali mindset has already come.”
The Way of Salvation — Not Just Faith, But Inner Vision
Scholars say that to be saved from the Dajjal’s trial, faith alone is not sufficient — you need basirat. Basirat means inner sight. The ability that allows you to see the reality behind what is visible on the surface. Where does this inner sight come from? From the Quran. From Salah. From dhikr. From the company of righteous people. And from staying away from everything that hardens your heart.
“The Dajjal’s greatest weapon is this: he wants you to forget Allah. There is only one answer to that — remember Allah.”