Abu Lahab vs. Dhajjal (Quran vs. Hadith)
Sura 111 of the Quran is entitled Thorns ‘Al-Masad’ ( الـمسد ) and is about how both Abu Lahab and his wife were condemned to Hell for leading and fueling the opposition to the prophet during his life.
[111:1] Condemned are the works of Abee Lahab, and he is condemned. [111:2] His money and whatever he has accomplished will never help him. [111:3] He has incurred the blazing Hell. [111:4] Also his wife, who led the persecution. [111:5] She will be (resurrected) with a rope of thorns around her neck.
تَبَّتْ يَدَآ أَبِى لَهَبٍۢ وَتَبَّ مَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُ مَالُهُۥ وَمَا كَسَبَ سَيَصْلَىٰ نَارًۭا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍۢ وَٱمْرَأَتُهُۥ حَمَّالَةَ ٱلْحَطَبِ فِى جِيدِهَا حَبْلٌۭ مِّن مَّسَدٍۭ
Check out the following article for a more in-depth article on Abu Lahab.
The first revelation of the Quran occurred in 610 CE. Sura 111 is understood to be the sixth revelation, making it one of the first revelations of the Quran. Historically, it indicates that Abu Lahab died in 624, while the year of the death of his wife is unknown.
Quran’s Prophecy Was True
Regardless of when either of these individuals died, they dedicated the remaining years of their lives, from the revelation of Sura 111 to their deaths, to fighting the religion preached in the Quran.
Since Sura 111 prophecized that they were both destined to Hell for opposing the message and fueling the opposition, they could have disproved the Quran by simply refraining.
Interestingly, despite having an entire Sura dedicated to him and his wife in the Quran, the Hadith does not have much to say about him or his wife. Outside of a single narration in Tirmidhi, there is no reference to either of them in any of the six canonical Hadith compilations, Kutub al-Sitta ( كُتُب ٱلسِّتَّة ).
Ibn Abbas narrated: “One day the Messenger of Allah ascended As-Safa and called out: ‘O people! Come at once!’ So the Quraish gathered before him. He said: ‘I am a warner for you before the coming of a severe punishment. Do you think that if I informed you that the enemy was preparing to attack you in the evening or in the morning, would you believe me?’ So Abu Lahab said: ‘Is it for this that you gathered us? May you perish?’ So Allah, Blessed is He and Most High, revealed: Perish the hands of Abu Lahab, perish he.”
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ صَعِدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ عَلَى الصَّفَا فَنَادَى ” يَا صَبَاحَاهُ ” . فَاجْتَمَعَتْ إِلَيْهِ قُرَيْشٌ فَقَالَ ” إِنِّي نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَنِّي أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ أَنَّ الْعَدُوَّ مُمَسِّيكُمْ أَوْ مُصَبِّحُكُمْ أَكُنْتُمْ تُصَدِّقُونِي ” . فَقَالَ أَبُو لَهَبٍ أَلِهَذَا جَمَعْتَنَا تَبًّا لَكَ . فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ : ( تبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ ) . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3363 https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:3363
The Dajjal
However, the Hadith has many references to the entity identified as the Dajjal, which is not found anywhere in the Quran. The Dajjal is an apocalyptic figure in Sunni eschatology (end-of-times theology), often described as a false messiah or an antichrist-like figure who will appear before the Day of Judgment.
Ibn Sayyad
Yet the Sahih Hadith mentions a particular individual they claimed the prophet believed was the Dajjal, a child named Saf Ibn Sayyad. This is most clearly seen in the following Hadith, where ‘Umar took an oath before the prophet testifying that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal, and the prophet did not disapprove.
‘Muhammad b. Munkadir reported: As I saw Jabir b. ‘Abdullah taking an oath in the name of Allah that it was Ibn Sayyad who was the Dajjal I said: Do you take an oath in the name of Allah? Thereupon he said: I heard ‘Umar taking an oath in the presence of Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) to this effect but Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) did not disapprove of it.
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَحْلِفُ بِاللَّهِ أَنَّ ابْنَ صَائِدٍ الدَّجَّالُ، فَقُلْتُ أَتَحْلِفُ بِاللَّهِ قَالَ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ يَحْلِفُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمْ يُنْكِرْهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Sahih Muslim 2929 https://sunnah.com/muslim:2929
In Sahih Muslim 2930a regarding Ibn Sayyad, we see that the prophet believed he was the Dajjal, and when Umar offered to cut off the child’s head, the prophet is said to have responded, “If he is the same (Dajjal) who would appear near the Last Hour, you would not be able to overpower him, and if he is not that there is no good for you to kill him.” See also Sahih Muslim 2924a.
As if that were not strange enough, after their engagement, the prophet later attempted to spy on a sleeping Ibn Sayyad so he could listen to what he was murmuring to himself under his blanket. In order to not be detected, the prophet hid himself behind a palm tree but was spotted by Ibn Sayyad’s mom, who saw the prophet lurking and blew his cover. See also Sahih al-Bukhari 3056, 3057.
Narrated Ibn Umar: (Later on) Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (once again) went along with Ubai bin Ka’b to the garden of date-palms where Ibn Saiyad was staying. When the Prophet entered the garden, he started hiding himself behind the trunks of the date-palms as he wanted to hear something from the Ibn Saiyad before the latter could see him. Ibn Saiyad was lying in his bed, covered with a velvet sheet from where his murmurs were heard. Ibn Saiyad’s mother saw the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was hiding himself behind the trunks of the date-palms. She addressed Ibn Saiyad, “O Saf!” (And this was his name). Ibn Saiyad got up. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Had this woman let him to himself, he would have revealed the reality of his case.” Then the Prophet (ﷺ) got up amongst the people, glorifying Allah as He deserves, he mentioned Ad-Dajjal, saying, “I warn you about him (i.e. Ad-Dajjal) and there is no prophet who did not warn his nation about him, and Noah warned his nation about him, but I tell you a statement which no prophet informed his nation of. You should understand that he is a one-eyed man and Allah is not one-eyed.”
قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ انْطَلَقَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ يَأْتِيَانِ النَّخْلَ الَّذِي فِيهِ ابْنُ صَيَّادٍ، حَتَّى إِذَا دَخَلَ النَّخْلَ طَفِقَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَتَّقِي بِجُذُوعِ النَّخْلِ وَهْوَ يَخْتِلُ ابْنَ صَيَّادٍ أَنْ يَسْمَعَ مِنِ ابْنِ صَيَّادٍ شَيْئًا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرَاهُ، وَابْنُ صَيَّادٍ مُضْطَجِعٌ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ فِي قَطِيفَةٍ لَهُ فِيهَا رَمْزَةٌ، فَرَأَتْ أُمُّ ابْنِ صَيَّادٍ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ يَتَّقِي بِجُذُوعِ النَّخْلِ، فَقَالَتْ لاِبْنِ صَيَّادٍ أَىْ صَافِ ـ وَهْوَ اسْمُهُ ـ فَثَارَ ابْنُ صَيَّادٍ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” لَوْ تَرَكَتْهُ بَيَّنَ ”. وَقَالَ سَالِمٌ قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ ثُمَّ قَامَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي النَّاسِ فَأَثْنَى عَلَى اللَّهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ، ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ الدَّجَّالَ فَقَالَ ” إِنِّي أُنْذِرُكُمُوهُ، وَمَا مِنْ نَبِيٍّ إِلاَّ قَدْ أَنْذَرَهُ قَوْمَهُ، لَقَدْ أَنْذَرَهُ نُوحٌ قَوْمَهُ، وَلَكِنْ سَأَقُولُ لَكُمْ فِيهِ قَوْلاً لَمْ يَقُلْهُ نَبِيٌّ لِقَوْمِهِ، تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ أَعْوَرُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِأَعْوَرَ ”.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3056, 3057 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3056
But the narrative gets even stranger from here because obviously, Ibn Sayyad was not the Dajjal, and the world did not end. But are there any narrations explaining what happened to Ibn Sayyad? It just happens that there are.
IBN SAYYAD, DAJJAL, AND END OF THE WORLD
The fact that the prophet, according to the Hadith, even suspected that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal, which is to come at the end of times, aligns with the false understanding, according to the Hadith, that the prophet assumed that the End of the World was imminent. According to the most authentic Hadith sources, it claims that the prophet stated the world would end before the youngest person among his people would live to old age.
Anas reported that a person asked Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as to when the Last Hour would come. He had in his presence a young boy of the Ansar who was called Muhammad. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: If this young boy lives, he may not reach an old age till the Hour arises.
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَتَى تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ وَعِنْدَهُ غُلاَمٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ يُقَالُ لَهُ مُحَمَّدٌ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ إِنْ يَعِشْ هَذَا الْغُلاَمُ فَعَسَى أَنْ لاَ يُدْرِكَهُ الْهَرَمُ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ ” .
Sahih Muslim 2953a https://sunnah.com/muslim:2953a
Another narration states that the Hour will occur within 100 years.
Jabir b. ‘Abdullah reported: I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying this one month before his death: You asked me about the Last Hour whereas its knowledge is with Allah. “And I swear by Allah, not there will be any living soul on earth in a hundred years.”
حَدَّثَنِي هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَحَجَّاجُ بْنُ الشَّاعِرِ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَمُوتَ بِشَهْرٍ “ تَسْأَلُونِي عَنِ السَّاعَةِ وَإِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَأُقْسِمُ بِاللَّهِ مَا عَلَى الأَرْضِ مِنْ نَفْسٍ مَنْفُوسَةٍ تَأْتِي عَلَيْهَا مِائَةُ سَنَةٍ ” .
Sahih Muslim 2538a https://sunnah.com/muslim:2538a
So, the Hadiths about an adolescent boy being presumed to be the Dajjal corresponds with other narrations regarding the prophet’s supposed belief in the short time horizon to the world’s end. For more details to this end of times Hadith check out the following article on the subject.
Hadith’s Prophecy Was False
Sahih Muslim has several Hadith of Ibn Sayyad as an adult. These Sahih narrations claim that he grew up to be a pious believing Muslim but contemplated suicide because of the hardship he faced due to the rumor spread about him by the prophet accusing him of being the Dajjal. Ironically, this narration comes from someone who camped with him after they performed the Hajj or Umrah pilgrimage.
Abu Said al-Khudri reported: We came back after having performed Pilgrimage or Umra, and lbn Sayyad was along with us. And we encamped at a place, and the people dispersed, and he and I were left behind. I felt terribly frightened of him as it was said about him that he was the Dajjal. He brought his goods and placed them by my luggage, and I said: It is intense heat. Would you not place that under that tree? And he did that. Then, there appeared before us a flock of sheep. He went and brought a cup of milk and said: Abu Said, drink that. I said it is intense heat and the milk is also hot (whereas the fact was) that I did not like to drink from his hands or to take it from his hand, and he said: Abu Said, I think that I should take a rope and suspend it by the tree and then commit suicide because of the talks of the people, and he further said. Abu Said he who is ignorant of the saying of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (he is to be pardoned), but O people of Ansar, is this hadith of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) concealed from you whereas you have the best knowledge of the hadith of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) amongst people? Did Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) not say that he (Dajjal) would be a non-believer, whereas I am a believer? Did Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) not say he would be barren and no child would be born to him, whereas I have left my children in Medina? Did Allah’s Messenger (may peace upon him) not say: He would not get into Medina and Mecca, whereas I have been coming from Medina and now I intend to go to Mecca? Abu Said said: I was about to accept the excuse put forward by him. Then he said: I know the place where he would be born and where he is now. So I said to him: May your whole day be spent.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا سَالِمُ بْنُ نُوحٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي الْجُرَيْرِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ خَرَجْنَا حُجَّاجًا أَوْ عُمَّارًا وَمَعَنَا ابْنُ صَائِدٍ – قَالَ – فَنَزَلْنَا مَنْزِلاً فَتَفَرَّقَ النَّاسُ وَبَقِيتُ أَنَا وَهُوَ فَاسْتَوْحَشْتُ مِنْهُ وَحْشَةً شَدِيدَةً مِمَّا يُقَالُ عَلَيْهِ – قَالَ – وَجَاءَ بِمَتَاعِهِ فَوَضَعَهُ مَعَ مَتَاعِي . فَقُلْتُ إِنَّ الْحَرَّ شَدِيدٌ فَلَوْ وَضَعْتَهُ تَحْتَ تِلْكَ الشَّجَرَةِ – قَالَ – فَفَعَلَ – قَالَ – فَرُفِعَتْ لَنَا غَنَمٌ فَانْطَلَقَ فَجَاءَ بِعُسٍّ فَقَالَ اشْرَبْ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ . فَقُلْتُ إِنَّ الْحَرَّ شَدِيدٌ وَاللَّبَنُ حَارٌّ . مَا بِي إِلاَّ أَنِّي أَكْرَهُ أَنْ أَشْرَبَ عَنْ يَدِهِ – أَوْ قَالَ آخُذَ عَنْ يَدِهِ – فَقَالَ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ آخُذَ حَبْلاً فَأُعَلِّقَهُ بِشَجَرَةٍ ثُمَّ أَخْتَنِقَ مِمَّا يَقُولُ لِيَ النَّاسُ يَا أَبَا سَعِيدٍ مَنْ خَفِيَ عَلَيْهِ حَدِيثُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا خَفِيَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَعْشَرَ الأَنْصَارِ أَلَسْتَ مِنْ أَعْلَمِ النَّاسِ بِحَدِيثِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَلَيْسَ قَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” هُوَ كَافِرٌ ” . وَأَنَا مُسْلِمٌ أَوَلَيْسَ قَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” هُوَ عَقِيمٌ لاَ يُولَدُ لَهُ ” . وَقَدْ تَرَكْتُ وَلَدِي بِالْمَدِينَةِ أَوَ لَيْسَ قَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْمَدِينَةَ وَلاَ مَكَّةَ ” . وَقَدْ أَقْبَلْتُ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَأَنَا أُرِيدُ مَكَّةَ قَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيُّ حَتَّى كِدْتُ أَنْ أَعْذِرَهُ . ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَا وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَعْرِفُهُ وَأَعْرِفُ مَوْلِدَهُ وَأَيْنَ هُوَ الآنَ . قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ تَبًّا لَكَ سَائِرَ الْيَوْمِ .
Sahih Muslim 2927c https://sunnah.com/muslim:2927c See also: https://sunnah.com/muslim:2927a, https://sunnah.com/muslim:2927b
CONCLUSION
Here is the conundrum with these narrations regarding Ibn Sayyad and the prophet. If the narrations of Ibn Sayyad as a child are to be accepted, then his narrations as an adult should also be accepted. Therefore, if the Dajjal was to appear before the end of times, and Umar testified before the prophet that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal, and for all intents and purposes, the prophet did not deny this fact and appears to strongly suspect this as well, but Ibn Sayyad ended up being a pious believer, and the End of the World did not happen, then this creates quite the problem and leaves people with one of two choices.
Either the prophet was not only wrong about the timing of the End of the World and his intuitions on the identity of the Dajall that he ended up tormenting an innocent soul by labeling him the antichrist to the point that he contemplated suicide, or the entire narrative regarding Ibn Sayyad is a fabrication.
If the former is true, then this puts into question the entire credibility of the prophet in his judgments, and if the latter is true, then the entire theory of Hadith sciences being able to determine the authenticity of Hadith loses all credibility. So traditionalists are in quite a bind: either severely disparage the prophet’s credibility or the credibility of their Hadith sciences.
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