dajal

Dajjal, also transliterated as Dajjal or Dajal, is a figure in Islamic eschatology described as the false messiah and deceiver who will appear before the Day of Judgment. The term comes from the Arabic dajala, meaning to deceive. Dajjal is not named in the Qur’an but is a prominent subject in hadith literature and later exegetical works.

In many traditions, Dajjal is depicted as a single malevolent being who will claim divinity and mislead people through miraculous feats. Descriptions vary; a common motif is that he is blind in the right eye and bears on his forehead the inscription “kafir” (disbelief), though other accounts exist and some scholars treat these details as symbolic or problematic in authenticity.

Islamic sources describe a period of widespread tribulation during his appearance, with Dajjal traveling extensively and using miracles to test and deceive believers. He is said to be opposed by the Mahdi and by Jesus (Isa), who, according to tradition, returns and kills him, after which a time of peace and faith follows.

Belief in Dajjal is found in both Sunni and Shia traditions, though there are differences in emphasis, interpretation, and narrative detail among schools and regions. Some scholars treat the accounts as literal prophecies, while others view them as allegorical tests of faith or as moral lessons about deception. Because the Qur’an does not explicitly name Dajjal, most discussions rely on hadith reports and later commentaries.

Beyond religious texts, the concept of Dajjal has entered broader discourse as a symbol of deceit, moral corruption, or tyrannical deception in contemporary culture.