This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Hafiz Mubashir Hussain Lahori's book Signs of the Day of Judgment in the Light of Authentic Hadiths.
Was Ibn Sayyad the Dajjal?
Ibn Sayyad was a Jewish-origin boy from Medina, a soothsayer and near puberty, who outwardly appeared to be a Muslim. Due to his soothsaying and deceptive traits, he was a subject of considerable dispute among the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) as to whether he was indeed the Great Dajjal who would emerge before the Day of Judgment or not. Some senior Companions, such as Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with both), Hazrat Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him), etc., used to swear that Ibn Sayyad was indeed the Great Dajjal, as mentioned in the following hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
عن محمد بن المنكدر قال : رأيت جابر بن عبد الله يحلف بالله أن ابن الصياد الدجال ، قلت : تحلف بالله ؟ قال إني سمعت عمر رضى الله عنه يحلف على ذلك عند النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فلم ينكره النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم
Muhammad bin Munkadir (may Allah have mercy on him) said that he saw Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) swearing by Allah that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal. I asked him why he was swearing by Allah, and he said that he had seen Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) swearing by Allah in the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not forbid him.
Reference: Bukhari: Kitab al-I'tisam: Bab Man Ra'a Tark... 7355, Muslim: Kitab al-Fitan: Bab Dhikr Ibn Sayyad 2929
When Ibn Sayyad became aware of these views of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) about him, he began to deny them, as reflected in the following incident.
عن أبى سعيد رضى الله عنه قال خرجنا حاجا أو عمارا ومعنا ابن صياد ، قال : فنزلنا منزلا فتفرق الناس وبقيت أنا وهو فاستوحشت منه وحشة شديدة مما يقال عليه قال : وجاء بمتاعه فوضعه مع متاعى فقلت : إن الحر شديد فلو وضعته تلك الشجرة قال : ففعل ، قال : فرفعت لنا غنم فانطلق فجاء بعس ، فقال إشرب أبا سعيد ! فقلت: إن الحر شديد واللبن حار مابي إلا أنى أكره أن أشرب عن يده فقال : أبا سعيد ! لقد هممت أن آخذ حبلا فأعلقه بشجرة ثم أختنق مما يقول لي الناس ، يا أبا سعيد ! من خفي عليه حديث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ما خفي عليكم ، معشر الأنصار : ألست من أعلم الناس بحديث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ؟ أليس قد قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم هو كافر وأنا مسلم ؟ أوليس قد قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم هو عقيم لا يولد له وقد تركت ولدي بالمدينة ؟ أوليس قد قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يدخل المدينة ولا مكة ، وقد أقبلت من المدينة وأنا أريد مكة ؟ قال أبو سعيد رضى الله عنه : حتى كدت أن أعذره ، ثم قال : أما ، والله ! إني لاعرفه وأعرف مولده وأين هو الآن ، قال : قلت له : تبا لك سائر اليوم
Hazrat Abu Saeed (may Allah be pleased with him) said that we set out for Hajj or Umrah, and Ibn Sayyad was with us. At one place, Ibn Sayyad and I were alone, and I began to feel uneasy, fearing that he might be the Dajjal. Ibn Sayyad brought his belongings and placed them with mine. I said the heat is very intense, so you should take your belongings under that other tree. He did so. Then a goat was sent towards us, and Ibn Sayyad came to me with a bowl and said, "Abu Saeed! Here, give it to him to drink." I said the heat is very intense, and the milk is warm, although I disliked drinking from his hand. He said: "Abu Saeed! I feel like tying a rope to the tree and hanging myself because people have made my life unbearable. Abu Saeed! Could any hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) be hidden from the people of Ansar? Are you not the most knowledgeable about the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)? Did the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) not say that the Dajjal would be a disbeliever, while I am a Muslim? Did he not say that he (the Dajjal) would be barren and have no offspring, while I have left my children in Medina? Did he not say that he would not enter Mecca and Medina, while I am coming from Medina and going to Mecca?" Hazrat Abu Saeed (may Allah be pleased with him) said that I thought to consider his excuse reasonable and stop thinking of him as the Dajjal. Then he said: "By Allah! I know well the birthplace, residence, and parents of the Dajjal." Hazrat Abu Saeed (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Alas, wretched one! May you always be ruined."
Reference: Muslim: Kitab al-Fitan: Bab Dhikr Ibn Sayyad 2927, Ahmad 3/23-54-99-121, Tirmidhi 2246, Sharh al-Sunnah 7/451
In one narration, Ibn Sayyad said: "I feel like hanging myself to find relief from people's talk (accusations). By Allah, I am not the Dajjal."
Reference: Ahmad 3/99
It is added that people neither eat nor drink with me, neither help me nor befriend me, nor consult me; rather, they consider me the Dajjal.
In one narration:
والله إني لأعلم الآن حيث هو وأعرف أباه وأمه ، قال وقيل له أيسرك إنك ذاك الرجل : قال فقال : لو عرض على ما كرهت
"By Allah, I know where he (the Dajjal) is now, and I also know about his parents." The narrator said that Ibn Sayyad was asked, "Do you wish to become the Dajjal yourself?" He said, "If this (becoming the Dajjal) were presented to me, I would not dislike it."
Reference: Muslim: Kitab al-Fitan: Bab Dhikr Ibn Sayyad 2927-7349
This hadith causes considerable upheaval in the matter because on one hand, Ibn Sayyad swears and gives arguments denying that he is the Dajjal, and on the other hand, he likes the idea of becoming the Dajjal and claims to have full knowledge of the Dajjal's birthplace, residence, and parents. Furthermore, Ibn Sayyad's physical appearance and features were completely different from ordinary people, as can be inferred from this incident:
عن نافع قال : لقي ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما ابن صياد فى بعض طرق المدينة فقال له قولا أغضبه فانتفح حتى ملاء السحة فدخل ابن عمر على حفصة وقد بلغها فقالت له : رحمك الله ! ما أردت من ابن صياد ؟ أما علمت أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : إنما يخرج من غضبة يغضبها
Nafi' (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with both) met Ibn Sayyad on a street in Medina and said something that made him angry to the point that he swelled up and filled the entire street. Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with both) went to Hazrat Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her), who had already been informed, and she said to Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with both): "May Allah have mercy on you! What concern did you have with Ibn Sayyad? Do you not know that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said that he (the Dajjal) will emerge due to anger with which he will be afflicted?" (Meaning, Ibn Sayyad's strange anger might actually make him the Dajjal!)
Reference: Muslim: Kitab al-Fitan: Bab Dhikr Ibn Sayyad 2932-98, Ahmad 6/322, Abd al-Razzaq 11/396
In another hadith in Muslim:
فلقيته لقية أخرى وقد نفرت عينه ، قال : فقلت : متى فعلت عينك ما أرى ؟ قال : لا أدري قال : قلت لا تدري وهى فى رأسك ؟ قال : إن شاء الله خلقها فى عصاك هذه ، قال : فنخر كأشد نخير حمار سمعت
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with both) said that when I met Ibn Sayyad the second time, his eye was swollen. I asked him, "Since when has your eye been swollen like this?" Ibn Sayyad said, "I do not even know." Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with both) said, "How do you not know when the eye is in your head?" (So insensitive.) Ibn Sayyad said, "If Allah wills, He can create this eye in your stick." Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with both) said that then Ibn Sayyad made a braying sound like a donkey with such force that I have hardly ever heard such a loud sound.
Reference: Muslim: Kitab al-Fitan: Bab Dhikr Ibn Sayyad 2932-99
Due to Ibn Sayyad's strange habits and traits, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and even the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself were initially uncertain whether Ibn Sayyad was the Great Dajjal, about whom every prophet and nation had been warned. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) continued to investigate to uncover the truth of the matter, as the following hadiths testify:
عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما أن عمر انطلق مع النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فى رهط قبل ابن صياد حتى وجدوه يلعب مع الصبيان عند أطم بني مغالة وقد قارب ابن صياد الحلم فلم يشعر حتى ضرب النبى بيده ثم قال لابن صياد : أتشهد أني رسول الله ؟ فنظر إليه ابن صياد فقال : أشهد أنك رسول الأميين ، فقال ابن صياد للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : أتشهد أني رسول الله ؟ فرفضه وقال : آمنت بالله وبرسله ، فقال له : ماذا ترى ؟ قال ابن صياد : يأتيني صادق و كاذب ، فقال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم : خلط عليك الأمر ثم قال له النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم : إني قد خبأت لك خبيئا ، فقال ابن صياد : هو الدخ : فقال اخسأ فلن تعدو قدرك فقال عمر رضى الله عنه : دعني يا رسول الله أضرب عنقه فقال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم : إن يكنه فلن تسلط عليه وإن لم يكنه فلا خير لك فى قتله
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with both) said that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), accompanied by some Companions including Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), went towards Ibn Sayyad, who was playing with children in the neighborhood of Banu Mughalah and was near puberty. He was unaware that the Prophet (peace be upon him) approached, who shook him with his hand and asked, "Do you bear witness that I am the Messenger of Allah?" Ibn Sayyad said, "I bear witness that you are the Messenger of the unlettered." Then he asked, "Do you also bear witness that I am the Messenger of Allah?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) pushed him and said, "I believe in Allah and His (true) Messengers." The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked, "What do you see?" He said, "True and false come to me." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "You have been made a matter of doubt." Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked, "What have I hidden in my heart?" He said, "Smoke." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "If you become disgraced and humiliated, you cannot go beyond that." (The Prophet had in mind Surah Ad-Dukhan, which means smoke.) Hazrat Umar said, "O Messenger of Allah! Allow me to cut off his neck." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Umar! If he is the Dajjal, you cannot overcome him; rather, Isa (Jesus) (peace be upon him) will kill him. And if he is not, then killing him will be of no benefit."
Reference: Bukhari: Kitab al-Jana'iz Bab Idha Aslama al-Sabi Famat 1354, Muslim 2930, Ahmad 2/9, 3/198-467, Abu Dawud 4329, Tirmidhi 2249, Ibn Hibban 6785
عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما يقول : انطلق بعد ذلك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأبي بن كعب إلى النخل التى فيها ابن صياد وهو يختل أن يسمع من ابن صياد شيئا قبل أن يراه ابن صياد ، فرآه النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو مضطجع يعني فى قطيفة له فيها رمرمة أو زمزمة ، فرأت أم ابن صياد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو يتقي بجذوع النخل ، فقالت لابن صياد : يا صاف ، وهو اسم ابن صياد ، هذا محمد فثار ابن صياد ، فقال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم : لو تركته بين
Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with both) said that then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) went towards the cluster of date palms where Ibn Sayyad lived. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was advancing stealthily to listen to Ibn Sayyad's words so that Ibn Sayyad would not see him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw Ibn Sayyad lying covered with a cloak, murmuring something. But when his mother saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) approaching stealthily, she immediately said, "O Safi, Muhammad (peace be upon him) is coming." Ibn Sayyad became alert, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "If his mother had not spoken, the truth would have been revealed today." (Whether he was the Dajjal or not.)
Reference: Bukhari: Kitab al-Jana'iz, Bab Idha Aslama al-Sabi Famat 1355
From these hadiths, it is clear that initially the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was uncertain about Ibn Sayyad being the Great Dajjal. But when the incident of Tamim Dari (may Allah be pleased with him) involving a sea voyage and mention of the Dajjal reached the Prophet (peace be upon him), he narrated it to the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), confirming that the Great Dajjal was not Ibn Sayyad but a man imprisoned on an island. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said three times that this is Taybah (Medina), where the Dajjal cannot enter, while Ibn Sayyad was born and raised in Medina.
In any case, once it became clear that Ibn Sayyad was not the Great Dajjal, then who was Ibn Sayyad? It seems very difficult to make a definitive decision about him. Moreover, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who swore that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal perhaps did not receive the hadith of Hazrat Tamim (may Allah be pleased with him).
(The long narration of Hazrat Tamim Dari (may Allah be pleased with him) titled "Is the Dajjal alive?" has already passed. Please refer to it for details.)
Like the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), this issue remained a subject of considerable dispute among the Imams as well.
The Verdict of Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him:
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, the famous Quranic exegete and historian, states:
ليس ابن صياد هو الدجال الأكبر وإنما هو أحد الدجاجلة الكبار الكثار قال بعض العلماء : إن ابن صياد كان بعض الصحابة يظنه الدجال وهو ليس به إنما كان رجلا صغيرا ........ ويحتمل أن يكون هذا قبل أن يوحى إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى شأن الدجال وتعينه وقد تقدم حديث الداري فى ذلك وهو فاصل فى هذا المقام وسنورد من الأحاديث ما يدل على أنه ليس بابن صياد والله تعالى أعلم وأحكم
Ibn Sayyad is not the Great Dajjal, but he is certainly one of the major Dajjals. Some scholars say that some of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, considered Ibn Sayyad to be the Dajjal, although he was not the Dajjal; he was just a small man. It is also possible that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, had some hesitation about Ibn Sayyad being the Dajjal before the revelation that determined the Great Dajjal, as in the hadith of Tamim Dari, may Allah be pleased with him, which has already passed. The final decision in this matter is that Ibn Sayyad is not the Dajjal, and besides this, we mention several other hadiths which prove that Ibn Sayyad is not the Great Dajjal. والله اعلم
Reference: Al-Nihayah fi al-Fitan (54/1 to 60)
The Verdict of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him:
The matter of Ibn Sayyad remained suspicious to some of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them; they considered him to be the Great Dajjal. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, refrained from making a judgment on this issue for some time until it became clear to him that he was not the Dajjal but rather a soothsayer type.
Reference: Al-Furqan Bayn Awliya ar-Rahman (p. 77)
Ibn Sayyad was a soothsayer:
Ibn Sayyad was a Jewish-origin priest, which can be easily inferred from the following hadiths:
عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال قال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لابن صياد : إني قد خبأت لك خبئا فقال ابن صياد : هو الدخ ، فقال : اخسأ فلن تعدو قدرك
It is narrated from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said to Ibn Sayyad, "I have concealed something (in my mind). Tell me what it is." Ibn Sayyad said, "It is smoke." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "May you be disgraced, for he cannot surpass it."
Reference: Bukhari: Book of Funerals, Chapter: When a boy embraces Islam and dies (1354) Muslim: Book of Tribulations, Chapter: Mention of Ibn Sayyad (2924)
In one narration:
يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ
The day We will bring forth a clear smoke from the sky.
Reference: Surah Ad-Dukhan: (10) Ahmad (198/2)
وعن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال قال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لابن صياد ماذا ترى ؟ قال يأتيني صادق و كاذب ، فقال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم : خلط عليك الأمر
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) said that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) asked Ibn Sayyad, "What do you see?" He said, "Truthful and liars come to me." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "You have been made a subject of doubt."
Reference: Bukhari: Book of Funerals (1354)
In one narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked Sayyad:
ما ترى ؟ قال : أرى عرشا على الماء ، فقال : ترى عرش إبليس على البحر وما ترى ؟ قال أرى صادقين وكاذبا أو كاذبين وصادقا ، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لبس عليه دعوه
"What do you see?" He said, "I see the Throne on the water." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "You see the Throne of Iblis (Satan) on the sea." Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) asked, "What else do you see?" He said, "I see many truthful people and one liar, or many liars and one truthful person." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to the companions (may Allah be pleased with them), "He has been made a subject of doubt, leave him."
Reference: Muslim: Book of Tribulations, Chapter: Mention of Ibn Sayyad (2925) Ahmad (467/3) Ibn Hibban (178/15) Mushkil al-Athar (383/7) Sharh al-Sunnah (453/7)
عن أبى سعيد رضى الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لابن صائد : ما تربة الجنة ؟ قال درمكة بيضاء مسك يا أبا القاسم : قال : صدقت
It is narrated from Abu Saeed (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) asked Ibn Sayyad, "What is the soil of Paradise like?" He said, "O Abu al-Qasim! The soil of Paradise is fine white musk-like (fragrant)." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "You speak the truth."
Reference: Muslim: Book of Tribulations, Chapter: Mention of Ibn Sayyad (2928) Ahmad (3/5)
Ibn Sayyad had knowledge about the Dajjal:
عن أبى سعيد الخدري رضى الله عنه قال ... ثم قال : أما ، والله ! إني لأعرفه وأعرف مولده وأين هو الآن وأعرف أباه وأمه قال : قلت له : تبا لك سائر اليوم
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Saeed (may Allah be pleased with him) that Ibn Sayyad said, "By Allah! I know the Dajjal, his place of birth, his current residence, and I am also well aware of his parents." Abu Saeed (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "May you always remain humiliated and disgraced."
Reference: Muslim: Kitab al-Fitan: Chapter on mentioning Ibn Sayyad (2927)
Ibn Sayyad disappeared on the day of Harrah:
عن جابر رضى الله عنه قال : فقدنا ابن صياد يوم الحرة
Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that on the occasion of Harrah (this is a place near Madinah where a fight occurred among the Companions), Ibn Sayyad disappeared.
Reference: Abu Dawood (1324), 'Awn al-Ma'bood (476/11), Fath al-Bari (328/13), and authenticated by Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (5583)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) states that the most correct view is that Ibn Sayyad disappeared, and it is incorrect that he died in Madinah and people performed his funeral prayer.
Reference: For details see Fath al-Bari (328/13)
Did Ibn Sayyad repent and accept Islam?
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
وقد كان ابن صياد من يهود المدينة ولقبه عبد الله ويقال صاف ، وقد جاء هذا وهذا وقد يكون أصل اسمه صاف ثم تسمى لما أسلم بابن عبد الله وقد كان ابنه عمارة بن عبد الله من سادات التابعين وروى عنه مالك وغيره
Ibn Sayyad was a Jew from Medina whose title was Abdullah and he was also called Safi, meaning he was known by both names, but his real name was Safi. Then he accepted Islam and took the name Abdullah. He had a son named Amarah bin Abdullah, may Allah have mercy on him, who is counted among the senior Tabi‘in from whom Imam Malik and other hadith scholars narrated traditions.
Reference: Al-Nihayah fi al-Fitan (88/1)
He also says:
إن ابن صياد كان دجالا من الدجاجلة ثم تاب بعد ذلك فأظهر الإسلام والله أعلم بضميره وسيرته
Ibn Sayyad was one of the Dajjal (deceivers), then he repented and accepted Islam, but as for his heart and character, only Allah knows best.
Reference: Also
Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
عبد الله بن صياد أورده ابن شاهين وقال : هو ابن صائد ، كان أبوه يهوديا فولد عبد الله أعور مختونا وهو الذى قيل : إنه الدجال ثم أسلم فهو تابعي ، له رؤية
Abdullah bin Sayyad, he was also mentioned by Ibn Shaheen who said that this is the same Ibn Sa’id whose father was a Jew and he had a child named Abdullah who was born circumcised, and it was said about him that he was the Dajjal. Then he accepted Islam, so he is a Tabi‘i, may Allah have mercy on him, although he saw the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (meaning he was not a Sahabi because when he saw the Prophet, peace be upon him, he had not accepted Islam, but accepted Islam later after the Prophet, peace be upon him, had passed away).
Reference: Tajreed Asma’ al-Sahabah (319/1)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
وعبد الله بن صياد هو الذى ولد مختونا ..... وهو الذى قيل إنه الدجال وقد أسلم عبد الله وحج وغزا مع المسلمين وأقام بالمدينة
Abdullah bin Sayyad is the same person who was born circumcised. It is said about him that he was the Dajjal, although he accepted Islam and performed Hajj, and besides that, he also participated in battles alongside the Muslims.
Reference: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 263/4
Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, writes in "Al-Isabah":
وفي الجملة لا معنى لذكر ابن صياد فى الصحابة لأنه إن كان الدجال فليس بصحابي قطعا لأنه يموت كافرا وإن كان غيره فهو حال لقيه النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لم يكن مسلما
The summary is that Ibn Sayyad cannot in any way be included in the list of the Sahabah because if he was the Dajjal, then it is absolutely impossible to call him a Sahabi since in that case he would have died a disbeliever, and if he was not the Great Dajjal, then he was not a Muslim at the time he met the Prophet, peace be upon him.
Reference: Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah (133/3)
Dominant View:
According to Hafiz Ibn Kathir, Hafiz Zahbi, and a statement of Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on them, Ibn Sayyad became a Muslim after the death of the Prophet ﷺ, but only Allah knows the true state of his heart. والله اعلم وعلمه اتم واكمل
