This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Hafiz Mubashir Hussain Lahori's book Signs of the Day of Judgment in the Light of Authentic Ahadith.
In the Divine Court, the status of the Dajjal is not even equal to a "feather"
عن المغيرة بن شعبة رضى الله عنه قال ما سأل أحد النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم عن الدجال ما سألته وإنه قال لي : ما يضرك منه ؟ قلت لأنهم يقولون إن معه جبل خبز ونهر ماء ، قال بل هو أهون على الله من ذلك
Hazrat Mughirah bin Shu'bah (RA) narrates that no one asked the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as much about the Dajjal as I did, and the Prophet (PBUH) said to me, "What harm will he cause you?" I said, "People say that he will have mountains of bread and rivers of water with him!" He said: "He is easier than that upon Allah." (Meaning, what is the status of the Dajjal compared to the Divine Power? And Allah Almighty has also given the Dajjal this leeway so that people may be tested.)
Reference: Bukhari: Kitab al-Fitan: Bab Dhikr al-Dajjal 7122, Ahmad 338/4, 343, Muslim 2152, Ibn Abi Shaybah 647/8, Ibn Majah 4124, Ibn Manda 184/3
For how many days will the Dajjal roam the earth:
عن النواس بن سمعان رضى الله عنه قال : ذكر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الدجال ذات غداة .. قلنا : يا رسول الله وما لبثه ؟ قال : أربعون يوما يوم كسنة ويوم كشهر ويوم كجمعة وسائر أيامه كأيامكم ، قلنا يا رسول الله : فذلك اليوم الذى كسنة، أتكفينا فيه صلاة يوم ؟ قال : لا ، اقدروا له قدره
It is narrated from Hazrat Nawas bin Samaan (RA) that one day the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) mentioned the Dajjal. We asked: O Messenger of Allah! How long will the Dajjal stay? He (PBUH) said: Forty days; one day will be like a year, the second like a month, the third like a week, and the rest of the days will be like normal days (i.e., one year, two months, and two weeks). We asked: O Messenger of Allah! On the day which is like a year, will one day's prayers suffice for us? (Or will we have to pray for the whole year?) He (PBUH) said: No (not five), but estimate that day as if it were a year (and continue to perform prayers throughout the year accordingly).
Reference: Muslim: Kitab al-Fitan: Bab Dhikr al-Dajjal 2937 Ahmad 248/4 Abu Dawood 4321 Hakim 537/4 Ibn Majah 4075
عن عبد الله بن عمرو رضى الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : يخرج الدجال فى أمتي فيمكث فيهم أربعين لا أدري أربعين يوما أو أربعين سنة أو أربعين ليلة أو أربعين شهرا فيبعث الله عز وجل عيسى بن مريم
It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: The Dajjal will appear among my Ummah and will remain for forty (days). Abdullah the narrator says: I do not know whether these are forty days, or forty years, or forty nights, or forty months.
Reference: Muslim: Kitab al-Fitan: Bab Fi Khuruj al-Dajjal 6940 Ahmad 221/2 Hakim 503/4 Tafsir Ibn Kathir 97/4
In one narration it is stated:
وأنه يمكث فى الأرض أربعين صباحا
The Dajjal will roam the earth for forty days.
Reference: Ahmad 541/5 Majma' al-Zawa'id 659/7 Fath al-Bari 112/13
The aforementioned hadiths appear to be contradictory; for their reconciliation, please refer to the benefits section.
