The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 288
288 Essence of Islam-III not mean that they will physically perform circuits of the Ka'bah, for in that case we would have to concede that the Dajjal will succeed in entering the Ka'bah or that he will become a Muslim; both of which assertions go against the clear purport of Aḥādīth. This Hadith has to be interpreted, and the interpretation which God has made manifest to me is that, in the latter days, a group of people will emerge who will be called Dajjal. This group will be a bitter enemy of Islām, and, in order to com- pletely bring down the structure of Islām, it will go cir- cuiting round the Ka'bah, which is the centre of Islām, like a thief. As against this, the Promised Messiah will also perform the circuit of the centre of Islām, which the Ka'bah symbolises. The purpose of the Promised Mes- siah in performing the circuit of the Ka'bah would be to apprehend the thief named Dajjal, and to safeguard the centre of Islām from his designs. We know that the thief goes around the houses at night and so does a watchman, but while the purpose of the thief is to rob and plunder a household, the purpose of the watchman is to apprehend the thief and to have him locked behind bars so that peo- ple are safeguarded from his mischief. Thus this Hadīth indicates that in the latter days the thief, who is designated Dajjal, will try his utmost to demolish the structure of Islām, and that the Promised Messiah, out of his devotion to Islām, will raise his supplications to heaven, and that all angels will lend him their support so that he should be victorious in this last final battle. He will neither get tired, nor dejected, nor will he slacken his efforts, but will try his utmost to catch the thief. When his supplications reach their climax, God will see how his heart has melted in his love for Islām. Heaven will do what the earth cannot. And the victory that cannot be