Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 56
56 HAQIQATUL-WAḤI-THE PHILOSOPHY OF DIVINE REVELATION ☆ but has now, in the Latter Days, attained complete freedom and its shackles have been removed so that it may unleash all of the attacks destined for it? And some think the Dajjal is not from the human race; rather, it is a name for Satan. ¹ And some believe that Hadrat 'Īsā is still alive in Heaven while some Muslim sects called the Mu'tazilah believe in the death of Ḥaḍrat ‘Īsā. Some sufis have long believed that the awaited Messiah refers to an ummati [i. e. a follower of the Holy Prophetsa] who will be born from within this ummah. Now just pon- der a little and see how much disagreement exists within this ummah regarding the Messiah, the Mahdi, and the Dajjāl, and everyone claims ijma' for his own belief, in accordance with the verse: كُلُّ حِزْبٍ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ فَرِحُونَ. 2. The truth of the matter is that when numerous disagreements arise in any shariah [a religious law], these very disagreements inherently demand that someone should come from God to resolve them, for this indeed is the way of Allah since time immemorial. When many differences arose among the Jews, Haḍrat Īsā came as the arbiter for them; when disputes between the Jews and the Christians intensified, the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was sent by God, appointed as the arbiter for them. 1. This Satan, in other words, is the demon of Christianity. This demon, at the time of the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was imprisoned in a Christian church and he obtained news concerning Islam only through Jassāsah. Then, as had been foretold by the Prophets, peace be upon them, this demon got freedom after the first three centuries and his strength grew day by day until he emerged with immense force in the 13th century Hijrah. This very y demon is called the Dajjal. He who can understand, let him understand. And it is this very demon against whom God has warned at the end of Surah al-Fātiḥah, [1:7] in the prayer [and those who have not gone astray']. (Author) 2. Every party rejoicing in what they have (Surah ar-Rüm, 30:33). [Publisher]