Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 568
568 HAQIQATUL-WAḤI-THE PHILOSOPHY OF DIVINE REVELATION whose lifelong pastime is to distort and tamper with [the original text]; because dajjal means none other than one who hides the truth by distorting the original and tampering with it, and it is to this very point that Surah al-Fatihah draws our attention. Also the Quranic verse: جَاعِلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوكَ فَوْقَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيمَةِ Proves that the Dajjal will not be any group other than the Christians. Since prevalence and dominance until the Day of Judgment is destined either for the Christians or for the Muslims who are the true followers, how can anyone with faith ever imagine that someone else who is opposed to Hadrat Īsāªs and denies his Prophethood will estab- lish his dominance over the world? Such a thought is in clear contradic- tion to the inconvertible intent of the Holy Quran. Likewise, the hadith pertaining to the prophecy contained in Ṣahih Muslim that the Dajjal will issue forth from a church supports the verse of the Holy Quran just mentioned. And events also make this apparent, for the great trib- ulation that had been prophesied was ultimately brought about at the hands of the Christian missionaries. One hallmark of a man's wisdom is that he should keep an eye on events and reflect upon the aspects that are supported by the events as they unfold. God has likened this world to a single day in which the epoch of the Holy Prophets is likened to Asr [late afternoon]. Then, if the age of the Holy Prophet was likened to Asr, how should we, after the year 1324 [of Hijrah], designate the present age? Is this age then not close to sunset? If so, and if this is still not the time for the advent of the Messiah, then there would surely be no time left for his coming after this. Similarly, in authentic aḥadīth, some of which are found in Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhari, the epoch of the Holy Prophet is likened unto the time of Asr, so one has to accept that our own age is close to the time of the 1. Will place those who follow thee above those who disbelieve, until the Day of Resurrection (Surah Al-e-Imran, 3:56). [Publisher]