Introduction

The Qur’an, as the ultimate revelation and final guidance from Allah (ﷻ), conveys truths that transcend time and space, often through multi-layered expressions that reveal deeper meanings upon reflection. One of the most enigmatic figures discussed in the Prophetic traditions is the Dajjal i.e., the false messiah and great deceiver, who will appear before the end of time. While the Qur’an does not mention the Dajjal by name, numerous scholars and exegetes have observed that his presence is alluded to symbolically in several passages. These verses depict deception, the distortion of divine truth, and the rise of tyrannical powers that claim creative or providential abilities reserved solely for Allah (ﷻ).

This essay examines those implicit Qur’anic references to the Dajjal, drawing connections between his portrayal in Hadith and the Qur’anic archetypes of falsehood and oppression, particularly through the examples of Pharaoh (Fir‘awn), Iblis, and the deniers of truth. The analysis demonstrates that the Qur’an foreshadows the Dajjal’s emergence as the ultimate manifestation of arrogance, deception, and human delusion before the Day of Judgment.

1. The Creator and the Deceiver: The Warning in Q.35:3

“O mankind, remember the favor of Allah upon you. Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? There is no deity except Him, so how are you deluded?” (Q.35:3)

Why does God address {mankind} instead of just the polytheists as {mankind} includes Muslims who already believe? Among various possibilities and reasons, one appears striking. Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) warned us against the Dajjal (anti-Christ) to come in the end times, and that he would withhold rain from those who oppose/disbelieve him and will appear generous to those who follow or obey him making the land appear fertile and full of food and crops. Many Muslims will apostatize as well and including the whole {mankind} in this verse is very interesting. In verse Q.35:1, we learned that the word Faatir (also the name of this Surah) means someone who brings something into existence without any model or example. Allah (ﷻ) created the universe from nothing, and it is only He who can do that. Beginning the Surah with this explanation is just spectacular because Allah (ﷻ) is the Only True Creator; someone making an electronic device from things created by Allah (ﷻ) is not making it out of nothing. {Is there any creator other than Allah?} and the answer is No!

Since only He creates and provides, He alone deserves worship. The message is so important that it is summarized as follows: 1. Allah (ﷻ) addresses {mankind} instead of only polytheists which universalizes the warning, showing that everyone is susceptible to forgetfulness, delusion, or being deceived and not just idol worshippers of the past. 2. The Dajjal withholding rain and making land fertile is authentically based on Hadiths (the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). Connecting this to the verse’s theme of Allah (ﷻ) being the true provider gives the verse end-times relevance. It reminds the reader that even if someone appears to control nature; he is not the true Creator or Sustainer. 3. The verses rightly contrast God’s power to create from nothing versus man (or the Dajjal) simply rearranging what Allah (ﷻ) has already made. 4. Despite the Dajjal’s power to test people, Allah (ﷻ) doesn’t even mention him by name, suggesting his ultimate powerlessness. The wording of the Qur’an is deep and multilayered where two or more significant messages are conveyed by a single statement. The words used by Allah (ﷻ) are structured in such a beautiful way that both sorts of understanding fit in well and apply as well. The Qur’an is like a beautiful rose with lush and thick petals; removing one petal reveals another petal underneath and so on. A simple reading of a verse is like a rose and detailed pondering over it gives us multi layers of depth and understanding.

In the Qur’an, Allah (ﷻ) repeatedly contrasts His act of creation from nothing (ex nihilo) with the human capacity merely to rearrange what already exists. The Dajjal’s deception mirrors this false sense of creativity. By performing apparent miracles, reviving the dead, bringing forth vegetation, or commanding the sky to rain, he imitates divine acts without possessing true creative power.

The Qur’an’s silence about the Dajjal’s name reinforces his insignificance before divine omnipotence. Despite the vast influence attributed to him, Allah (ﷻ) dismisses him indirectly, illustrating that even the most powerful deceiver remains merely a tool within divine decree. As one commentary explains, “Allah (ﷻ) considers such people and their king, the Dajjal, so insignificant that He compares them to animals and mentions everything in such detail without even saying it.”

2. The Dajjal, Shaytan, and the Promise of the World in Q.35:5-6

Q.35:5–6 declares:

“O mankind, indeed the promise of Allah is truth, so let not the worldly life delude you and be not deceived about Allah by the Deceiver. Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy.”

Here, the Deceiver (al-Gharūr) represents Shaytan, but his description extends to all agents of satanic delusion. The Dajjal, being the greatest deceiver among men, is one of Shaytan’s ultimate instruments. He appeals to material comfort (rain, crops, food, wealth) to divert believers from the divine promise. The verse thus warns that delusion by the world is not a minor failing but the very path that leads to allegiance with the Dajjal’s system.

The Qur’an juxtaposes Allah’s (ﷻ) promise of truth with the Dajjal’s promise of illusion, reminding that one leads to eternal salvation and the other to the blazing fire. The Dajjal’s worldly allure, his apparent mastery of nature and technology, is merely a test of faith, exposing whether one’s trust lies in divine provision or temporal power.

This verse (Q.35:5) also begins with {O mankind} and hence, must be read in conjunction with (Q.35:3). The Dajjal (the anti-Christ) is a tool of Shaytan, and perhaps his greatest deception. He will appeal to worldly needs (food, water, life) to pull people away from Allah (ﷻ) and also seem to provide {the worldly life} which are delusions. This verse is a shield: Allah’s (ﷻ) promise is the truth; not Dajjal’s lies. Dajjal is not just a test, he’s the most extreme invitation from Shaytan. Following him is joining Shaytan’s party headed to the {Blazing Fire}. The Dajjal is alluded to in these verses and at the same time, he is considered so insignificant that he is not even mentioned

3. Pharaoh and the Dajjal: Two Archetypes of Tyranny in Q.44:30-31

Pharaoh’s narrative is among the Qur’an’s most repeated, serving as the archetype of arrogance and divine defiance. Q.44:30–31 describe Allah’s (ﷻ) salvation of the Children of Israel from “the humiliating torment of Pharaoh, who was haughty and among the transgressors.”

Pharaoh’s arrogance, “I am your lord most high” (Q.79:24), finds a future parallel in the Dajjal, who will claim divinity and demand worship. The Qur’an uses Pharaoh as a warning model, showing that every age may produce tyrants in his image. The phrase “one among the transgressors” implies the existence of others in the same category, hinting at future manifestations of similar evil, including the Dajjal himself.

The {Pharaoh} was {a haughty one} and this word refers to someone who is arrogant, exalted in his own eyes, claiming superiority. These are very important definitions for one to stay far away from.

He was {one among the transgressors} i.e., one who exceeds all bounds, committing excess in power and sin. Together, it paints Pharaoh as the archetype of the arrogant oppressor: not only powerful, but abusive and corrupt, pushing beyond all moral and lawful limits.

Was Pharaoh the ultimate bad guy bypassing every other evil one past, present, and future? Allah (ﷻ) says that he was {one among the transgressors} and not the ultimate one showing that there can be others crueler than him. The wording shows he is a member of the worst category, not uniquely the only one. Why then is Pharaoh singled out so often? He combined political power, religious arrogance, and brutal oppression: a perfect storm of tyranny. He could be considered the first of his kind who took brutality and tyranny to such a level and could also be considered the metaphorical forefather of all later oppressors. Therefore, the Qur’an uses Pharaoh as a warning model, but always with the phrase {one among the transgressors} to show that he is not alone in that evil category thereby implying that there would be others in the future in that same class whether of higher or lower intensity.

The implication is so strong here that it is as if someone in the future will bypass him. Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) has described that coming oppressor to us in extensive details i.e., the Dajjal (antichrist).

4. The Deniers and the Moral Parallel of Modernity (Q.68:8–14)

In Q.68:8–14, Allah (ﷻ) commands:

“Do not obey the deniers… cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender; because he is a possessor of wealth and children.”

Allah (ﷻ) instructed the Prophet (ﷺ) not to {obey the deniers}. In it are important lessons for us to learn. The description and motives of the deniers have been described to us as well. They are not just those who are {afflicted [by a devil]} but also deny purposefully, speak and write lies, scorn, spread {malicious gossip}, prevent from good, transgress and sin, are cruel and {illegitimate pretenders}.

Do not obey those {afflicted [by a devil]} and these are not just the idol worshippers, who are an obvious group of devil worshippers. There are other groups of devil worshippers who are not that obvious, i.e., TV and media personalities.

The statement {he is a possessor of wealth and children} is very crucial as well. On one hand, rights and prosperity movements (willingly or unwillingly) reduce the population while on the other hand, those who actually govern and rule them are {possessors of wealth and children}. They have established families, clans and bloodlines which they take great pride in. They are not the ‘chosen ones’ and are {illegitimate pretenders} and if they choose a king for themselves and their ruled subjects, he would also be {an illegitimate pretender (Dajjal)}. The media of these wealthy and powerful families is not to be obeyed.

The characteristics listed (arrogance, slander, hypocrisy, and worldly pride) mirror those of the Dajjal’s followers and the systems that will dominate before his appearance. The Dajjal’s ideological and material power stems from such individuals: those afflicted by a devil, engrossed in duplicity, and driven by wealth and bloodline.

Modern parallels are drawn to elites who control media, technology, and governance; systems that promote disbelief and moral corruption. These forces, described as “possessors of wealth and children,” mirror the Dajjalic order that elevates prosperity while eroding faith. The Qur’an’s command “do not obey the deniers” thus extends beyond individual disbelief to rejecting entire value systems rooted in arrogance and deceit.

The lessons from these verses are very deep and powerful. On one hand, the verses were revealed directly to and about the Prophet (ﷺ) concerning the disbelievers around him and on the other hand, they carry deep insights and wisdom for us too in our times. History repeats itself and the next verse very eloquently elaborates on that as well: When My verses are recited to him, he says, “Legends of the former peoples.” It ties up the understanding from here with that verse and how they complement each other so beautifully that the lesson remains timeless.

Calling history as {legends of the former peoples} is silly is because ‘history repeats itself and those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it’ (George Santayana). This is common sense as well because the people who don’t learn from their mistakes don’t mature. The Qur’an provides essential and easy to understand, valuable lessons from history in a simplified way and form.

5. The Dajjal’s Insignificance before Allah (ﷻ) (Q.68:16)

“I will brand him upon the snout.” (Q.68:16)

Such people will be branded on the snout (the projecting nose and mouth). One may understand in one of two, or both, ways; literally and as a figure of speech i.e., his matter will become clear and evident so that the people will know them and they will not be hidden from them, just as the branding mark on the snouts (of animals).

Allah (ﷻ) considers such people and their king (Dajjal – Antichrist) to be so insignificant that He compares them to animals and mentions everything in so much detail without even saying it, as the saying goes: ‘said nothing but said everything’. The Dajjal is alluded to in these verses and at the same time, he is considered so insignificant that he is not even mentioned.

6. Cosmic Allusions and the Boundary of Creation (Q.70:9–15)

In Q.68:14, we learned that having children, connections, and bloodlines are taken boastful and honorable things by the criminal disbelievers. Here we learn that the same {criminal will wish that he could be ransomed from the punishment of that Day by his children} and {no friend will ask [anything of] a friend}. The criminal will be willing to give away {his wife and his brother} to hell to escape the punishment as well as {his nearest kindred who shelter him}. Such a criminal will wish to give away {whoever is on earth entirely [so] then it could save him}.

The word used for this criminal is singular. However, this is a figure of speech and does not necessarily pertain to one criminal. The wording of the Qur’an is deep and multilayered where two or more significant messages are conveyed by a single statement.

The words used by Allah (ﷻ) are structured in such a beautiful way that both sorts of understandings fit in well and apply as well. The Qur’an is like a beautiful rose with lush and thick petals; removing one petal reveals another petal underneath and so on. A simple reading of a verse is like a rose and detailed pondering over it gives us multi layers of depth and understanding.

We see this throughout the Qur’an and based on this, we can understand that the {criminal that will wish} all these things could be a singular one as well i.e., the head of the cabal that rules over the secret societies and is in charge of a lot of global affairs that has so much power that he can inject anything into anyone at will as well as the leader they will have (Dajjal). Uncovering the layers of the rose shows that this statement is also a way of speech and that all such criminals are intended by these verses.

In the eschatological verses of Q.70:9–15, the Qur’an describes the Day when {the mountains will be like wool} and every person will wish to ransom himself from the punishment, even by offering his children or kin. This scene not only depicts cosmic collapse but also symbolically dismantles the pride of worldly lineage, wealth, and control; the very illusions upon which the Dajjal’s power rests.

Some commentators connect these descriptions to the Dajjal’s civilization, which boasts of technological mastery and seeks to alter creation itself. The Qur’an refutes such arrogance by demonstrating that even the most advanced creations will crumble when divine decree unfolds.

7. The Jinn, False Knowledge, and the Dajjal’s System (Q.72:11–15)

Q.72:12-13 states:

And we have become certain that we will never cause failure to Allah upon earth, nor can we escape Him by flight. And when we heard the guidance, we believed in it. And whoever believes in his Lord will not fear deprivation or burden.

The jinns used to think that they could {cause failure to Allah upon earth} and it looks like they were confused and divided over this because they stated {we have become certain} which shows that previously they were in doubt as to whether they could {cause failure to Allah upon earth} and this is corroborated by the previous verse where they said {we were [of] divided ways}. When the Qur’an was revealed, the jinns that accepted it, {became certain} of reality while the disbelieving jinns are of two types; confused ones and certain ones who think that they can {cause failure to Allah upon earth}.

The Qur’an exposes the mindset of rebellious jinn who claim power to {cause failure to Allah on earth} (Q.72:12). Their deluded belief that they can rival divine authority parallels the Dajjal’s theological system: an alliance between humans, jinn, and false revelation.

This is a fascinating verse and reveals oceans of knowledge and must be pondered over in great detail and here is an attempt to understand it with coherence and clarity:

• The evil jinns i.e., the devils are worshipped by the disbelievers, and this is in two ways; either by following man-made and devil-made ways, isms, and religions (Q.3:19) or by worshipping the devil directly or by striking a deal with him (Q.2:102).

• Devil worship is because of peak arrogance (Q.2:55, 92:8 and many more) and is sheer stupidity (Q.64:5-6).

• One of the approaches they follow is that of perennialism (Q.72:5) which is also the approach of foolish ones (Q.72:4).

• Those who worship the devil directly, or by striking a deal with him (Q.2:102) have a deformed concept of God where they limit His Powers and Majesty; they also think of God as an abstract, theoretical, and philosophical idea. The idea of closeness to Him and feeling His presence is absent from their thinking and feelings.

• With this abstract, theoretical, and philosophical idea of God, they seek to {cause failure to Allah upon earth} with their lawyer-like approach. We learn elsewhere (Q.2:76) that those who turned to devil worship had a habit of twisting words to make it something else (Q.2:59); it could very well be the case that they did the same by applying some sort of twisted logic such as that they believe Islam is the truth (but would not follow it) or that the Prophet (ﷺ) is a messenger (but only for Arabs) and hence their belief was only from the tongue without action.

Another thing we learn from Q.2:59 is that there was no Bible in Arabic and the source of Arabs learning it were the Jews. Moreover, even the Hebrew Bible was not very widespread and not every Jew had a copy of it; only the learned elders would have a copy of the scripture and other Jews would learn about things in it from their leaders/elders. Theirs was a distorted view of God and they believed that the truth of Islam required approval from Torah and if there is none there, then Islam and Muslims would have no proof. This could be because the scripture given to them was termed the distinction (Q.2:53) and hence they felt the need to alter the distinction/deciding factor. This is a very modern lawyer-like approach of twisting around; it is also being foolishly over-literal where it is not required and not appropriate. This approach of strictly adhering to the letter of the law and ignoring the spirit is condemned by the Qur’an.

Assuming that Allah (ﷻ) is bound by such laws is thinking low of Allah (ﷻ) and is a blasphemy; changing the criteria and assuming Allah (ﷻ) must judge by that, no matter what, is actually only fooling oneself. Their desire to {cause failure to Allah upon earth} is because of them following this modern lawyer-like approach.

• Their claim is that the Torah is the deciding factor and so God’s actions must be judged according to it and since, the Torah refuted them, they changed it to suit their needs. They justify the alterations to the scriptures with the view that they cannot be changed and are protected by God (Q.15:9) and since, they are able to change them, these changes are valid and applicable (Q.9:31) and they did this by giving authority to the Rabbis that they did not deserve.

• What does their false belief of overpowering God mean? Since they are lawyer-like in their approach to life and to God, they do not think of overpowering Him physically but in logic, actions, and systems among others. They seek a system parallel to the system of Allah (ﷻ) which they have been working on in the past, are working on now, and will continue to do so in the future as well (until Allah (ﷻ) decides otherwise).

• They have chosen enmity with the angels (Q.2:98) which is a terrible choice, but they have still done so, and the reasons are stated earlier – arrogance, disbelief, and false belief that they can {cause failure to Allah}.

• They think that the jinns, and even humans, can overpower angels (Daniel 10:13) and so, this false belief takes their imagination and desires towards plan and action. This verse (Q.72:12) is astounding. They genuinely thought, and think, that they can overpower God first by limiting His Powers, then by changing the yardstick to judge matters, then making Him an abstract, theoretical, and a philosophical idea, and then proving that idea wrong.

• The doors of heaven are closed beyond which the jinns cannot go, and they (the devils) think that it is a power play where they have a chance to overcome. These disbelieving jinns think that highly of themselves; they are both arrogant and deluded. The worshippers of these devils believe them when the devils delude them and if they are jointly working on some form of technology to ‘catch angels’, then that would not be a surprise.

• The devils can reach a place till the end of the universe that is guarded by angels. Do they want to overpower and cross that level? Their belief in God is abstract and philosophical and theoretical, so they do not think of physically overpowering God but conceptually and through indirect sources (such as a parallel system as discussed shortly later).

• Paradise is beyond this universe (Q.2:29,Q.7:54, Q.10:3, Q.13:2, Q.16:50, Q.20:5, Q.23:17, Q.25:59, Q.32:4, Q.42:5, Q.50:6, Q.57:4, Q.69:17, Q.78:12) while it appears that hell is scattered within our universe (Q.7:48, Q.9:109, Q.17:8, Q.17:39, Q.50:24, Q.52:13, Q.79:36, Q.81:12, Q.89:23). Jinns are not as intelligent as humans (Q.72:5) but they have their advantages; they take each other’s help in their desires. The Jinns can reach far off places in very quick times (Q.27:39-40) while the humans have intelligence, technology, and research and development. Through their abilities, jinns may be able to reach places and know some, or perhaps most, of the scattered parts of hell but do not have the ability to do anything about it and for this, they seek the help of those who worship them, to get them to build space programs, to research in secret areas, facilities, and build technology, to study black holes, to cordon off large land masses the size of continents, and to dig deep into the earth, and to discover other planets to find the scattered parts of hell and destroy them. [This point ventures into the realm of conspiracy theories and if that is not your thing, you may disregard this entire paragraph].

• They seek long lives (Q.2:96) and are even working towards medical advancements for immortality and so, the desire to destroy hell makes sense so they are in paradise on earth. They are also working on transhumanism seeking the enhancement of the human condition by developing and making widely available sophisticated technologies that can greatly enhance longevity and cognition. They can try as much as they want but it will not lead to their desired outcomes.

• Since they believe that they have made the criterion which they were able to do so, that criterion is the truth and things cannot go against what they have established themselves and that God is bound by them. As per their criteria, creation of a new hell is unfounded and hence, if they can destroy hell, then they have escaped it – a creation of new hell would mean that the rules made by God have been broken by Him and hence, the abstract, theoretical, and philosophical idea of God would be proven false and that is not possible. They are trying to beat God this way.

To reiterate, they think that if they destroy hell, then it is not mentioned anywhere that hell would be created again and, in their lawyer-like approach, they take upper hand and so are victorious. Their abstract, theoretical, and philosophical idea of God makes them think that the rules that have been stated cannot be broken and so they will win if they can force this contradiction and if there is no hell, then what is the use of afterlife? If heaven is outside this universe, and if there is a Day of Judgment, then if they do not go to heaven, they will remain peacefully on earth which would not be hell. They believe that there is no need for Day of Judgment if they are able to eliminate hell.

• Perennialism is their religion and according to them, Satan is a wise being who studied and reached a certain level and took a well calculated risk that he can overcome God and that he will be on their side and jointly, they can reach victory. They have joined him and his attempt at a parallel system and looking forward to his prophet.

• What is the parallel system they seek as opposed to that of Allah (ﷻ)?

1. Allah (ﷻ) is The Lord, The God and they have chosen the devil as their god
2. They have taken jinns to be the replacement of angels
3. They have taken the words of jinns as revelations
4. The devil gives them false prophets, and they take them as messengers. Allah (ﷻ) sent a final Messenger, and the devil plans the same from his end i.e., the Dajjal (the anti-Christ) [and he has been explained in great detail by the Prophet (ﷺ) in Hadiths]
5. They seek to extinguish the fire of hell, or to destroy it altogether and they justify to themselves that if there is no hell, then there will be no Day of Judgment
6. For Divine Will and Predestination, they have the concept of fortune-telling, horoscopes, and other forms of soothsaying

The space programs, secret research areas, facilities, and technology that they are building may not only be for the purpose of locating hell and destroying it but also to use when their false prophet arrives.

These points above discussing the parallel system as opposed to that of Allah (ﷻ) are the exact opposite of the articles of faith:

1. Belief in One God (Allah (ﷻ)) without partners
2. Belief in angels
3. Belief in Revelation
4. Belief in prophets and messengers
5. Belief in the Day of Judgment and afterlife
6. Belief in Divine Will and predestination

This belief system, described as perennialism, replaces God’s law with man-made ideologies and justifies rebellion through rational or legal sophistry. Those who follow it elevate intellect and technology above divine guidance, seeking a parallel system that mirrors divine order yet denies its source. The Qur’an’s warning that these forces seek to “extinguish the fire of Hell” or “eliminate it altogether” reflects the Dajjal’s ultimate deception: to convince mankind that judgment, resurrection, and the afterlife do not exist.

Conclusion

Though the Qur’an never mentions the Dajjal by name, its intricate language, timeless warnings, and archetypal narratives unmistakably allude to his existence and nature. Through verses addressing human delusion (Q.35:3), satanic deception (Q.35:5–6), worldly arrogance (Q.68:8–14), and cosmic rebellion (Q.72:11–15), the Qur’an constructs a prophetic framework anticipating the rise of a figure who epitomizes falsehood and defiance.

The Dajjal stands as the culmination of all spiritual corruption symbolized by Pharaoh, Shaytan, and the deniers of truth. Yet the Qur’an’s silence on his name itself conveys the ultimate message: no deceiver, no matter how powerful, can ever share or challenge the authority of Allah (ﷻ). His mention is veiled not by absence, but by the overwhelming presence of divine supremacy in every verse.

Indeed, Allah (ﷻ) knows best.