Trials of al-Ahlas, as-Sarra and ad-Duhayma
Introduction
This tradition describes the condition of Muslims in the days that precede the appearance of the Dajjal (Antichrist). They will suffer from conflicts and wars that may destroy the Islamic world. However, these troubles and trials will result in the establishment of an Islamic state which will confront the Romans in a bloody and fierce battle as described by the Prophet (ﷺ). This will be the greatest battle of all history. In this battle, Muslims will gain victory, and then open Constantinople as will be explained in the following stories.
Text of the Hadith
Abdullah bin ‘Umar (رضي الله عنه) said, “While we were sitting with the Apostle of Allah (ﷺ), he talked about periods of trials (fitan), and mentioned many of them. When he mentioned the trial of Ahlas someone asked him, ‘O’ Messenger of Allah! What is this trial of Ahlas?”
He said, ‘It will be flight and plunder. Then there will be a test which is pleasant. Its murkiness will be due to the fact that it will be caused by a man who will claim that he is my descendant. In fact, he is not (my descendant), (as for me) my friends (descendants) are only the God-fearing. Afterwards, people will unite under a man who will be like a hipbone on a rib. Next, there will be a little black trial (Duhayma’) which will leave none of this community without slapping, and when people say it is finished, it will be extended. During this trial, a man will be a believer in the morning and an infidel in the evening. People will be in two camps: the camp of faith which will contain no hypocrisy and the camp of hypocrisy which will contain no faith. When this happens, expect the Antichrist (ad-Dajjal) that day or the next.”
[This hadith was narrated by Abu Dawud in “The Book of al-Fitan wal Malahim (Trials and War)” in the chapter entitled: “The Mentioning of Fitan (Trials) and its Portents”, hadith no. 4242. It is in Sahih Sunan Abu Dawud no. 3568. Its isnad is sahih as ash-Shaykh Nasir ad-Din al-Albani said. See Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, 10/309, hadith no. 6168, the edition of ar-Risalah Institution]
Explanation of the Hadith
In this tradition, the Prophet (ﷺ) informed us about the conditions of Muslims in the days prior to the appearance of the Dajjal (Antichrist). He said that Muslims will be disintegrated and disunited. They will suffer from a number of consecutive trials and hard times that will destroy their state. Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, “The one-eyed Dajjal will appear in the east at a time when people will be disintegrated and disunited.”
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) mentioned three consecutive periods of trials: the Ahlas Trial, the as-Sarra’ Trial, and the ad-Duhayma’ Trial.
The Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) asked him about the Ahlas Trial. He said, “It is flight and plunder.” It can be inferred from this tradition that Muslims will be weak and fragmented in their struggle against their enemies. Because of this, they will run away from their enemies who will seize their land, property, and houses.
This trial will be followed by the Trial of Pleasure (as-Sarra’) in which fighting will be about position and wealth as its name indicates. The man who will instigate this trial will claim that he is a descendant of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). However, the Prophet (ﷺ) belied him because he is not a descendent of the Prophet’s family or because he is not God-fearing, impious, and does not take the Prophet (ﷺ) as an example to follow. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) accepts only the God-fearing people to be his descendents and followers.
This trial will end by selecting someone to be the leader of the two groups. However, this compromise will not last long as it will be a result of a fragile settlement of the conflict but does not address the causes of the conflict. The new leader will be defunct and will not keep his position for long.
The Pleasure Trial (as-Sarra’) will be followed by the Black Trial (ad- Duhayma’). It is given this name because of its severity and comprehensiveness. Many horrible things will occur and it will injure and humiliate all Muslims.
This trial will last for a long time and whenever Muslims feel that it is finished, it will flare up again fiercer than before. It will not be restricted to fighting with the sword, but will include ideological conflicts and differences in which each party will do its best to convince the other of their views. Thus, people will become confused and consequently, they will convert from Islam to polytheism and from guidance to misguidance. A man will be a believer in the morning, but he will become a disbeliever by the evening. Finally, Muslims will split into two camps or states: a state of faith and belief without any hypocrisy and another state of hypocrisy devoid of faith. At this point, the appearance of the Dajjal will be near.
Later, I will discuss the state of faith which will result from the Black Trial. At that time, Muslims will have a powerful state whose army will exit Medina and settle in Damascus. It will be the army that will fight the Romans in the Battle of Malhamah, the greatest battle in history. This army will defeat the Romans after receiving support from various parts of the Islamic World. It will then conquer Constantinople a second time. These people will be the ones to whom the Dajjal will come and besiege, and to whom Isa [Jesus] will come down, thus killing the Dajjal and his evil supporters.
Morals of the Story
1. This tradition describes the condition of the Islamic World prior to the appearance of the Dajjal. Muslims will be in a state of disintegration and will go through a number of trials that will overshadow the entire Islamic World.
2. There will be righteous believers at that time and they will disagree with their opponents for a long time.
3. War and fighting will lead to the split of the Islamic World into two camps: the State of pure faith and belief and the state of hypocrisy devoid of faith.
4. The trials that will befall the Islamic World have the names indicated in the tradition: Ahlās (Saddlecloth), Sarra’ (Pleasure) and Duhayma (Black). The tradition explained the events that would happen in those two trials.
5. Muslims are advised to be careful in dealing with the man who will cause the Pleasure Trial. He is a liar because he claims he is a descendent from the Prophet’s family. The friends of the Prophet (ﷺ) are the god-fearing and pious ones.
6. The compromise that Muslims will end up with regarding the new leader will not last long because it contains details that lead to its failure.
7. Severe doubts will be raised which will make people confused to the extent that a believer in the morning will become a non-believer in the evening.
8. Trials will end with good results because Muslims will form a strong state of faith and belief that will play an important role in future events.
Excerpt taken from the book ‘Stories of the Unseen’ by Dr. ‘Umar Sulayman al-Ashqar
Precious Gems from the Quran and Sunnah 