Dajjal will Rule Iraq

Haitham bin Malik at-Tai narrates in marfu form, “Dajjal (before his proclamation of divinity) will rule over Iraq for two years, in which his justice will be praised and people will be drawn to him. Then he will one day ascend the pulpit and make a speech about Iraq (that I have established justice here). Then he will come before the people and say, ‘Has the time not come for you to recognize your Lord?’ On this a man will ask, ‘And who is our Lord?’ Dajjal will reply, ‘I am.’ On hearing this one of Allah’s servants will refute him. So Dajjal will seize him and kill him.” [Recorded in Al-Fitan by Nuaim ibn Hammad.]

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) detailed for his Ummah the trials that will befall them. Will people not recognize Dajjal with his defective eyes and Kafir written on his forehead, while he is ruling Iraq before his declaration? Perhaps he does not show himself publicly before he ascends the pulpit to make this speech. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) knows best.

Abu Bakr bin Abi Maryam is a weak narrator in the chain of transmission of this hadith. [Majmu Az-Zawa’id] This lowers the authenticity of this hadith and it cannot be taken as an absolute prediction. However, should such events unfold, we should be able to recognize them.