Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I saw myself (in a dream) near the Ka`ba last night, and I saw a man with whitish red complexion, the best you may see amongst men of that complexion having long hair reaching his earlobes which was the best hair of its sort, and he had combed his hair and water was dropping from it, and he was performing the Tawaf around the Ka`ba while he was leaning on two men or on the shoulders of two men. I asked, 'Who is this man?' Somebody replied, '(He is) Messiah, son of Mary.' Then I saw another man with very curly hair, blind in the right eye which looked like a protruding out grape. I asked, 'Who is this?' Somebody replied, '(He is) Messiah, Ad-Dajjal.'"
Interpretation of Dreams - Sahih al-Bukhari 6999
This authentic narration from the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) contains profound spiritual insights through divinely-inspired dreams. The vision of two distinct messianic figures serves as guidance for the Muslim community until the Day of Judgment.
The Vision of Jesus, Son of Mary
The description of Jesus (Isa ibn Maryam) as "whitish red complexion" indicates nobility and purity in Islamic tradition. His long hair reaching earlobes represents moderate beauty, avoiding extremes. The combed hair with dripping water signifies spiritual purity and preparation for worship. Leaning on two men during Tawaf demonstrates his human nature and need for support, refuting claims of divinity.
His performance of Tawaf around the Ka'ba confirms his status as a Muslim prophet following Abrahamic monotheism. This vision foretells Jesus' return before the Day of Judgment, when he will break the cross, abolish the jizya, and establish Islamic law.
The Vision of the False Messiah
Ad-Dajjal's description as having "very curly hair" represents distortion and deception. His blindness in the right eye symbolizes the corruption of spiritual perception - the right side traditionally representing truth and goodness in Islamic symbolism. The eye resembling "a protruding out grape" indicates its unnatural, repulsive appearance.
This detailed description serves as divine protection, enabling believers to recognize the ultimate deceiver. The contrast between the two figures establishes the eternal struggle between truth and falsehood, with Jesus ultimately defeating Ad-Dajjal upon his return.
Scholarly Commentary
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani notes that this dream occurred during the Prophet's night journey (Isra'), making it a true vision rather than ordinary dreaming. The specific details provide authentic identifiers to protect future generations from deception.
Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that the Prophet's dreams were revelations from Allah, serving as warnings and guidance. The placement of this vision near the Ka'ba underscores the centrality of pure monotheism in distinguishing truth from falsehood.
Contemporary scholars highlight the ongoing relevance of this narration, reminding Muslims to adhere to Quranic teachings and Prophetic guidance as protection against modern ideological deviations and false messianic claims.