Who will come first, Imam Mehdi or the Dajjal? Please list the signs and events that will set the stage for their arrival.

MAJOR SIGNS LEADING TO THE DAY OF JUDGMENT%0D%0A%0D%0A1. Muslims reach the peak of their military power.%0D%0A2. AL-MAHDI will appear just before the time of the Dajjaal. He will call to%0D%0Athe true Islam, and will be a military leader.%0D%0A3. THE DAJJAAL will come claiming to be god holding Heaven and Hell. His%0D%0Apurpose is to deceive, and unbelievers will follow him.%0D%0A4. EESA (Alayhis salaam), will descend at the time of Fajr Salaat on a%0D%0AMasjid in Damascus, Syria. He will call people back to Islam, but he will%0D%0Aalso be a military leader. The people of the book will revert to Islam, and%0D%0Awealth will be super-abundant. He will break the cross, kill the swine, and%0D%0Aslay the Dajjaal.he will stay on Earth for a long time thereafter, and then%0D%0Adie.%0D%0A5. THE DAABBAH (an animal) will come and call people back to Islam. The%0D%0Adescription of the animal is unknown.%0D%0A6. JAJOOJ AND MAJOOJ (two hidden tribes of people) will break free of the%0D%0Adam that holds them back, and ravage the earth. They will drink all the%0D%0Awater, and kill people until Allah sends against them a worm which will wipe%0D%0Athem out. This is roughly before %2F during the time of Eesa (Alayhis salaam),%0D%0Aalthough it is not entirely clear.%0D%0A7. SMOKE will appear all over the earth which will cause believers to catch%0D%0Asomething similar to a slight cold, whereas the unbelievers will be hit%0D%0Aharder by it. Finally, a cold wind will come and kill all believers, leaving%0D%0Aonly unbelievers on the earth who will then witness the LAST HOUR. The angel%0D%0AIsrafil will blow a trumpet, and the resurrection of all human beings will%0D%0Abegin. At this point, the Day of Resurrection commences in which the skies%0D%0Aand earth are destroyed by Allah, the Mighty.%0D%0A%0D%0AHOW TO PROTECT ONESELF FROM THE DAJJAAL%0D%0AThe Dajjaal will come at a time when the Muslims emerge victorious from the%0D%0Aal-Malhamah. His purpose will be to destroy the Islamic military power which%0D%0Awill have defeated, the Christians. However, the Muslims will not put down%0D%0Atheir arms but will prepare themselves to fight the Dajjaal. It is the duty%0D%0Aof every Muslim to fight the Dajjaal if he lives to witness him, by joining%0D%0Athe Muslim forces under the banner of Jihaad the sake of preserving the%0D%0ADeen.%0D%0A%0D%0AProphet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) warned us, 'Whoever hears%0D%0Aabout the coming of the Dajjaal should stay away from him because by Allah,%0D%0Aa man could come to him believing he is a strong believer but then he follow%0D%0Ahim because of the doubts he will spread.' (Abu Dawud). He (Sallallaahu%0D%0AAlayhi Wasallam) has shown us how to protect ourselves from the Dajjaal.%0D%0A%0D%0ASEEK REFUGE WITH ALLAH%0D%0AProphet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) commanded the Muslims to seek%0D%0Arefuge with Allah from the Dajjaal in every Salaat. He, himself, used to say%0D%0Aa supplication at the end of each prayer after the last tashahhud which%0D%0Ameans, 'O Allah! I seek refuge with you from the punishment of Hell and from%0D%0Athe punishment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the%0D%0Atribulations of the Dajjaal.' (Muslim)%0D%0A%0D%0ATHE CAVE (Surah al-Kahf)%0D%0AProphet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) told us as reported in the%0D%0ASahih of Muslim, that whoever lives to witness the Dajjaal, let him memorise%0D%0Aand recite the last ten verses of Surah al-Kahf (Chapter 18) and he will be%0D%0Aprotected from the Dajjaal.%0D%0A%0D%0ATAKING REFUGE IN MAKKAH AND MADINAH%0D%0AProphet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, 'There will be no town%0D%0Athe Dajjaal will not visit, except Makkah and Madinah, for all of their%0D%0Agates will be guarded by angels that will be surrounding the.' (Bukhari and%0D%0AMuslim). So, it is there that Muslims will be safe from the Dajjaal.%0D%0A%0D%0AAl-Jumuah vol.11 issue9