DĀBBATU ʾL-ARẒ (دابة الارض). Lit. “The Reptile of the Earth.” A monster who shall arise in the last day, and shall cry unto the people of the earth that mankind have not believed in the revelations of God (vide Qurʾān, [Sūrah xxvii. 84]): “And when sentence falls upon them we will bring forth a beast out of the earth, that shall speak to them and say, ‘Men of our signs would not be sure.’ ” According to the Traditions he will be the third sign of the coming resurrection, and will come forth from the mountain of Ṣufah. (Mishkāt, xxiii. c. iv.) Both Sale and Rodwell have confounded the Dābbatu ʾl-Arẓ with Al-Jassāsah, the spy, mentioned in a tradition by Fāt̤imah (Mishkāt, xxiii. c. iv.), and which is held to be a demon now in existence. [AL-JASSASAH.] For a description of the Dābbah, see the article on the [RESURRECTION].
DABŪR (دبور). “The West wind.” A term used by the Ṣūfīs to express the lust of the flesh, and its overwhelming power in the heart of man. (ʿAbdu ʾr-Razzāq’s Dictionary of Ṣūfī Terms.)
DAHHĀ (دهها). Plural of the Persian ده, ten. The ten days of the Muḥarram, during which public mourning for ʿAlī and his sons is observed by Shīʿah Muḥammadans. (Wilson’s Glossary of Indian Terms.)
AD-DAHR (الدهر). “A long space of time.” A title given to the LXXVIth chapter of the Qurʾān; called also Sūratu ʾl-Insān, “The Chapter of Man.” The title is taken from the first verse of the chapter: “Did not there pass over man a long space of time?”
DAHRĪ (دهرى). One who believes in the eternity of matter, and asserts that the duration of this world is from eternity, and denies the Day of Resurrection and Judgment; an Atheist. (G͟hiyās̤u ʾl-Lug͟hāt, in loco.)
DAIN (دين). A debt contracted with some definite term fixed for repayment, as distinguished from qarẓ, which is used for a loan given without any fixed term for repayment. [[DEBT].]
DAJJĀL (دجال). Lit. “false, lying.” The name given in the Ḥadīs̤ to certain religious impostors who shall appear in the world; a term equivalent to our use of the word Antichrist. Muḥammad is related to have said there would be about thirty.
The Masīḥu ʾd-Dajjāl, or “the lying Christ,” it is said, will be the last of the Dajjāls, for an account of whom refer to article on [MASIHU ʾD-DAJJAL].
DALĪL (دليل). “An argument; a proof.” Dalīl burhānī, “a convincing argument.” Dalīl qat̤īʿ, “a decisive proof.”
DAMASCUS. Arabic Dimashq. According to Jalālu ʾd-dīn Suyūt̤ī, Damascus is the second sacred city in Syria, Jerusalem being the first; and some have thought it must be the “Iram of the columns” mentioned in the Qurʾān, [Sūrah lxxxix. 6], although this is not the view of most Muslim writers. [[IRAM].] Damascus is not mentioned in the Qurʾān. With regard to the date of the erection of the city, Muḥammadan historians differ. Some say it was built by a slave named Dimashq, who belonged to Abraham, having been given to the patriarch by Nimrod; others say Dimashq was a slave belonging to Alexander the Great, and that the city was built in his day.