Twenty-four years ago I saw in a dream that I was standing in the middle of a vast plain and a monster in the form of a huge serpent was approaching in the distance. Its proportions might have been as much as twenty yards in length and a thickness of the trunk of a giant tree. As the monster approached, it seemed that it had started from one end of the earth, devouring everything along the way. When it reached the point where I was standing, it turned towards an Ahmadi, who started to run to escape the reptile. At that moment, I grabbed a big staff and started to chase the monster in order to rescue the Ahmadi. But I found that the monster was running so fast that I had no chance of overtaking it. All the same, I continued to run, and then I saw that the Ahmadi had reached a tree, which he started to climb in haste. But before he could climb high enough, the reptile reached him and swallowed the Ahmadi in a single mouthful. Then the monster turned in anger at me for having tried to rescue its prey. But as it ran to attack me I saw the frame of a charpai (Indian bedstead) lying close to where I stood. As soon as the serpent came close, I jumped on to this frame and managed to stand astride on its two opposite bars. As the reptile came closer, I heard some people asking me how I could hope to fight it when the Holy Prophet(sa) had said that there was no one who could subdue it.
I realised then that this monster was none other than the Gog and Magog to whom this hadith referred and that the monster was in fact the dajjal. At that point, I raised both hands towards heaven in prayer for God’s help and protection. Responding to the Ahmadis by my side who had pointed out to me the futility trying to fight the monster, I said that I did not seek to fight it through my own powers, but through the power of prayer; and that victory by this means was not precluded by what the Holy Prophet(sa) had said. As I prayed, I noticed a change was coming over the serpent, just like little mountain insects that start to melt when salt is poured over them. I noticed that it had started to lose its fire and speed, until it became completely dormant. It then assumed a jelly-like form, which melted into watery liquid that began to flow away. I turned to my companions and said, ‘Did you observe the power of prayer? Of course, I did not have the strength to overcome the danger I faced, but my God certainly had the power to remove it’.