What is the status of this narration?
Ibn Jurayj (rahimahullah) reported that Abuz Zubayr (rahimahullah) described the beast and said:
Its head is like the head of a bull, its eyes are like the eyes of a pig, its ears are like the ears of an elephant, its horns are like the horns of a stag, its neck is like the neck of an ostrich, its chest is like the chest of a lion, its colour is like the colour of a tiger, its haunches are like the haunches of a cat, its tail is like the tail of a ram, and its legs are like the legs of a camel. Between each of its joints is a distance of twelve cubits. It will bring out with it the staff of Musa (‘alayhis salam) and the ring of Sulayman (‘alayhis salam). There will be no believer left without it making a white spot on his face, which will spread until all his face is shining white as a result; and there will be no disbeliever left without it making a black spot on his face, which will spread until all his face is black as a result, then when the people trade with one another in the marketplace, they will say, `How much is this, O believer’ `How much is this, O disbeliever’ And when the members of one household sit down together to eat, they will know who is a believer and who is a disbeliever. Then the beast will say: `O so-and-so, enjoy yourself, for you are among the people of Jannah.’ And it will say: `O so-and-so, you are among the people of Jahannam
Answer
Imam Ibn Abi Hatim (rahimahullah) has recorded the narration in question in his Tafsir.
(Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim, Surah: 27, verse: 82)
This lenghty narration is the description of Abuz Zubayr -who was a Tabi’i (rahimahullah) and should be quoted as such.
It is highly possible that he may have had a chain for this leading up to Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wa sallam).
I have come across a shorter version of this narration, which is reported from Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and may be quoted as an explicit Hadith of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).
The narration is as follows:
Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“The beast will appear with ring of Sulayman (‘alayhis salam) and the staff of Musa (‘alayhis salam). It will brighten the faces of the believers and stamp the noses of the disbelievers with the ring, so much so that when people gather at a table, they will say O Kafir, O Muslim (they will know who is a believer and who is a disbeliever).”
(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3187, Musnad Ahmad, vol. 2 pg. 295 and Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 4 pg. 486)
Imam Tirmidhi (rahimahullah) has graded the above Hadith as sound (hasan)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar