Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Salaam Alaikum,

Could you please consider the following Ahadith :

(2) Sahih Al-Bukhari HadithHadith 9.206 Narrated byHudhaifa bin Al Yaman

The people used to ask Allah`s Apostle about the good but I used to ask him about the evil lest I should be overtaken by them. So I said, "O Allah`s Apostle! We were living in ignorance and in an (extremely) worst atmosphere, then Allah brought to us this good (i.e., Islam); will there be any evil after this good?" He said, "Yes." I said, "Will there be any good after that evil?" He replied, "Yes, but it will be tainted (not pure.)" I asked, "What will be its taint?" He replied, )There will be) some people who will guide others not according to my tradition. You will approve of some of their deeds and disapprove of some others." I asked, "Will there be any evil after that good?" He replied, "Yes, (there will be) some people calling at the gates of the (Hell) Fire, and whoever will respond to their call, will be thrown by them into the (Hell) Fire." I said, "O Allah s Apostle! Will you describe them to us?" He said, "They will be from our own people and will speak our language." I said, "What do you order me to do if such a state should take place in my life?" He said, "Stick to the group of Muslims and their Imam (ruler)." I said, "If there is neither a group of Muslims nor an Imam (ruler)?" He said, "Then turn away from all those sects even if you were to bite (eat) the roots of a tree till death overtakes you while you are in that state."

Could you please explain the above hadith or elaborate it.

JazakAllah Khair

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Answer:

Explanation of Prophecy Hadith

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The above hadith quoted is indeed regarded as authentic by the scholars of hadith. In the above hadith and many more similar hadiths, the Messenger of Allah (saws) prophesized about the evil times of trial that would befall the Muslim Ummah after his death. If one looks at the history of the muslims in the 1400+ years after the Prophet (saws), such people and sects as prophesized by the Prophet (saws) did arise, and will continue to arise until the end of time.

All Praises are due to Allah Subhanah Alone, Who sent us His Messenger to guide the believers on how to best face these trials when they arise.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 2335 Narrated by Abu Dharr

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘Verily there would arise from my Ummah after me or soon after me a group (of people) who would recite the Qur'an, but it would not go beyond their throats, and they would pass clean through their religion just as the arrow passes through the prey, and they would never come back to it. They would be the worst among the creation and the creatures.’

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3700 Narrated by Ka'b ibn Ujrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said to him, "I commend you to Allah to protect you from the rulership of the foolish." He asked what that was, and Allah's Messenger (saws) replied, "After my time governors will arise whose falsehood will be believed and who will be assisted in their oppression by those who enter their presence. They have nothing to do with me and I have nothing to do with them, and they will never come down to me at the Reservoir (Al-Kawthar). But they who do not enter their presence, do not believe in their falsehood and do not help them in their oppression, those belong to me and I belong to them, and those ones will come down to me at the Reservoir (Al-Kawthar)."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.175 Narrated by Abdullah

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to us, "You will see after me, selfishness (on the part of other people) and other matters that you will disapprove of." They asked, "What do you order us to do, O Allah's Messenger (under such circumstances)?" He (saws) said, "Pay their rights to them (to the rulers), and ask your right from Allah."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 171 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘There will befall my Ummah exactly (all those) evils which befell the people of Isra'il, so much so that if there was one amongst them who openly committed fornication with his mother, there will be among my Ummah one who will do that, and if the people of Isra'il were fragmented into seventy-two sects my Ummah will be fragmented into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in Hell Fire except one sect.’ They (the Companions) said: ‘ O Allah's Messenger (saws), which is that?’ Whereupon he (saws) said: ‘It is one to which I and my companions belong.’

In the last sermon delivered on the 9^th of Dhul Hijaah 10 A.H. in the Uranah Valley of Mount Arafat by the Messenger of Allah (saws), he summed up his advice and guidance to the believers in these beautiful words:

"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I don't know whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city, as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one, so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds. Allah has forbidden you to take usury (Interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived...

Beware of Shaitaan, for your safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have right over you. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to commit adultery.

O People, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadhan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to. You know that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. You are all equal. Nobody has superiority over other except by piety and good action.

Remember, one day you will appear before Allah and answer for your deeds. So beware, do not astray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand my words which I convey to you.

I leave behind me two things, the Qur'an and my example, the Sunnah, and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others, and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me direcly. Be my witness O Allah that I have conveyed your message to your people."

Thus, in conclusion, no matter what trials befall the Muslim Ummah, we must adhere to the advice and guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to save ourselves individually and collectively from the Anger and Wrath of Allah Subhanah:

1. Unconditionally obey and follow the Quran and Sunnah.
2. Stay within the Ummah of the true believers, and do not be tempted to break away and form sects on small differences.
3. In the impossible situation where the trials and tribulations upon practicing Islam become so overbearing that there are no muslims and/or no Ameer; then isolate oneself away from all the differences and sects and adhere to the Quran and Sunnah in an individual capacity until death overtakes him.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.519 Narrated by Abu Said al Khudri

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "There will come a time when the best property of a man will be sheep which he will graze on the tops of mountains and the places where rain falls (i.e. pastures, valleys, etc.), escaping to protect his religion from afflictions."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.206 (part) Narrated by Hudhaifa bin Al Yaman

…..He (saws) said, "Then turn away from all those sects even if you were to bite (eat) the roots of a tree till death overtakes you while you are in that state."

May Allah have Mercy upon the Ummah of Islam, and save us and the believers to come after us, from the trials which would befall the Ummah. Allah Alone is the Protector of the believers.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan