hadith of fitan

Discussion in 'Hadith' started by Aqdas, Aug 30, 2014.

Draft saved Draft deleted
  1. Aqdas

    Aqdas Staff Member

    I think this is significant in our times where there's a lot of fitna from Arabs like perennialism.
     
  2. abu Hasan

    abu Hasan Administrator

    ------------------
    Summarised and rephrased from Álī al-Qārī’s Mirqāt al-Mafātīĥ, 10/8-11:
    [Note: This is not a verbatim translation, and I have omitted certain points such as grammar notes or short descriptions already incorporated in the translation.]
    ------------------
    {People} most of them [among companions]

    {about good} about good deeds so they may strive to do them, or about good fortune and prosperity [that Muslims may attain in future] to use it as a means for success in the hereafter.

    {I would ask him about evil} about sins or tribulations.

    {fearful that it would apprehend me} that evil may grab me by itself or I would be seized by circumstances that would shove me into evil. Ţībī has said that evil here refers to tribulations; and weakness and in holding* firmly to Islām, the dominance of misguidance and prevalence of heresies.
    [*because Islām will not be subdued.]

    {We were steeped in ignorance} in days when ignorance was widespread, the pagan times [jāhiliyyah]

    {evil} disbelief [and polytheism of pagan times]

    {Allāh táālā has given us this good} the greatest good, that is Islām – by the munificence of your coming [biýthah]

    {unclear} dakhan: meaning turbid, greyish. The good that follows after the first period of evil will be marred by lack of clarity and darkness. [Ibn Ĥajar: foggy, smoky – dukhān ]

    {instruct contradicting my guidance} instruct people to follow things which are contrary to the way of the Prophet şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam and adopt traits that are averse to the noble character of the Prophet şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam.

    {enjoin some of it and reject} that is you will see some things in them which are from our religion, and you will also reject other things [as you will recognise] as not from our religion. It is also said that the objectionable things they do will be rejected [citing Ashraf].

    Ţībī said that it could mean two things:
    1. That you will see both good and evil in them; the good, you will recognise and accept; and the evil as well, you will recognise and reject. [description of those times]

    2. That you will see both good and evil in them: the good, you should recognise and accept; and the evil, you should recognise and reject – thus it is generic and exhortation for everyone to do so. [here it is an imperative]
    [Álī al-Qārī says:] The second opinion is obviously debatable, because not everybody is capable of recognising good and evil; and therefore, this is addressed to a specific class of people like Ĥudhayfah and others like him among righteous and knowledgeable folk.

    It is also said that the first evil is the tribulation following the murder of [our master] Úthmān rađiyAllāhu ánhū; and the second period of good, is the khilāfah of Úmar ibn Ábd al-Aziz rađiyAllāhu ánhū – and between these two epochs are people who are good and bad; righteous and heretics, and those who are tyrants – and those who have good traits and bad as well.

    It is also said that the first evil is the tribulation after the martyrdom of [our master] Úthmān rađiyAllāhu ánhū and the second good is the truce between [our masters] Ĥasan and Muáāwiyah rađiyAllāhu ánhumā; and [thereafter] unclear, as in the reign of some rulers like Ziyad in Iraq and those who opposed among Khawārij etc.

    {Yes. Callers upon the doors of hell} Daýi – proselyte, preacher; plural, duáāt. [incidentally, that is the description of many celebrity ‘scholars’ prefer these days: daýi this, daýi that.]

    Ashraf said: A group of people who beckon towards heresies and prevent people from the rightly guided path [hudā] by masquerade of virtue [talbīs].

    The Prophet şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam indicated that the invitations of such preachers and those who accept their invitation, cause them to enter hell; and every kind of imposture is thus deemed as a door to hell.

    {accepts them} such preachers, such ‘callers’

    {cast them in it} their ‘calling’ is the cause for them to go astray and thus fall into hell. It is also said that the ‘callers’ here refers to groups like Khawārij and Rawāfiđ who sought power [mulk] without eligibility for leadership and authority.

    {They are of our skin} from our community and our families. [as mentioned in Nihāyah].

    [Ibn Ĥajar: There is indication here that they will be Arabs; Qābisi said: They are from our community outwardly but in reality, inside they are against us]

    {speak in our tongues} either in Arabic, or in the [tongue of] sermon and wisdom [mawāyiż, ĥikam] and they will say things which are not in their hearts.
    [by saying our ‘tongues,’ our Master şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam has indicated that Islām will spread among all civilisations and thus not just Arabic – rather, they speak in our tongues, tongues of Muslims, and of wisdom, taşawwuf, citing Qur’ān and ĥadīth, etc. wAllahu aálam].

    {are not in a group} if they are not united

    {do not have a leader} who can unite them; this indicates either the absence of one or both: the group and leader.

    {Withdraw from all those factions} heretical factions; groups that have strayed from the right path, the way of Ahl as-Sunnah.

    {to gnaw the root of a tree} Grasp anything that can help you to remain steadfast in your withdrawal from these groups – even if it is such a thing that cannot sustain you. It is an overstatement to mean: keep away from such astray groups even if you have to endure extreme hardship. [Ibn Ĥajar: It is better for you to die gnawing at the root of a tree than join or follow such people.]

    -----
    {there shall rise among them men, whose hearts are hearts of devils} similar to the devil’s heart in darkness and hardness; whispering, insinuation, subterfuge, ridiculous opinions and wicked desires.
     
  3. abu Hasan

    abu Hasan Administrator

    Narrated by Ĥudhayfah rađiyAllāhu ánhū said: People would ask RasūlAllāh şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam about good; and I would ask him about evil afraid that it would apprehend me.

    And he said: “I said: O Messenger of Allāh!
    We were (steeped) in ignorance and evil, and Allāh táālā has brought us this good; will there be evil after this good?”

    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam said: “Yes”

    I asked: “Will there be good after that evil?”

    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam replied: “Yes, but it will be
    unclear

    I asked: “What is
    [the cause of] its being unclear?

    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam replied: “A group of people [qawm]
    who will promote customs [yastannūn] that are different from my way [sunnah] and will instruct [people] contradicting my guidance. You will enjoin some of it and reject [some].”

    I asked: “Will there be evil [again] after such good?”


    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam replied: “
    Yes. Callers upon the doors of hell. Whoever accepts them, they will cast them in it.”

    I said: “O Messenger of Allāh! Describe them [to us].”

    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam said: “
    They are of our skin, and they speak in our tongues.”

    I said: “What do you bid me do if I encounter that [age].”

    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam said: “Hold fast unto the group of Muslims [jamāáh] and their leader.”

    I said: “What if they
    are not in a group, or if they do not have a leader?”

    He said: “
    Withdraw from all those factions [firaq] even if you would to gnaw the root of a tree, until death takes you away in that condition.”
     
  4. abu Hasan

    abu Hasan Administrator

    Bismillāhir Raĥmānir Raĥīm
    Mishkāt al-Maşābīĥ, #5382, Bukhārī #7084, Muslim #1847


    Narrated by Ĥudhayfah rađiyAllāhu ánhū said: People would ask RasūlAllāh şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam about good; and I would ask him about evil afraid that it would apprehend me.

    And he said: “I said: O Messenger of Allāh! We were (steeped) in ignorance and evil, and Allāh táālā has brought us this good; will there be evil after this good?”


    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam said: “Yes”


    I asked: “Will there be good after that evil?”


    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam replied: “Yes, but it will be unclear”


    I asked: “What is [the cause of] its being unclear?”


    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam replied: “A group of people [qawm] who will promote customs [yastannūn] that are different from my way [sunnah] and will guide [people] contradicting my guidance. You will enjoin some of it and reject [some].”


    I asked: “Will there be evil [again] after such good?”


    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam replied: “Yes. Callers on the doors of hell. Whoever accepts them, they will cast them in it.”


    I said: “O Messenger of Allāh! Describe them [to us].”


    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam said: “They are of our skin, and they speak in our tongues.”


    I said: “What do you bid me do if I encounter that [age].”


    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam said: “Hold fast unto the group of Muslims [jamāáh] and their leader.”


    I said: “What if they are not in a group, or if they do not have a leader?”


    He said: “Withdraw from all those factions [firaq] even if you would have to gnaw the root of a tree, until death takes you away in that condition.”


    [This ĥadīth is reported by both Bukhārī and Muslim.]


    ---------------------------------

    In the report of Muslim:

    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam said: “There will be leaders [ayimmah] after me, who will not show the way according to my guidance, nor follow my path [sunnatī]; and there shall rise among them men, whose hearts are hearts of devils in the bodies of men.”

    Ĥudhayfah says: “What shall I do, O Messenger of Allāh, if I encounter [those times]?”


    He şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam said: “Hear and obey the leader [amīr] even if your back is beaten and your wealth is taken away – hear and obey”.
     

Share This Page