In the Light of the Prophecies of the Prophet (saw)
By Shaykh Saleem al-Hilaalee [1]
1. The State of the Ummah (Muslim Nation)
3. Events to befall this Ummah
4. First type of Weakness explained
5. Second type of weakness 6. Striking a Balance 8. The Initial Strangeness10. Notes
We should know that the Messenger of Allah (saw) was sent by Allah to the whole of mankind, to explain and to make clear to them all that which is good and brings one closer to Allah; and also to explain to them all that is evil and would distance a person from Allah. The reason for this being, that life - with all its variety, colours and manifestations - is built upon two important matters: -
Firstly: Knowing the good - in order to follow it.
Secondly: Knowing the evil - in order to keep away from it.
So, for example, in the matter of Tawheed of
Allah (to single out Allah alone for worship) - the crux of Islam - it is built
eemaan (faith) in Allah and the rejection of shirk [2], kufr [3]
and taaghoot [4]. Eemaan in Allah is good, whilst belief in at-taaghoot
is evil. Thus, it is a must to recognise that which is good in order to follow
it, whilst knowing also that which is evil so as to keep away from it. Likewise,
in the matter of da'wah (calling) to Allah, which is built upon commanding
the good (ma'roof) and forbidding the evil (munkar). To command
the ma'roof is good and is to be followed, whilst munkar is evil
and is to be shunned. Likewise, in ittibaa' (following of) the prophet
(saw), which is built upon following his sunnah and turning away from bida'
(religious innovations). Sunnah is good and is to be followed, whilst
bida' is evil and is to be shunned.
Events to Befall this Ummah
The prophet (saw) informed us of events which will
befall this Ummah (i.e. Muslim peoples), some of these narrations speak of good
for this Ummah - indicating also that the future, power and honour is for the
Muslims; and that they will be established in the land. Other narrations warn
us against those evil matters, that which would distance us from Allah - the
Most High - and make us weak in front of the nations. We will discuss some
of these narrations which mention the two types of weaknesses.
First Type of Weakness Explained
The first of these narrations is that of Thawbaan
(ra) the freed slave of the prophet (saw). He related that the messenger of Allah
said:
"The nations are about to call each other and set upon you, just as diners set upon food."
It was said: "Will it be because of our small number that day?"
He said: "Rather, on that day you will be many, but you will be like foam, like the foam on the river. And Allah will remove the fear of you from the hearts of your enemies and will throw wahn (weakness) into your hearts."
Someone said: "O Messenger of Allah! What is Wahn?"
He said: "Love of the world and the hatred
for death."[5]
This hadeeth explains the first form of weakness,
which has befallen the Ummah in all corners of the world, as being a result of
inclination to this world, love of it, and being preoccupied with it, whilst turning
away from the Hereafter, being distant from it and hatred of death. Hatred of
death is a sign of loving this world, since the one who loves this world, hates
death. Since, with death, comes the meeting with Allah - the Most Perfect.
Some Benefits of this Hadeeth
From the hadeeth we can conclude the following: -
[i] That the disbelievers attentively observe
the Muslim Ummah and study their condition, when they see a weakness they strike
at it and if they see a barrier, they destroy it. When they see that the Ummah
cannot defend itself, they do not show mercy, since they are the enemies of Allah.
So they hate the Muslims because they (the Muslims) call to the worship and obedience
of Allah.
[ii] The Muslim lands possess many riches, being
sources of goods and blessings. This is why the enemies of Allah desire these
lands and try to conquer them.
[iii] The Ummah has reached a level where it cannot
defend its honour, riches nor wealth from its conquering enemies.
[iv] The disbelievers have divided the conquered
lands of the Muslims between themselves, just like diners when gathered around
their dish - what do they do? Each of them take their portion until he is full;
and he will not be content with that which is in his plate, except with that which
fills. The prophet (saw), warned us about this fact - the cutting up of the Muslim
lands, for he said: "You will form different armies, an army in Greater Syria
(Shaam), an army in 'Iraaq and an army in Yeman."
I asked: "Which one shall I be with O Messenger
of Allah?"
He said: "I advise you with the (army) of Shaam
and whoever refuses then let him join the Yemen and beware. For indeed Allah -
the Mighty and Majestic-has guaranteed Shaam and its people for me."[6]
[v] That the disbelievers do not fear the Muslims.
At the time of the prophet (saw) when the disbelievers heard that the prophet
was preparing to engage them in battle, they would become fearful and turn on
their heels. This is what happened at the battle of Tabook. At this battle, the
prophet (saw) travelled a months journey to fight the Romans, when they heard
of the Messenger of Allah's (saw) approach they fled. So the prophet (saw) said:
"I have been given five (things) which no
one else before me has been given. I have been aided with fear - a distance of
one month's travelling......." [7]
Allah the - the Most High - states: "Soon
We shall cast terror into the hearts of the disbelievers, for that, they made
Shirk, for which He had sent no authority."
[8]
Indeed, fear is a weapon, which Allah implants in
the hearts of His enemies. This is why the strength of the Muslims, is not in
their great numbers - weapons or wealth - but it is in their aqeedah (belief)
and their adhering to it. For today there are plenty of Muslims, but they are
like foam, like the foam carried by the waves. And their riches are many but cannot
be for them. Rather, it has become the possession of their enemies. For example:
The Muslims today approximate over one billion and they grow in number everyday.
However, at the same time they are the weakest of nations in every country they
are in, being persecuted - why?
Because they have become like foam, like the foam
on the waves. Also, the lands of the Muslims possess many riches and minerals,
but where does it all end up? With the disbelievers in Europe or America, or it
goes to the jews of palestine. The Muslim oil constitutes approximately one third
of the world's reserves, but the Muslims are the poorest of people - why?
Because they do not possess anything from their deen
(religion), except a name. So they call to it, but all their riches now belong
to their enemies.
Second Type of Weakness
The second form of weakness which illustrates the
condition of the Muslims today is their being far from the sunnah (example)
of the messenger of Allah (saw), and being far away from the correct manhaj
(methodology), in a state of innovation.
The prophet (saw) has informed us of this in the
hadeeth of Hudayfah (ra) in which he said: "The people used to ask the Messenger
of Allah (saw) about the good, and I used to ask him about the evil out of fear
that it would reach me.
So I asked the Messenger of Allah: "O Messenger
of Allah, we were living in ignorance and evil, then Allah brought this good to
us. So will there be any evil after this good?"
He replied: "Yes."
I then asked: "Will there be any good after this
evil?"
He replied: "Yes, but it will be tainted."
So I asked: "What will be its taint?"
He replied: "A people who guide others to other
than my way, you will approve of some of their actions and disapprove of others."
I further enquired: "Then is there any evil after
this good?"
He said: "Yes! Callers at the gates of Hell -
whoever responds to their call, they will be thrown into the fire."
I then said: " O Messenger of Allah! Describe
them to us."
He said: "They will be from our people and speak
our language."
I asked: "So what do you order me to do if that
reaches me?"
He said: "Stick to the Jamaa'ah (the united body)
of the Muslims and their Imam (ruler)."
I further asked: "What if they have neither jamaa'ah
or an Imam?"
He said: "Then keep away from all those sects,
even if you have to bite upon the roots of a tree, until death reaches you whilst
you are in that state." [9]
A Brief Explanation
(you will approve of some of their actions and
disapprove of others.)
Meaning: You will accept the Sunnah from them
and reject the bid'ah from them.
(Yes! Callers at the gates of Hell.)
Meaning: Callers inviting to the various deviated
schools of thought which will lead their followers to the hellfire.
(whoever responds to their call, they will be
thrown into the fire.)
Meaning: Whoever obeys the callers of innovation
and misguidance then his end will be the fire, because the Prophet (saw) has said:
"Every innovation is misguidance and every misguidance is in the fire."
[10]
So the innovation is in the fire along with its companion.
Whoever obeys the callers of innovation will be led to the Fire and whosoever
obeys the callers of Sunnah will be led to Paradise.
(Stick to the jamaa'ah of the Muslims and their
Imam)
Meaning: Stick to the Islamic Empire if they have
one. So you migrate to it, live amongst the Muslims, and do not remain in the
lands of the disbelievers. And you give the bay'ah (oath of allegiance)
to the leader of the Muslims - if they have one.
(I asked: What if they neither have a jamaa'ah or
an Imam?)
Meaning: Like today
(Then keep away from all those sects.)
Meaning: Keep away from the callers of misguidance
and (religious) innovation, neither being of them, nor aiding or supporting them.
(Even if you have to bite upon the roots of a
tree.)
Meaning: Adhere to the Sunnah and cling to its foundations.
The meaning of this is not remain in your house and abandon the calling to Allah,
nor abandon ordering the good and the prohibiting of evil, since the Prophet (saw)
said "Hold fast to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of my rightly guided caliphs
- cling (lit. bite) to it tightly." [11]
And here, in this hadeeth, he has ordered them to
cling (lit. bite) to the roots of a tree. So the (roots of a tree) here means
the Sunnah.
(Until death reaches you whilst you are in that
state.)
Meaning: To die in a state of Islam, as in the saying
of Allah:
Striking A Balance
The Prophet (saw) has explained in many other ahadeeth
that clinging to this world, loving it - whilst neglecting the Hereafter and giving
a greater share to worldly matters at the expense of the Hereafter - is also from
the causes of weakness amongst the Muslims. These narrations do not mean that
a Muslim should ignore this world and not work for it, and become dependant upon
others. Rather, he should work, in order to attain his sustenance and support
himself so that he is not in need of others.
Indeed the words "aakhirah" (Hereafter)
and "dunyaa" (this worldly life) appear in the Qu'ran an equal number
of times. This is an indication that a Muslim should maintain a balance between
this world and the Hereafter, so he performs righteous deeds and seeks the pleasure
of Allah; and he works in this world within the limits of the Shariah (Islamic
Law) to obtain a lawful sustenance, in order to provide for himself and have no
need to beg. However, if the balance is not kept, corruption appears. For example,
if the Ummah inclines more to worldly matters - forgetting the Hereafter
and the meeting with Allah - it is overcome with weakness and humiliation. If,
however, the tendency is in the opposite direction, the Ummah forgets this
world and then becomes in need of people - extending its hands towards them submissively.
But the Muslim should be distinguished, strong and honourable - as Allah says
in the Qu'ran:
"And to Allah belongs all honour and to His Prophet and to the believers." [13]
So the Muslim is obligated to maintain
this balance. Therefore, one should be sincere in ones actions, intending with
them the face of Allah and His good pleasure. However, rivalry for this world
and love for it weakens the Muslims and debases them.
Rivalry for this World
'Amr ibn Auf al-Ansaaree (ra) related that the prophet
(saw) sent Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah (the trust worthy one of this Ummah) to
Bahrain to bring back its Jizyah. The Prophet had made a treaty with the
people of Bahrain and had appointed over them al-'Alaa ibn Hadramee. Abu 'Ubaydah
returned with the money. The Ansaar came to hear of his arrival and went to pray
al-Fajr with the prophet (saw). When the Prophet had finished the prayer he got
up and left, so the Ansaar approached him. He smiled and remarked: "I think
you have all heard that Abu 'Ubaydah has returned with something."
They replied: "Indeed O messenger of Allah."
He said: "Then be happy and hope for that which
pleases you, for by Allah I do not fear poverty for you, but I fear that this
world will be opened up for you, just as it was for those before you. So you will
compete with one another for it, as they competed for it; and it will destroy
you as it destroyed them." [14]
Another hadeeth which shows love of this world is
a reason for ruin, is the hadeeth of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar in which he said: The
Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "O Muhajirron!! You may be afflicted with five
things. Allah forbid that you should live to see them.
(i) If fornication and adultery should become
widespread, then you should know that this has never happened without new diseases
befalling the people which their forefathers never suffered.
(ii) If people should begin to cheat in weighing
out goods, you should realise that this has never happened without a drought and
famine befalling the people and their rulers oppressing them.
(iii) If people should withhold Zakah, you should
realise that this has never happened without the rain being stopped from falling;
and were it not for the sake of the animals, it would never rain again.
(iv) If people should break their covenant with
Allah and His Messenger, you should realise that this has never happened without
Allah sending an enemy against them to take some of their possessions by force.
(v) If the leaders do not rule according to the
book of Allah, you should realise that this has never happened without Allah making
them into groups and making them fight one another." [15]
A Brief Explanation
(If fornication and adultery should become widespread,
then you should know that this has never happened without new diseases befalling
the people which their forefathers never suffered.)
Meaning: If faahishah (evil actions and sexual
iniquity) appears in the Ummah and fornication and adultery increases, then it
will be accompanied by many strange diseases not known or experienced by those
before, like AIDS and Syphilis. Diseases, which now cause so much fear in Western
societies, like America and Europe. Since this faahishah has become widespread
in these communities to a well-known degree, rather it is considered a sign of
their progression. How can this be a sign of advancement? When the animals in
the jungle are ashamed to commit what they do and the bare people in Africa and
its forests feel too embarrassed. If nakedness was an evidence of progression,
then the naked people of the African jungle would be the most advanced!!
(If people should begin to cheat in weighing out
goods.....)
Meaning: Giving short measure is now a common thing,
and is something unlawful. Allah destroyed a nation - the people of Shu'aib (as)
- because of this, as they did not show mercy to themselves or to others, so how
can Allah show mercy to them. The prophet (saw) said: "Show mercy to one who
is upon the earth, and the One above the Sky will show mercy to you." [16]
(If people should withhold Zakah, you should realise
that this has never happened without the rain being stopped from falling; and
were it not for the sake of the animals, it would never rain again)
Meaning: if it rains, then it is not because of them
or the fact they deserve it, but it is because of the animals - as a mercy for
them.
(If people should break their covenant with Allah
and His Messenger, you should realise that this has never happened without Allah
sending an enemy against them to take some of their possessions by force)
For example: When the Muslims neglected the obedience
to Allah, He gave the Jews the power and they took palestine, and when were negligent
about that which they were reminded of, Allah established the Christians over
them and they took spain; and when they were negligent yet again, Allah put the
Christians in control in Bosnia.
(If the leaders do not rule according to the book
of Allah....)
Meaning: when they no longer implement the Laws of
Allah, the Muslims will then fight and kill each other like what occurs in border
disputes and so on.
The Initial Strangeness
Amongst those ahadeeth which also highlight the second
form of weakness - that is, deviating from the guidance of the prophet (saw) -
is the hadeeth: "Islam started as a stranger and it will return to being a
stranger in the same way it started, so Tooba (a tree in paradise) is for the
Strangers." [17]
Initially, Islam was strange and weak in Makkah,
the disbelievers did not know of it. Then people began to believe in Islam and
entered it in great numbers. It then spread, grew stronger and was no longer strange.
Now, after its strength and spread, it has returned once again as a stranger as
it first started. How can this be, when the Muslims are great in number and their
lands are plenty? Because the Muslims no longer understand the Deen, they
are far from Islam - implementing other than the sunnah of the prophet
(saw), committing innovations in worship, whilst they think they are following
Islam. So the correct Islam, the correct Sunnah, becomes far away from their lives
- like a stranger amongst the people, they have no knowledge of it.
In Conclusion
How do we understand these ahadeeth which point out
these weaknesses? Do we merely accept them and remain weak, dependant upon the
West and remain far from our deen (religion)? The prophet did not intend
this for us, for he explained to us these things in order for us to flee from
them - like a parent who says to his child:
'Do not go up this road, as there is a wild animal
awaiting to eat you if you do! '
So this is a warning from the parent to the child
not to take that path. So:-
Firstly: When the Prophet (saw) informed
us of these events - which are not from him but from Allah, as he does not speak
of his own desire but it is a revelation inspired to him - it is understood to
be a prohibition of taking the path that leads to that.
Secondly: We have to work to repel
these weaknesses; to fight them, reject them and not to be pleased with them -
since it is an evil which has to be rejected.
Thirdly: We have to acquire knowledge
of the Qu'ran and the Sunnah upon the understanding of the Salafus-Saalih (Pious
predecessors - the first three generations of Muslims) in order to comprehend
our state of affairs. However, if we rely on newspapers, magazines and the radio
then these media sources belong to the disbelievers, the West. Will they be truthful
in their narrations and in their solutions? Do they really want good for the Muslims?
Indeed, they do not spread except that which weakens the Muslims and makes them
falsely believe in the West. Thus, we must become people who have understanding
of the book and the sunnah to know exactly what our enemies want from us,
and Allah has indeed informed us:
"Never will the Jews and the Christians be satisfied with you, until you follow their way" [18]
Notes
1. A talk delivered at the Qu'ran and Sunnah
Society Conference in America 1993.
2. Shirk: " Associating partners with Allah
in those matters which are particular to Allah."
3. Kufr: Disbelief, denial and rejection
4. Taaghoot: All that is worshipped other
than, or along with, Allah.
5. Saheeh: Related by Abu Dawood (no.4297), Ibn'Asaakirin
in Taareekh Dimashq (2/97/8) and others. It was authenticated by al-Albaanee
in as-Saheehah (no.958)
6. Saheeh:Related by Ahmad (5/33), Abu Daawood (1/388)
al-Haakim (4/510) - from 'Abdullah ibn Hawaalah (ra). Shaykh al-Albaanee authenticated
it in Takhreej Ahaadeeth Fadaa'il ush-Shaam (no.2)
7. Related by al-Bukhaaree (1/436) and Muslim (5/3-4)
from Jaabir ibn 'Abdullah (ra)
8. Surah Aal-'Imraan 3:151
9. Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.7084) and Muslim (no.1847)
10. Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.7084) and Muslim
(no.1847)
11. Saheeh: Related by Abu Dawood (no.4606) and others.
It was authenticated by al-Haafidh Ibn-Hajar in Takhreej Ahadeeth Mukhtasar
Ibnul-Haajib
12. Surah Aal-'Imraan 3:101
13. Gotta look it up
14. Related by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim
15. Hasan: Related by Ibn Maajah (no.4019) and Abu
Nu'aym in Hilyatul-Awliyaa (8/333-334), from 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar (ra).
It was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albani in as-Saheehah
16. Saheeh: Related by Abu Dawood (no.4941), at-Tirmidhee
(1/350) and others, from 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr (ra). Al Haafidh al-'Iraaqee authenticated
it in al-'Ishaariyaat (1/59)
17. Related by Muslim (2/175-176) and Ibn Maajah
(2/320), from Abu Hurayrah (ra)
18. Soorah al-Baqarah 2:120
Alhamdu-lillaah hi rabbil Aalaameen. (All Praises be to Allaah, Lord of the Worlds)