By the Shaykh the Scholar of Hadeeth - Muhammad Naasirud Deen al Albaanee [1]
We are given the good tidings in this verse that the future is for Islaam, which will gain dominance, ascendancy and rule over all other religions. Some people may think that this was fulfilled in the time of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and the Rightly guided Khaleefahs ( successors) and the righteous kings but that is not the case. Rather, only a part of this true promise was fulfilled then as the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam indicated in his saying:"It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it prevail over all other religions, no matter how much the disbelievers detest it." (Soorah as saff 61 : 9)
"Night and day will not pass away until al-Laat and al 'Uzzaa are worshipped." So 'Aaishah radiallaahu 'anhaa said: O Messenger of Allaah! I thought that when Allaah sent down:
that it would be complete. He sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said:"It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it prevail over all other religions, no matter how much the disbelievers detest it."
"There will be of that what Allaah wishes [2].
There are other ahaadeeth which show how far Islaam will reach and dominate and how far it will spread, such that there is no doubt that the future is for islaam, by the permission and favour of Allaah. So I will quote what I am able to from these ahaadeeth and hopefully they will strengthen the determination of the workers for Islaam; and be a proof against those who are indifferent and those who have despaired!
Firstly: "Indeed Allaah gathered up the earth for me so that I saw its east and its west; and indeed the dominion of my Ummah will reach what was gathered up for me from it. "[3]
And even clearer than it and more general is the hadeeth:
Secondly: "This affair will reach what is reached by the night and the day; and Allaah will not leave a dwelling of brick, nor fur, except that Allaah will cause this Deen to enter it bringing honour or humiliation. Honour which Allaah gives to Islaam and humiliation which Allaah will give to disbelief [4].
[Therefore, it is upon the Muslims to prepare themselves, by turning to their Lord, holding on to His Book, following the Sunnah of His Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, turning away from all that Allaah has made unlawful and uniting upon that which He the Most Perfect, Most High is pleased with.] [5].
Indeed, there is no doubt that fulfillment of this domination necessitates that the Muslims return to spiritual, material and armed strength, so that they are able to overcome the might of kufr (disbelief) and suppression. This good tiding is given to us in the hadeeth:
Thirdly: From Abu Qabeel who said: We were with 'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr ibn al 'Aas and he was asked which city will be conquered first Constantinople or Rome? So 'Abdullaah called for a sealed trunk and he said: Take out a book from it. Then 'Abdullaah said: Whilst we were with the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam writing, The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was asked: Which city will be conquered first, Constantinople or Rome? So Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "The city of Heracilius will be conquered first " meaning Constantinople.[6]
The first conquest mentioned, occurred at the hands of Muhammad al Fattaah al-Uthmaanee as is well known and it occurred more than eight hundred years after the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam foretold of the conquest. So the second conquest will take place, by the permission of Allaah the Most High and it is certain and you will hear of it after a time. There is also no doubt that the fulfillment of the second conquest necessitates the return of the rightly guided Khilaafah to the Muslim Ummah, which is what he sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam foretold with his saying in the hadeeth:
Fourthly: "Prophethood will remain amongst you for as long as Allaah wishes it to, then Allaah will raise it up when He wishes to raise it up. Then there will be Khilaafah upon the manner of Prophethood and it will remain amongst you for as long as Allaah wishes it to, then Allaah will raise it up when He wishes to raise it up. Then there will be harsh kingship which will remain amongst you for as long as Allaah wishes it to, then Allaah will raise it up when He wishes to raise it up. Then there will be tyrannical kingship and it will remain amongst you for as long as Allaah wishes it to, then Allaah will raise it up when He wishes to raise it up. Then there will be Khilaafah upon the manner of Prophethood. Then he was silent [7].
From the good tidings of the return of strength to the Muslims, and their having the ability to utilize the earth to attain their goals, and that they have a bright future even in the economic and agricultural spheres, is his sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam's saying:
Fifthly: "The Hour will not be established until the land of the 'Arabs returns to being pastures and rivers." [8] The first signs of the fulfillment of this hadeeth have begun to appear in some parts of the Arab lands, upon which Allaah has poured forth His blessings and great favors such that plentiful water is extracted from the desert, and tomorrow is very near for the one who awaits it.
It must also be known that his sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam's saying: "A time will not come upon you, except that which comes after it will be worse until you meet your Lord."[9]. Then this hadeeth must be understood in the light of the preceding ahaadeeth as well as in the light of others such as the ahaadeeth about the Mahdee and also the descent of Eesaa (Jesus) 'alayhis salaam which show that this hadeeth is not to be understood as having no exceptions. Rather, it is general and has exceptions.
Thus, it is not permissible to cause the people to understand it to be unrestricted, so that they fall into despair which no Believer should have as an attribute:
I ask that Allaah makes us all true Believers in Him."Indeed, no one despairs of Allaah's Mercy, except those who disbelieve." (Soorah Yoosuf 12:87)
References :
1. Silsilatul Ahaadeethus Saheehah (pp.6 8) of Shaykh al Albaanee. All the ahaadeeth authentication and checkings have been abridged and edited.
2. Related by Muslim (8/182) and AbuYa'laa in his Musnad (Q.216/2).
3. Related by Muslim (8/171) and Abu Daawood (no.4252), from Thawbaan radiallaahu anhu.
4. Saheeh: Related by Ahmad (4/103) and Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh (no.1631).
5. Added from Tahdheerus Saajid (p.119).
6. Saheeh: Related by Ahmad (2/176), ad-Daarimee (1/126) and al Haakim (3/422).
7. Saheeh: Related by Ahmad (4/273), from an Nu'maan ibn Basheer radiallaahu anhu.
8. Related by Muslim (3/84) and al Haakim (4/ 477) from Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu anhu.
9. Related by al Bukhaaree from the hadeeth of Anas radiallaahu anhu.