Ibn Taymiyyah's explanation of "the ghurabaa" hadeeth.(The strangers).

[bamalli]

Ibn Taymiyyah's explanation of "the ghurabaa" hadeeth.

Shaykh ul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, rahimahullah says in Majmoo' il Fataawah Vol 18/291-305:
PART ONE:

Shaykh ul Islam, rahimahullah says:
Chapter:
The saying of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi was salaam , in the Saheeh Hadeeth [Ibn Maajah, kitaab al fitan 3986], " Islam began as [something] strange, and will return [once again] as something strange, so "Toobah" is for the strangers. "
" This does not mean that, if al-Islam becomes something strange, that it is permissible to leave it, and I seek refuge in Allah [from that], but rather, it is a command from Allah [to follow al-Islam], just as Allah the Most High says, " Say: " I seek refuge with The Lord of the breaking day. From the evil of what He has created. And from the evil of the darkening [night] when it comes. And from the magic/witchcraft of those who blow on knots. And from the evil of the envier and their envy. " 113:1-5.
And the saying of Allah, " Indeed, the [only acceptable] Deen with Allah is al-Islam. " 3:19
And the saying of Allah, " O you who believe! Have Taqwah of Allah, as is the due right of Allah, and do not die except as Muslims. " 3:102
And the saying of Allah, " And who turns away the Millah [Deen] of Ibraheem, except a person who has fooled himself. Verily, We have chosen him in this world and indeed, in the next life he will be from the righteous. And when his Lord asked him to submit, he said, "I have submitted myself [as a Muslim] to the Lord of the Worlds. And were you witnesses when death was approaching Ya'qoob? When he said, O my sons! What will you worship after me? They said, " We will worship your Deity [Allah], the Deity of your fathers, Ibraheem, Isma'eel and Ishaaq. A single Deity, and to Him we submit." 2:130-132
And we have expounded upon these words in another place, and we explained that, indeed the Deen of all of the Prophets was al-Islam, from Prophet Nooh to the Maseeh [Eesa ibn Maryam]. So even though al-Islam began as something strange, no other religion is acceptable to Allah other that al-Islam.
It is confirmed in the Saheeh Hadeeth of Iyaadh ibn Himaar, radi Allahu anhu, that the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi was salaam , said, " Verily, Allah looked at the people on the Earth with disdain, the arabs and the non arabs, except for some of the remnants of the People of the Book..." to the end of the narration. [Musnad Ahmad 4/162]
This does not mean that being strange, due to holding firm to al-Islam, is something bad. But rather, they are the most felicitous of the people, just as it is mentioned in the conclusion of the hadeeth, " So Toobah is for the strangers. ". And "Toobah" is derived from the word meaning delight/pleasure, as Allah the Most High says, " Toobah is for them and an excellent return. " 13:29
So this is just like the first and foremost of those [the Noble Companions] who followed al-Islam and even though it was something strange, and they were the most felicitous of the people.
In the next life they will be raised [in the Paradise] up in levels, high above the people, after the Prophets [who will be in the highest levels].
And in this worldly life Allah has said,
" O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for you and for those who follow you from the believers. " 8:64
And Allah says, " Indeed, my wali is Allah, Who revealed the Book and He is the one Who protects/supports the righteous. " 7:196
And Allah says, " Is not Allah sufficient for his servant? "39:36
And Allah says, " And whoever has Taqwah of Allah, then Allah will make a way for them. And He will provide for them from [sources] that they could never imagine. And whoever puts their trust and reliance upon Allah, then Allah will suffice him. " 65:1-2
So Allah will suffice and be sufficient for the Muslim who [truly] follows the Messenger, wherever they are and at all times.

Shaykh ul Islaam continues and says:

"And this is also found in the Muslims that firmly adhere to al-Islam in the land of disbelief. They are in a state of delight as a result of them holding firmly onto al-Islam, and when something bad befalls them, then it befalls them due to their sins.
When the [best of the] polythiests and the People of the Book see a Muslim who is firmly established in al-Islam, they will honour him and respect him and excuse him from the [evil] actions of those who outwardly manifest al-Islam but whose actions, in reality, are ignoble. And this is what happened to the Muslims in the beginning of al-Islam and it is like that in every time.
For indeed, there is no doubt that something bad will befall the people in this worldly life, and Allah disposes upon His servants [whatever He wills], however, the [amount] of bad which befalls the Muslim is much less, and the amount of favours/blessings that reach him are far greater.
So in the beginning of al-Islam, the Muslims were tested by way of being harmed by the disbelievers, who forced them out of their lands. However, that which [ultimately] reached the disbelievers, by way of loss, was far greater, and that which the disbelievers [initially] possessed by way of dignity and wealth, the Muslims [eventually] had far more of that, to the point where they became the [global] leaders.
So too, the polytheists sought to harm the Messenger, sallallahu alayhi was salama, in every single way possible, but Allah repelled their harm, protected him, guarded him, and assisted him against whatever power the [disbelieving] Quraysh had with them, and they harmed him and degraded him with such great harms that, none could repel them but Allah.
This is the condition of all those who do not follow al-Islam, during confrontations they display the same type of emnity and hostility and they [the disbelievers] will [even] turn against each other, one to another.
And this [previously mentioned] honour and respect is what happened to those who emigrated to Abbyssinia. The Abbyssinian king honoured and respected them, and also those who emigrated to al-Madeenah [from Makkah] were likewise honoured and respected."

Shaykh ul Islaam continues and says:
"

" And what which befell them of harms in this worldly life, they were rewarded for that harm by way of their imaan [true faith], and they tasted the sweetness of imaan due to them [patiently] enduring such harms. Whereas the harms and evil that befell their enemies were many times greater, however, their enemies will not be compensated for that in this worldly life of in the next life, as the harms that befell them were a recompense for their evil actions.
The believers are continually tested [by trials] to purify their imaan and to expiate their sins. This is because the believer performs his actions for the sake of Allah, so it is [incumbent] upon Allah to reward him for that harm which he endured. Likewise, the person who gives food or wealth for the sake of Allah, it is upon Allah to reward him for that.
And [true] faith is the sweetness that a person has in his heart and there is absolutely nothing that can replace it.
The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi was salama said " There are three [qualities] which if they are found in a person, then they will taste the sweetness of imaan; [1] a person who loves Allah and His Messenger more than anything else, [2] A person who loves another and does not love them except, for the sake of Allah [alone], [3] A person who hates to return back to disbelief after Allah has saved his from that just as he hates to be thrown into the hellfire.", this hadeeth has been reported in the two Saheeh collections. And also in the Saheeh of Imaam Muslim, " The one who tastes imaan is the one who is pleased with Allah as his Lord, and al-Islam as his Deen and Muhammed as his Prophet. "
And Allah has prohibited the Prophet from feeling sadness or grief for those who did not enter into the religion of al-Islam, both in the beginning of Islam and at the end of it, likewise, the believer has also is not allowed feel sorrow for them nor is he allowed to worry about their plots and plans [against him].
Most of the people, see [harms and trials] as an evil [munkar], or when their situation changes [due to harms and trials] many of them become sorrowful and wail, just like [we see when] the people [are tested by] calamities/disaster s, and yet they have been prohibited from doing that. But rather, they have been commanded to have patience [with what Allah has decreed] and to have reliance and trust in Allah, and to be steadfast in the Deen of al-Islam, and those who have faith in Allah and have Taqwah in Allah, they are the people of ihsaan [the highest level of imaan] and this is the recompense of Taqwah.
Whatever calamities befall them, it is a consequence of their sins, so have patient perseverance, for indeed the Promise of Allah is true, so seek forgiveness from Allah for your sins, and glorify your Lord with best of praise in the middle of the day [asr] and in the early morning.
And the saying of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi was salama " And it will once again return as something strange. ", has two possible meanings.
Firstly, that Islam will, at a particular time or in a particular place return to being something strange at that time or at that place, then it will once again become manifest [and dominant] , such as occurred in the beginning of al-Islam then it became known [and dominant].
And the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi was salama, said about this, " It will return to being something strange as it was in the beginning. " meaning that in the beginning of al-Islam it was strange and it was something which the people had no knowledge of, and then it became something known about and manifest, and like that [the cycle will repeat itself and] it will again become unknown again and then become known and apparent once more. So when it first appears very few people will have knowledge of it, just as it was in the beginning.
The second possible meaning is that, at the end of the world there will be no Muslims remaining, except for a very small amount.
And this will happen only after the appearance of the al Maseeh ud Dajjaal, and the Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj very close to the hour [i.e the end of the world]. Allah will send a gentle breeze which will take the souls of every believer , male and female. then after this, the hour will be established.
And the Prophet said that before this happens, " There will always be a group from my ummah manifest [victorious or established] upon the truth. They will not be harmed by those who oppose them, nor by those who abandon them, [and they will remain] up until the hour is established. ", and this hadeeth is in the two Saheeh collections. "

Shaykh ul Islam continues and says:
"

" And similarly from many aspects, the truthful and the believed :sal: informed us that there will always be a protected group from this Ummah upon the truth and distinguished [and victorious]. They will not be harmed by the one who opposes them, nor by the one who abandons them.
And this will occur when those who remain [upon the truth] with be despised and will be strangers in the earth, and all of this will occur before the Hour is established, and the Hour will not be established until this has occurred.
The Prophet, sallallhu alayhi wa salama, said " Then it will return strange as it was it the beginning. ", The most severe [period] of strangeness is when the people who entered into Al-Islam, apostate from from it. Allah the Most High has said, " And whoever from amongst you apostates from his Deen, Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Allah, they will be humble towards the believers and stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the path of Allah, not fearing the blame of the blamers. " 5:54, they are the ones who establish the Deen, whilst the others are apostatizing from al-Islam.
Similarly, it [al-Islam] always begins are something strange, and does not become strong until after is becomes widespread, and this [cycle] has occurred in many different places and many different times, just like in the time of 'Umar ibn Abdil Azeez, rahimahullah, then he became the ruler.
At that time, [the strangers] were strangers to the Muslims, who [in turn] were strangers to the [non-muslim] people, to the point where there were [muslim] people who did not [even] know that intoxicants are prohibited. So through 'Umar ibn Abdil Azeez, Allah made known to the people that which had become [obscure and] strange to them.
And it is [authentically narrated] in the Sunan [Abu Dawood 4291] that the Prophet, sallallhu alayhi wa salama, said, " At the head of every century, Allah will send to this Ummah a person who will revive for the Ummah, their Deen. ", and revival can only occur after something has been extinguished, and this [extinguished state] is [also] from the strangeness of al-Islam.
And one of benefits that a Muslim can derive from this hadeeth, is not to be worried about the small amount of people who understand the realities of al-Islam, or to feel any tightness [sadness] in his chest because of that, and not to have any doubt in the [correctness of the] Deen of al-Islam, as this was just how it was in the beginning of al-Islam, and Allah the Most High says [about this], " And if you are in any doubt about that which We have revealed to you, then ask those who have read the Book before you. " [12:94], this and other verses are evidences which prove the correctness of Islam.
And this is just like the strangeness of the one who is in need of evidences and proofs, up until he finds that which he needs from the evidences, just as it was [for the people] in the beginning of Islam. And Allah the Most High has said, " If you are in any doubt about that which We have revealed to you, then ask those who have read the Book before you. " [12:94]

Allah the Most High says," Or, do you think that most of them hear and understand, they are like cattle, rather, they are [even more] astray from our path. " 24:19
And [this is a proof that] the strangeness may happen to a part of the Shari'ah [divine legislation] . And this [has] happened in different places [in the muslim lands]. In many places, a part of the Shari'ah would become hidden [unknown] to the people until it becomes something strange amongst them, up until nobody among them has any knowledge of the Shari'ah except one person who then passes that knowledge to another.
So along with this, is Toobah [glad tidings, delight and paradise] to the one who holds firmly unto the [divinely legislated] Shari'ah, as he has been ordered to do by Allah and His Messenger :sal: , he should manifest the Shari'ah and order and command with it and prevent the one who opposes it, according to his ability and strength.
The Prophet, sallallhu alayhi wa salama, said [in Saheeh Muslim] " Whoever sees an evil, let him prevent it with his hand, and if he is unable, then with his tongue, and if he is unable, then with his heart, and beyond that there is not [even] a mustard seed amount of faith. " .
Whenever something bad, from the decree [of Allah], befalls the people in this worldly life or in the hereafter, this does not contradict the Promise of Allah to His Messenger or those who followed him :sal:, but rather it occurs due to the sins of the people and due to their deficiencies in their Islam, such as the defeat that befell them on the day of [the battle of] ] Uhud.
Allah the Most High has [promised], " Indeed it is incumbent upon us to assist Our Messengers and those who believe, [assisting them] in this worldly life and on the Day of Witnessing. " A'raf:51 and Allah the Most High also said, " And verily, Our Word has proceeded for Our Servants, the Messengers, that they would be made to be victorious, and they would be the one who overcome [their enemies and obstacles]. " 37:171-173.
This is from the narrations of Allah the Most High, about the previous Prophets and those who followed them.
Allah assisted them and saved them, and destroyed their enemies as an example, and Allah knows best. "