Strangers.pdf

Alleviating Grievances in Describing the Condition of the Strangers

ALLEVIATING GRIEVANCES

in describing the condition of the

- STRANGERS -

Written by:

Al-Haafidh Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbalee

Translated by:

isma’eel alarcon

Cover Design by:

Abu Ishaaq Saleem

Alleviating Grievances in Describing the Condition of the Strangers

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction to the Book…………………………………………. 5

2. Text of the Book…………………………………………………. 6

3. The Strangeness of the Sunnah and Its Adherents……………….. 12

4. The Strangeness of the Believer during the Last Days…..……. 14

5. Clinging onto the Sunnah during Times of Affliction………….

6. The Hadeeth of Imaam ‘Alee concerning Knowledge…………… 17

7. Categories of the Bearers of Knowledge………………………… 19

8. Characteristics of the People of Knowledge……………………... 21

9. Types of Believers according to their Strangeness……………

10. Types of Strangeness…………………………………………… 25

Alleviating Grievances in Describing the Condition of the Strangers

TEXT OF THE BOOK

All praise is for Allaah with much praises and blessings, as our Lord loves and is pleased with and as is

required for attaining the honor of His most Sublime Face. 1 And may the peace and blessings of Allaah

be upon our teacher Muhammad, sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , his family and his companions.

Imaam Muslim reported in his Saheeh from the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah, radyAllaahu ‘anhu , that the

Prophet, sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , said: “ Islaam began as something strange and it will return to

being strange as it began. So Toobaa 2 is for the strangers. ” 3

Imaam Ahmad and Ibn Maajah have also reported this hadeeth on the authority of Ibn Mas’ood,

radyAllaahu ‘anhu , with the addition at the end of it: “ It was said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah, and who are

the strangers?’ He, sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , said: ‘The Nuzaa’ (those who extract themselves)

from their families and close relatives.’” 4

Abu Bakr Al-Aajuree also transmitted it and in his report there occurs: "It was said: ‘Who are they, O

Messenger of Allaah?’ He, sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , said: ‘Those who rectify (themselves/others)

when the people have become corrupt.’” 5

Others have transmitted it with the following words, in which he, sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , said: "They

are those who flee from trials ( fitan ) for the sake of their Religion."

At-Tirmidhee reported it from the hadeeth of Katheer Ibn 'Abdillaah Al-Maznee on the authority of his

1 What is meant here is the attainment of Paradise in which the people who are granted it will be able to see the

Face of Allaah, as has been stated in various texts of the Qur'aan and the Sunnah.

2 It is said that Toobaa means something good. Allaah mentions this word in Surat-ur-Ra’ad of His Final

Revelation: “Those who believe and do righteous deeds, Toobaa is for them and a pleasant destination.”

According to Ibn Katheer’s Tafseer (Abridged 1/281), Ibraaheem An-Nakha’ee ( rahimahullaah ), the great

Taabi’ee, said it means “good is for them.” Qataadah said: “When a man says Toobaa for you it means you

have attained something good. ‘Ikrimah and Mujaahid said that Toobaa means Paradise. And it is also said

that Toobaa refers to a tree in Paradise which the Prophet, sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , spoke of when he said:

“Verily, there is a tree in Paradise under the shadow of which a rider can travel for a hundred years

without being able to cover (it’s distance) completely.” [ Saheeh Muslim ] This is what seems to be indicated

in the above hadeeth, due to another hadeeth reported on the Prophet, in which he said: “ Toobaa is a tree in

Paradise. Its (shade’s) distance (in traveling) is one hundred years. And the garments of the

inhabitants of Paradise will be extracted from its branches.” Imaam Al-Albaanee graded it hasan in his

Silsilat-ul-Ahaadeeth As-Saheehah (no. 1985).

3 Saheeh Muslim (1/130): See Sharh Saheeh Muslim of Imaam An-Nawawee (2/175-176)

4 Sunan Ibn Maajah (no. 3988), Sunan At-Tirmidhee (5/18) and he said it was authentic, Musnad Ahmad

(5/296). It has also been recorded by Al-Khattaabee in his Ghareeb-ul-Hadeeth (1/175). Shaikh Al-Albaanee

declared it weak ( da'eef ) in his collection Al-Ahaadeeth As-Saheehah (no. 1273)

5 This hadeeth is also reported by Ahmad and At-Tabaraanee and it is saheeh as has been stated by Shaikh

Saleem Al-Hilaalee in his book Toobaa Lil-Ghurabaa (no. 1). However the hadeeth with a different wording

from the hadeeth of 'Abd-ur-Rahmaan Ibn Sanah is weak. See Toobaa Lil-Ghurabaa (no. 10)

Alleviating Grievances in Describing the Condition of the Strangers

father who reported from his grandfather that the Prophet, sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , said: "Verily, this

Religion began as something strange. And it will go back to being something strange. So Toobaa is

for the strangers – those who rectify what the people have corrupted after me of my Sunnah." 6

It has also been transmitted by At-Tabaraanee from the hadeeth of Jaabir, radyAllaahu ‘anhumaa , on the

Prophet, sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam . And in the hadeeth there occurs:

"It was said: 'And who are they, O Messenger of Allaah?' He said: 'They are those who rectify

and make corrections when the people have become corrupted." 7

He (At-Tabaraanee) also reported it from the hadeeth of Sahl Ibn Sa'ad, radyAllaahu ‘anhu , with a similar

wording. 8

Imaam Ahmad also transmitted it from the hadeeth of Sa’ad Ibn Abee Waqqaas, radyAllaahu ‘anhumaa , on

the authority of the Prophet, sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam . And it is stated in the hadeeth: “So Toobaa on

that day will be for the strangers – when the people have become corrupt.” 9

In another narration transmitted by Imaam Ahmad and At-Tabaraanee from the hadeeth of 'Abdullaah

Ibn 'Amr, radyAllaahu ‘anhumaa , the Prophet, sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , said: “ Toobaa is for the

strangers.” It was said: “And who are the strangers? He, sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , said: “A

righteous people surrounded by people abounding in much evil. Those who disobey them are

6 This hadeeth was reported by At-Tirmidhee in his Sunan (5/18) and he said it was saheeh . It was also

reported by Ibn 'Adiyy in Al-Kaamil (6/2080), At-Tabaraanee in Al-Kabeer (17/16), Abu Nu'aim in Al-Hilyah

(2/10) and Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdaadee in Al-Jaami' (1/112) as well as others. In his checking to the book Al-

'Itisaam of Imaam Ash-Shaatibee (1/22), Shaikh Saleem Al-Hilaalee said concerning At-Tirmidhee's

authentication of this hadeeth: "This is from the hadeeth that he, may Allaah have mercy on him, has

overlooked. For indeed, Katheer (Ibn 'Abdillaah) is very weak. Rather, Ash-Shaafi'ee accused him of being a

liar! And he described him with that (lying) as being one of his main supports, as occurs in Manaaqib-ush-

Shaafi'ee of Al-Bayhaqee (1/547-548). This is a criticism ( jarh ) that reaches the highest level of severity.

Thus his hadeeth are to be disregarded completely." Therefore, the hadeeth is da'eef jiddan (very weak) as is

stated in Toobaa Lil-Ghurabaa (no. 13) and Da’eef Al-Jaami’-us-Sagheer (no. 1441)

7 This hadeeth has been reported by At-Tahaawee in Mushkil-ul-Aathaar (1/298), Al-Laalikaa'ee in Sharh

Usool 'Itiqaad Ahl-is-Sunnah (2/112), and Al-Bayhaqee in Az-Zuhd-ul-Kabeer (200). Al-Haythamee

attributed it to At-Tabaraanee in his book Majma'-uz-Zawaa'id (7/278), saying: "In its chain is 'Abdullaah Ibn

Saalih, the scribe of Laith, and he is weak. However, he has been declared reliable."

8 At-Tabaraanee reported this hadeeth in his Kabeer (6/164) and his Sagheer (1/104). Al-Haythamee said in

Majma’-uz-Zawaa'id (7/278): "Its narrators are all of the standards of the Saheeh (collections), except Bakr

Ibn Saleem, for he is reliable. Saleem Al-Hilaalee said in his checking of Al-'Itisaam (1/18): "Bakr Ibn Saleem

is weak. However, he is used as a support during cases when hadeeth need to be backed up and supported. Al-

Haafidh (Ibn Hajr) said in At-Taqreeb : 'He is acceptable' meaning when a hadeeth needs to be supported. And

if this is not the case, then he is layyin ."

9 This hadeeth is recorded by Imaam Ahmad, Al-Bazaar and Abu Ya’laa. Al-Haythamee said in Majma’-uz-

Zawaa’id (7/277): "Its narrators are the narrators of the standard of the Saheeh (collections)." Saleem Al-

Hilaalee declared it saheeh in his Toobaa Lil-Ghurabaa (no. 11)

Alleviating Grievances in Describing the Condition of the Strangers

more numerous than those who obey them.” 10

And it has been reported on ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Amr, radyAllaahu ‘anhumaa , in marfoo’ and mawqoof 11 form

in this hadeeth, that: “It was said: ‘Who are the strangers?’ He, sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , said: ‘They

are the ones who flee for the sake of their Religion. Allaah, may He be Exalted, will send them

with ‘Eesaa Bin Maryam’” 12

Concerning his, sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , statement: “Islaam began as something strange” , then it is

referring to the people before his advent, who were upon widespread deviance. This is as the Prophet,

sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , said: “ Indeed Allaah looked at the people of the earth and hated them,

both Arabs and non-Arabs, except for some remnants that were from the People of the Book. ” 13

So when the Prophet was sent forth and began calling towards Islaam, his call was not answered at first

instance except by a few from each tribe. And those that did accept his call feared from their tribes and

families lest they should be subjected to extreme punishment. And they would suffer while being patient

with that for sake of Allaah.

Due to their weakness, the (first) Muslims would be frightened by every opposing force and they would

flee for the sake of their Religion to far-off lands as was shown when they migrated twice - to the land of

Abysinnia, and then when they migrated to Madeenah. And there was from among them, he who was

tortured for the sake of Allaah and he who was killed. So those who entered into the fold of Islaam,

back in those days – they were the strangers.

Then Islaam spread after the Hijrah to Madeenah and its followers became victorious over every group.

After that, the people entered into the Religion of Allaah in multitudes. And Allaah perfected the

Religion for them and completed His favor upon them. Then the Messenger of Allaah died, and the

Muslims were upon the utmost level due to their firm adherence to their Religion. They were powerful

and dominant. And they continued to be upon this condition during the times of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar

(during their Khilaafah ).

Then the Shaytaan (Devil) unleashed his evil plot upon the Muslims and discord fell between them. And

the trials of Doubts ( Ash-Shubuhaat ) and Desires ( Ash-Shahawaat ) became widespread. These two

evils did not stop increasing at all until the plan of Shaytaan was established and the majority of the

10 Al-Haythamee ( rahimahullaah ) said in Majma’-uz-Zawaa'id (7/278): "In its chain is Ibn Lahee'ah and there is

weakness in him." The hadeeth can be found in the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (2/177). It is authentic due to

its many paths of narration. Imaam Al-Albaanee authenticated it in Saheeh Al-Jaami'-us-Sagheer (no. 3291)

11 A marfoo' hadeeth is a statement that has been reported by a companion, yet "raised" to the level of being a

saying of the Prophet. A mawqoof hadeeth is a statement that is reported by a companion and "stopped",

meaning it ends up being only his statement, as opposed to being raised to a saying of the Prophet.

12 This hadeeth has been narrated by Imaam Ahmad in mawqoof form, and by his son ‘Abdullaah in marfoo’

form. It can be found in Az-Zuhd (77149). The hadeeth is da'eef as has been clarified by Shaikh Saleem Al-

Hilaalee in his book Toobaa Lil-Ghurabaa (no. 3)

13 Saheeh Muslim (Eng.): vol. 4, no. 6853. What is meant by the remnants of the People of the Book are those

who stuck to their religion upon truth without changing it.

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