Are you a stranger in this world (part 3)?( in more deeper sense!!)

Assalamu alikum warahmathullahi wa barakathuhu (peace be upon you!)My dear readers of "Islam is the best" I thought of writing the article "Are you a stranger in this world" in a more deeper sense to make me and you understand the hadeeth which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) spoke about the strangeness in a greater sense of knowledge.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Islam began as something strange and will revert to being strange as it began, so give glad tidings to the strangers(Ghuraab).” Muslim (145)

‏ بَدَأَ الإِسْلاَمُ غَرِيبًا وَسَيَعُودُ غَرِيبًا فَطُوبَى لِلْغُرَبَاءِ ‏"‏ ‏"

• “Strange” refers to the small number of its adherents. The basic meaning of ghareeb (a stranger) is being far from one's homeland.

• “Tooba (glad tidings)” has been interpreted as meaning Paradise or a great tree in Paradise.

This hadeeth is Explained as:

• Islam originally began as a strange phenomenon in the society. The idea of worshiping only one God and adhering to universal moral teachings was distasteful to the pre-Islamic Arab society whose ethics and loyalties were based upon tribalism.

• After Islam won the hearts and minds it spreaded throughout the world, the teachings of Islam were no longer viewed as strange at all

• However, the Prophet warned us that days would come when Islam would return to being strange in society just as it began.As we experience today around the world (Islamophobia)!! Muslims will be viewed as weird, troublesome, or even enemies of the state.

• Yet if we face such trials and still hold on to practice Islam without fleeing from Islam due to trials , we should rejoice because The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said "so give glad tidings to the strangers(Ghuraab)"

Who are strangers (Ghuraab)" is Explained as!

• Ibn Majah narrated that it was asked, “Who are the strangers?” The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) responded, “Those (few) who left their tribes (for Islam)”.

• In another version, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) responded to the question by stating, “Those that correct the people when they become corrupt” (Abu Amr al-Dani, Al-Albani graded it authentic in Sahihah (3/267)

• It is authentic according to al-Albani. Another narration says, "Those that correct my Sunnah which has been corrupted by the people after me."

• In another narration he said in response to the same question, “They are a small group of people among a large evil population. Those who oppose them are more than those who follow them” (Ahmad, Al-Albani graded it authentic in Sahihah (4/153)).

These praiseworthy people are called strangers since they are a small minority among mankind. Thus, Muslims are strangers among mankind; the true believers are strangers among some Muslims and hypocrite [those who do not practice Islam but the holder of Muslim name] ;And the followers of the Sunnah, those that clear themselves from all peoples of innovation, are likewise strangers for those innovate.

Scholars also explained the meaning of strangers as the disappearance of the correct understanding of Islam and the prophetic tradition (sunnah).

Ibn Rajab summarizes these interpretations:They are the strangers in the last days mentioned in these traditions: those who reform the affairs when people have become corrupt, those who correct what people have corrupted of the prophetic tradition, those who flee from trials and tribulations to safeguard their religion, and those who have departed from the tribes. For they are few, only one or two will be found in some tribes or none at all in others, just as the first Muslims. This is how the Imams have explained this tradition.Source: Kashf al-Kurbah 1/6

And Ibn Al-Qayyim summarizes the meaning as follows:He is strange in the affairs of his world and his Hereafter. He will not find support or cooperation from the masses of people, for he is a scholar among the ignorant, a companion of the Sunnah among the people of innovation, a caller to Allah and His Messenger among those who call to desires and innovations, commanding good and forbidding evil among people who view good as evil and evil as good.Source: Madārij al-Sālikīn 3/189

When society moves down the wrong path, our duty is to call them to Allah and His Messenger and the divine teachings which bring happiness to life in this world and in the Hereafter. Sometimes we will be called strange or weird, and we will be mocked or even abused, yet we should always remember that blessed are the strangers as The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said "so give glad tidings to the strangers(Ghuraab)".

We ask Allah to keep us steadfast in faith and secure in the strangeness of Islam in days to come.Success comes from Allah alone, and Allah knows best.

If you have not read the article "Are you a stranger in this world (part 1 & 2)"? click the links below
Part 1: Are you a stranger in this world? (part 1)
Part 2 :Are you a stranger in this world (part 2)?

Please watch this video on the same topic if you want to hear someone speaks about it!!!