THE ESTRANGEMENT OF ISLAM

Shaikh Sa’eed ‘Awadh   

We notice these days that the one who adheres to his religion, maintains the commandments of Allah and follows the Sunnah of the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) is looked upon as very abnormal and strange, and many people are shocked by his appearance and his words. Not only that, some would actually dispraise and blame him, saying that he is not upon the correct path, and that he is an extremist or fanatic.

This situation saddens the believer, but he must know that this is one of the ways of Allah, by which He tests the believers, to expose the truthful from the liars.

By adhering to the Sunnah of the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam), and following his guidance, one will be tested and face many difficulties, but if he or she shows steadfastness, will have great reward in the Hereafter.

Allah says, which means, “So why were there not among the generations before you those of enduring discrimination forbidding corruption on earth - except a few of those We saved from among them? But those who wronged pursued what luxury they were given therein, and they were criminals.” (Hood: 116)

It is a call from Allah to the people that they should have a group amongst them who enjoin good and forbid evil when people become corrupted, and such people are the ones who will be saved from the punishment of Allah in this life and the Hereafter. But who are these people? What are their descriptions?

They are the strangers, who rectify what people ruin. They are the ones who the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam), mentioned in different Ahaadeeth, as when he said, “Islam started as a stranger (few people believing in it) and it will eventually go back to being a stranger as it started (few people adhering to it), so Toobaa (Glad Tidings) for the strangers”. The companions asked who these strangers were, so the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) said, “They are those who maintain themselves upon righteousness when people become corrupt” (Ahmad), (Another meaning of Toobaa indicates a tree in Paradise which takes a person riding on horseback one hundred years to pass its shade).

In another narration Hadhrat Abdullaah Ibne Mas’ood narrated that the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) said while we were with him, “Islam started as a stranger and it will eventually go back to being a stranger as it started, so Toobaa for the strangers”. The companions, with them, asked, ‘Who are these strangers?’, the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) said, “They are individuals from different tribes” (Ahmad & Ibne Maajah).

Hadhrat Abdullaah Ibne Umar narrated that the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) said while we were with him, “Toobaa to the strangers”. The companions asked, ‘Who are these strangers?’, the Prophet sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said, They are righteous people amongst a great number of evil people; those who disobey them (when they invite them to righteousness) are greater than those who obey them” (Ahmad).

In another narration the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Islam started as a stranger and it will eventually go back to being a stranger as it started, so Toobaa to the strangers”. The companions asked, ‘Who are these strangers?’. The Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) said, “They are those who revive my Sunnah and teach it to people”.

How many people fit the descriptions of the stranger which were mentioned by the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) in the different narrations? How many people have rectified themselves when people have gone corrupt? How many people rectify what others ruin? How many people today, revive the Sunnah of the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam)? How many people today, spread the Sunnah of the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) and teach it to others?

The above are the strangers who were praised, and because they are few in number they have been called strangers, because the majority of people have characteristics other than theirs. Muslims are strangers between people. Devoted believers are strangers between Muslims. Scholars are strangers between believers. The followers of Sunnah are strangers between them as well. Those who call people to the Sunnah and persevere through the harm caused by those who oppose them are the most estranged. But these are truly the people of Allah, and should not feel estrangement, because the majority of people are like Allah has described them. Allah says, which means, “And if you obey most of those upon the earth, they will mislead you from the way of Allah. They follow not except assumption, and they are not but falsifying.” (Al-An’aam: 116).

The strangers feel no alienation in their estrangement but are rather cheerful, because their ally is Allah, His Messenger and the believers, even if most people become his enemies and desert him. The early scholar, Al-Hasan, said, ‘The believer in this life is like a stranger who does not worry about its humility, and does not compete to gain honour in it. His situation is different from that of people’s. People are not disturbed by him, but he exhausts himself (by continuously blaming himself and accounting himself)’.

Among the characteristics of these strangers, whom the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) praised, is that they adhere to the Sunnah when people abandon it, and they abandon what people innovate even if it is commonly known and practiced among people. They fulfil Tawheed, even if most people do not. They abandon affiliation with other than Allah and His messengers; they are affiliated to Allah by their servitude to Him and to the Messenger (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) by following his Sunnah. Indeed, it is as though they are holding onto lit charcoal, and many people will accuse them, and consider them abnormal and deviant.

Yes they are strangers, and why would they not be considered so when they are one group distinct from seventy two other groups. The Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) informed us that the Jews got divided into seventy one sects, and the Christians got divided into seventy two sects and that this nation will divide into seventy three; seventy two sects will go to the Fire and one group in Paradise.

That is why a sincere Muslim who adheres to Sunnah in the times stated in these Ahaadeeth gets the reward of fifty of the companions as narrated by Hadhrat Abu Tha’labah that the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) said, “You have before you days which will require patience (while practicing your religion). Patience during these days is as difficult as holding onto a lit charcoal, the reward for those who practice is equal to the reward of fifty people doing the same deed” I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Fifty people from their time?’ the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Fifty people from you” (Tirmizi).

If a believer, who is guided by Allah, wants to take this road, then let him be ready to be dispraised and mocked by the ignorant people and innovators, and their warning people against him. He will be a stranger in his religion because their (understanding and practice of the) religion has become corrupt as well as their beliefs. He is a stranger in his path because they are upon the corrupt path of misguidance. He will be a stranger in all his affairs of this life and the Hereafter. He will not find supporters or helpers, as he will be literate amongst ignorant people; a person following the Sunnah amongst innovators; a person inviting to Allah and His Messenger between people who follow their desires and innovations. He will be forbidding evil between people who consider good as evil and evil as good.

Know that people in this life are all strangers, and that this life is not a lasting one, nor is it the life for which they were created. Hadhrat Abdullaah Ibne Umar narrated that the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) said to him, “Be in this life as though you are a stranger or a person who is passing by” (Bukhari & Muslim).

The estrangement of Islam from the rest of the world has returned today as the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) said. It is an estrangement that has occurred after a long period of shortcomings and abandonment within the Ummah. A religion which filled earth with justice, mercy and happiness has become a rejected stranger. We testify that what the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) came with is the truth, and we become more certain of that everyday.

The estrangement of the religion that has appeared today is the result of the ignorance of many Muslims regarding the simplest issues in religion. It is evident in the Muslim communities dissolving in the morals, values and principles of the western communities and their traditions. One can see it in the spread of sins and shameless disobedience committed openly by some Muslims. One can see it in the Muslims’ appearance’s resemblance to the disbelievers, and admiration and imitation of the enemies of Allah and being attached to them. One can see it in many Muslims giving preference to this life over the Hereafter, ignoring that this could result in the anger of Allah.

If one wants to know the level of estrangement the believer feels and the grief he suffers while he is between his own people and family, ask a stranger who has left his family, loved ones and hometown, then he passed by a town were no one knows him, so its people took his money away, beat and humiliate him, and he could not find anyone to help him or support him. How would he feel? Wouldn’t he stay awake while people are asleep? Would he stop crying while they are laughing? You should see him supplicating to Allah with his eyes full of tears, complaining of his estrangement and grief; complaining about his weakness and incapability; complaining about his humiliation. One will always find him absent-minded, not knowing what to do. He has no one to help him except Allah. This is the condition of a stranger. If you ask someone who has experienced this himself, your heart would break for him. This is estrangement regarding this life, how would the estrangement in religion be?

O stranger! These words came to you from another stranger who is suffering as you are. One’s heart breaks when he sees the situation of our nation today. He almost doubts himself and feels as though he would go mad from what he sees of the great spread of corruption and the small number of those whom Allah preserved. One almost gives up if it was not for the reminder of Allah, Allah says, which means, “And keep yourself patient (by being) with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever (in) neglect.” (Al-Kahf: 28)

After this, the Hadeeth which is narrated by Al-Miqdaad Ibne Al-Aswad brings a bright hope where the Prophet , like prayer for example. This becomes clear when you see many people rejecting the Sunnah of the Prophet (SallAllahu alaihi wasallam) said, “There will not remain a house on earth, made of clay or wool, but Allah will make Islam go into it, with which He will honour with those who accept Islam, or humiliate those who reject it” (Ibn Hibbaan).

The promise of Allah is coming, His words will overwhelm, and He will grant victory to His religion although the disbelievers hate it.

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