Tribulations

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It was narrated from Samurah ibn Jundab that the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Whoever performs the dawn prayer is under the protection of Allah, the Almighty.’

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It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘A believer is more honored in the sight of Allah, the Almighty, than some of His angels.’

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It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Whoever fights under a banner of blind partisanship, calling to group loyalty or becoming angry for its sake, dies a death of pre-Islamic ignorance.’

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It was narrated from Fusaylah, a woman among them, that she heard her father say: ‘I asked the Prophet ﷺ, “Messenger of Allah, is it partisan loyalty for a man to love his people?” He said, “No. Partisan loyalty is when a man helps his people commit injustice.”’

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It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘My community will never unite upon misguidance. So when you see disagreement, adhere to the great majority.’

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It was narrated from Mu‘adh ibn Jabal that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed one day at length. When he finished, we—or they—said, ‘Messenger of Allah, you made the prayer long today.’ He said: ‘I prayed with hope and fear. I asked Allah, the Almighty, for three things for my community. He granted me two and denied me one. I asked Him not to give an enemy from outside them power over them, and He granted me that. I asked Him not to destroy them by drowning, and He granted me that. I asked Him not to make them fight one another, but He denied me that.’

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It was narrated from Thawban, the freedman of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘The earth was drawn together for me until I saw its eastern and western regions. I was given the two treasures—the yellow, or red, and the white; that is, gold and silver. It was said to me, “Your dominion will extend as far as the earth was drawn together for you.” I asked Allah, the Almighty, for three things for my community: that He not subject them to a famine that would destroy them all; that He not divide them into factions and make them taste one another’s violence; and a third request. He granted me two and denied me one. It was said to me, “When I issue a decree, it cannot be turned back.” He said, “I will not subject your community to a famine that destroys them all, nor will I gather against them those from all its regions until they destroy one another and kill one another. Once the sword is set among my community, it will not be lifted from them until the Day of Resurrection. Among the things I fear for my community are leaders who lead astray. Tribes among my community will worship idols, and tribes among my community will join the polytheists. Before the Hour, there will be nearly thirty impostors, each claiming to be a prophet. A group of my community will remain upon the truth and be granted victory; those who oppose them will not harm them, until Allah’s command comes.’” Abu al-Hasan said: ‘When Abu ‘Abdullah finished this report, he said, “How dreadful it is!”’

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It was narrated from Zaynab bint Jahsh that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ awoke from sleep with his face flushed, saying: ‘There is no god but Allah. Woe to the Arabs from an evil that has drawn near! Today an opening has been made in the barrier of Gog and Magog.’ He joined his hands, forming ten with his fingers. Zaynab said: ‘I asked, “Messenger of Allah, will we be destroyed while righteous people are among us?” He said, “When corruption becomes widespread.”’

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It was narrated from Abu Umamah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘There will be trials in which a man will be a believer in the morning and an unbeliever by evening, except for one whom Allah brings to life through knowledge.’

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Hudhayfah said: ‘We were sitting with ‘Umar when he asked, “Which of you remembers a report from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about tribulation?” I said, “I do.” He said, “You are certainly bold.” I asked, “How so?” He said, “I heard the Prophet ﷺ say: ‘A person’s trials involving his family, children, and neighbors are atoned for by prayer, fasting, charity, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong.’” ‘Umar said, “That is not what I mean. I mean the tribulation that surges like the waves of the sea.” I said, “Why concern yourself with it, Commander of the Believers? There is a closed door between you and it.” He asked, “Will the door be broken or opened?” I said, “It will be broken.” He said, “Then it is more likely never to be closed again.” We asked Hudhayfah, “Did ‘Umar know who the door was?” He said, “Yes, as surely as he knows that tonight comes before tomorrow. I told him a report free of confusion.” We were afraid to ask him who the door was, so we said to Masruq, “Ask him.” He asked, and Hudhayfah said, “‘Umar.”’

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It was narrated from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Abd Rabb al-Ka‘bah that he came upon ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As sitting in the shade of the Ka‘bah with people gathered around him. He heard him say: ‘While we were traveling with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he stopped at a place to camp. Some of us pitched our tents, some practiced archery, and some tended their livestock. Then his caller announced, “The prayer is gathering.” We assembled, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood and addressed us: “Every prophet before me was duty-bound to guide his community to what he knew was good for them and warn them against what he knew was bad for them. The well-being of this community has been placed in its earlier generations, while its later generations will face afflictions and things you disapprove of. Then tribulations will come, each making the one before it seem slight. A believer will say, ‘This one will destroy me,’ then it will pass. Then another tribulation will come, and the believer will say, ‘This one will destroy me,’ then it too will pass. Whoever wishes to be kept far from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, let death come to him while he believes in Allah and the Last Day, and let him treat people as he would like them to treat him. Whoever pledges allegiance to a leader, giving him his right hand and the sincere commitment of his heart, should obey him as much as he can. If another comes disputing his authority, strike the neck of the latter.”’ The narrator said: ‘I raised my head above the people and said, “I adjure you by Allah: did you hear this from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?” He pointed to his ears and said, “My ears heard it, and my heart retained it.”’

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It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘How will you fare when a time soon comes in which people are sifted, and only the dregs remain? Their covenants and trusts will have become corrupted, and they will fall into disagreement.’ He interlaced his fingers. They asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, what should we do when that happens?’ He said, ‘Hold fast to what you recognize as right, leave what you recognize as wrong, turn your attention to those close to you, and leave the affairs of the wider public.’

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It was narrated from Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘What will you do, Abu Dharr, when death strikes people until a grave is valued at the price of a young enslaved person?’ I said, ‘Whatever Allah and His Messenger choose for me—or, as it is also said, Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘Be patient.’ He then said, ‘What will you do when famine strikes people so severely that you go to your mosque but cannot return to your bed, or cannot rise from your bed to go to your mosque?’ I said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best—or whatever Allah and His Messenger choose for me.’ He said, ‘Practice restraint.’ Then he said, ‘What will you do when killing strikes people until the stones of al-Zayt are awash with blood?’ I said, ‘Whatever Allah and His Messenger choose for me.’ He said, ‘Stay with those to whom you belong.’ I asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, should I take my sword and strike those who do that?’ He said, ‘Then you would join in with those people. Rather, enter your house.’ I asked, ‘What if they enter my house?’ He said, ‘If you fear that the sword’s flash will dazzle you, draw the edge of your cloak over your face. Then the attacker will bear his own sin and your sin, and will be among the people of the Fire.’’

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It was narrated from Abu Musa that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Shortly before the Hour there will be harj.’ I asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, what is harj?’ He said, ‘Killing.’ Some Muslims said, ‘Messenger of Allah, even now in a single year we kill such-and-such a number of polytheists.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘That is not the killing I mean. Rather, you will kill one another, until a man kills his neighbor, his cousin, and his relatives.’ Some of the people asked, ‘Will we still have our reason on that day?’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘The reason of most people at that time will not be taken away, but they will be replaced by a rabble of people with no reason.’ Then al-Ash‘ari said, ‘By Allah, I think it will reach me and you. By Allah, if it reaches us, we will have no way out of it, given what our Prophet ﷺ entrusted to us, except to leave it as we entered it.’

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‘Udaysah bint Uhban said: ‘When ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib came here to Basrah, he visited my father and said, “Abu Muslim, will you help me against these people?” He said, “Yes.” He called one of his servant women and said, “Bring me my sword.” She brought it, and he drew it out by about a handspan; it was made of wood. He said, “My beloved—and your cousin ﷺ—advised me that when tribulation arises among the Muslims, I should take a wooden sword. If you wish, I will go out with you.” ‘Ali said, “I have no need of you or your sword.”’

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It was narrated from Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Before the Hour, there will be tribulations like pieces of a dark night. A man will wake as a believer and by evening be an unbeliever; or he will be a believer in the evening and by morning an unbeliever. The one sitting through them is better than the one standing; the one standing is better than the one walking; and the one walking is better than the one running. Break your bows, cut their strings, and strike your swords against rocks. If someone enters upon one of you, let him be like the better of Adam’s two sons.’

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It was narrated from Abu Burdah, who said: ‘I visited Muhammad ibn Maslamah, and he said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “There will be tribulation, division, and disagreement. When that happens, take your sword to Uhud and strike it until it breaks. Then stay in your house until a wrongful hand reaches you or your appointed death comes.”’ It came to pass, and I did what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had said.

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It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Whenever two Muslims meet with their swords, both the killer and the one killed will be in the Fire.’

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It was narrated from Abu Musa that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘When two Muslims meet with their swords, both the killer and the one killed will be in the Fire.’ They asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, that is the killer—but what about the one who was killed?’ He said, ‘He intended to kill his companion.’

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It was narrated from Abu Bakrah that the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘When one Muslim raises a weapon against his brother, both stand at the brink of Hell. If one of them kills the other, they will both enter it.’