This document discusses how Islam and its true adherents will return to a state of "strangeness", as prophesied by the Prophet Muhammad. It describes three types of strangeness: 1) Strangeness from one's homeland, 2) Strangeness from corrupt people, 3) Strangeness of true Muslims who are few in number but adhere to the Sunnah despite being surrounded by evil. It says believers will be oppressed and considered lowly by their tribes in the end times, as the religion progresses from a state of guidance to regression.

2. Islam began as a stranger
 Abu Hurairah (RA) reported that the
Prophet (SAW) said: “Islam began as something
strange and it will return to being strange as it
began. So Toobaa is for the strangers.

3. Islam will return to strangeness

4. Meaning of the Hadith

5. True believers and worshipers of one
Allah are strangers among mankind.
And if you obey most of the people on Earth, they will lead you astray.
(Quran 6: 116)
And most of mankind will not believe, even if you (O Muhammad) desire it eagerly.
(Quran 12: 103)
And truly, most of mankind are rebellious and disobedient (to God). (Quran 5: 49)
But nay, most of mankind are ungrateful. (Quran 12: 38)

6. How do we recognize them?

7. Who are the strangers?
 Imam Ahmad and Ibn Majah have also reported
this hadeeth on the authority of Ibn Masood
(RA) with the addition at the end of it:
 “It was asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, and who
are the strangers?’
 He (SAW) said: ‘The Nuzaa’
 (Those who extract themselves) from their
families and close relatives.’”

8. Qualities of strangers
 Abu Bakr Al-Aajuree also transmitted it and in his
report there occurs: "It was said: ‘Who are they, O
Messenger of Allah?’ He (SAW) said:
 ‘Those who rectify (themselves/others) when the
people have become corrupt.’”
 He (SAW) also said: "They are those who flee from
trials (fitan) for the sake of their Religion."

9. Qualities of strangers
 Imam Ahmad and At-Tabaranee narrated from
the hadeeth of 'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr (RA),
 The Prophet (SAW) said: “Tooba is for the
strangers.” It was said: “And who are the
strangers? He (SAW) said: “A righteous people
surrounded by people abounding in much evil.
Those who disobey them are more numerous
than those who obey them.”

10. Qualities of strangers
 And it has been reported on ‘Abdullah Ibn Amr
(RA) in marfoo’ and mawqoof form in this
hadeeth, that: “It was asked : ‘Who are the
strangers?’
 He (SAW) said: ‘They are the ones who flee for
the sake of their Religion. Allah, may He be
Exalted, will send them with ‘Eesa Bin Maryam’”

11. Characteristics of the strangers
 They will correct others when the people have
become corrupt.
 They are those who will rectify what the people
have corrupted of the Sunnah.
 They are the ones who will flee from affliction for
the sake of their Religion.
 They are the ones who will extract themselves
from their close relatives (for Allah’s sake).

12. Meanings of “Tooba”
 It is said that Tooba means something good.
 Allah mentions this word in Surat-ur-Ra’ad :
“Those who believe and do righteous deeds,
Tooba is for them and a pleasant destination.”
 Ibraheem An-Nakha’ee (RA), the great Tabi’ee,
said it means “good is for them.”
 Qatadah said: “When a man says Tooba for you
it means you have attained something good.
 ‘Ikrimah and Mujahid said that Tooba means
Paradise.

13. Tooba, a tree in Jannah

14. Tooba, a tree in Paradise
 it is said that Tooba refers to a tree in Paradise
which the Prophet (SAW) 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]
 Prophet (SAW) said: “Tooba 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.”

15. Islam’s strangeness, historical
perspective
 When the Prophet(SAW) began calling towards
Islam, his call was not answered at first
 Those that accepted his call feared from their tribes
and families lest they should be subjected to
extreme punishment.
 Due to their weakness, the (first) Muslims would be
frightened by every opposing force

16. Islam began in strangeness
 They had to flee for the sake of their Religion to far-
off lands as was shown when they migrated twice -
to the land of Abyssinia, and then to Madinah.
 There was from among them who were tortured for
the sake of Allah and some were killed.
 So those who entered into the fold of Islam, back in
those days – they were the strangers.

17. Victory and spread of Islam
 Then Islam spread after the Hijrah to Madinah
and its followers became victorious over every
group.
 After that, the people entered into the Religion
of Allah in multitudes.
 Allah perfected the Religion for them and
completed His favor upon them.

18. Victory and spread of Islam
 Then the Messenger of Allah (SAW) died.
 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 Khilafah).

19. Period of Discord and Disputes
 Then discord fell between them.
 The trials of Doubts (Ash-Shubuhat) and Desires
(Ash-Shahawat) became widespread.
 These two trials and their effects continued to
increase with the incitation of Shaytan
 All of that was from what the Messenger of Allah
(SAW) had warned us would occur.

20. Prophet (SAW) said:

21. Two kinds of trials
Trials
Shubhat
Doubts
Shahwat
Desires

22. Trial of Doubts(Ash-Shubuhat)
 Prophet said: "This Ummah will split into seventy-three
sects, all of which will be in the Hellfire, except for one."
They asked: "And which is that sect?" He (SAW) said:
"(The ones that adhere to) That which I and my
Companions are upon today." (At-Tabarani in Mu'jam-us-
Sagheer)
 In another narration on the authority of Anas Ibn Maalik
(RA) the Prophet (SAW) said: "Every one of them will be
in the Hellfire, except one and it is the Jama'ah."

23. Consequences of Doubts
 It was because of this that the Muslims were divided
and became sects, some groups declaring others as
disbelievers.
 Thus, they became enemies, divided into groups and
parties.
 This only happened after having been brothers.
 So no one of these sects is saved, except for the one
saved sect (Al- Firqat-un-Naajiyah).

24. Consequences of Doubts
 And they are the ones mentioned in the saying of
the Prophet (SAW)
 “There will not cease to be a group from my Ummah
triumphant upon the truth. Those who oppose them
will not be able to harm them, nor will those who
abandon them, until Allah’s order comes about (Day
of Judgment) and they are in that state.”

25. Trial of Desires:(Ash-Shahawat)
 It is reported in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of
'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr (RA) that the Prophet (SAW)
said: “When the treasures of the Persians and the
Romans are opened for you, how will your people
be?” ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan Ibn Auf (RA) said:
 “We will say what Allah has ordered us (to say).”
He (SAW) said: “Or other than that. You will
compete against each other, then you will envy
one another, then you will turn your backs on one
another.” (Muslim, Ibn-Majah)

26. Main fear of the Prophet (SAW)
On the authority of 'Amr Ibn 'Awf (RA) the Prophet
(SAW) said:
 “I swear by Allah! It is not poverty that I fear for you.
Rather, what I fear the most for you is that the
pleasures of this world will be presented to you as
they were presented to those before you. And you
will compete against each other for it, as they
competed against each other. And it will destroy
you, just as it destroyed them.” (Ibn-Majah)

27. Umar Ibn Khattab (RA) on trial of
wealth
 And when the treasures of Kissra (Chosroes)
were opened for ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab (RA), he
began to weep and said:
 “Indeed this (treasure) did not open upon a
people ever, except that Allah placed discord
between them.”

28. 3 types of strangeness
Strangeness
of the land
Strangeness
of the
people of
corruption
Strangeness
of true
Muslims

29. 3 Categories of strangeness
Al Ghurbathu wal Ghuraba, by Imam Ibn ul Qayyim alJawziyyah.
 1- There is the strangeness from the land or from one’s
country. This strangeness could be
 A-Praiseworthy- This is connected to the niyyah
(intention) of a particular individual. …So for instance, if
a person were to travel to a strange land for the
purpose of halal trade or dawah, then his strangeness
to the land would be a praiseworthy strangeness.
 B-Blameworthy- If a person were to travel to a land for
the purpose of fisq (sin, evil) or Fasaad (evil spreading)
or corruption, then this strangeness would be
blameworthy.

30. 2-Strangeness of the people of fisq,
corruption and dalala (misguidance)
 This kufr, shirk, and dalala makes their chest
constrained, and it makes them individuals who
are strangers – even though they may be
plentiful in one particular place.
 Without guidance, these people are strange [in a
blameworthy way] and have constraint in their
chest.
 Some of them may have much money, but
because of the constrained chest – due to kufr
and dalala – they kill their righteous nature.

31. 3-Strangeness of true Muslims
 This is a strangeness that is good.
 The intent is a person holds onto the religion of
Allah while among the people of dalala and kufr
and shirk and bid’ah and ma’siya.
 This individual will have great reward due to the
good he’s upon, and opposing the people
distant from the Deen of Allah (SWT) and the
Sunnah of His Messenger (SAW). So you will find
 This type of stranger obeys Allah’s commands in
all his affairs and carries out the Sunnah of the
Messenger of Allah (SAW).

32. THE STRANGENESS OF THE SUNNAH
AND ITS ADHERENTS
 Al-Hasan Al-Basree (RA) used to say to his companions:
“Oh Ahl-us-Sunnah! Be gentle with one another and may
Allah have mercy on you. For indeed, you are from
amongst the fewest of people.”
 Sufyaan Ath-Thawree (RA) said: “Treat the Ahl-us-Sunnah
kindly, for verily, they are strangers.”
 Yunus Ibn ‘Ubayd (RA) said: “There is not a thing more
stranger than the Sunnah. And what is more stranger
than it, is the one who knows it.”

33. The understanding of the term
“Sunnah”
 It was the way of the Prophet (SAW) – that which he
and his companions were upon – free from Doubts
(Ash-Shubuhaat) and Desires (Ash-Shahawaat).
 Due to this, Al-Fudayl Ibn ‘Iyaad (RA) used to say:
“Ahl-us-Sunnah is he who knows what is entering his
stomach from the halal.”
 That is because the consumption of halal is from the
greatest aspects of the Sunnah.

34. Adherents of Sunnah will be
strangers
 They are described as strangers because of their small
number and rarity in the Last Days.
 They are described as : "A righteous people surrounded
by people abounding in much evil. Those who disobey
them are greater in number than those who obey
them." Musnad Ahmad (2/177)
 Strangeness indicates smallness of their numbers and
the number of those who accept their call.
 We are made aware of the greatness in number of
those who oppose them and disobey them.

35. Praise for the one who sticks firmly
to his Religion
 Prophet(SAW) said: "Verily, after you there will come
times requiring patience. (In those days) the one who
holds fast to that which you are upon will have the
reward of fifty amongst you.”
 Reported by Al-Marwazee in As-Sunnah (no. 35),
 At-Tabaranee in Al-Kabeer(17/117),
 Abu Dawood in his Sunan (no. 3441),
 At-Tirmidhee (no. 3057), who declared it saheeh,
 Ibn Maajah (no. 4014).
 Imaam Al-Albanee authenticated it in As-Saheehah (no. 494)

36. THE STRANGENESS OF THE
BELIEVER DURING THE LAST DAYS
 Abu Umamah (RA), that the Prophet(SAW) said:
 “Verily, for every matter there is a progression and a
regression:
 And verily from the progression of this Religion is
that you used to be upon blindness and ignorance
and then Allah sent me (with His Guidance).
 And verily from the progression of this Religion is
that a clan was taught (Islam) by its family
members, to the point that there was not found
amongst them anyone except for one evildoer or
two evildoers. So these two were oppressed and
degraded. When they want to speak, they are
restrained, subdued and persecuted.

37. Progression of Religion
 And verily from the regression of this Religion is
that a clan acts harshly against its family
members, to the point that there is not seen
amongst them anyone except one faqeeh (one
with understanding) or two faqeehs. Thus they
will both be oppressed and degraded. If they
speak and command the good and forbid the
evil, they are restrained, subdued and
persecuted. And they will not find any
supporters or helpers in that matter.”
(Tabaranee)

38. Strangeness of the believers
 At-Tabaranee also reported with a weak chain of
narration on the authority of Ibn Mas’ood (RA) that
the Prophet (SAW) said:
 “And verily from its signs (i.e. the Hour) is that the
believer will be in the sight of his tribe, more lower
(in status) than the young sheep.”

39. Strangeness of the believers
 And it is recorded in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad
that 'Ubadah Ibn As-Samat (RA) said to one of his
companions:
 "It is imminent that should your life be prolonged
for you, you will see a man who recites the Quran
upon the tongue of Muhammad (SAW)repeating it
and displaying it, allowing its halal and forbidding
its haram.
 He will then be lowered in his status and his
position will be neglected amongst you and
considered just as the position of a dead donkey.”

40. Descriptions of strangeness of
believers by Asim Al-Andakee
 Description of truth has returned to being strange as it
began.
 If you were to turn to the scholar, you would find him
being tested with the love of this worldly life and the
love for honor and authority.
 And if you were to turn to the worshipper, you would
find him ignorant in his worship, deceived and fallen
victim to his enemy Iblis.
 He has mounted to the highest levels of worship while
being ignorant of how to perform them so how can he
be at that level?

41. Descriptions of strangeness
 And the rest of the people are from among the
ignorant followers, simple-minded and quick to
follow a way, as if he were a wolf looking to steal a
sheep, or a hungry lion, or a fox on the prowl.
 Described by Ahmad Ibn ‘Asim Al-Andakee, who
was one of the biggest scholars at the time of
Sulaymaan Ad-Daramee (Hilyat-ul-Awliyaa 9/286)

42. CLINGING ONTO THE SUNNAH
DURING TIMES OF AFFLICTION
 Abu Hurairah (RA) related that the Prophet (SAW)
said: “The one who clings onto my Sunnah at the
time of the corruption of my Ummah will receive the
reward of a martyr.” (At-Tabaranee)
 Hasan Basari (RA)said: “If a man from the first
generation of Muslims were sent (to us) today, he
would not recognize anything from Islam except for
this prayer!”

43. Hard times ahead to hold on to
religion
 Prophet ( ‫ﷺ‬) )stated, “Ahead of you are days of
patience, when holding onto the religion will be like
holding onto hot coals, and whomsoever holds onto
His religion in that time, then his reward will be the
reward of fifty men.” The Companions said, “O
Messenger of Allaah, fifty times the worth of their
reward?” He said, “Rather fifty from you.”
 Collected by Abu Dawood, At-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah,
Al-Haakim who declared it authentic, Adh-Dhahabee
agreed and Al-Albaanee declared it Saheeh in As-
Saheehah (no. 494).

44. Holding onto the religion in times of
fitnah
 Prophet ( ‫ﷺ‬) said, “There will be du’aat (callers) at
the gates of Jahannam. Whoever responds to them,
they will cast them into it.” (Bukhaaree and
Muslim).
 They call to misguidance, deviation, bid’ah and to
the innovated sects, groups and parties.
 Why? Because they stand at the gates of the
Hellfire such that you can’t even envision the
Hellfire behind them.
 May Allah protect us and keep us safe from that.
Ameen

45. There were strangers with previous
prophets
 The Prophet ‫ﷺ‬) )said in a hadith:
 “The nations were presented before me, I saw a
Prophet, and I saw that he did not have except a
handful of followers and I saw a Prophet and he had
one follower, and I saw a Prophet and he had no
followers.” (Bukharee and Muslim)
 Does that affect the truth that they were upon?
 Does that change that they were upon the truth
because you look at how many people were
following him?
 The truth is not measured by numbers, “The
Jamaa’ah is whatever is in accordance to the truth,
even if you are on your own” as Ibn Mas’ood stated.

46. Ghuraba will remain in every age
 Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah do not alter with
time, they are upon the Sunnah in every age, in
every time.
 Ghurabaa they will remain in every age, in every
era, and they will remain strong.
 Imaam At-Tirmidhee said about the Aided Group
(At-Taa’ifah Al-Mansoorah): “They are the people
of knowledge and the people of narrations.”
They are the Jamaa’ah.

47. Dua