So Glad Tidings (Tuba) to the Strangers (al-Ghurabah)...

Despite all the trials and temptations we see and the appearance of falsehood everywhere, indeed:

"Allah is predominant over His affair but most of the people do not know."

Despite all we see of people’s hastiness to fulfill their (evil) desires and their laziness towards acts of obedience, indeed, from between those people are a group whom Allah has chosen and selected and He protected them from the fitan (trials) when they preserved the commandments of Allah.

Those people are the strangers and they are the people who I wanted to console with my words. On the report of ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood who said, “The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, ‘Islam began as something strange and will revert to being strange as it began, so give glad tidings to the strangers.’ It was said to him, ‘and who are they,'” Listen, may Allah bless you. “‘And it was said, ‘and who are they yā Rasoolullah?’ He said, ‘those who correct what the people have corrupted.'” - Those who correct what people have corrupted – classed as authentic by al-Albani.

Reflect, may Allah bless you, on the saying of the Prophet (saws) “Yushlihoon” (those who correct), and he did not say Saalihoon (righteous ones) for being righteous in and of itself is not enough. Another of their characteristics is that they are zealous people who call to Allah and reform others, they do not despair or give up to the corrupt reality. And because they are few in between people they were named al-Ghurabah.

The people of Islam in between people are strangers and the believers in between the people of Islam are strangers and the people of Knowledge in between the believers are strangers and the people of Sunnah, who distinguish it from desires and innovation are strangers in between the people of Knowledge and they call to the Sunnah and are patient against the harm of the opposition. They are the most sever people in strangeness but they are the true people of Allah and there is no strangeness upon them.

Let no one think that the strangers are unhappy or miserable but verily, they are the happiest of people as the Prophet (saws) said, "So glad tidings (Tuba) to the strangers." Tuba is derived from the teeb (goodness/happiness), as Allah says:

"A good state is theirs and a good return."

As they are the happiest people in this world and they are the highest of them in rank in the Hereafter after the Prophets, so goodness is for them in this world and goodness is for them in the Hereafter. On the report of Abi Sa’eed on behalf of the Prophet (saws) said, “Tuba is a tree in Paradise, as big as a hundred years journey, the clothes of the people of Paradise come from it’s calyces (the outer parts of its flowers).” Oh Allah, don’t forbid us the best of what You have with the worst of what we have.

Look at today and contemplate over the situation, look at today and contemplate over the situation, if a young man or woman become upright (upon the Deen) they have become strangers amidst old friends, even in their own homes and between their own families they get ridicule, slander, mockery but, it will not harm them for verily the Prophet (saws) said, “Glad tidings to the strangers.”

He also said, “There are indeed ahead of you days that require patience. Whoever is patient during those days from them will have the rewards of FIFTY men who do what he is doing.” He tells his Companions, “There are indeed ahead of you days that require patience. Whoever is patient during those days from them will have the rewards of fifty men who do what he is doing.” The Companions asked, “Ya Rasoolullah the rewards of fifty of those with him?” He said, “The reward of fifty of you.”

Al-Awzaa’i commented on the Hadīth, “Islam began as something strange and it will revert to being strange…” He said, “Islam will not go but the people of Sunnah will go until there will be none left except one man.”

Yunus ibn Ubayd said, “There is nothing stranger than the Sunnah and what is strange is he who knows it, follows it and applies it.”

And ibn Rajab said, “These strangers are two types: one of them is he who reforms himself when people are corrupt, and this is the lowest of them in rank. And the second is he who corrects what people have corrupted, this is the highest of the two and better of them.”

Al-Hasan (al-Basri) said, “A believer in this world is like a stranger, he does not become anxious by its lowliness, he does not compete for its honor, he is in a state and people are in another state.”

As for the signs of strangeness today:

Strangeness in ‘Aqeedah, there are few who are holding on to the ‘Aqeedah of the Salaf from all its angles except a few people.

Strangeness in adhering to the Laws of Islam, people who pray have become little and the singers have become many. Allah says:

"(The time of) their account has approached for the people, while they are in heedlessness turning away."

Strangeness in manners and noble conduct, and we barely see anyone who practices the Akhlaq of Islam in themselves, in transactions and other forms. Good examples have become few so how will we affect others if we have lost our manners and values? Nations are but what they left of good conduct, if they left, their good conduct is left as well.

Strangeness in the ‘Aqeedah of Walaa wal Baraa, whereby this ‘Aqeedah has been dissolved in many people where loyalty and love has become for the worldly pleasure and its interests. Where the enemies of Allah have become our friends as if Allah does not say:

"Do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies."

As if Allah does not say:

"Do not take the yahood and nasaraa as allies."

Shaykhul Islam (ibn Taymiyyah) pointed out a good meaning about the Hadith of strangeness, and when it began as strange it was not known, then it appeared and was known, then it will return again like that until it is not known again but then it will appear and be known. By this, oh slaves of Allah, is a reply to those who just understands from the Hadith of strangeness that is just regression for Islam and there is no hope for its return and this is what many of those who despair understand from it and in the previous saying of Shaykhul Islam is a refutation for this false understanding and that is: If Islam returns as strange as it began it will then, by the will of Allah, return strong and apparent like it happened in the first strangeness of Islam and this is the correct understanding which the Ayaat and Ahadith witness for.

Allah has written:

"I will surely overcome, I and my Messengers. Indeed, Allah is powerful and exalted in might."

By ash-Shaykh Khalīd ar-Rashīd (fakk Allahu asrah)