Seditions
The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, informed us of the trials that will inevitably come. He urged us to haste to do good deeds before the heart gets distracted by the tribulations. Muslim narrated that the Prophet sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said: “Be prompt in doing good deeds before tribulations rise like pieces of a pitch black night, when a man will be a believer in the morning and a disbeliever in the evening or he will be a believer in the evening and a disbeliever in the next morning who will sell his religion for worldly perishing reimbursements.” In this hadith there is an encouragement to hurry to do good actions before such an act becomes unachievable, i.e. before we are drawn away from the good deeds by the overwhelming and numerous trials which will intensify just as the darkness of a night without moonlight. The Prophet described one of those terrible tribulations when a person will be a believer in the morning and a disbeliever in the evening or vice versa. Brothers! This will be caused by the severity of the trials that will test humans, to the point that an individual will change radically in one day, may Allah protect us against that.
In the narration of Abu Dawud, the Prophet peace be upon him said: “Before the Hour comes (i.e., the Day of Judgement), there will be tribulations like pieces of a pitch-black night. During those times, a man will be a believer in the morning and a disbeliever in the evening or he will be a believer in the evening and a disbeliever in the next morning; the one who sits will be better than the one who stands; and the one who walks will be better than the one who runs. Break your bows, cut their strings and strike your swords against the stones and if someone enters your house – that is, to kill you- let one then be the better of the two sons of Adam.” This is like Habil who was killed by his brother Qabil as Allah, tabaraka wata^ala, told us in Surat Al-Ma‘idah.
In another narration of ‘Abu Dawud, the Prophet peace be upon him said: “Ahead of you there will be tribulations like pieces of a pitch black night when a man will be a believer in the morning and a disbeliever in the evening or he will be a believer in the evening and a disbeliever in the next morning. The one who sits will be better than the one who stands, the one who stands will be better than the one who walks and the one who walks will be better than the one who runs, …” It was asked, “What do you command us to do?” and the Prophet answered what literally means: “be the blankets of your houses”, meaning, “stay in your houses and do not take part in these tribulations”. This is because of the great importance of the prohibition upon killing Muslims without right and the fear that a person will be drawn into committing an enormous injustice. Ahmad reported in his Musnad, that Sa^id Ibn Zayd said, “The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, mentioned the tribulations that will be like pieces of a pitch black night and said, “People will rush into it extremely fast”. Someone asked, “Will they all be in ruin or just some of them?” and he answered “the unjust killing is sufficient for their destruction”. May Allah protect us from being drawn into such tribulations and destructive sins.
Brothers, beware of getting drawn into fitnahs (tribulations) and stay away from what causes them. Take advantage of the time you have to accomplish acts of obedience… beware of being drawn into unjust blood-spilling for whoever murders a soul when Allah declared it haram for one to kill, he exposes himself to legal punishment in this life as if he had killed all people and Allah will curse him and prepare for him a severe torture in Hellfire.
Beware of taking people’s property unjustly for the consequence of this is severe. Stay away from those who call to vicious killing and rebellion for Al-Hakim reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said, “Years of hardship will come to people when they start believing the liar and belying the truthful; the traitor will be entrusted and the trustworthy will be accused with treachery and the ruwaybidah will speak.” They asked: “What is the ruwaybidah?” He said: “The despicable person who will speak of public affairs.”
Our time is the time of the years of hardship mentioned by the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, so guard yourself against it my brother, protect your family and relatives from regions where tribulations emerge, keep yourself and your family busy with learning, teaching and performing acts of worship. May Allah ta^ala protect us from the darkness of injustice and make our end as pious Muslims. Ameen
