Who are the strangers in the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Islam appeared as a stranger”

Question:
The questioner says: In the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), “Islam appeared as a stranger, and it will return as a stranger, so blessed are the strangers.” The question is: Who are the strangers? And are we now in the time of strangeness mentioned in the hadith?

Answer:
The hadith is authentic. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) explained who the strangers are when it was said to him, “Who are the strangers, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “Those who do good when the people become corrupt.” In another narration, “Those who do not do good, what a loss you have suffered.” These are the strangers. This is the explanation of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). And Imam al-Hafiz Ibn al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) has a treatise on this subject. Its title is *Kashkash fi al-Kharab fi Hal Ahl al-Barab*, which has been printed, traced to its sources, and published along with the collection of poems by Abu al-Ghazali.