Resolving the Apparent Contradiction Between Hadiths

The questioner:
Peace be upon you. And upon you be peace. I have three hadiths, I have three hadiths. The first hadith says that the best of generations is the generation of the Prophet, then those who follow them. The second hadith says that no time comes but that the time after it is worse for people, and that what follows is worse than what precedes it. The third question says that Islam began as a stranger and will return as a stranger. Are these hadiths compatible in meaning with their Shari'ah?

The Shaykh:
There is no contradiction between these hadiths. The best of generations is the generation in which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent, and they are the Companions. They are the best of the generations of this Ummah. Then, in terms of excellence, comes the generation of the Tabi'un who studied under the Companions, and then the generation of the Tabi'in of the Tabi'in who studied under the Tabi'un. These are called the preferred generations. They are the best of the generations because of their proximity to the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and their excellence over all who come after them. this refers to the period after the preferred generations, because evil only increased and occurred after the preferred generations, and the many sects appeared after the preferred generations, as is well known. And the third hadith. Yes.

The questioner:
Islam began as a stranger.

The Shaykh:
"Islam began as a stranger." This is in the end times. It will return as a stranger, meaning in the end times, just as it began. So there is no contradiction between the hadiths. Yes.