How can one reconcile the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
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The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : How can one reconcile the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Sahih Ibn Hibban 51:19, with what we see in our reality of people turning to Allah, and we are certain, absolutely certain, that this time is better than times that have passed, due to the decrease of evil and people's turning to Allah.
I mean, it is an observed phenomenon, what is now called the awakening. It is known that this is an awakening that came after negligence. How can one reconcile this with that?
The Shaykh : Some scholars hold the view.
And before I say that, we must know that the Qur'an and the authentic Sunnah never contradict reality. The Qur'an and the authentic Sunnah do not contradict reality. So if something occurs that contradicts the apparent meaning of the Book and the Sunnah, know that you have erred in understanding the Book and the Sunnah, and that the intended meaning is one that does not contradict reality. The reality now is that, as the brother mentioned, there is a strong turning to the religion of Allah, praise be to Allah, from the youth. We ask Allah for their steadfastness and that He guide them to the truth. But there is rampant evil, rampant, rampant, for many people. There is turning to Allah, praise be to Allah, but there is also great evil.
Do the evils present among Muslims today exist from before? Yes, they do not exist. I mean, we did not believe that a person would drink intoxicants, and now intoxicants are sold openly in some Islamic lands and placed in refrigerators just as lawful drinks are placed. We did not think that a person would commit sodomy with another, and now in some Islamic lands, the male is displayed to people as if he were a lawful woman. The narcotics that destroy nations, did we know them? Yes, we did not.
So now, the Ummah has much good in it and evil. If you compare this and that, you might say that the good is predominant, if Allah wills. And if those of evil are not restrained, they will prevail over the good.
But the intended meaning of the hadith, the intended meaning of the hadith, is the rulers. Because the reason Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned this hadith is that people came to him complaining about what they were experiencing from al-Hajjaj. Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi is well known. They came to complain to him about what they were experiencing from al-Hajjaj. He said to them, "Be patient, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said." And this is the reality regarding the rulers: no time comes for people but that the one after it is worse than it.
Look now at the Islamic lands, especially the Arab ones that we know. Egypt, when it was a monarchy, was it better or after it became a republic? Yes, the former was much better.
Then the republics that followed, each republic was worse than the one before it.
Look at Iraq, you will find it the same. Look at Syria, you will find it the same. So for people regarding the rulers, no time comes but that the one after it is worse than it in terms of injustice, distance from the religion, suppression of the people of truth, and other things. Do you understand now?
So the intended meaning, as it appears, is the rulers: no time comes for people but that the one after it is worse than it. One might object to this with the caliphate of 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him), for the caliphs before him were worse than him, and he was better than them, without doubt, better than what preceded him, especially those close to him in time. It is said that this does not contradict the hadith, because the texts of the Book and the Sunnah sometimes apply to the majority, not to every individual and every person. Yes.
The questioner : Your Eminence, the Shaykh
The Shaykh : Okay, I got one
The questioner : No, this is different.
The Shaykh : Someone else, please
The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : How can one reconcile the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
No time comes but that the one after it is worse than it
لا يأتي زمان إلا والذي بعده شر منهI mean, it is an observed phenomenon, what is now called the awakening. It is known that this is an awakening that came after negligence. How can one reconcile this with that?
The Shaykh : Some scholars hold the view.
And before I say that, we must know that the Qur'an and the authentic Sunnah never contradict reality. The Qur'an and the authentic Sunnah do not contradict reality. So if something occurs that contradicts the apparent meaning of the Book and the Sunnah, know that you have erred in understanding the Book and the Sunnah, and that the intended meaning is one that does not contradict reality. The reality now is that, as the brother mentioned, there is a strong turning to the religion of Allah, praise be to Allah, from the youth. We ask Allah for their steadfastness and that He guide them to the truth. But there is rampant evil, rampant, rampant, for many people. There is turning to Allah, praise be to Allah, but there is also great evil.
Do the evils present among Muslims today exist from before? Yes, they do not exist. I mean, we did not believe that a person would drink intoxicants, and now intoxicants are sold openly in some Islamic lands and placed in refrigerators just as lawful drinks are placed. We did not think that a person would commit sodomy with another, and now in some Islamic lands, the male is displayed to people as if he were a lawful woman. The narcotics that destroy nations, did we know them? Yes, we did not.
So now, the Ummah has much good in it and evil. If you compare this and that, you might say that the good is predominant, if Allah wills. And if those of evil are not restrained, they will prevail over the good.
But the intended meaning of the hadith, the intended meaning of the hadith, is the rulers. Because the reason Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned this hadith is that people came to him complaining about what they were experiencing from al-Hajjaj. Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi is well known. They came to complain to him about what they were experiencing from al-Hajjaj. He said to them, "Be patient, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said
Indeed, no time comes for people but that the one after it is worse than it until you meet your Lord
إنه لا يأتي على الناس زمان إلا وما بعده شر منه حتى تلقو ربكمLook now at the Islamic lands, especially the Arab ones that we know. Egypt, when it was a monarchy, was it better or after it became a republic? Yes, the former was much better.
Then the republics that followed, each republic was worse than the one before it.
Look at Iraq, you will find it the same. Look at Syria, you will find it the same. So for people regarding the rulers, no time comes but that the one after it is worse than it in terms of injustice, distance from the religion, suppression of the people of truth, and other things. Do you understand now?
So the intended meaning, as it appears, is the rulers: no time comes for people but that the one after it is worse than it. One might object to this with the caliphate of 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him), for the caliphs before him were worse than him, and he was better than them, without doubt, better than what preceded him, especially those close to him in time. It is said that this does not contradict the hadith, because the texts of the Book and the Sunnah sometimes apply to the majority, not to every individual and every person. Yes.
The questioner : Your Eminence, the Shaykh
The Shaykh : Okay, I got one
The questioner : No, this is different.
The Shaykh : Someone else, please