We discussed last week a Hadith reported by Caliph Muawiyah as he was giving a speech. He quoted the Prophet (peace be upon him) as saying: “When God wants to give someone goodness (in abundance) He will give him insight into the faith. I am only one who shares out (things), but it is God who gives them. This community will remain true to God’s message, unworried by whoever opposes them until God’s will has been accomplished.” (Related by Al-Bukhari). We commented on the first part which speaks of those gifts the Prophet made out of the state’s share of war gains to some individuals, hoping to strengthen their loyalty to Islam.
In the second part of the Hadith, the Prophet says that there will always remain some people who are true to God’s message until human life comes to an end. Other statements by the Prophet, however, make it clear that only evil people will be alive when the day that ends human life and signals the start of resurrection arrives. These include: “The Last Hour will arrive when only the most wicked are alive,” and “You shall all depart this life, good ones followed by good ones, until there only remain some who are devoid of goodness. Some of them will ride over others like goats do. It is on such people that the Day of Judgment will fall.”
There is apparent contradiction between the first Hadith and those others. How to reconcile such discrepancy? A discussion between two of the Prophet’s companions provides such reconciliation. Each of them quoted statements he heard from the Prophet. Neither denied what the other quoted; on the contrary, they both confirmed that. From this discussion we conclude that there will always be people who will remain true to God’s message. They will not be swayed by the strength of opposition they will receive. In fact they may have to resist enormous pressures from different quarters. We see this happening these days when the true advocates of Islam face strong opposition from the great powers of our world, and from dictatorial governments in their own countries, as well as from those who claim to defend Islam but resort to terrorist action that Islam disapproves of, and also from ordinary Muslims who are keen to ensure their own safety. It is these people who know the truth of Islam and its role that will continue to exercise their duty, speaking out for Islam, until the Day of Judgment. The Hadith does not say that these will be a group or a community living in one place. They could be individuals living in different areas, but they will always stand up for the truth of the Islamic message.
The discussion between the two companions of the Prophet shows that such people will remain in existence. However, when the Day of Judgment approaches, God will send gentle wind, spreading good smell, which will bring about the death of everyone who has even a shred of true faith. Thus, only wicked and evil people will remain alive. The final end of human life will then take place. This is what is meant by the Prophet’s statement that the Last Hour will arrive when only the most wicked are alive, and his other quoted Hadith that advocates of the truth will continue to fulfill their role until God’s will is accomplished.
