Translation: Ishaaq bn AbdirRaheem
Bismillaah-ir-Rahmaan-ir-Raheem
The real intent of Fitnah here is when Muslims rise against one another in fighting and killing; precursors to that also come within. This however does not underplay the communal obligation of the people of truth rising against the people of evil and corruption among the people of Bid’ah and heresies in the Deen.
Al-Imaam al-Ukbaree ibn Battah recorded in his Al-Ibaanah al-Kubraa [2/594] so also al-Imaam Al-Haakim an-Naysaabooree in al-Mustadrak [4/560] and Al-Imaam AbdurRazaaq as-Sana’aanee in al-Musannaf [11/359] and generally authenticated by al-Imaam Muhammad NaasirudDeen al-Albaanee as a statement of Ibn Mas’ood in Saheeh at-Tar’gheeb watTar’heeb [1/36], that Ibn Mas’ood said:
قَالَ: كَيْÙÙŽ بÙÙƒÙمْ Ø¥Ùذَا لَبÙسَتْكÙمْ ÙÙتْنَةٌ يَرْبÙÙˆ ÙÙيهَا الصَّغÙير٠, وَيَهْرَم٠ÙÙيهَا الْكَبÙير٠, وَتÙتَّخَذ٠سÙنَّةً , ÙÙŽØ¥Ùنْ غَيَّرْتَ يَوْمًا Ù‚Ùيلَ: هَذَا Ù…ÙنْكÙرٌ , وَقَالÙوا: وَمَتَى ذَاكَ يَا أَبَا عَبْد٠الرَّØْمَنÙØŸ قَالَ: ذَاكَ Ø¥Ùذَا قَلَّتْ Ø£ÙمَنَاؤÙÙƒÙمْ , ÙˆÙŽÙƒÙŽØ«Ùرَتْ Ø£ÙمَرَاؤÙÙƒÙمْ , وَقَلَّ ÙÙقَهَاؤÙÙƒÙمْ , ÙˆÙŽÙƒÙŽØ«Ùرَ Ù‚ÙرَّاؤÙÙƒÙمْ , وَتÙÙÙقّÙÙ‡ÙŽ Ù„Ùغَيْر٠الدّÙين٠, وَالْتÙÙ…Ùسَت٠الدّÙنْيَا بÙعَمَل٠الْآخÙرَةÙ
‘How shall you be when Fitnah envelopes you the type wherein the young grow up while the old go into senility, and it is taken as the norm, if you try to change it one day, you will be told: ‘This is strange?’ They said: ‘When shall that be, O Father of AbdurRahmaan?’ He said: ‘That is when there are few trustworthy ones among you, when your rulers become many, when your jurists are few, when your reciters are many, when knowledge is sought for other than the Deen and this world is sought with the deeds of the Hereafter.’
We seek safety from Allaah.
