54/5. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2889a — Protection and Internal Conflict
(Parts of) This Ummah Will Destroy One Another
Hadith About the Ummah and Internal Conflict
Sahih Muslim : 2889a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2889a
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الْعَتَكِيُّ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِقُتَيْبَةَ - حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي أَسْمَاءَ، عَنْ ثَوْبَانَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ اللَّهَ زَوَى لِيَ الأَرْضَ فَرَأَيْتُ مَشَارِقَهَا وَمَغَارِبَهَا وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي سَيَبْلُغُ مُلْكُهَا مَا زُوِيَ لِي مِنْهَا وَأُعْطِيتُ الْكَنْزَيْنِ الأَحْمَرَ وَالأَبْيَضَ وَإِنِّي سَأَلْتُ رَبِّي لأُمَّتِي أَنْ لاَ يُهْلِكَهَا بِسَنَةٍ بِعَامَّةٍ وَأَنْ لاَ يُسَلِّطَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَدُوًّا مِنْ سِوَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ فَيَسْتَبِيحَ بَيْضَتَهُمْ وَإِنَّ رَبِّي قَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنِّي إِذَا قَضَيْتُ قَضَاءً فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يُرَدُّ وَإِنِّي أَعْطَيْتُكَ لأُمَّتِكَ أَنْ لاَ أُهْلِكَهُمْ بِسَنَةٍ بِعَامَّةٍ وَأَنْ لاَ أُسَلِّطَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَدُوًّا مِنْ سِوَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ يَسْتَبِيحُ بَيْضَتَهُمْ وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ مَنْ بِأَقْطَارِهَا - أَوْ قَالَ مَنْ بَيْنَ أَقْطَارِهَا - حَتَّى يَكُونَ بَعْضُهُمْ يُهْلِكُ بَعْضًا وَيَسْبِي بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا " .
Thawban Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Allah drew the ends of the world near one another for my sake. And I have seen its eastern and western ends. And the dominion of my Ummah would reach those ends which have been drawn near me and I have been granted the red and the white treasure and I begged my Lord for my Ummah that it should not be destroyed because of famine, nor be dominated by an enemy who is not amongst them to take their lives and destroy them root and branch, and my Lord said: Muhammad, whenever I make a decision, there is none to change it.I grant you for your Ummah that it would not be destroyed by famine and it would not be dominated by an enemy who would not be amongst it and would take their lives and destroy them root and branch even if all the people from the different parts of the world join hands together (for this purpose), but it would be from amongst them, viz. your Ummah, that some people would kill the others or imprison the others.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2889aIn-book reference : Book 54, Hadith 24USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 41, Hadith 6904
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2889a
This hadith about the Ummah contains both glad news and warning. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said Allah drew the ends of the world near for him, and he saw its east and west. He said the dominion of his Ummah would reach what was shown to him, and he was granted the red and white treasures. He also asked his Lord that his Ummah not be destroyed by famine and not be wiped out by an enemy from outside them. These were granted. But the hadith also says that people from within the Ummah would kill or imprison one another. The teaching is balanced: Allah’s protection is real, and internal fitnah is still a serious danger.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked Allah for protection for his Ummah.
- The hadith mentions protection from total famine and outside destruction.
- Internal killing and imprisonment are mentioned as a remaining trial.
- The narration joins hope for the Ummah with warning against division.
