The Prophet’s Desire to meet his brothers upon the Sunnah who came after the Sahābah ―They are known by their distinguishing signs; Ahlus-Sunnah will meet him at the Hawd and Ahlul-Bid’ah will be pushed away!

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It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) went out to the graveyard and said:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَرَجَ إِلَى الْمَقْبُرَةِ فَقَالَ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ دَارَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لاَحِقُونَ وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ إِخْوَانَنَا  قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَلَسْنَا إِخْوَانَكَ قَالَ بَلْ أَنْتُمْ أَصْحَابِي وَإِخْوَانِي الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَأْتُوا بَعْدُ وَأَنَا فَرَطُهُمْ عَلَى الْحَوْضِ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ تَعْرِفُ مَنْ يَأْتِي بَعْدَكَ مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ كَانَ لِرَجُلٍ خَيْلٌ غُرٌّ مُحَجَّلَةٌ فِي خَيْلٍ بُهْمٍ دُهْمٍ أَلاَ يَعْرِفُ خَيْلَهُ قَالُوا بَلَى  قَالَ فَإِنَّهُمْ يَأْتُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ غُرًّا مُحَجَّلِينَ مِنَ الْوُضُوءِ وَأَنَا فَرَطُهُمْ عَلَى الْحَوْضِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَلاَ لَيُذَادَنَّ رِجَالٌ عَنْ حَوْضِي كَمَا يُذَادُ الْبَعِيرُ الضَّالُّ فَأُنَادِيهِمْ أَلاَ هَلُمُّوا فَيُقَالُ إِنَّهُمْ قَدْ بَدَّلُوا بَعْدَكَ وَلَمْ يَزَالُوا يَرْجِعُونَ عَلَى أَعْقَابِهِمْ فَأَقُولُ سُحْقًا سُحْقًا

“Peace be upon you, abode of believing people. If Allah wills, we shall join you soon. Would that I had seen our brothers.”

They said: “O Messenger of Allah, are we not your brothers?” He said: “Rather, you are my Companions. My brothers are those who have not come yet. And I will reach the Hawd (the Lake) before them.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, how will you know those of your Ummah who come after you?”

He said: “Don’t you think that if a man has a horse with a white blaze and white feet among horses that are completely black, he will recognize his horse?” They said: “Of course.”

He said: “They will come on the Day of Resurrection with glittering white faces and glittering white hands and feet because of Wudū, and I will reach the Hawd before them.”

Then he said: “Men will be driven away from my Hawd just as stray camels are driven away. And I will call to them: ‘Come here!’ But it will be said: ‘They changed after you were gone, and they kept turning on their heels away from Islam.’ So I will say: “Be off with you!” (Muslim, no. 249; An-Nasā’ī 150; Ibn Mājah and others)

So the Prophet visited the graveyard of the believers and sent his salaam upon them saying:

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ دَارَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لاَحِقُونَ

“Peace be upon you, abode of believing people. If Allah wills, we shall join you soon.”

In another narration it is stated that the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) would teach his Companions when visiting the graves to say:

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لاَحِقُونَ نَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ لَنَا وَلَكُمُ الْعَافِيَةَ

“Peace be upon you O believers and Muslims of this abode. Certainly, Allah willing, we will join you. We supplicate to Allah to grant us and you well being.” (Ibn Mājah, no. 1457)

So he mentioned that he would shortly be joining those who have passed away  – that is because whoever dies will join the dead and will shortly be in their abode. And it was as if the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) knew that he would pass away shortly. And he knew that he would never see his brothers, the believers who would come after him in this world ― those who would follow his Sunnah and believe in the message that he brought from the Lord of the worlds. So, he felt in his heart compassion, mercy, longing and a desire to meet them, “Would that I had seen our brothers…” So he wanted to see them, to meet them in his lifetime, before his death. So his Companions said:

أَلَسْنَا إِخْوَانَكَ

“Are we not your brothers O Allaah’s Messenger?”

He said: “Rather you are my Sahaabah.” i.e. my Companions; and companionship is to live with someone and spend your life with them – and of course, this does not negate the fact that they were his brothers. Indeed they were his brothers and his Companions. And those who were to come later were his brothers in Imaan, but not his Companions, not those whom he lived with. Imaam an-Nawawee (rahimahullaah) said in Sharh Saheeh Muslim 2/131: Imaam al-Baajee stated that the saying of the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam):

بَلْ أَنْتُمْ أَصْحَابِي

‘Rather you are my Companions,’ is not a negation of brotherhood, rather it is an affirmation of a higher station of nearness in companionship – so they are both brothers and companions. And those who have not yet come from future generations are brothers but not companions just as Allaah has said:

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ

“The believers are but brothers, so reconcile and make peace between your brothers.” (Al-Hujuraat 49:10)

So the intent here of the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) is that you (the companions) are more distinguished than my brothers because you are my brothers and my Companions.

My brothers are those who have not come yet.” Meaning those that will come after the era of the Companions. So they asked him:

كَيْفَ تَعْرِفُ مَنْ يَأْتِي بَعْدَكَ مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ

“How will you know those who come after you from your Ummah” since you have not seen them? So he explained to them: “Don’t you think that if a man has a horse with a white blaze on its forehead and white feet among horses that are totally black, he will recognize his horse?” So then they understood and said: “Of course O Allaah’s Messenger!” Then he went on to explain to them: “They will come on the Day of Resurrection with glittering white faces and glittering white hands and feet because of Wudu’, and I will reach the Hawd before them.” So they will stand out just as a steed that is recognised due to its distinguishing signs. But the signs of the believers are signs of Wudoo which is indicative of their worshipping their Lord, the purpose for which they were created and the cause for their entry into the eternal gardens of Paradise. He informed them that he would precede them to the Hawd, in preparation for his followers so they may drink from its pure water from the vessels that are ready for them. So what is this Hawd of the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam)? It is a huge drinking lake that will be brought forth on the Day of Resurrection; its length is a month’s journey or the distance between Aden and Amman. Its breadth is like its length in size, rather it is greater than it in expanse. He then said:

أَلاَ لَيُذَادَنَّ رِجَالٌ عَنْ حَوْضِي كَمَا يُذَادُ الْبَعِيرُ الضَّالُّ فَأُنَادِيهِمْ أَلاَ هَلُمُّوا فَيُقَالُ إِنَّهُمْ قَدْ بَدَّلُوا بَعْدَكَ وَلَمْ يَزَالُوا يَرْجِعُونَ عَلَى أَعْقَابِهِمْ فَأَقُولُ سُحْقًا سُحْقًا

“Men will be driven away from my Hawd just as stray camels are driven away. And I will call to them: ‘Come here!’ But it will be said: ‘They changed after you were gone, and they kept turning on their heels away from Islam.’ So I will say: “Be off with you!”

So when he is informed that they did not follow him and they turned away from his Sunnah, and they innovated and invented doctrines that are alien to Islam, he himself will turn them away wishing them to be distant from him. “Suhqan! Suhqan!” he will say. And a place which is “Saheeq” is one that is far away, as Imaam an-Nawawee mentioned. The Messenger did not want them near him due to their corruption of the Religion. Imaam an-Nawawee stated (2/130):

“Al-Imaam al-Haafidh Abu Umar Ibn Abdil-Barr (rahimahullaah) said: ‘Whosoever introduced something into the Religion that is not from it, then he will be turned away from the drinking lake, such as the Khawaarij, the Rawaafid, and all of the people of misguided desires.’

He also said: ‘And likewise the oppressors who go overboard and beyond bounds in oppression and those who suppress the truth; and those who broadcast their major sins.’

He continued: ‘It is feared for all of these people that they will be prevented this goodness, and Allaah knows best.'”

Muhammad Ibn Abdir-Rahmaan Ibn Abee Laylaa narrated from his father, from his grandfather that Allaah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said:

“There are two groups from my Ummah who will not be allowed near my drinking lake: the Qadariyyah and the Murji’ah.” (Hasan: Ibn Abee ‘Aasim in As-Sunnah 949, Al-Albaanee declared the isnaad to be good in As-Saheehah 2748)

Imaam Ibn Hajr stated regarding those who exit Islam that it is clear and apparent that they will be prevented from the Hawd. As for those who innovated doctrines and beliefs in Islam, or those that broadcasted their sins openly: those matters that do not remove them from the fold of Islam; then some of the scholars held that they will be prevented from the Hawd as a punishment, and burned in the Fire, but they are not disallowed from the intercession and they will be removed from Hell (eventually) along with the rest of the people of Tawheed. (See Al-Fath, 13/6-7)

When we know this, then it becomes incumbent that we do not conceal from the people the giving of sincere advice. Imaam Al-Barbahaaree (rahimahullaah) said:

“It is not permitted to conceal sincere advice from any of the Muslims, whether they are righteous or sinful, in the affairs of religion. And whoever conceals it has cheated the Muslims; and whoever cheats the Muslims has cheated  Islam; and whoever cheats Islam has betrayed Allaah, His Messenger and the believers.” (Point 80, Sharhus-Sunnah)

Shaikh Rabee’ Ibn Haadee commenting on these words said: “Allaahu akbar! Allaah stated:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالْهُدَىٰ مِن بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّاهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْكِتَابِ ۙ أُولَٰئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّاعِنُونَ

“Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidences and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers.” (Al-Baqarah 2:159)

Whoever conceals the truth and conceals sincere advice and does not explain it to the people, then he has cheated them and is therefore deserving this curse from Allaah. So it is incumbent upon the one who has knowledge of the truth from the Book and Sunnah that he clarifies that to the people: the true beliefs from the false ones; the halaal from the haraam; that which is good from that which is evil; Sunnah from bid’ah; guidance from misguidance. This is a mighty responsibility upon the students of knowledge and upon the inheritors of the Prophets (alaihimus-salaatu was-salaam). Allaah (the Most High) did not send the Prophets except to clarify for the people guidance from misguidance, and with the revelation take them out of darkness into the light of Islam, so that they may distinguish for them the truth from falsehood:

كَانَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ ۚ وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ فَهَدَى اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

“Mankind was of one religion [before their deviation]; then Allah sent the prophets as bringers of good tidings and warners and sent down with them the Scripture in truth to judge between the people concerning that in which they differed. And none differed over the Scripture except those who were given it – after the clear proofs came to them – out of jealous animosity among themselves. And Allah guided those who believed to the truth concerning that over which they had differed, by His permission. And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.” (Al-Baqarah 2:213)

So the Books that Allaah (the Most High) revealed, and the Laws, then He did not legislate them and reveal them to His noble Messengers (alaihimus-salaatu wassalaam) except as a guidance for the people, and to distinguish truth from falsehood, and guidance from misguidance. And Allaah (the Most High) threatened to curse those who hide the truth.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالْهُدَىٰ مِن بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّاهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْكِتَابِ ۙ أُولَٰئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّاعِنُونَ

“Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidences and the guidance, which We have sent down after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers.” (Al-Baqarah 2:159)

And this concealing the truth is present in our times amongst many people amongst Ahlul-Bid’ah and ahlul-Dalaal – and especially amongst those misguided, ahlul-bid’ah in the arena of politics (politically motivated innovations in religion). They call out saying: “Let us unite the people and our sole concern is to unite the people…””

And you see the end result of that?! Unite the people from the various factions of innovation, those who will be prevented from the Hawd: the Khawaarij, the Ikhwaan, the Soofees – then cause them to charge against the rulers in the so-called Arab Spring; and then out of that came the armies of the devil himself, Daesh (ISIS), and others.

So the brothers that the Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) desired and longed to meet are the people of Sunnah, not ahlul-Bid’ah. His brothers are those who will meet him at the Hawd: they are Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, the people of Hadeeth, the righteous believers who followed his path and the path of the Sahaabah and clung to that with their molar teeth – they are those who adhere to the madhhab of the Salaf.

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏ يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ الصَّابِرُ فِيهِمْ عَلَى دِينِهِ كَالْقَابِضِ عَلَى الْجَمْرِ

Hand and burning chunk of coal

Anas Ibn Maalik narrated that Allaah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said:

“There will come a time upon the people when the patient amongst them who holds on to the Religion will be like holding on to hot coals.” (At-Tirmidhee 2260)

Who are those people in our times? They are without a doubt, the Salafis ― those who patiently hold on to truth whilst bearing the onslaught from the people of bid’ah and opposition. They are the brothers whom the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) described and desired to see – they are the ones who will drink from the Hawd. May Allaah make us from them.

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