Anas bin Maalik (رضي الله عنه) said: “A man was mentioned to the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وسلم), so they mentioned his strength in Jihaad & his striving in ‘Ibaadah. So the man turned (to face them), then the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “By the One Who holds my soul in His Hand, verily I see in his face a mark of shaytaan.”
Then (the man) came close (to them) & gave them Salaam. So the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said (to him): “Did you think to yourself when you approached us that there was no one amongst the people better than you?”
Then (the man) came close (to them) & gave them Salaam. So the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said (to him): “Did you think to yourself when you approached us that there was no one amongst the people better than you?”
He said: “Yes.” [1]
And
he went away & demarcated a place to pray in, & he lined his feet up
& began praying.
Then the Messenger of Allaah (صلى
الله عليه وسلم) said:
“Which one of you will go to him &
kill him?”
So Aboo Bakr went
& he found him praying.
He said: So
he was afraid to kill him (because he was praying)[and left].
So
the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “Which
one of you will go to him & kill him?”
Then ‘Umar stood up & said: “I will go to him!”
So he found him praying & he did the same
as what Aboo Bakr did, & he returned.
So ‘Alee said: “I will (go
& kill him)!” So (the Prophet صلى
الله عليه وسلم) said:
“You will, if you find him!” And then
he_went & found that he had left.
So Allaah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم)
said: “Indeed this (man) is the first head (of them) to come out of my Ummah. If you
had killed him, no two people from my Ummah would have differed.” [2]
Then he said: “Indeed Banee
Israa’eel divided & split into 71 sects, & indeed my Ummah will
divide & split into 72 sects, all of them in the fire, except for one, & it
is the Jamaa’ah.”
_______________
It was collected by Ibn Al-Muqree’ in Al-Mu’jam (#411),
Al-Marwazee in Ta’theem Qadris-Salaah (#330), ‘Abdur-Razzaaq
in his Musannaf (#18674), Ad-Daaraqutnee (#1756), Ibn Battah
in Al-Ibaanatul-Kubraa (#41), Al-Hilyah (3/52), &
declared saheeh by Ad-Diyaa’
Al-Maqdisee in Al-Ahaadeeth Al-Mukhtaarah (#2497). Al-Imaam Al-Albaanee declared it saheeh
with supporting narrations with different wordings in As-Saheehah (#2495).
_______________
Commentary of Ash-Shaykh Ahmad As-Subay’ee حفظه الله تعالى:
In it
are fawaa’id:
1)
The people’s being
deceived by the matters that are apparent, particularly in regards to ‘Ibaadah.
2)
The characteristic of ahlul-ahwaa’
of recitation (of the Qur’aan) & striving (in ‘Ibaadah), due to
which fitnah comes about.
3)
The tremendous status of al-firaasah
(perception & insight) & discernment by the Light of Allaah &
seeing the indicative signs & clues – even though the Prophet صلى
الله عليه وسلم, it was revealed to him.
4)
That ijtihad
(striving) in ‘Ibaadah does not prevent the influence of shaytaan
& the presence of illnesses
5)
The danger of at-taawoosiyyah
(a person believing in his heart that he is better, greater, or more
established upon the Haqq), & arrogance & self-amazement
upon a person’s Deen - and Allaah’s refuge is sought.
6)
The great importance
& status of the Salaah with Aboo Bakr & ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما as it is in the Shar’
(the Legislation).
7)
The special
characteristic of nobility of ‘Alee رضي الله عنهin
fighting the Khawaarij.
8)
The influential decree of
Allaah in the splitting & division (of the Ummah) & what is in
it from Hikmah (Wisdom).
9)
The importance of the hadeeth
of Iftiraaq (the splitting of the Ummah) to the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وسلم) & the Companions, then to
Ahlus-Sunnah.
10) That splitting due to al-ahwaa’ (bid’a),
it is not necessary that it be connected to an apparent knowledge-based issue
due to the similarity (between them). So this man, it was only by the outward
behavioral manifestations seen upon him that he was judged, by the Prophet,
that he is from ahlul-ahwaa’.
11) The Generosity of Allaah (عزّ
وجل) & the expansiveness of His Favor & His Mercy when He
ordained means that exist by His Hikmah to serve as aayaat
(signs) that affirm the truthfulness of what He related & informed of.
12) The nobility of Aboo Bakr & ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما
due to the preference of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)
for them both in regards to the noble, illustrious actions.
And in it are other that from fawaa’id, and Allaah
knows best.
[2] “By the
One Who holds my soul in His hand, if you all had killed him, he would have
been the first fitnah & it’s last.” Collected by Ahmad (5/42), & in As-Sunnah of Ibn Abee ‘Aasim
(2/457). Shaykh Al-Albaanee:
“This isnaad is saheeh according to
the conditions of Muslim.” [As-Saheehah (#2495)]
Translation: Aboo Sufyaan 'Uthmaan Beecher
Translation: Aboo Sufyaan 'Uthmaan Beecher
