The Hadith of Najd Part 1

The Hadith of Najd Part 1

by Brother Abû Rumaysah



http://www.islaam.net



The Messenger of
Allaah, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said,


"O
Allaah bestow your blessings on our
Shaam. O Allaah bestow your blessings on
our Yemen." The people said,
"O Messenger of Allaah, and our
Najd." I think the third time
the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa
sallam, said, "There (in Najd)
will occur earthquakes, trials and
tribulations, and from their appears the
Horn of Satan."

Reported
in al-Bukhaaree [Book of Trials, Chpt. 'The
afflictions will come from the East'
9/166 no. 214 Eng. Trans]

A hadeeth which
has some controversy surrounding it due to
obvious sectarian reasons. A hadeeth which has
been (deliberately) misunderstood by certain
groups of people in order that they may spread
their misguidance and deceive ignorant Muslims.

This because
upon research and investigation and looking to
the words of our early scholars we find that
this hadeeth does not refer to the Najd that is
famously known in Saudi today, but rather it
refers to Iraaq.

About two years
ago I read a book entirely devoted to this
hadeeth entitled, "an-Najd Qarnu ash-Shaytaan"
[I cannot remember the author as I do not have
the book on me anymore.] I will quote in general
from what I remember from this book, and refrain
from mentioning precise quotes except from those
references that I have on me.

Amongst the
scholars that are mentioned who referred this
hadeeth to Iraaq were: al-Khattaabee, al-Kirmaanee,
al-Aynee, an-Nawawee, ibn Hajr and others. The
reasons behind this are numerous and clear:



The
Generality of the Hadeeth Pertaining to the Fitna
Coming from the East.


Al-Bukhaaree includes this
hadeeth in the chapter: "The affliction will appear
from the East"

212) From the father of
Saalim: The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, stood up
besides the pulpit (and pointed towards the east) and said:
"Afflictions are there! Afflictions are there! From
where appears the horn of Satan" or he said, "the
horn of the Sun"


213) From ibn Umar that he
said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu alyahi wa
sallam, saying while facing the east: "Indeed
Afflictions are there, from where appears the Horn of Satan."


214) The hadeeth of Najd
under discussion.


Similar hadeeth can be found
in Saheeh Muslim (volume 4 no.'s. 6938+). Hadeeth that give
the same meaning can be found in Saheeh Muslim (volume 1 no.'s
83+)







That
the Generality of the Early Trials and
Tribulations arose from the East, many of them
actually in Iraaq itself.


Ibn Hajr al-Asqalaanee said
after quoting the words of al-Khattaabee explaining the
meaning of Qarn (horn), "and others have said that the
People of the East were disbelievers at that time and the
Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, informed us
that the trials and tribulations would arise from that
direction and it was as he said. And the first of the trials
that arose, arose from the direction of the east and they were
the reason for the splitting of the Muslim ranks, and this is
what Satan loves and delights in. Likewise the innovations
appeared from that direction." [Fath al-Baaree 13/58 in
commentary to the hadeeth of Najd]

Amongst the trials that arose
in Iraaq and the east was the martyrdom of Alee, the martyrdom
of the grandson of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam,
the first battle between the Muslims occurred in Iraaq, and
many more.


Imaam Nawawee mentions that
one of the greatest trials to appear from the East will be the
appearance of the Dajjaal. [Sharh Saheeh Muslim 2/29]


From the innovations that
appeared in the east and specifically Iraaq, was many of the
early deviant sects amongst them the Qadariyyah (as the first
hadeeth in Muslim shows), the Jahmiyyah and their offshoots
etc...

That at the time of the
Prophet, sallaah