Chapter 2: Description of Tribulations
Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yaman said: People used to ask the Messenger of Allah about good things but I used to ask him about bad things as I was afraid that they might get the better of me.
Hudhayfah asked the Prophet: O Messenger of Allah, we were lost in Jahiliyyah (ignorance) and evil, then Allah brought this good (Islam). Will some evil come after this good thing?
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: Yes.
Hudhayfah asked: Will some good come after that evil? The Prophet replied: Yes, but it will be tainted with some evil.
Hudhayfah asked: How will it be tainted? The Prophet ﷺ said: There will be some people who will lead others on a path different from mine. You will see good and bad in them.
Hudhayfah asked: Will some evil come after the good?
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied: Some people will be standing and calling at the gates of Hell; whoever responds to their call, they will throw them into the Fire.
Hudhayfah then said: O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us. The Prophet said: they will be from our own people and will speak our language.
Hudhayfah asked: what do you advise me to do if I should live to see that?
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ responded: Stick to the main jama’ah of the Muslims and their Imam.
Hudhayfah asked: What if there is no main jama’ah or Imam?
The Prophet then said: Isolate yourself from all of these sects, even if you have to eat the roots of trees until death overcomes you while you are in that state. (Bukhari)
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: Islam began as something strange, and it will revert to bring strange as it was in the beginning, so good tidings to the strangers.
Someone asked the Prophet: who are the strangers?
The Prophet replied: The ones who break away from their people (tribes) for the sake of Islam. (Muslim)