Fath al-Rabbani

Khalid bin Khalid Yashkari says: When Tustar was conquered, I went to Kufa during those days. I entered a mosque and saw that people were sitting there in a circle. Among them was a slender man, whose front teeth or mouth was very beautiful; it seemed as if he was from Hijaz. I asked: Who is this gentleman? The people said: Do you not know him? I said: No. They told me that he is the companion of the Messenger of Allah, Sayyiduna Hudhayfah bin Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him). Hearing this, I also sat down. He continued talking to the people. He also stated that people used to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about good, but I used to ask him about evil. People were surprised at this, but he said: The thing at which you are surprised, I will explain to you. When Islam came, such an environment was created that was different from the era of ignorance, while I had a considerable understanding of the Qur’an. People used to come and ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about good, but I used to ask about evil. I said: O Messenger of Allah! Will there be an era of evil (and tribulations) after this good (i.e., guidance and Islam), just as there was before? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Yes. I said: What will be the way to avoid it? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The sword. I said: After the sword has been used, will any part of Islam remain? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Yes, but there will be internal fighting and outward peace. After that, callers to misguidance and deviation will appear openly. If in those days you see a caliph, then adhere to him, even if he harms your body and seizes your wealth; otherwise, die in such a state that you are clinging to the trunk of a tree. I said: Then what will happen? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then the Dajjal will appear; he will have a river of water and also fire. Whoever enters his fire, for him there will be a definite reward (and salvation) with Allah, and all his sins will be forgiven. But whoever enters his river, he will be sinful and all his reward and merit will be lost. I said: What will happen after that? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: After that, the Hour (Day of Judgment) will come so quickly that the mare which gives birth in those days will not have been ridden yet when the Hour will be established. "Al-Sada'u min al-rijal" means "al-darb," that is, a man with little flesh. The question of Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) about what will be the way to avoid this tribulation, and the answer of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that it will be the sword, Imam Qatadah interpreted this as referring to the apostasy that occurred during the era of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). "Imarah 'ala aqdha'in wa hudnah" means peace, and "al-dakhan" means inner hatred and impurity. When the narrator of the hadith, 'Abd al-Razzaq, was asked who explained these words, he said that Imam Qatadah did.