Chapter: The Earth Swallowing Up The Army That Aims To Attack The Ka'bah

Harith b Abi Rabi'ah and 'Abdullah bin Safwan both went to Umm Salamah, the Mother of the Faithful, and they asked her about the army which would be sunk in the earth, and this relates to the time when Ibn Zubair (was the governor of Makkah). She reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had said that a seeker of refuge would seek refuge in the Sacred House and an army would be sent to him (in order to kill him) and when it would enter a plain ground, it would be made to sink. I said: Allah's Messenger, what about who was forced to join them?? Thereupon he said: He would be made to sink along with them but he would be raised on the Day of Resurrection on the basis of his intention. Abu Ja'far said. 'This plain ground means the plain ground of Madinah.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah bin Rufai, with the same chain of transmitters (but with the addition of these words):"When I met Abu Ja'far I told him that she (simply) meant the plain ground. Thereupon Abu Ja'far said: No, by God, she meant the plain ground of Madinah.

'Abdullah bin Safwan reported that Hafsa told him that she had heard Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying: An army would attack this House in order to fight against the inhabitants of this House and when it would be at the plain ground the ranks in the centre of the army would be sunk and the vanguard would call the rear flanks of the army and they would also be sunk and no flank would be left except some people who would go to inform them (their kith and kin). A person (who had been listening to this hadith from 'Abdullah bin Safwan) said: I bear testimony in regard to you that you are not imputing a lie to Hafsa. And I bear testimony to the fact that Hafsa is not telling a lie about Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) .

'Abdullah bin Safwan reported the Mother of the Faithful as saying that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: They would soon seek protection in this House, viz. Ka’bah (the defenceless), people who would have nothing to protect themselves in the shape of weapons or the strength of the people. An army would be sent to fight (and kill) them and when they would enter a plain ground the army would be sunk in it. Yusuf (one of the narrators) said: It was a people of Syria (hordes of Hajjaj) who had been on that day coming towards Makkah for an attack (on 'Abdulllah bin Zubair) and 'Abdullah bin Safwan said: By God, it does not imply this army.

'A'isha reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was startled in the state of sleep. We said: Allah's Messenger, you have done something in the state of your sleep which you never did before. Thereupon he said: Strange it is that some people of my Ummah would attack the House (Ka’bah) (for killing) a person who would belong to the tribe of the Quraish and he would try to seek protection in the House. And when they would reach the plain ground they would be sunk. We said: Allah's Messenger, all sorts of people throng the path. Thereupon he said: Yes, there would be amongst them people who would come with definite designs and those who would come under duress and there would be travellers also, but they would all be destroyed through one (stroke) of destruction, though they would be raised in different states (on the Day of Resurrection). Allah would, however, raise them according to their intention.