Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: People used to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about good, and I used to ask him about evil, so that I might not fall into it. (One day) I said: O Messenger of Allah! We were living in the days of ignorance and evil, then Allah brought us this Islam, which we accepted, and sent you to us. (Now the question is:) Will there be evil after this good, as there was before? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said three times: "Hudhayfah! Read the Book of Allah and act upon its commands." I said: O Messenger of Allah! Will there be good after that evil? He said: "Yes." I said: What will be the way to avoid it? He said: "The sword." I said: Will there be good after that evil? And in one narration: Will there remain any part of good after the sword? (i.e., will Islam remain after fighting?) He said: "Yes." And in one narration: "Leadership (and community) will remain established, but there will be minor objections and hatred and malice in the hearts, and outward peace, but inward fighting." I said: What is meant by malice? He said: "After me, there will be a people or various rulers who will not act upon my Sunnah and will adopt a way other than my way; some of their actions you will consider good and some bad, and among them will appear people who will be in human form, but their hearts will be satanic." In another narration: I said: Outward peace, inward fighting, and malice in the hearts—what does this mean? He said: "People's hearts will not return to those noble qualities with which they were previously characterized." I said: Will there be evil after this good as well? He said: "Yes, there will be blind tribulation, and (in it there will be people as if) they are callers at the gates of Hell; whoever responds to them, they will throw him into Hell." I said: O Messenger of Allah! Describe them to us. He said: "They will be from our people and will speak our language." I said: O Messenger of Allah! If I live to see that time, what do you command me to do? He said: "Stick to the group of Muslims and their leader, listen to the Amir and obey him, even if he beats you and takes your wealth, still listen and obey." I said: What if there is no group of Muslims nor a leader (then what should I do)? He said: "Keep away from all the sects, even if you have to cling to the trunk of a tree, until death comes to you while you are in that state." And in another narration: "Hudhayfah! To die clinging to the trunk of a tree is better than obeying (those rulers)." And in another narration: "If in those days you find a Caliph of Allah on earth, then stick to him, even if he beats you and takes your wealth, and if you do not see any Caliph, then flee to some remote land, until death comes to you while you are clinging to the trunk of a tree." I said: Then what will happen? He said: "Then the Dajjal will appear." I said: What sign will he bring? He said: "He will come with a river or water and fire; whoever enters his river, his reward will be lost and sin established, and whoever enters his fire, his reward will be established and his sin erased." I said: O Messenger of Allah! What will happen after the Dajjal? He said: "Isa son of Maryam." I said: Then what will happen? He said: "If at that time your mare gives birth, it will not yet be fit for you to ride before the Hour is established."