Author: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri
In our society, various strange notions about the region of Najd are prevalent. Some people, by misinterpreting the authentic Hadiths regarding Najd in Iraq, try to apply them to the Najd of Hijaz. Consequently, they wrongly label the monotheistic reform movement of Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, may Allah have mercy on him, as the Fitnah of Najd. What is the true meaning of these authentic Hadiths? Which Najd is referred to as the land of Fitnah? What are the Fitnahs that have emerged from it? What is the reality of the claims made against Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab? In this article, these matters will be examined impartially.
The outline of this research article is as follows: First, the Hadiths about the Fitnah of Najd, which are completely authentic according to the principles of Hadith scholars, will be presented along with their translation. Then, these authentic Hadiths will be interpreted and explained using other authentic Hadiths. Finally, this research will be supported by the statements of established jurists, renowned commentators of Hadith, and famous scholars.
Let's first examine the authentic Hadiths about Najd:
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:"O Allah, bless our Sham (Syria)! O Allah, bless our Yemen!" The people said, "O Messenger of Allah, and our Najd as well?" He said, "O Allah, bless our Sham and Yemen!" The people again said, "O Messenger of Allah, and our Najd?" I believe the third time he said, "There will be earthquakes and Fitnahs (trials and tribulations), and from there, the horn of Satan will emerge."[Musnad Ahmad: 118/2, Sahih Bukhari: 1051/2, Hadith: 1709, Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 3953]
He heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), while facing the East, saying, "Beware! The Fitnah is here! Beware! The Fitnah is here, from where the horn of Satan will rise."[Sahih Bukhari: 1050/2, Hadith: 7093, Sahih Muslim: 4/2 39, Hadith: 7292]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) stood beside the pulpit and said, "The Fitnah is here! The Fitnah is here, from where the horn of Satan will rise, or he said, the horn of the sun."[Sahih Bukhari: 1050/2, Hadith: 7092, Sahih Muslim: 394/2, Hadith: 2905, 47]
The words in the narration from Sahih Muslim are:
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), while facing the East, said, "Beware! The Fitnah is here! Beware! The Fitnah is here! Beware! The Fitnah is here, from where the horn of Satan will rise."
I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) pointing towards the East and saying, "Remember! The Fitnah is here! The Fitnah is here, from where the horn of Satan will rise."[Al-Muwatta by Imam Malik: 1975/2, Sahih Bukhari: 463/1, Hadith: 3279]
I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) pointing towards the East, saying, "The Fitnah is here! The Fitnah is here, from where the horn of Satan will rise."
[Musnad Ahmad: 111/2, and its chain is Hasan (good)]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"The root of disbelief (Kufr) is towards the East."[Sahih Bukhari: 466/1, Hadith: 3301, Sahih Muslim: 53/1, Hadith: 52]
I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) pointing towards Iraq with his hand, saying, "Beware! The Fitnah is here! Beware! The Fitnah is here! Beware! The Fitnah is here, from where the horn of Satan will rise."[Musnad Ahmad: 143/2, Hadith: 6302, and its chain is Sahih (authentic)]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "O Allah! Bless our Madinah, bless our Makkah, bless our Sham, bless our Yemen, bless our Sa’ (a measure equal to approximately 2.099 kg) and our Mudd (a measure equal to approximately 524.88 grams)." A man said, "O Messenger of Allah! And our Iraq?" He turned away from him and said, "There will be earthquakes and Fitnahs there, and from there, the horn of Satan will rise."[Musnad al-Shamiyyin by al-Tabarani: 1276, Ma'rifat wa al-Tarikh by Yaqub ibn Sufyan al-Fasawi: 747/2, 748, Al-Mukhlisiyyat: 196/2, Hadith: 1341, Hilyat al-Awliya by Abu Nu'aym al-Isbahani: 133/6, Tarikh Ibn Asakir: 131/1, and its chain is Sahih (authentic)]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "O Allah! Bless our Sa’ and our Mudd." He repeated this three times. A man said, "O Messenger of Allah! And our Iraq?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "It is a land of earthquakes and Fitnahs, and from there, the horn of Satan will rise."[Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani: 384/12, Hadith: 13422, Ma'rifat wa al-Tarikh by Yaqub ibn Sufyan al-Fasawi: 747/2, Musnad al-Bazzar: 5881, Hilyat al-Awliya by Abu Nu'aym al-Isbahani: 133/6, and its chain is Sahih (authentic)]
After performing the Fajr prayer, the Prophet (peace be upon him) turned towards the people and said: "O Allah! Bless our Madinah, bless our Sa’ and our Mudd. O Allah! Bless our Sham and our Yemen." A man said, "O Messenger of Allah! And our Iraq?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) remained silent, then said: "O Allah! Bless our Madinah, bless our Sa’ and our Mudd. O Allah! Bless our Haramain (Makkah and Madinah), bless our Sham and our Yemen." The man repeated, "O Messenger of Allah! And our Iraq?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "From there, the horn of Satan will rise, and Fitnahs will emerge."[Al-Mu'jam al-Awsat by al-Tabarani: 4098, Fada'il al-Sham wa Dimashq by Abu al-Hasan al-Raba'i, p. 11, Hadith: 20, Tarikh al-Raqqah by Abu Ali al-Qushayri, p. 95, Hadith: 145, Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn Asakir: 132/1, and its chain is Hasan (good)]
Regarding the narrators of this Hadith:
◈ Hafiz al-Haythami (735-807 AH) says: "All its narrators are trustworthy." [Majma' al-Zawa'id wa Manba' al-Fawa'id: 305/3]
◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (773-852 AH) describes the narrator Ziyad bin Bayan as "truthful and pious." [Taqreeb al-Tahdhib: 2057]
◈ Hafiz al-Dhahabi (673-748 AH) says: "He is truthful and devout." [Al-Kashif: 275/1, no. 1687]
◈ Imam al-Nasa'i says about him:
"There is nothing wrong with him." [Mizan al-I'tidal by al-Dhahabi: 87/2, Tahdhib al-Tahdhib by Ibn Hajar: 256/3]
◈ Imam Ibn Hibban mentions him in his book "Al-Thiqat" (247/8) and says: "He was a righteous Sheikh.
"◈ Shaykh Abu Mulaibah Hasan bin Umar al-Raqi praised him. [Al-Tarikh al-Kabir by al-Bukhari: 346/3, and its chain is Sahih (authentic)]
◈ Alama Ibn Khalfun mentioned him in his book "Al-Thiqat." [Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal by al-Mughultai: 97/5]Such a narrator's Hadith is not below the level of "Hasan."
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "O Allah! Bless our Sham! O Allah! Bless our Yemen!" He repeated this several times. When it was the third or fourth time, the people said, "O Messenger of Allah! And our Iraq?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Iraq is a land of earthquakes and Fitnahs. From there, the horn of Satan will rise."[Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani: 293/12, Hadith: 13422, Musnad al-Bazzar: 5880, and its chain is Hasan (good)]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"O Allah! Bless our Sham and our Yemen!" He said this twice. A man said, "O Messenger of Allah! And our East?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "From there, the horn of Satan will rise, and nine-tenths of all evil."[Musnad Ahmad: 90/2, and its chain is Hasan (good)]
Regarding the narrator, Ubaydullah bin Maimoon:
◈ Imam Bukhari says: "His Hadith is well-known." [Al-Tarikh al-Kabir: 388/3, no. 1247]
◈ Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi says: "His Hadith is Hasan (good)." [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil by Ibn Abi Hatim: 322/5]
Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed, saying: "O Allah! Bless our Sham and Yemen." Some people said, "Pray for our Najd as well." He replied: "O Allah! Bless our Sham and Yemen." They repeated, "Pray for our Najd as well." He said: "There will be earthquakes and Fitnahs, and from there, the horn of Satan will rise."[Sahih Bukhari: 141/1, Hadith: 1037]
We have already mentioned a Hadith from Sahih Bukhari where Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates these words from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Although the Prophet (peace be upon him) is not mentioned in this narration, it is considered as Marfu' (a narration from the Prophet). Regarding this:
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (773-852 AH), a commentator of Bukhari, writes:"In the narrations that have reached us from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in the form of Mawquf (stopped at a companion), it is mentioned that he himself prayed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) is not mentioned. Al-Qabis says that the mention of the Prophet (peace be upon him) has been omitted from the manuscript of Sahih Bukhari. It must have been there because such words cannot be said based on personal reasoning." [Fath al-Bari: 522/2]
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came out from the house of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and said, "The root of disbelief is from here, from where the horn of Satan will emerge," referring to the East.[Sahih Muslim: 394/2, Hadith: 2905, 48]
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) pointed towards the East and said, "Fitnah (trials) will come from this direction, towards the East."[Sahih Bukhari: 496/1, Hadith: 3498]
? These are the complete ten evidences.
Regarding this:
◈ The famous lexicographer, Ibn Manzur al-Afriqi (630-711 AH), writes:"From Tihama to the land of Iraq, all elevated land is called Najd."[Lisan al-Arab: 413/3]
◈ The well-known lexicographer who explained the Hadiths, Ibn al-Athir (544-606 AH), writes:"Najd refers to elevated land. It is a specific name for the area adjacent to Iraq, outside of Hijaz."[Al-Nihaya fi Gharib al-Hadith wal Athar: 19/5]
◈ Al-Khattabi (319-388 AH) explains "Najd" as follows:"For those in Madinah, their Najd is the desert of Iraq and its surroundings, which is to their East. The original meaning of Najd is elevated land, while a low-lying area is called 'Ghawr.' The entire region of Tihama is Ghawr, including Makkah, and Fitnah will emerge from the East. From that direction, Gog and Magog will emerge, as will the Dajjal, according to most narrations."[A'lam al-Hadith by al-Khattabi: 4/2, 127]
◈ Imam Ibn Abd al-Barr of Andalusia (368-463 AH) writes:"Allah knows best! The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) pointed towards the East regarding Fitnah because the major Fitnah that was the key to the corruption of unity was the killing of Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). It was the cause of the Battle of the Camel and the Battle of Siffin, and these incidents took place towards the East. Then, the emergence of the Khawarij happened in the land of Najd, Iraq, and beyond, all in the East."[Al-Istidhkar: 519/8]
◈ Al-Batal (died 449 AH) writes:Al-Khattabi said: "The horn in animals is used as a metaphor for undesirable matters, as in the Prophet's (peace be upon him) statement about Fitnah and its emergence from the East: 'From there, the horn of Satan will emerge.' He also said about the sun: 'It rises between the two horns of Satan.' The 'horn' refers to a generation of people who emerge after the previous ones have passed, as the poet said:
'The generation you were part of has passed, and you are left in another, so you are a stranger.' Another said: 'The people of the East at that time were disbelievers, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) informed that Fitnah would emerge from that direction, and so it happened. The major Fitnah that led to the corruption of unity was the killing of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), which caused the Battle of the Camel and Siffin, and then the emergence of the Khawarij in the land of Najd, Iraq, and beyond in the East. It is well known that innovations also started in the East. Those who fought in the Battle of the Camel and Siffin were mostly from Sham and Hijaz, so the Fitnah originated in the East. This caused divisions among Muslims until the Day of Judgment. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) warned about this before it happened, which is proof of his prophethood."
[Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari: 44/10]
◈ Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi (508-597 AH) writes:"The reason for associating Fitnah with the East is that the Dajjal will emerge from that direction, as will Gog and Magog. The reference to the 'horn of Satan' is metaphorical, as if Satan raises his head from that direction in the form of Fitnah."[Kashf al-Mushkil 'ala al-Sahihayn: 493/2]
◈ Al-Kirmani explains the meaning of "Najd" and "Ghawr":
"For those living in Madinah al-Tayyibah, the Najd is the desert of Iraq and its surroundings, which are to their East. Perhaps the earthquakes and disturbances among the people in Iraq refer to wars, which align with the concept of Fitnah. It is also possible that real earthquakes are meant. Some have said that the people of the East at that time were disbelievers. The Prophet (peace be upon him) informed that Fitnah would arise from that direction, and so it happened. The battles of the Camel and Siffin, and the emergence of the Khawarij, all occurred in the regions of Najd and Iraq, which are in the East. Similarly, the emergence of the Dajjal and Gog and Magog will be from that area. Some have said that the 'horn' in the Hadith is metaphorical, referring to undesirable matters."[Sharh al-Kirmani li Bukhari: 168/24]
◈ Al-Ayni al-Hanafi (762-859 AH) writes under the chapter "The Statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him) Regarding Fitnah from the East":"The connection with the chapter heading is in the Prophet's (peace be upon him) statement: 'There will be earthquakes and Fitnahs there, and the horn of Satan will emerge from there.' The Prophet (peace be upon him) indicated Najd, which is located in the East. The emergence of Fitnah is from the East. From that direction, Gog and Magog will emerge, and so will the Dajjal. Ka'b said: 'There will be a deadly disease in the East, and that disease is the destruction of religion.' Al-Mahlib said:
'The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not pray for the people of the East so that they might refrain from the evil in their direction due to the dominance of Satan and his Fitnahs in their direction.'"[Umdat al-Qari fi Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari: 200/24]
◈ He also writes:"The Prophet (peace be upon him) indicated the East because its people were disbelievers at that time. The Prophet (peace be upon him) informed that Fitnah would emerge from that direction, and so it did. The Battle of the Camel and Siffin, and the emergence of the Khawarij, all occurred in the regions of Najd and Iraq, which are in the East. The greatest Fitnah that led to eternal corruption was the killing of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned about this before it happened, which is a great sign of his prophethood."[Umdat al-Qari fi Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari: 199/24]
◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (773-852 AH) writes:"Others said that the people of the East were disbelievers at that time. The Prophet (peace be upon him) informed that Fitnah would emerge from that direction, and it happened as he said. The first Fitnah that led to division among Muslims was from the East, which Satan loves and rejoices over. Innovations also emerged from that direction."
[Fath al-Bari: 47/13]
? All deviant and oppressive sects, such as the Rafidah, Jahmiyyah, Qadariyyah, etc., originated in the East. This trend continues, and the Fitnah of the Dajjal will also emerge from there.
◈ Al-Mubarakpuri (died 1353 AH) explains the phrase "the horn of Satan will emerge" as follows:
"The horn of Satan" means his group, his era, and his supporters, as mentioned by al-Suyuti. Some say it could refer to the strength of Satan and what he uses to mislead people.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwazi: 381/4]
◈ While explaining "the root of disbelief towards the East," Mulla Ali Qari al-Hanafi (died 1014 AH) writes:"The root of disbelief" refers to its majority, as mentioned by al-Suyuti. The more apparent meaning is that the source of disbelief is towards the East.[Mirqat al-Mafatih fi Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih 8626 4039/9]
◈ He also writes:Al-Nawawi said: 'The reason for associating Fitnah with the East is the increased dominance of Satan over the people of the East. It was so during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and the Dajjal will also emerge from the East, making it the source of great Fitnahs and the origin of disbelief.'[Mirqat al-Mafatih fi Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih: 4037/9, Hadith: 6268]
Benefit:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) once stood on a hill in Madinah and said:
"Do you see what I see?" They said, "No." He said, "I see the Fitnahs falling upon your houses like raindrops."[Sahih Bukhari: 1046/2, Hadith: 7060, Sahih Muslim: 389/1, Hadith 389/1]
While reconciling this Hadith with the previously mentioned Hadiths:
◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (773-852 AH) says:"The reason why Madinah was specifically mentioned is that the killing of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) took place there. After that, Fitnah spread to other regions. The Battle of the Camel and the Battle of Siffin were both caused by the killing of Uthman. The Battle of Nahrawan was caused by the arbitration at Siffin. Every conflict that took place in that era was directly or indirectly related to the killing of Uthman. The most significant cause of his killing was the criticism of his governors and the reproach against him for appointing them. This started in Iraq, which is to the East of Madinah. Therefore, there is no contradiction between this Hadith and the upcoming Hadith, which states that the source of Fitnah is the East (Iraq).'
[Fath al-Bari: 13/13]
Conclusion:
The Najd mentioned in the prophetic Hadiths as the source of Fitnah refers to Iraq. The authentic Hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) explicitly mention Iraq by name. This is also supported by the statements of scholars and jurists. The truth is what is established by authentic Hadiths. Despite this, some people hide these authentic Hadiths while maligning the people of truth. May Allah grant us the ability to understand and accept the truth.
In our society, various strange notions about the region of Najd are prevalent. Some people, by misinterpreting the authentic Hadiths regarding Najd in Iraq, try to apply them to the Najd of Hijaz. Consequently, they wrongly label the monotheistic reform movement of Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, may Allah have mercy on him, as the Fitnah of Najd. What is the true meaning of these authentic Hadiths? Which Najd is referred to as the land of Fitnah? What are the Fitnahs that have emerged from it? What is the reality of the claims made against Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab? In this article, these matters will be examined impartially.
The outline of this research article is as follows: First, the Hadiths about the Fitnah of Najd, which are completely authentic according to the principles of Hadith scholars, will be presented along with their translation. Then, these authentic Hadiths will be interpreted and explained using other authentic Hadiths. Finally, this research will be supported by the statements of established jurists, renowned commentators of Hadith, and famous scholars.
Let's first examine the authentic Hadiths about Najd:
Hadith 1
❀ Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:"O Allah, bless our Sham (Syria)! O Allah, bless our Yemen!" The people said, "O Messenger of Allah, and our Najd as well?" He said, "O Allah, bless our Sham and Yemen!" The people again said, "O Messenger of Allah, and our Najd?" I believe the third time he said, "There will be earthquakes and Fitnahs (trials and tribulations), and from there, the horn of Satan will emerge."[Musnad Ahmad: 118/2, Sahih Bukhari: 1051/2, Hadith: 1709, Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 3953]
Hadith 2
❀ Narrated by Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):He heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), while facing the East, saying, "Beware! The Fitnah is here! Beware! The Fitnah is here, from where the horn of Satan will rise."[Sahih Bukhari: 1050/2, Hadith: 7093, Sahih Muslim: 4/2 39, Hadith: 7292]
Hadith 3
❀ Narrated by Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet (peace be upon him) stood beside the pulpit and said, "The Fitnah is here! The Fitnah is here, from where the horn of Satan will rise, or he said, the horn of the sun."[Sahih Bukhari: 1050/2, Hadith: 7092, Sahih Muslim: 394/2, Hadith: 2905, 47]
The words in the narration from Sahih Muslim are:
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), while facing the East, said, "Beware! The Fitnah is here! Beware! The Fitnah is here! Beware! The Fitnah is here, from where the horn of Satan will rise."
Hadith 4
❀ Narrated by Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) pointing towards the East and saying, "Remember! The Fitnah is here! The Fitnah is here, from where the horn of Satan will rise."[Al-Muwatta by Imam Malik: 1975/2, Sahih Bukhari: 463/1, Hadith: 3279]
Hadith 5
❀ Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) pointing towards the East, saying, "The Fitnah is here! The Fitnah is here, from where the horn of Satan will rise."
[Musnad Ahmad: 111/2, and its chain is Hasan (good)]
Hadith 6
❀ Narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"The root of disbelief (Kufr) is towards the East."[Sahih Bukhari: 466/1, Hadith: 3301, Sahih Muslim: 53/1, Hadith: 52]
Interpretation of Authentic Hadiths with Other Authentic Hadiths
Dear readers! You have read the six authentic Hadiths mentioned above. Now, what does Najd in these Hadiths refer to? We will clarify this meaning using other authentic Hadiths:Hadith 1
❀ Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) pointing towards Iraq with his hand, saying, "Beware! The Fitnah is here! Beware! The Fitnah is here! Beware! The Fitnah is here, from where the horn of Satan will rise."[Musnad Ahmad: 143/2, Hadith: 6302, and its chain is Sahih (authentic)]
Hadith 2
❀ Narrated by Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "O Allah! Bless our Madinah, bless our Makkah, bless our Sham, bless our Yemen, bless our Sa’ (a measure equal to approximately 2.099 kg) and our Mudd (a measure equal to approximately 524.88 grams)." A man said, "O Messenger of Allah! And our Iraq?" He turned away from him and said, "There will be earthquakes and Fitnahs there, and from there, the horn of Satan will rise."[Musnad al-Shamiyyin by al-Tabarani: 1276, Ma'rifat wa al-Tarikh by Yaqub ibn Sufyan al-Fasawi: 747/2, 748, Al-Mukhlisiyyat: 196/2, Hadith: 1341, Hilyat al-Awliya by Abu Nu'aym al-Isbahani: 133/6, Tarikh Ibn Asakir: 131/1, and its chain is Sahih (authentic)]
Hadith 3
❀ Narrated by Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "O Allah! Bless our Sa’ and our Mudd." He repeated this three times. A man said, "O Messenger of Allah! And our Iraq?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "It is a land of earthquakes and Fitnahs, and from there, the horn of Satan will rise."[Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani: 384/12, Hadith: 13422, Ma'rifat wa al-Tarikh by Yaqub ibn Sufyan al-Fasawi: 747/2, Musnad al-Bazzar: 5881, Hilyat al-Awliya by Abu Nu'aym al-Isbahani: 133/6, and its chain is Sahih (authentic)]
Hadith 4
❀ Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):After performing the Fajr prayer, the Prophet (peace be upon him) turned towards the people and said: "O Allah! Bless our Madinah, bless our Sa’ and our Mudd. O Allah! Bless our Sham and our Yemen." A man said, "O Messenger of Allah! And our Iraq?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) remained silent, then said: "O Allah! Bless our Madinah, bless our Sa’ and our Mudd. O Allah! Bless our Haramain (Makkah and Madinah), bless our Sham and our Yemen." The man repeated, "O Messenger of Allah! And our Iraq?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "From there, the horn of Satan will rise, and Fitnahs will emerge."[Al-Mu'jam al-Awsat by al-Tabarani: 4098, Fada'il al-Sham wa Dimashq by Abu al-Hasan al-Raba'i, p. 11, Hadith: 20, Tarikh al-Raqqah by Abu Ali al-Qushayri, p. 95, Hadith: 145, Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn Asakir: 132/1, and its chain is Hasan (good)]
Regarding the narrators of this Hadith:
◈ Hafiz al-Haythami (735-807 AH) says: "All its narrators are trustworthy." [Majma' al-Zawa'id wa Manba' al-Fawa'id: 305/3]
◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (773-852 AH) describes the narrator Ziyad bin Bayan as "truthful and pious." [Taqreeb al-Tahdhib: 2057]
◈ Hafiz al-Dhahabi (673-748 AH) says: "He is truthful and devout." [Al-Kashif: 275/1, no. 1687]
◈ Imam al-Nasa'i says about him:
"There is nothing wrong with him." [Mizan al-I'tidal by al-Dhahabi: 87/2, Tahdhib al-Tahdhib by Ibn Hajar: 256/3]
◈ Imam Ibn Hibban mentions him in his book "Al-Thiqat" (247/8) and says: "He was a righteous Sheikh.
"◈ Shaykh Abu Mulaibah Hasan bin Umar al-Raqi praised him. [Al-Tarikh al-Kabir by al-Bukhari: 346/3, and its chain is Sahih (authentic)]
◈ Alama Ibn Khalfun mentioned him in his book "Al-Thiqat." [Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal by al-Mughultai: 97/5]Such a narrator's Hadith is not below the level of "Hasan."
Hadith 5
❀ Narrated by Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "O Allah! Bless our Sham! O Allah! Bless our Yemen!" He repeated this several times. When it was the third or fourth time, the people said, "O Messenger of Allah! And our Iraq?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Iraq is a land of earthquakes and Fitnahs. From there, the horn of Satan will rise."[Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani: 293/12, Hadith: 13422, Musnad al-Bazzar: 5880, and its chain is Hasan (good)]
Hadith 6
Narrated by Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"O Allah! Bless our Sham and our Yemen!" He said this twice. A man said, "O Messenger of Allah! And our East?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "From there, the horn of Satan will rise, and nine-tenths of all evil."[Musnad Ahmad: 90/2, and its chain is Hasan (good)]
Regarding the narrator, Ubaydullah bin Maimoon:
◈ Imam Bukhari says: "His Hadith is well-known." [Al-Tarikh al-Kabir: 388/3, no. 1247]
◈ Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi says: "His Hadith is Hasan (good)." [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil by Ibn Abi Hatim: 322/5]
Hadith 7
Narrated by Nafi’ Tabi’i (may Allah have mercy on him):Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed, saying: "O Allah! Bless our Sham and Yemen." Some people said, "Pray for our Najd as well." He replied: "O Allah! Bless our Sham and Yemen." They repeated, "Pray for our Najd as well." He said: "There will be earthquakes and Fitnahs, and from there, the horn of Satan will rise."[Sahih Bukhari: 141/1, Hadith: 1037]
We have already mentioned a Hadith from Sahih Bukhari where Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates these words from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Although the Prophet (peace be upon him) is not mentioned in this narration, it is considered as Marfu' (a narration from the Prophet). Regarding this:
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (773-852 AH), a commentator of Bukhari, writes:"In the narrations that have reached us from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in the form of Mawquf (stopped at a companion), it is mentioned that he himself prayed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) is not mentioned. Al-Qabis says that the mention of the Prophet (peace be upon him) has been omitted from the manuscript of Sahih Bukhari. It must have been there because such words cannot be said based on personal reasoning." [Fath al-Bari: 522/2]
Hadith 8
Sahih Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)'s son, Salim (may Allah have mercy on him), addressing the people of Iraq, said:"O people of Iraq! How astonishing it is that you ask so much about minor issues, yet you are so bold in committing major sins! I heard my father, Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), say that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: 'The Fitnah will emerge from here, and the horns of Satan will rise from here,' while pointing towards the East with his blessed hand."[Sahih Muslim: 394/2, Hadith: 2905, 50]Hadith No. 9
Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came out from the house of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and said, "The root of disbelief is from here, from where the horn of Satan will emerge," referring to the East.[Sahih Muslim: 394/2, Hadith: 2905, 48]
Hadith No. 10
Narrated by Badrī Companion Abu Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him):The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) pointed towards the East and said, "Fitnah (trials) will come from this direction, towards the East."[Sahih Bukhari: 496/1, Hadith: 3498]
? These are the complete ten evidences.
Interpretation of Authentic Hadiths by Scholars
Linguistically, "Najd" refers to elevated land. In this sense, there are many regions called "Najd" around the world. However, in the mentioned Hadiths, "Najd" is interpreted as referring to the "East" and "Iraq." This establishes that the "Najd" which is the source of Fitnah (tribulations) and where the horn of Satan will emerge is in the East, specifically referring to Iraq. The authentic Hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) clearly indicate this, and this was also the understanding of the Companions and the Tabi'in (followers of the Companions).Regarding this:
◈ The famous lexicographer, Ibn Manzur al-Afriqi (630-711 AH), writes:"From Tihama to the land of Iraq, all elevated land is called Najd."[Lisan al-Arab: 413/3]
◈ The well-known lexicographer who explained the Hadiths, Ibn al-Athir (544-606 AH), writes:"Najd refers to elevated land. It is a specific name for the area adjacent to Iraq, outside of Hijaz."[Al-Nihaya fi Gharib al-Hadith wal Athar: 19/5]
◈ Al-Khattabi (319-388 AH) explains "Najd" as follows:"For those in Madinah, their Najd is the desert of Iraq and its surroundings, which is to their East. The original meaning of Najd is elevated land, while a low-lying area is called 'Ghawr.' The entire region of Tihama is Ghawr, including Makkah, and Fitnah will emerge from the East. From that direction, Gog and Magog will emerge, as will the Dajjal, according to most narrations."[A'lam al-Hadith by al-Khattabi: 4/2, 127]
◈ Imam Ibn Abd al-Barr of Andalusia (368-463 AH) writes:"Allah knows best! The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) pointed towards the East regarding Fitnah because the major Fitnah that was the key to the corruption of unity was the killing of Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). It was the cause of the Battle of the Camel and the Battle of Siffin, and these incidents took place towards the East. Then, the emergence of the Khawarij happened in the land of Najd, Iraq, and beyond, all in the East."[Al-Istidhkar: 519/8]
◈ Al-Batal (died 449 AH) writes:Al-Khattabi said: "The horn in animals is used as a metaphor for undesirable matters, as in the Prophet's (peace be upon him) statement about Fitnah and its emergence from the East: 'From there, the horn of Satan will emerge.' He also said about the sun: 'It rises between the two horns of Satan.' The 'horn' refers to a generation of people who emerge after the previous ones have passed, as the poet said:
'The generation you were part of has passed, and you are left in another, so you are a stranger.' Another said: 'The people of the East at that time were disbelievers, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) informed that Fitnah would emerge from that direction, and so it happened. The major Fitnah that led to the corruption of unity was the killing of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), which caused the Battle of the Camel and Siffin, and then the emergence of the Khawarij in the land of Najd, Iraq, and beyond in the East. It is well known that innovations also started in the East. Those who fought in the Battle of the Camel and Siffin were mostly from Sham and Hijaz, so the Fitnah originated in the East. This caused divisions among Muslims until the Day of Judgment. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) warned about this before it happened, which is proof of his prophethood."
[Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari: 44/10]
◈ Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi (508-597 AH) writes:"The reason for associating Fitnah with the East is that the Dajjal will emerge from that direction, as will Gog and Magog. The reference to the 'horn of Satan' is metaphorical, as if Satan raises his head from that direction in the form of Fitnah."[Kashf al-Mushkil 'ala al-Sahihayn: 493/2]
◈ Al-Kirmani explains the meaning of "Najd" and "Ghawr":
"For those living in Madinah al-Tayyibah, the Najd is the desert of Iraq and its surroundings, which are to their East. Perhaps the earthquakes and disturbances among the people in Iraq refer to wars, which align with the concept of Fitnah. It is also possible that real earthquakes are meant. Some have said that the people of the East at that time were disbelievers. The Prophet (peace be upon him) informed that Fitnah would arise from that direction, and so it happened. The battles of the Camel and Siffin, and the emergence of the Khawarij, all occurred in the regions of Najd and Iraq, which are in the East. Similarly, the emergence of the Dajjal and Gog and Magog will be from that area. Some have said that the 'horn' in the Hadith is metaphorical, referring to undesirable matters."[Sharh al-Kirmani li Bukhari: 168/24]
◈ Al-Ayni al-Hanafi (762-859 AH) writes under the chapter "The Statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him) Regarding Fitnah from the East":"The connection with the chapter heading is in the Prophet's (peace be upon him) statement: 'There will be earthquakes and Fitnahs there, and the horn of Satan will emerge from there.' The Prophet (peace be upon him) indicated Najd, which is located in the East. The emergence of Fitnah is from the East. From that direction, Gog and Magog will emerge, and so will the Dajjal. Ka'b said: 'There will be a deadly disease in the East, and that disease is the destruction of religion.' Al-Mahlib said:
'The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not pray for the people of the East so that they might refrain from the evil in their direction due to the dominance of Satan and his Fitnahs in their direction.'"[Umdat al-Qari fi Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari: 200/24]
◈ He also writes:"The Prophet (peace be upon him) indicated the East because its people were disbelievers at that time. The Prophet (peace be upon him) informed that Fitnah would emerge from that direction, and so it did. The Battle of the Camel and Siffin, and the emergence of the Khawarij, all occurred in the regions of Najd and Iraq, which are in the East. The greatest Fitnah that led to eternal corruption was the killing of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned about this before it happened, which is a great sign of his prophethood."[Umdat al-Qari fi Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari: 199/24]
◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (773-852 AH) writes:"Others said that the people of the East were disbelievers at that time. The Prophet (peace be upon him) informed that Fitnah would emerge from that direction, and it happened as he said. The first Fitnah that led to division among Muslims was from the East, which Satan loves and rejoices over. Innovations also emerged from that direction."
[Fath al-Bari: 47/13]
? All deviant and oppressive sects, such as the Rafidah, Jahmiyyah, Qadariyyah, etc., originated in the East. This trend continues, and the Fitnah of the Dajjal will also emerge from there.
◈ Al-Mubarakpuri (died 1353 AH) explains the phrase "the horn of Satan will emerge" as follows:
"The horn of Satan" means his group, his era, and his supporters, as mentioned by al-Suyuti. Some say it could refer to the strength of Satan and what he uses to mislead people.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwazi: 381/4]
◈ While explaining "the root of disbelief towards the East," Mulla Ali Qari al-Hanafi (died 1014 AH) writes:"The root of disbelief" refers to its majority, as mentioned by al-Suyuti. The more apparent meaning is that the source of disbelief is towards the East.[Mirqat al-Mafatih fi Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih 8626 4039/9]
◈ He also writes:Al-Nawawi said: 'The reason for associating Fitnah with the East is the increased dominance of Satan over the people of the East. It was so during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and the Dajjal will also emerge from the East, making it the source of great Fitnahs and the origin of disbelief.'[Mirqat al-Mafatih fi Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih: 4037/9, Hadith: 6268]
Benefit:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) once stood on a hill in Madinah and said:
"Do you see what I see?" They said, "No." He said, "I see the Fitnahs falling upon your houses like raindrops."[Sahih Bukhari: 1046/2, Hadith: 7060, Sahih Muslim: 389/1, Hadith 389/1]
While reconciling this Hadith with the previously mentioned Hadiths:
◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (773-852 AH) says:"The reason why Madinah was specifically mentioned is that the killing of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) took place there. After that, Fitnah spread to other regions. The Battle of the Camel and the Battle of Siffin were both caused by the killing of Uthman. The Battle of Nahrawan was caused by the arbitration at Siffin. Every conflict that took place in that era was directly or indirectly related to the killing of Uthman. The most significant cause of his killing was the criticism of his governors and the reproach against him for appointing them. This started in Iraq, which is to the East of Madinah. Therefore, there is no contradiction between this Hadith and the upcoming Hadith, which states that the source of Fitnah is the East (Iraq).'
[Fath al-Bari: 13/13]
Conclusion:
The Najd mentioned in the prophetic Hadiths as the source of Fitnah refers to Iraq. The authentic Hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) explicitly mention Iraq by name. This is also supported by the statements of scholars and jurists. The truth is what is established by authentic Hadiths. Despite this, some people hide these authentic Hadiths while maligning the people of truth. May Allah grant us the ability to understand and accept the truth.