The Journey of the Strangers By Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali

The Journey of the Strangers
In the current era of materialistic and consumerist culture, Muslim individuals often struggle to maintain their values and beliefs that may contradict those of society. They may be viewed with suspicion and accused of being non-conformist for upholding their divinely revealed principles. As a result of the pressure to conform, some may weaken in their dedication to Islam. This book includes two writings that examine the hadith, "Islam started as something strange and will revert to being strange, so good news to the strangers." It aims to provide solace and motivation for Muslims striving to follow their faith in a world where they may feel isolated and misunderstood.

Dar As Sunnah Publications

• Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali

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DAR AS-SUNNAH CLASSIC COLLECTION THE JOURNEY OF THE STRANGERS IBN RAJAB AL-HANBALI & IMAM AL-AJURRI دار السنة
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CONTENTS Transliteration Table PREFACE Recapitulation al-Shatibi's THIS BOOK THE AUTHOR Imām Abu Bakr al-Ajurri 6 22 11 22 23 THE AUTHOR Hafiz Abu'l-Faraj ibn Rajab al-Hanbali 27 THE TRANSLATION 30 BOOK ONE: Sifatu'l-Ghuraba' Introduction Aspiring to be a Stranger The Oath of the Stranger +255 32 40 45
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of what he said, Preface فَإِذَا رَكِبُوا فِي الْفُلْكِ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الَّذِينَ "When they embark in ships, they call on Allah, making their religion sincerely His..."3 When he warned them about the severity of the Day of Judg- ment, swift were they to reject all the evidences they witnessed of the possibility of its occurrence and said, هَذَا شَيْءٌ عَجِيبُ أَءِ ذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا نُرَاباً ذَلِكَ وم رجع بعيد "What an extraordinary thing! When we are dead and turned to dust...? That would be a most un- likely return!"4 When he () tried to inculcate the fear of Allah's punishment in them, they said, اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَذَا هُوَ الْحَقِّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ أَوِ انْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ "Allah! If this is really the truth from You, rain down stones on us from heaven or send a painful 3 al-'Ankabut (29): 65 4 * Qaf (50): 3 13
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THE JOURNEY OF THE STRANGERS IBN RAJAB AL-HANBALI & IMAM AL-AJURRI In this age of materialism, consumerism and extreme liberalism, the Muslim often finds himself at a loss, at odds to the ebb and flow of society, and holding to values, divinely revealed, that contrast starkly with the values held by many around him. He or she is looked at askance, accused of being backward, non-conformist and refusing to integrate. In the face of peer pressure, the resolve of some may weaken, the result being a watering-down of one's adherence to Islam and the values it calls to. The Prophet (3) warned us that a time would come in which Islam and the Muslims would be beheld as strangers, not just by non-Muslims but by many Muslims as well! He informed us that days were coming in which trying to keep hold of one's religion would like holding red hot coals, and he stressed the paramount importance of holding fast to Islam in its pristine purity during that time, stating that this, and only this, was the path to success in this life and the next. This book is a compilation of two tracts which explain the hadith. "Islam began as something strange and it will return to being strange just as it began, so tuba for the strangers!" It is hoped that it will be a source of comfort and inspiration for the Muslim who is striving to follow Islam at a time when the Muslim could well feel alienated and alone in the world.. The first is a treatise penned by the great Imam, al-Ajurri (d. 330H), a scholar known for his deep knowledge and piety, his quality being recognised by all. The second is a monograph written by the Imam, ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (d. 795H), a scholar praised extensively for his vast knowledge, asceticism and expertise in the Hanbali school of thought. An introduction has been added from the words of Shatibi and an appendix from ibn al-Qayyim's monumental Madary al-Salikin. سنة Dår as-Sunnah Publishers P.O. Box 9818, Birmingham, B11 4WA,United Kingdom. E-mail: info@darassunnah.com www.darassunnah.com ISBN-13: 978-1904336-27-3 ISBN-10: 1-904336-27-2 Copyright by 9 781904 336273"> Daras-Sunnah Publishers