Islam Question and Answer - It is mustahabb to isolate oneself at times of tribulation when the Muslim fears he may lose his religious commitment

It is mustahabb to isolate oneself at times of tribulation when the Muslim fears he may lose his religious commitment

I recently read this hadith which is related by Bukhari but I dont understand its meaning, it goes something like; 'A time will come when the best property of a Muslim will be sheep which he will take to a mountain so as too flee with his realigion from afflictions' Can you lpease try and explain it's meaning to me?

 

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Commentary
on the hadeeth. 

This hadeeth
was narrated by al-Bukhaari in a number of places in his Saheeh, such
as (7088) Kitaab al-Fitan, where he narrated that Abu Sa’eed
al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Soon there will come
a time when the best wealth a Muslim will have will be sheep which he will
take to the mountaintops and places where rain falls, fleeing for the sake
of his religious commitment from tribulation.” And Muslim narrated a similar
hadeeth in his Saheeh (1888), also from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may
Allaah be pleased with him), which says that a man came to the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said, “Which of the people
is best?” He said, “A man who strives in jihad for the sake of Allaah with
his wealth and his self.” He asked, “Then who?” He said, “A believer in a
mountain pass who worships Allaah and leaves the people alone.” 

The word
sha’af [in the second hadeeth] means a mountaintop. The word shi’b [in the
first hadeeth] means a gap or pass between two mountains. Al- Nawawi said in
Sharh Saheeh Muslim (13/34): “This does not mean the mountain pass
itself, rather what is referred to is being alone and isolating oneself. A
mountain pass is mentioned as a metaphor because it is usually devoid of
people.” 

The hadeeth
indicates that it is preferable to isolate oneself from people and not mix
with them in cases where a Muslim fears for his religious commitment because
of widespread tribulation, where if he mixes with people he cannot be sure
that his religious commitment will be safe and that he will not apostatize
or deviate from the truth, or fall into shirk or abandon the basic
principles and pillars of Islam, and so on. 

Al-Haafiz
ibn Hajar said in al-Fath (13/42):  “This report indicates that
isolation is preferable in the case of one who fears for his religious
commitment.” 

Al-Sindi
said in his footnotes on al-Nasaa’i (8/124): “This shows that it is
permissible to isolate oneself, indeed it is preferable at times of
tribulation.” 

In the
second hadeeth quoted above the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) mentioned the believer who isolates himself second in virtue
only to the mujaahid who fights for the sake of Allaah. Al-Haafiz said in
al-Fath (6/6): “The believer who isolates himself is second in virtue
only to the mujaahid because the one who mixes with people cannot guarantee
that he will not commit sin, and these sins may be greater in number than
the hasanaat (rewards for good deeds) that he gains as a result of mixing
with people. But being isolated is regarded as preferable only in cases
where there is tribulation.” 

As for
isolating oneself at times other than times of tribulation when a Muslim
fears for his religious commitment, the scholars differed in their views in
this case. The majority said that mixing with people is preferable to
withdrawing from them, and they quoted several texts as evidence for that,
including the following: 

1 – That
this was the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) and the Prophets before him (peace be upon them), and the majority of
the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them). (Sharh Muslim
by al-Nawawi, 13/34). 

2 – The
report narrated by al-Tirmidhi (5207) and Ibn Maajah (4032), which says that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The
believer who mixes with people and patiently bears their annoyance will have
a greater reward than the believer who does not mix with people and
patiently bear their annoyance.” (Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2035). 

Al-Sindi said in his
footnote on Ibn Maajah (2/493): “This hadeeth indicates that the one who is
patient and mixes with people is better than the one who isolates himself.” 

Al-San’aani
said in Subul al-Salaam (4/416): “This indicates that mixing with
people whereby one enjoins what is good and forbids what is evil and deals
with them in a good manner is better than keeping away from them and not
putting up with mixing with them.” 

3 – The
report narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1574) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be
pleased with him) who said: “One of the Companions of the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came upon a mountain
pass where there was a small spring of fresh water, which delighted him
because it was so good. He said, ‘What if I were to withdraw from the people
and settle in this mountain pass? But I will not do it until I seek the
permission of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him).’ So he mentioned it to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said: ‘Do not do that, for if any one
of you remains striving for the sake of Allaah, it is better than praying in
His House for seventy years. Do you not want Allaah to forgive you and admit
you to Paradise? Fight in Allaah's cause. He who fights in Allaah's cause as
long as the time between two milkings of a she-camel will be assured of
Paradise.’” (It was classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi,
1348). 

The benefits
that the Muslim gains by mixing with people for legitimate shar’i purposes,
include establishing the rituals of Islam, increasing the number of the
Muslims, spreading all kinds of goodness among them by helping and aiding
them etc., attending Jumu’ah (Friday) prayers and prayers in congregation,
attending funerals, visiting the sick, attending dhikr circles, etc. (Fath
al-Baari, 13/43); Sharh Muslim by al-Nawawi, 13/34).  

And Allaah
is the Source of strength. And Allaah knows best. May Allaah bless our
Prophet Muhammad and all his family and companions, and grant them peace.

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