Addressing the Argument: Will the Day of Judgment Fall Upon Believers?

Addressing the Argument: Will the Day of Judgment Fall Upon Believers?

Argument:

In Saheeh Muslim, Book 20, Hadith 4718 we read:

It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to fight In defence of truth and remain triumphant until the Day of judgment.

However, we read else where in Saheeh Muslim, Book 41, Hadith 7043:

Abdullah reported Allah's Apostle as saying: The Last Hour would only affect the wicked persons.

We also read in Saheeh Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 273:

It is narrated on the authority of Anas that verily the Messenger of Allah () said: "The Hour (Resurrection) will not occur until 'Allah, Allah' is not said on earth."



There is a contradiction between these ahaadith. On the one hand, there is a hadith which states that there would be a group of believers fighting in the cause of Allah until the Day of Judgment, yet on the other we have ahaadith which states that the Day of Judgment won't come until 'Allah, Allah' isnt' said anymore on earth. 

So what is it? Will there be believers on earth when the Day of Judgment comes or not?

Response:

The reconciliation offered by the majority of scholars is that these group of believers will be fighting in the cause of Allah right until the Day of Judgment would occur. Then right after that, a wind will come and sweep away all the believers leaving behind only the disbelievers. Then the Day of Judgment will fall upon the disbelievers alone. [1]

This reconciliation is based upon the following hadeeth:

Saheeh Muslim, Book 20, Hadith 4721:

It has been narrated on the authority of 'Abd al-Rahman b. Shamasa al- Mahri who said: I was in the company of Maslama b. Mukhallad, and 'Abdullah b. 'Amr b. 'As was with him. 'Abdullah said: The Hour shall some only when the worst type of people are left on the earth. They will be worse than the people of pre-Islamic days. They will get whatever they ask of Allah. While we were yet sitting when 'Uqba b. 'Amir came, and Maslama said to him: 'Uqba, listen to what 'Abdullah says. 'Uqba said: He knows better; so far as I am concerned, I heard the Messenger of Allah () say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to fight in obedience to the Command of Allah, remaining dominant over their enemies. Those who will oppose them shall not do them any harm. They will remain in this condition until the Hour overtakes them. (At this) 'Abdullah said: Yes. Then Allah will raise a wind which will be fragrant like musk and whose touch will be like the touch of silk; (but) it will cause the death of all (faithful) persons, not leaving behind a single person with an iota of faith in his heart. Then only the worst of men will remain to be overwhelmed by the Hour.

This hadeeth provides the clear reconciliation. The believers will be present right until the Hour will come, but then they will disappear along with the wind, thus leaving behind only the disbelievers to have the Day of Judgment befall upon them. 

This is a clear reconciliation directly from the sources themselves and not based upon stretched ad hoc explanations by the scholars. 

In conclusion, there is no contradiction.


Footnotes:

1) Ibn Hajar in his Fathul Bari said: والجمع بينه وبين حديث " لا تزال طائفة " حمل الغاية في حديث : لا تزال طائفة " على وقت هبوب الريح الطيبة التي تقبض روح كل مؤمن ومسلم فلا يبقى إلا الشرار فتهجم الساعة عليهم بغتة