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 Prophet Muhammad,
may God praise him, said, “Islam began as something strange, and
it shall return to being something strange, so give glad tidings to the
strangers.”
It was asked, “Who are those
strangers, O Messenger of God?” He
replied, “Those that correct the people when they become corrupt.” In another narration he said in response to the
same question, “They are a small group of people among a large evil population.
Those who oppose them are more than those who follow them.
Just who are the strangers? Is it me or you or the neighbours; is it the
people at the mosque, or the other mosque? Is it all of us or none of us? Are the strangers those who have converted to Islam? Or the born Muslim who suddenly grows a beard,
or puts on a scarf for the first time? I think that many of you would agree that being Muslim in the 21st
century makes you well acquainted with being strange. It might even be a
metaphor for random, as in you have been randomly selected.
Seriously though, many converts to Islam
will tell you about feeling as if they were strangers, before finding Islam. They
will speak of feeling that they belonged somewhere else, that their lives were
just slightly off centre. They often speak about a vague sense of knowing they
were not like everyone else around them, feeling like a stranger in a strange
land. Converting to Islam gives one a sense of coming home, of finally being
normal, albeit sometimes still in a strange land.
It does not take long though before some
converts begin to feel that they are still strangers and they start to wonder
if this feeling of never quite being at ease, or at home, will ever end. Some
conclude that it will not, at least not until they are in their true home – al
Jennah, the Paradise. This feeling is not restricted to converts; often those
who were born into the religion of Islam feel a sense of not belonging, of
being out of place, of not fitting in, of being strange.
We are not the first or only Muslims to
ponder our strangeness. The first Muslims in Mecca must have looked to their
sisters, fathers and aunts and wondered why they just couldn’t see the truth. Why
didn’t they see that Muhammad was the messenger of God? Finding and accepting the truth is a wonderful blessing but often the
feeling of strangeness remains. And that is not such a bad thing.
Noted Islamic scholar Ibnul Qayyim said,
Muslims are strangers among mankind; the true believers are strangers among
Muslims; and the scholars are strangers among the true believers. And the
followers of the Sunnah, those that abandon all forms of innovation, are likewise strangers.
The strangeness we feel is a
sensation that was shared by the prophets and messengers before
Prophet Muhammad. Prophet Noah preached the word of God to his people for 950
years yet he was rejected and mocked. Prophet Lot, Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet
Jonah, were abused, persecuted and humiliated. Prophet Moses was rejected not
only by the Pharaoh but also by his own people when they
rejected his call and worshipped the golden calf instead of God alone. Prophet Jesus and his disciples were ridiculed when they chose to
worship God Alone and must surely have felt the strangeness that we feel today.
Imam Ibnul Qayyim suggested that there
were three degrees of strangeness. The first one he called ‘praiseworthy
strangeness’, which is the result of adhering to the
belief in One God. It is the strangeness of those who say, there
is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger. It is
a comforting strangeness, that comes from knowing that there is no help except
from God. He (God) says that most of mankind will not follow the truth. Those
that worship God truly and correctly will be the strangers from among mankind.
And if you obey most of the people on Earth, they
will lead you astray. (Quran 6: 116)
And most of mankind will not believe, even if
you (O Muhammad) desire it eagerly. (Quran 12: 103)
And truly, most of mankind are rebellious and
disobedient (to God). (Quran 5: 49)
But nay, most of mankind are ungrateful. (Quran
12: 38)
As to the second type of strangeness, ‘blameworthy strangeness’, Ibnul Qayyim said more
than 600 years ago, words that are pertinent even today. “Their strangeness is
due to their refusal to follow the correct and straight path of God. This
strangeness is the strangeness of not conforming to the religion of Islam and,
as such, it will remain strange even if its followers are numerous, its power
is strong and its existence is widespread. These are the strangers to God. May
God keep us from becoming one of them.”
The third category is the strangeness a
traveller feels. It is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy. It does however
have the potential to become praiseworthy. When a person who lives in a place
for a short period of time, knowing that he has to move on he feels strange, as
if not belonging anywhere.
We are all strangers in this world, for we
will all go one day to our permanent abode in the Hereafter. Understanding
this means that we understand and embrace what Ibnul Qayyim called praiseworthy
strangeness.
Prophet Muhammad said, “Live in this world
as though you are a stranger or a wayfarer.” The strangeness that is felt by
many Muslims is usually a good thing. It can be that praiseworthy strangeness
that confirms our love for God and His Messenger. It reminds us to live our
lives as if we are travellers at a way stop, waiting for God to call us home to
our final abode.
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