What Does the Hadith about “Muslim Tribes Joining the Polytheists” Mean?
Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch
Question
According to one Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (s) said, “the Last Hour will not come until the tribes of my people attach themselves to the polytheists and tribes of my people worship idols.” Has this happened yet? If yes what are some examples of how people of this ummah worship idols and attract themselves to the polytheists?
I want to make sure I am not among them. I also thought that the Muslim ummah is protected from shirk.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
The narration in question:
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “When the sword falls on my community, it will not be raised until the Day of Judgment. The Hour will not happen until some tribes of my community join the polytheists and worship idols…” [Abu Dawud; Tirmidhi]
Commentary
The scholars mention the Prophet’s statement – “The Hour will not happen until some tribes of my community join the polytheists and worship idols…” – the following:
- After the passing of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) some tribes during the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (Allah be pleased with him).
- The second part may be literal or it may be metaphorical just as in the Prophetic narration: “Destroyed is he who worships gold and silver.” [‘Ali al-Qari, Mirqat al-Mafatih Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih]
Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he then completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Qur’an and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic history, and a number of texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.
