He said: If you do not find a caliph in those days, then flee away until you die, even of you die holding on (to a stump of a tree). I asked: What will come next ? He replied: If a man wants the mare to bring forth a foal, it will not deliver in till the Last Hour comes.
Sunan Abi Dawud Book 37, Hadith 8
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The tradition mentioned above (No. 4232) has also been transmitted through a different chain of narrators by Nasr ibn Asim al-Laythi who said: We came to al-Yashkuri with a group of the people of Banu Layth.
He asked: Who are these people? We replied: Banu Layth. We have come to you to ask you about the tradition of Hudhayfah. He then mentioned the tradition and said: I asked: Messenger of Allah, will there be evil after this good?
He replied: There will be trial (fitnah) and evil. I asked: Messenger of Allah, will there be good after this evil? He replied: Learn the Book of Allah, Hudhayfah, and adhere to its contents. He said it three times.
I asked: Messenger of Allah, will there be good after this evil? He replied: An illusory truce and a community with specks in its eye. I asked: Messenger of Allah, what do you mean by an illusory community?
He replied: The hearts of the people will not return to their former condition. I asked: Messenger of Allah, will there be evil after this good? He replied: There will be wrong belief which will blind and deafen men to the truth in which there will be summoners at the gates of Hell. If you, Hudhayfah, die adhering to a stump, it will be better for you than following any of them.
Sunan Abi Dawud Book 37, Hadith 7 Next Hadith → The Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: If a man takes an oath of allegiance to a leader, and puts his hand on his hand and does it with the sincerity of his heart, he should obey him as much as possible. If another man comes and contests him, then behead the other one. The narrator 'Abd al-Rahman said: I asked: Have you heard this from the Messenger of Allah ? He said: My ears heard it and my heart retained it. I said: Your cousin Mu'awiyah orders us that we should do this and do that. He replied: Obey him in the acts of obedience to Allah, and disobey him in the acts of disobedience to Allah.
Sunan Abi Dawud Book 37, Hadith 9
He asked: Who are these people? We replied: Banu Layth. We have come to you to ask you about the tradition of Hudhayfah. He then mentioned the tradition and said: I asked: Messenger of Allah, will there be evil after this good?
He replied: There will be trial (fitnah) and evil. I asked: Messenger of Allah, will there be good after this evil? He replied: Learn the Book of Allah, Hudhayfah, and adhere to its contents. He said it three times.
I asked: Messenger of Allah, will there be good after this evil? He replied: An illusory truce and a community with specks in its eye. I asked: Messenger of Allah, what do you mean by an illusory community?
He replied: The hearts of the people will not return to their former condition. I asked: Messenger of Allah, will there be evil after this good? He replied: There will be wrong belief which will blind and deafen men to the truth in which there will be summoners at the gates of Hell. If you, Hudhayfah, die adhering to a stump, it will be better for you than following any of them.
Sunan Abi Dawud Book 37, Hadith 7 Next Hadith → The Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: If a man takes an oath of allegiance to a leader, and puts his hand on his hand and does it with the sincerity of his heart, he should obey him as much as possible. If another man comes and contests him, then behead the other one. The narrator 'Abd al-Rahman said: I asked: Have you heard this from the Messenger of Allah ? He said: My ears heard it and my heart retained it. I said: Your cousin Mu'awiyah orders us that we should do this and do that. He replied: Obey him in the acts of obedience to Allah, and disobey him in the acts of disobedience to Allah.
Sunan Abi Dawud Book 37, Hadith 9