We get 50 times more reward than the Sahaba (companions of the Prophet s.a.w.)!

When the Reward Equals Fifty

Narrated from ‘Utbah bin Hakim, from ‘Amr bin Harithah, from Abi Umayyah ash-Sha’bani, from Abi Tha’labah al-Khushani who commented on the verse: 

{“O you who believe! Take care of your ownselves. If you follow the right guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who are in error…”} [al-Ma'idah; 105]

Abi Tha’labah said:

“By Allah, I asked the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) about this.

And, he (s.a.w.) said: “Rather, what this means is enjoin the good and prevent the bad until you see people succumb to covetousness, follow their desires, become corrupted by the worldly life, every one impressed with his own opinion, and you see that there is nothing else you can do. At that point, take care of yourself and don’t worry about the affair of the general populace, because there are indeed ahead of you days that require patience. Whoever is patient during those days will be like someone holding to a burning coal. And the one who does this from them will have the reward of fifty men who do what he is doing.” The Companions asked: “Messenger of Allah, the reward of fifty of those with him?” He said: “The reward of fifty of you.”“

(Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah)

Such is the one who clings to the stable and Prophetic path during corrupt times and confusion in beliefs is a stranger, even if he is in the presence of loved ones. Obstacles are everywhere, wrongdoing is rampant, ugliness and corruption have emerged, the Religion has been transformed and changed, desires and misguidance are followed, there is nobody to accompany and assist you, it is rare to find a Muwahhid whose company to enjoy, people have become like withering straw, the winds of war and conflict have blown everywhere, the evil of the hypocrites has spread, the patience of the righteous has worn thin, the paths to good have been cut off, the paths to misguidance and destruction have been made easy, there seems to be no way out, and it all seems inescapable.

And Allah has promised the patient an overwhelming reward: {“The patient will receive their reward without any limit…”} [az-Zumar; 10]

Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “Islam began as something strange, and it will return to being strange as it began. So, glad tidings for the strangers.” He was asked: “Messenger of Allah, who are the strangers?” He replied: “Those who are outcasts from their tribes.” And this was narrated by Abu Bakr al-Ajuri with the wording: “Those who are righteous when the people are corrupt.” And others narrated this, and he also has the wording: “Those who flee for the sake of their religion from trials and tribulations.”

(Reported by Imam Ahmad)

And at-Tirmidhi reported it from Kathir, from ‘Abdullah al-Muzani, from his father, from his grandfather, from the Prophet with the wording:  

“Those who correct what the people have corrupted of my Sunnah.” 

And al-Imam Ahmad reported it as well from Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas, and at-Tabarani reported from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar that 

the Prophet s.a.w. said: “Glad tidings to the strangers.” It was asked: “Who are the strangers?” He replied: “A tiny group of righteous people in the midst of a large number of corrupted people. Those who go against them are more than those who go along with them.” 

al-Awza’i explained this, saying: “Indeed, Islam does not fade away. Rather, Ahl as-Sunnah fade away, to the point that there will not remain in a particular land except one or two of them.”

And al-Bukhari reported from Mirdas as-Salami who said that the 

Messenger of Allah s.a.w said: “The righteous will fade away one after the other, and only the useless remnants like straw or date fibers will remain. Allah will not care for them in the least.” 

And al-Hasan al-Basri would say to his companions: “O Ahl as-Sunnah! Be soft with each other, may Allah have Mercy on you, because you will be the first to fade away.” And Yusuf bin ‘Ubayd said: “There is nothing stranger than the Sunnah, and what is stranger than it is the one who knows it…”

And Muslim reported in his ‘Sahih’ from Mu’aqqal bin Yasar that the

 Messenger of Allah said: “Worship during the time of tribulation and confusion is like migration to me.”  

And al-Hasan al-Basri said: “If a man from the first generation was to be resurrected today, he wouldn’t recognize anything from your Islam except the prayer.” He then said: “By Allah, as for the one who lives in the midst of these vices, sees the innovator calling to his innovation and the one infatuated with the worldly life calling to it, yet he remains protected by Allah with his heart yearning for this earlier generation, and he follows in their footsteps and traditions and way of life – such a person will have a great reward.”