..طُوبَىٰ (Ţūbā) to the strangers!..

Assalam Alaikum,

The photo shows it all... The journey of the strangers is part in darkness and part in light~

Excerpt from the book, page 101

"Islam began as something strange and it will return to being something strange, so طُوبَىٰ to the strangers!" It was asked of him, 'Messenger of Allah, who are they?" He replied, "Those who correct the affairs at a time when the people become corrupt." 

Ahmad records on the authority of Muttalib ibn Hantab that the Prophet said, "طُوبَىٰ is for the strangers." They asked, 'Messenger of Allah, who are the strangers?' He replied, "Those who increase when the people are decreasing."

If the wording of this hadith is preserved and not mistakenly altered by the narrator from 'those who decrease when the people are increasing,' the meaning would be: those who increase in goodness, faith and piety when the people are decreasing in them. Allah knows best. 

Ibn Mas'ud reports that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "Islam began as something strange and it will return to being strange just as it began, so طُوبَىٰ for the strangers!? It as asked of him, 'Messenger of Allah, who are the strangers?' He replied, "Those who have departed from the tribes." 

'Abdullah ibn 'Amr reports that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "طُوبَىٰ for the strangers." It was asked of him, 'Messenger of Allah, who are the strangers?' He replied, "A small group of righteous people amongst a large number of evil people; those who disobey them are greater in number than those who obey them."

Ahmad records on the authority of 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "The most beloved thing to Allah is the strangers." It was asked, "Who are the strangers?' He replied, "Those who flee in order to safeguard their religion; they will gather with 'Isa ibn Maryam on the Day of Judgement."

W'salam,
Khadijah C.