Sunan at-Tirmithiy كتاب الإيمان باب ما جاء أن الإسلام بدأ غريبا وسيعود غريبا
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِى أُوَيْسٍ حَدَّثَنِى كَثِيرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَوْفِ بْنِ زَيْدِ بْنِ مِلْحَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ إِنَّ الدِّينَ لَيَأْرِزُ إِلَى الْحِجَازِ كَمَا تَأْرِزُ الْحَيَّةُ إِلَى جُحْرِهَا وَلَيَعْقِلَنَّ الدِّينُ مِنَ الْحِجَازِمَعْقِلَ الأُرْوِيَّةِ مِنْ رَأْسِ الْجَبَلِ إِنَّ الدِّينَ بَدَأَ غَرِيبًا وَيَرْجِعُ غَرِيبًا فَطُوبَى لِلْغُرَبَاءِ الَّذِينَ يُصْلِحُونَ مَا أَفْسَدَ النَّاسُ مِنْ بَعْدِى مِنْ سُنَّتِى. قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ.
The Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him, said, “Indeed, the religion (Islām) will creep to al-Ḥijāz1 just as a snake creeps back to its burrow; and, indeed, the religion will become attached to al-Ḥijāz just as a female mountain goat is attached to the peak of a mountain. Indeed, the religion started as something strange2, and will return to being strange [like it began]. So, glad tidings to the strangers who will reform the corruption people will commit against my sunnah3 after me."
1) A region in Saudi Arabia (i.e. the cities of Makkah, al-Madīnah, and al-Yamāmah). 2) In the way other people disregarded Muslims and would not communicate with them as the religion first emerged. 3) Record of the tradition of Prophet Muḥammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him, including his sayings, actions, biography, physical and behavioral depiction, and his approval of something said or done in his presence, as narrated by his Companions. A good authentic ḥadīth reported by at-Tirmithī: "the Book of Belief", in Sunan at-Tirmithī: ḥadīth number 2839, narrated by 'Amr Ibn-'Awf Ibn-Zayd Ibn-Milḥah al-Muzanī.
