In his book, ‘Hikayah Munadharah al-Qur’an’, Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi (rahimahullah) narrates what occured in his debate with the Ash‘aris concerning the Qur’an. One of the proofs that the Ash‘aris use as evidence that they are upon the truth is that they are many in number and have strength while Ahl al-Sunnah are little in number. Ibn Qudamah refuted them by saying:

Our Prophet ﷺ informed us that towards the end of time, innovations will increase, Prophetic traditions will fade away, the practice of religion will appear strange, worldly matters will turn away, good deeds will be seen as evil, evil deeds will be seen as good, and the number of people adhering to the truth will diminish. However, despite their dwindling numbers, those who remain steadfast will not be harmed by those who oppose them until the command of Allah comes, and their reward will be multiplied.

The Prophet ﷺ likened the state of the religion in the latter days to its state in the beginning, emphasising its strangeness and the small number of its adherents. He ﷺ said, “The religion began as something strange, and it will return to being as it began.” He also mentioned the glad tidings for the strangers, saying, “Tuba (a tree in paradise) is for the strangers.” (Sahih Muslim)

In some narrations, the Prophet ﷺ highlighted the virtue of the later generations, stating, “A time will come upon the people where those who are steadfast upon the Qur’an and the Sunnah will have a reward like that of fifty martyrs.” The companions asked “The reward of fifty of us or fifty of them?” He replied, “The reward of fifty of you.” (Tabarani & Abu Dawud) This great virtue is due to their beneficial efforts for the people, the challenges they face, the multitude of enemies they encounter, and the scarcity of their supporters.

It is narrated that: “A time will come upon the people where the one who holds onto his religion is like the one who holds onto hot coals.” (Tirmidhi) This illustrates the difficulty faced by those who uphold the truth, leading to their attainment of great reward.

May Allah keep us firm upon Islam and the Sunnah, allowing us to live and die upon them, and to be raised upon them.

It is indeed strange that the people of innovation use their large numbers, wealth, and status as evidence of their truthfulness, while pointing to the small number, strangeness, and weakness of adherents to the Sunnah as proof of its falsehood. This reversal of logic contradicts the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ, who informed us that the followers of truth will be few in number and appear strange towards the end of times, while the proponents of innovation will be numerous and conspicuous. However, the innovators have followed the path of earlier nations who used their material wealth and numerous progeny against the Prophets and their followers, despite the weakness of the latter.

The People of Nuh (‘alayhi as-salam) said to him:

مَا نَرَاكَ إِلَّا بَشَرًا مِّثْلَنَا وَمَا نَرَاكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِيَ الرَّأْيِ وَمَا نَرَىٰ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِن فَضْلٍ بَلْ نَظُنُّكُمْ كَاذِبِينَ

“We see you but a man like ourselves, nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us, immature in judgment. Nor do we see in you any merit above us, in fact we think you are liars.” (Surah Hud 11:27)

The people of Salih (‘alayhi as-salam) said, as Allāh informed us:

قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُواْ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتُضْعِفُواْ لِمَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَٰلِحًا مُّرْسَلٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ ۚ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلَ بِهِۦ مُؤْمِنُونَ – قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرُوٓاْ إِنَّا بِٱلَّذِيٓ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ كَٰفِرُونَ 

“The arrogant leaders among his people said to those who were reckoned powerless – those among them who believed: ‘Know you that Salih is one sent from his Lord?’ They said: ‘We indeed believe in that with which he has been sent.’ Those who were arrogant said: ‘Verily, we disbelieve in that which you believe in.’” (Surah al-A‘raf 7:75-76)

The people of our Prophet ﷺ said:

وَقَالُوا نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ أَمْوَالًا وَأَوْلَادًا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ

“And they said, ‘We are more [than the believers] in wealth and children, and we are not to be punished.’” (Surah Saba’ 34:45)

And Allāh, the Most High, said:

وَكَذَٰلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولُوا أَهَٰٓؤُلَآءِ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَا

“And thus We have tried some of them with others that they might say: ‘Is it these whom Allah has favored from amongst us?’ Does not Allah know best those who are grateful?” (Surah al-An’am 6:53)

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَوْ كَانَ خَيْرًا مَّا سَبَقُونَا إِلَيْهِ

“And those who disbelieve say of those who believe: ‘If it had been a good thing, they (the weak and poor) would not have preceded us thereto!’” (Surah al-Ahqaf 46:11)

وَفَرِحُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا مَتَاعٌ

“And they rejoice in the life of the world, whereas the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter is but a brief passing enjoyment.”

وَٱصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلْعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُۥ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُۥ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُۥ فُرُطًا

“And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His face [i.e., acceptance]. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect.” (Surah al-Kahf 18:28) — Also read the verses in Surah Kahf, verses 32-44.

وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزْوَٰجًا مِّنْهُمْ

“Do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [certain] categories of them [i.e., the disbelievers].” (Surah al-Hijr 15:88)

وَلَوْلَا أَنْ يَكُونَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً لَجَعَلْنَا لِمَنْ يَكْفُرُ بِالرَّحْمَنِ لِبُيُوتِهِمْ سُقُفًا مِنْ فِضَّةٍ وَمَعَارِجَ عَلَيْهَا يَظْهَرُونَ * وَلِبُيُوتِهِمْ أَبْوَابًا وَسُرُرًا عَلَيْهَا يَتَّكِئُونَ * وَزُخْرُفًا وَإِنْ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ لَمَّا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةُ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

“And if it were not that the people would become one community [of disbelievers], We would have made for those who disbelieve in the Most Merciful – for their houses – ceilings and stairways of silver upon which to mount. And for their houses, doors (of silver), and thrones (of silver) on which they could recline. And gold ornament. But all that is not but the enjoyment of worldly life. And the Hereafter with your Lord is for the righteous.” (Surah al-Zukruf 43:33-35)

Qaysar, the king of Rome, despite being a disbeliever, showed a better understanding than the innovators of our time. When he received the Prophet’s letter, he inquired of Abu Sufyan, “Do the weak or the strong follow him?” Abu Sufyan replied, “It is the weak who follow him.” Qaysar then used this as evidence to confirm that Muhammad ﷺ was indeed the Messenger of Allah, stating that it is always the weak who follow the Messengers in every era and generation. (Bukhari & Muslim)

May Allah keep us and you steadfast upon Islam and the Sunnah, protecting us from disbelief and innovation. May He make faith beloved to us, beautify it in our hearts, and make disbelief, sins, and disobedience detestable to us. May He guide us rightly.”

Source: Hikayah Munadharah al-Quran (pp. 53-60)