n times when the Muslim ummah has not only had its lands colonised but also its minds colonized with kufr concepts such as democracy, it is common to hear people say in defence of an opinion ‘the majority disagree with you’ or ‘you are in the minority’ and they perceive that this gives weight to their argument. In fact, it neither gives weight to matters of belief neither to matters of Islamic opinions on issues of fiqh. Rather, it may well be that those holding the correct belief are few in number and it may be that a leader is legitimate although opposed by the masses. To prove that the majority and consent of the masses is not an indication for the truth in Islam we mention the following ayaat, ahadeeth and statements of sahaabah:-

1. Ibn U’mar said ‘We asked ‘Who are the strangers, rasool Allah?’ He (saw) replied “A few people among many evil people. Those who disobey them are far more numerous than those who obey them.” (AHMAD, TABARAANI)

2. Ibn U’mar reported that Nabi (saw) said “Verily Islam started as something strange and it will again revert to being strange just as it started, and it would recede between the two mosques just as the serpent goes back into its hole.” (MUSLIM [no.271])

3. A’mru bin A’wf reported that Nabi (saw) said “The deen will return to Hijaaz as a serpent returns to its hole. This deen will seek security in Hijaaz in the refuge of the mountain goat on the peak of a mountain. This deen began strange and will soon go back to the state in which it began so Tooba to the strangers (ghurabaa’) they will be those who correct what people corrupted after me.” (TIRMIDHI as reported by WALI UD DEEN TABREEZI in ‘Mishkaatul Masaabih’)

4. Abu Hurayrah “Islam started off as something strange, and it would revert to being something strange, so Tuba to the strangers” The companions asked ‘Who are the strangers?’ Nabi (saw) replied “The ones who break away from their tribes for Islam” (AHMAD, MUSLIM kitabul Imaan [no.270] IBN MAAJAH [kitaabul Fitan no. 3986-3988] also from Ibn Masood, Anas bin Maalik) and in a version of AHMAD from Ibn Masoo’d the compaions asked ‘And who are they [the strangers]?’ and Nabi (saw) answered “Those who put matters right when people are corrupt” Other versions say “Those who flee with their deen from fitnah” and in one version “Those who hold to the Book when it is abandoned and teach my sunnah when it is neglected”

5. Abu Hurayrah reported that Nabi (saw) said “The first person to be called on the Day of Ressurrection will be Adam, who will be shown his descendents. And it will be said to them, ‘This is your father, Adam.’ Adam will say ‘Labayk wa Sa’dayk’ Then Allah will say : (to Adam) ‘Bring forth from your descendants the delegations of the Fire.’ He will say ‘O Lord, how many should I bring?’ Allah will answer ‘From every hundred, ninety-nine’” The companions said ‘O Rasool Allah, if ninety-nine out of every hundred of us are brought forth then what will remain (of us)?’ The Prophet (saw) said “My nation among nations is like a white hair on a black bull.” (BUKHAARI and in a similar of version of MUSLIM “…They are out of every thousand nine-hundred and ninety-nine…” kitabul Imaan [reported by Abu Sa’eed No.430 and A’mash No.431])

6. “The rule is for none but Allah. He has commanded that you worship none but Him, that is the Straight Deen but most men know not.” (Yusuf 12:40) and

7. “And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly.” (Yusuf 12:103)

8. “And if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from the path of Allah. They follow nothing but conjecture and they do nothing but lie.” (al Ana’m 6:116) and

9. “But most of them believe not in Allah except that they are mushrikoon.” (Yusuf 12:106) These three ayaat and many others are a clear statement from Allah that the majority is the not the criterion for judgement.

10. Anas bin Maalik reported that Nabi (saw) said “The time of the Dajjaal will be years of confusion. People will believe a liar and disbelieve one who tells the truth. People will distrust one who is trustworthy and trust one who is treacherous and the Ruwaybidah will have a say.” Someone asked ‘Who are the ruwaybidah?’ Nabi (saw) said “Those who rebel against Allah and will have a say in general affairs.” (AHMAD [3/220]

11. Mustawrid al Qurashi said to A’mr ibn al A’ss I heard the prophet (saw) say “The Hour will come when the Romans will be in the majority”’ A’mr asked him ‘What are you saying?’ He said ‘I am repeating that which I heard from the Prophet (saw)’ (MUSLIM [kitaabul Fitaan 8/176])

12. Abu Hurayrah reported that Nabi (saw) said “Woe to the Arabs for the great evil which is nearly approaching them, it will be like patches of dark night. A man will wake up as a believer and be a kaafir by nightfall. People will sell their deen for a small amout of worldly goods. The one who clings to his deen on that day will be as one who is grasping a burning coal or thorns.” (AHMAD [2/390])

13. Abu Moosa al Ashari reported that Nabi (saw) said "Before the hour comes there will be a fitnah like the patches of dark night. A man will get up a believer and go to sleep a kaafir, or will go to sleep a believer and get up a kaafir. The one who sits will be better than one who stands, and one who stands will be better than one who runs. Break your bows, cut their strings and strike your swords against stones. If someone comes to kill any of you then be like the better of the two sons of Adam." (ABU DAWOOD)

14. az Zubayr ibn A’di said ‘We went to Anas bin Maalik and complained about the wrong we were suffering at the hands of al Hajjaaj. Anas bin Maalik said ‘Be patient, “For no time will come but that the time following it will be worse, until you meet your Lord.” I heard the Prophet (saw) say that.’ (BUKHAARI)

15. Anas bin Maalik said ‘I shall tell you a hadeeth which I heard from rasool Allah (saw) and which no-one will tell you after me. I heard him say, “Among the signs of the Hour will be the dissappearence of knowledge and the appearance of ignorance. Adultery will be prevalent and the drinking of wine will be common…” (BUKHAARI, MUSLIM) and A’bdullah reported that Nabi (saw) said “Just before the Hour, there will be days in which knowledge will disappear and ignorance will appear and there will be much killing.” (IBN MAAJAH, and similar from BUKHAARI [kitaabul Fitan 9/61] & MUSLIM [kitaabul I’lm 8/58] but reported by A’mash)

16. A’bdullah ibn U’mar reported that Nabi (saw) said “People are like a hundred camels among which you hardly find any suitable camel to ride.” (IBN MAAJAH [kitaabul Fitaan no.3990] BUKHAARI [Eng/Arabic vol.8 no.505] MUSLIM Kitaab Fadaa’Ilus Sahaabah [no.6179])

17. Jaabir bin A'bdullah said I heard Rasool Allah (saw) saying "People will come into Islam in great crowds and they will leave Islam in great crowds" (AHMAD)

18. Abu Umaamah said ‘The messenger of Allah (sw) spoke to us and mentioned the dajjaal and said “Madeenah expels corruption as the bellows expel the impurities of iron” He called that day “The Day of purification” Umm Sharik asked ‘Where will the Arabs be on that day, rasool Allah?’ He (saw) said “They will be few on that day. Most of them will be in al Quds and their Imaam will be the Mahdi, a righteous man…” (AL HAAKIM, IBN KHUZAYMAH, ABU NUA’YM, IBN MAAJAH [no.4077]) and this is supported by the following Umm Sharik said ‘I heard Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) say: “The people would run away from the Dajjal seeking shelter in the mountains.” She said: ‘Where would be the Arabs then on that day?’ He said: “They would be small in number.” (MUSLIM [no.7035])

19. Abu at-Tufail narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah that he said, ‘We were with 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, and a man asked him about the Mahdi. He said to him 'How remote from the truth!' Then he counted with his hand seven, and said, 'That one will come out at the end of time, when if a man says, "Allah, Allah," he will be killed. Allah will unite around him a wispy people like the wisps of the clouds, and Allah will unite their hearts so that they do not need anyone and do not rejoice in anyone who joins them. Their number will be as the number of the people of Badr…the first ones will not outrace them and the last ones will not reach them…and as the number of Talut's companions who crossed the river with him.'" Abu at-Tufail said, ‘Ibn al-Hanafiyyah said, 'Do you want it?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'He will come out from between these two rugged mountains.' I said, 'By Allah, I will not leave it until I die.’ And he died in it, i.e. Makkah. (AL HAAKIM in ‘al Mustadrak’, Al-Hakim said, ‘This is a saheeh hadith according to the conditions of the two shaykhs.’ Ibn Khaldoon said regarding it in his ‘muqaddimah’ ‘And it is only on the condition of Muslim, because 'Ammar adh-Dhahabi, Yunus ibn Abi Ishaq are in it, and al-Bukhari did not narrate from the two of them. 'Amr ibn Muhammad al-'Abqari is in it, and al-Bukhari never narrated from him as a proof but only as extra evidence, as well as what connects to that of the Shi'ah inclinations of 'Amr adh-Dhahbabi. Even if Ahmad, Ibn Mu'in, Abu Hatim, an-Nasa'i and others regarded him as trustworthy)

20. Anas bin Maalik reported that rasool Allah (saw) said “I would be the first intercessor in the paradise and no messenger amongst the messengers has been testified (by such a large number of people) as I have been testified. And verily, there would be a prophet among the prophets who would be testified to by only one man from his people.” (MUSLIM kitaabul Imaan [no.383]) and Ibn A’bbaas reported ‘The Prophet once came out to us and said, "Some nations were displayed before me. A prophet would pass in front of me with one man, and another with two men, and another with a group of people. and another with nobody with him. Then I saw a great crowd covering the horizon and I wished that they were my followers, but it was said to me, 'This is Moses and his followers.' Then it was said to me, 'Look.' I looked and saw a big gathering with a large number of people covering the horizon. It was said, 'Look this way and that way.' So I saw a big crowd covering the horizon. Then it was said to me, 'These are your followers, and among them there are 70,000 who will enter Paradise without (being asked about their) accounts.' " Then the people dispersed and the Prophet did not tell who those 70,000 were. So the companions of the Prophet started talking about that and some of them said, "As regards us, we were born in the era of heathenism, but then we believed in Allah and His Apostle. We think however, that these (70,000) are our offspring." That talk reached the Prophet who said, "These (70,000) are the people who do not draw an evil omen from (birds) and do not get treated by branding themselves and do not treat with Ruqya, but put their trust (only) in their Lord." Then 'Ukasha bin Muhsin got up and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Am I one of those (70,000)?" The Prophet said, "Yes." Then another person got up and said, "Am I one of them?" The Prophet said, " 'Ukasha has anticipated you." (BUKHAARI Eng/Arabic [vol.7 no.648] MUSLIM kitaabul Imaan [no.425, 426]) And in another version also from Ibn A’bbaas said ‘Allah's Apostle said, “Nations were displayed before me; one or two prophets would pass by along with a few followers. A prophet would pass by accompanied by nobody…” (BUKHAARI [vol.7 no.606])

21. Ibn Masood said “The Jama’ah is what accords to the truth even if you are one person” (AL LAALIKAA’EE in ‘as Sunnah’, IBN A’SAAKIR in ‘Tareekh Dimashq’ )

22. Ibn U’mar reports Nabi (saw) “The rarest things in existence at the end of time will be a dirham from what is lawful and a brother who can be trusted.” (ABU NUA’YM)

23. Ibn A’bbaas reported that Nabi (saw) said “O Salmaan when leaders (kings) make hajj for pleasure (holiday), the rich for business, poor for begging, reciters to show off, then the star with a tail will soon appear” (IBN MARDAWAYH, similar collected by MUTTAQI ul HINDI)

24. Yahya ibn Said reported that Abdullah ibn Masud said to a certain man, "You are in a time when men of understanding (fuqaha) are many and Qur'an reciters are few, when the limits of behaviour defined in the Qur'an are guarded and its letters are lost, when few people ask and many give, when they make the prayer long and the khutba short, and put their actions before their desires. A time will come upon men when their fuqaha are few but their Qur'an reciters are many, when the letters of the Qur'an are guarded carefully but its limits are lost, when many ask but few give, when they make the khutba long but the prayer short, and put their desires before their actions." (MAALIK)

25. “There is nothing but that one thousand of the same is better, except for people” (TABARAANI, ABU ASH-SHAYKH in ‘Kitaabul Amthaal’) and in another similar hadeeth “We do not know anything but that one-hundred of the same is better – except for a believing man.” (AHMAD)