Islamic Revival

Scholars have mentioned various reasons that prompted the Prophet’s ﷺ Companions to migrate to Abyssinia. One reason was that they felt it necessary to flee with their religion, fearing that constant torture might tempt them to apostatize. Ibn Ishaaq said,  “At that point in time, some Muslims from the Prophet’s ﷺ Companions went to Abyssinia, fearing temptation and fleeing towards Allah M with their religion.” [1] Sayyid Qutub offers a different explanation, arguing that the main purpose of the migration was to spread Islam outside of Makkah, and not simply to flee from persecution. In  Fee Dhilaal Al-Qur’an  (In the Shade of the Qur’an), he wrote, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was searching for a stronghold outside of Makkah, a stronghold that could protect the beliefs of Islam and guarantee the freedom to openly practice Islam. In my estimation, this was the foremost reason that prompted the migration (to Abyssinia). The view which states that the Prophet’s ﷺ Companions mi...

Introduction The traditions of the ‘black banners’ or march of the ‘black banners’  al-Riyāt al-Sawd , for some are truly evocative.  In a world characterised by oppression, injustice and even outright evil, the reported wording of these traditions speaks of apocalyptic end times, giving hope to a promise of deliverance.  An army setting march from the east, with mention of the region of Khurāsān ,  that seeks justice and depending upon the wording, being a potent force for either the coming of the Mehdi, or having him among its ranks. These traditions are purportedly narrated upon the authority of three-companions, Thawbān, Abu Hurayrah and Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with them all.  Within the corpus of  aḥādith , they sit outside of the  Ṣaḥīḥ  collections of Bukhāri and Muslim.  Despite having a chapter dedicated to the topic of the Mehdi, they do not appear either in the  Sunan  of Abu Dāwud.  Among the well-...