Hadith of Abd al-Rahman ibn Sunnah (may Allah be pleased with him)

حَدِيثُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَنَّةَ (١)، • ١٦٦٩٠ - قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ الْهَيْثَمُ بْنُ خَارِجَةَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أَبِي فَرْوَةَ، عَنْ يُوسُفَ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ جَدَّتِهِ مَيْمُونَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَنَّةَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: " بَدَأَ الْإِسْلَامُ غَرِيبًا، ثُمَّ يَعُودُ غَرِيبًا كَمَا بَدَأَ، فَطُوبَى لِلْغُرَبَاءِ " قِيلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، وَمَنِ الْغُرَبَاءُ؟ قَالَ: " الَّذِينَ يُصْلِحُونَ إِذَا فَسَدَ النَّاسُ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَيَنْحَازَنَّ الْإِيمَانُ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ كَمَا يَحُوزُ السَّيْلُ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَيَأْرِزَنَّ الْإِسْلَامُ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ الْمَسْجِدَيْنِ كَمَا تَأْرِزُ الْحَيَّةُ إِلَى جُحْرِهَا " (٢)، ،

It is narrated from Abdur Rahman bin Sannah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say: Islam began as something strange, and it will become strange again as it began, so glad tidings are for the strangers. Someone asked: O Messenger of Allah! Who are the strangers? He said: Those who rectify (reform) when people become corrupt. By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, a time will surely come when faith will withdraw to Madinah just as a stream withdraws to its source. And by Him in Whose Hand is my soul, Islam will enter between the two mosques just as a snake enters its hole.