What is Sahih Muslim 279 about?

This hadith from Sahih Muslim (Book of The Book of Faith), narrated by It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:, states: "Islam initiated as something strange, and it would revert to its (old position) of being strange. so good tidings for the stranger."

Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sahih Muslim, which contains 7,459 hadiths across 57 books. It is hadith number 279 in the Book of The Book of Faith.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

Hadith numbering varies across editions and translations (USC-MSA, Dar as-Salam, Fath al-Bari, and others). If you followed a link citing a different number but landed here, you may have been redirected to the canonical version in our library. If you were looking for a different hadith entirely, use the search bar to find it by text.

‹

#278

#279

Sahih Muslim

#280

›

Sahih Muslim #279

The Book of Faith

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبَّادٍ، وَابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ مَرْوَانَ الْفَزَارِيِّ، قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّادٍ حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ كَيْسَانَ - عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ بَدَأَ الإِسْلاَمُ غَرِيبًا وَسَيَعُودُ كَمَا بَدَأَ غَرِيبًا فَطُوبَى لِلْغُرَبَاءِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Islam initiated as something strange, and it would revert to its (old position) of being strange. so good tidings for the stranger.

Narrated by It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ speaks about the nature of Islam, describing it as starting out strange and returning to that state. This reflects the challenges faced by believers in a world that may not always accept their values. The takeaway serves as a reminder of the resilience required in faith.

Modern Application

Today, individuals may feel out of place due to their beliefs or practices. This hadith encourages them to remain steadfast and find strength in their identity, even when faced with misunderstanding or opposition.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Universal Message and Prophetic Warning because it conveys a timeless message about the nature of faith and the challenges that believers may encounter.

Universal Message Prophetic Warning