Please explain this hadith:
My example and the example of what I have been sent with is that of a man who came to some people and said, “O people! I have seen the enemy’s army with my own eyes, and I am the naked warner; so protect yourself!” Then a group of his people obeyed him and fled at night, proceeding stealthily till they were safe, while another group of them disbelieved him and stayed at their places till morning when the army came upon them and killed and destroyed them completely. So this is the example of that person who obeys me and follows what I have brought (the Quran and the Sunnah) and the example of the one who disobeys me and disbelieves in the truth of what I have bought.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
This is an authentic hadeeth cited in Saheeh Al-Bukhaari and Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Abu Moosa, may Allaah be pleased with him. Al-Baydhaawi commented on it saying:
“The hadeeth gives an example; i.e. an analogy or equivalent, which is used to describe a peculiar situation or state or attribute, as in the verses:
– {The example of Paradise, which the righteous have been promised, is (that) beneath it rivers flow} [Quran 13:35]
– {and to Allah applies the highest similitude} [Quran 16:60]
It (the hadeeth) means: The description of my amazing situation with which Allah has sent me is similar to the situation of a man who came to his people in such an odd state. The ‘naked warner’ is a common expression used by the Arabs to indicate the gravity of the situation, imminent risk, and the warner’s innocence from potential accusations. The origin of the expression is that when a man saw the approaching enemy marching upon his people to attack them by surprise, and he feared the enemy would reach his people before him, he would take off his garment and hang it on a stick (like a banner) and rush to his people shouting to warn them of the approaching enemy so that they would take precautions and be prepared.“
The overall meaning of the hadeeth is that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, likened himself in warning his people about the Hellfire and the punishment of Allah to that ‘naked warner’ who rushes to his people to deliver a sincere warning to them. Some of them believed him and fled from the enemy and were saved accordingly, while others did not believe him and stayed in their place until the enemy attacked them and destroyed them. Similarly, whoever believed the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, has escaped Hellfire by obeying Allah, the Almighty, and turning to Him, and he is the saved one. And whoever disbelieved in him and persistently continued to commit sins and turn away from the truth has incurred his own destruction, and Satan destroys him until his final abode is Hellfire, and wretched is such a settlement.
Allah knows best.