Leaders Who Disrupt the Truthful Party

It has been narrated from Hazrat Huzaifa (R.A) who says, "By God, I don't know whether my fellows forgot it or are lost themselves in other obsessions! By God, the holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had enumerated to us names of the 'deadly poison,' the factious leaders with their fathers' and tribes' names: they include those with three hundred or more disciples."

Some talkative persons become adept in exaggerating things to extremes; some of them even happen to inspire weaker souls with their gift of the gab. In all this act of trapping and that of others becoming a willing prey to their oily tongue, it is everyone's guess to ascertain who is to blame, he who befools others or the one who accepts the falsehood unsuspectingly; may be, both, equally!

This hadith indicates that clever people will remain active in their negative business till the Doomsday; and there will be many to get entangled in their traps. The narrator of the hadith says that the holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had disclosed to his companions, the clear identifications of such factious leaders including those with three hundred or more followers, with their fathers' and tribes' names; but people either forgot, or had been too busy in other things to be vigilant about it. The contents of this hadith are quite startling. People should take care of their surroundings otherwise factious leaders, disguised in one way or the other may exploit them for their own benefit, leaving them in the lurch. It is very important, in this regard, to recite the holy Quran and ponder over its meanings after giving up selfishness.

This hadith mentions 'quaid e fitnah,' leaders (factious leader) meaning thereby such leaders as create disunity and disharmony among the people of the faith. Creating disturbance in society is a serious crime. The holy Quran says: 'and tumult/ disturbance is worse than slaughter.' (191:2) This is because tumult and disturbance lead to the loss of political and economic rights of humanity. Society is deprived of its peace; economic exploitation finds its way in; oppression and extremism spreads its tentacles; sectarianism, tribalism, and other ethnic feuds take roots in the society; and in the long run, people are deprived of their freedom. In other words, it is the slaughter of the society, at large. The leaders and provocationists of such disturbances cause destruction of the humanity, itself. The holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has disclosed the identification of such factious protagonists who mislead the masses as they disgrace the society so that the Muslims should, collectively, avoid them and should rather struggle.