Aslam

Praise be to Allah.

In this

hadeeth, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Faith

retreats to Madeenah like a snake returns to its hole.” The word “retreats

to” means to return and settle in Madeenah, just as a snake, when it goes

out from its hole, returns to it. Here the Prophet (peace and blessings of

Allah be upon him) was saying that this religion will retreat to Madeenah

after all other countries become corrupt, just as a snake comes out of its

hole and wanders about the land, then it goes back to its hole.

This

hadeeth also indicates that just as Islam spread from Madeenah, it will

return to it. Islam with its strength and authority spread from Madeenah,

although its roots stemmed from Makkah. Makkah was the place where the first

Revelation came down, but the Muslims did not have a state and power, and

engage in jihad (battle), until after they migrated to Madeenah. Hence Islam

with its power and authority, spread from Madeenah and will retreat to it at

the end of time.

Some of

the scholars said: this hadeeth refers to something that has already

happened, i.e., the people came in delegations to Madeenah and went back

there again to learn about sharee’ah (Islamic law) and the teachings of

Islam from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon

him). But the first meaning is the apparent meaning of the hadeeth and is

more correct.