Islam Began as Something Strange
Question

                What is the meaning of this hadeeth (prophetic narration): “Islam began as something strange and will revert to being strange as it began.”?
Praise be to Allah.
    This hadeeth was narrated by Muslim (145) from Abu Hurayrah 
    (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and 
    blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Islam began as something strange and 
    will revert to being strange as it began, so give glad tidings to the 
    strangers.”

    Al-Sindi said in Hashiyat Ibn Majah:

    “Strange” refers to the small number of its adherents. The 
    basic meaning of ghareeb (a stranger) is being far from one's homeland. “And 
    will revert to being strange” refers to the small number of those who will 
    adhere to its teachings even though its followers are many. “So give glad 
    tidings to the strangers” means those who follow its commands. “Tooba (glad 
    tidings)” has been interpreted as meaning Paradise or a great tree in 
    Paradise. This shows that supporting Islam and following its commands may 
    require leaving one's homeland and being patient in bearing the difficulties 
    of being a stranger, as was the case in the beginning.

    In Sharh Saheeh Muslim, Al-Nawawi quoted al-Qadi ‘Iyad as 
    saying concerning the meaning of this hadeeth:

    “Islam began among a few individuals, then it spread and 
    prevailed, then it will reduce in numbers until there are only a few left, 
    as it was in the beginning.”

    It says in Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah, 2/170:

    The meaning of this hadeeth is that Islam began as something 
    strange, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon 
    him) called people to Islam, but no one responded except a few here and 
    there. At that time it was something strange because its people were like 
    strangers amongst others and they were few in number and weak, in contrast 
    to the great numbers and strength of their enemies who persecuted the 
    Muslims. Then some of them migrated to Abyssinia, fleeing for the sake of 
    their religion from tribulation and to save themselves from persecution and 
    oppression, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon 
    him) migrated at Allah’s command to Madeenah, after suffering intense 
    persecution and in the hope that Allah would give him people to support him 
    in his call and support Islam. Allah fulfilled his hopes, granted victory to 
    his troops and supported His slave. 

    The Islamic state was established and Islam spread, with the 
    help of Allah, throughout the land; Allah made the word of kufr (disbelief) 
    lowest and the word of Allah is (always) uppermost, for Allah is Almighty, 
    All-Wise, and honour, power and glory belong to Allah, and to His Messenger 
    (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and to the believers [cf 
    al-Munafiqoon 63:8]. This continued for a long time, then division and 
    dissent spread among the Muslims and weakness and failure increased 
    gradually, until Islam once again became something strange as it was in the 
    beginning. But this is not because of their small numbers, because at that 
    time they will be many, rather it is because they do not adhere to their 
    religion or cling to the Book of their Lord and the teachings of the 
    Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), apart from 
    those whom Allah wills. So they become distracted and turn to competing in 
    worldly matters, like those who came before them, and they fight amongst 
    themselves for leadership. So the enemies of Islam found a way in and they 
    colonized their lands, humiliated their people and treated them badly. This 
    is the way in which Islam returned to being strange as it was in the 
    beginning.

    A number of scholars – including Shaykh Muhammad Rasheed Rida 
    – thought that this hadeeth gives glad tidings of a second victory of Islam 
    after it becomes something strange again. They base this on the metaphor 
    used by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when he said, 
    “… will revert to being strange as it began.” So just as following the 
    initial strangeness and alienation the Muslims were victorious and Islam 
    spread, this will happen again after the second period of strangeness and 
    alienation.

    This view is more likely to be correct, and is supported by 
    what is proven in the ahadeeth (reports) about the Mahdi and the descent of 
    ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) at the end of time, when Islam will spread and the 
    Muslims will be victorious, and kufr and the kafirs (non-Muslims) will be 
    defeated.

    And Allah is the Source of strength. May Allah send blessings 
    and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions.