Musnad Ahmad 8693

Islam began as something strange, and it will return to being strange as it began. So, glad tidings to the strangers

"Islam began as something strange, and it will return to being strange as it began. So, glad tidings to the strangers."

بَدَأَ الإِسْلاَمُ غَرِيبًا وَسَيَعُودُ كَمَا بَدَأَ غَرِيبًا فَطُوبَى لِلْغُرَبَاءِ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 2 other versions Explained

Verily Islam started as something strange and it would again revert (to its old position) of being strange just as it started, and it would recede between the two mosques just as the serpent crawls back into its hole.

الإِسْلاَمَ بَدَأَ غَرِيبًا وَسَيَعُودُ غَرِيبًا كَمَا بَدَأَ وَهُوَ يَأْرِزُ بَيْنَ الْمَسْجِدَيْنِ كَمَا تَأْرِزُ الْحَيَّةُ فِي جُحْرِهَا ‏"

Narrated by Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar + 1 other version

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Indeed Islam began as something strange and it will return to being strange as it began. So Tuba is for the strangers."

الإِسْلاَمَ بَدَأَ غَرِيبًا وَسَيَعُودُ غَرِيبًا كَمَا بَدَأَ فَطُوبَى لِلْغُرَبَاءِ ‏"

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd + 3 other versions

“Islam began as something strange and will go back to being strange, so glad tidings to the strangers.”

"‏ إِنَّ الإِسْلاَمَ بَدَأَ غَرِيبًا وَسَيَعُودُ غَرِيبًا فَطُوبَى لِلْغُرَبَاءِ ‏"

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik