Truth is not judged by numbers

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

The number of followers/likes/hits/comments is not the criterion to judge the truth

From Silsilat-ul-Ahaadeeth al-Saheehah of Shaikh al-Albaanee رحمه الله:

397 - “No Prophet (from among the Prophets) has been testified (by such a large number of people) as I have been testified. And verily there would be a Prophet among the Prophets who would be testified to by only one man from his people.”

Reported by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh (6243) and in Mawaarid (2305) from his chain to Anas Ibn Maalik رضي الله عنه, that he said that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said…and he mentioned the Hadeeth.

I say: The Isnaad of the narration is “Saheeh”, and (Imaam) Muslim has reported it in his Saheeh (383) as well and in the beginning of it is mentioned:

“I would be the first intercessor in the Paradise and no Prophet amongst the Prophets…”

[Note: the complete Hadeeth is as follows: Anas bin Maalik رضي الله عنه said: The Prophet of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “I would be the first intercessor in the Paradise and no Prophet amongst the Prophets has been testified (by such a large number of people) as I have been testified. And verily there would be a Prophet among the Prophets who would be testified to by only one man from his people.”]

And the Hadeeth of Ibn `Abbaas رضي الله عنهما also testifies to this narration in which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“All the nations were displayed before me. I saw a Prophet who had a very small group with him, another Prophet who was accompanied by only one or two men and some did not have even one…” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (5705, 5752, 6541) and Saheeh Muslim (425)]

Shaikh al-Albaanee رحمه الله says: And in this Hadeeth, there is clear evidence that the large number of followers or only a few followers is not the criterion to know if the Daa`ee (the caller to Islaam) is upon truth or falsehood. These are the Prophets (of Allaah) عليهم الصلاة والسلام, even though their Call was one and their Deen was one, still had varying number of followers – some had few, some had more. The extent was that some amongst them had only a single follower; rather, some had no followers at all.

And in this there is a great lesson for the callers and the ones being called in this age. The caller should keep this reality in mind, and keep marching forth in the path of calling people towards (the worship of) Allaah. The few numbers should not bother him, because there is no responsibility upon him except to convey the message in a clear way. For he has a beautiful example in the Prophets who have preceded him, those who had no followers except for one or two!

And the one being called should not feel disheartened by the few numbers of those who have responded to this Da`ee’s call, and he should not take this as a means to doubt the truth about the call (of this caller) and abandon Imaan (Faith) because of it; let alone taking it to mean that the call of this caller is falsehood because no one follows him or that only a few number follows him and that if his call was true, then a large population would have followed him. Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَمَا أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾

{And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly.} [Surah Yusuf (12): 103]

[al-Saheehah (397) of Shaikh al-Albaanee]