Callers at the Gates of Jahannam
The Prophet ﷺ warned his ummah of times that would come when clarity would fade, and truth would be mixed with falsehood.
Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān (may Allah be pleased with him) used to ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ not about good, but about evil, fearing it might reach him. He said, “O Messenger of Allah, we were in ignorance and evil, then Allah brought us this good. Will there be evil after this good?” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “Yes.” Hudhayfah asked, “Will there be good after that evil?” He replied, “Yes, but it will be tainted.” Hudhayfah then asked, “What will its impurity be?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “A people who will guide with something other than my guidance. You will recognise some of what they say and reject some of it.” (Bukhari)
This hadith is a clear description of our reality today. The Prophet ﷺ, with knowledge given by Allah of the unseen, warned us about confusing times where good and evil will be mixed, and people will be misled by individuals from among us who outwardly look familiar and speak our tongue, but inwardly call to misguidance.
We have now witnessed people with the label of “imam” or “leader” affiliating themselves with injustice – visiting tyrants, singing and dancing alongside oppressors, and legitimising the oppressors’ actions. SubhanAllah, we see this hadith unfolding in front of our very eyes.
This confusion makes it difficult to know who is upon truth and who is not. That is why the Prophet ﷺ guided us to follow the path of the united ummah, for Allah has protected the ummah in its entirety from misguidance – though individuals may go astray, the consensus and direction of the ummah remains safeguarded.
In another narration, Thawban (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
“The thing I fear most for my ummah is leaders who mislead.”
And in the same hadith:
“A group of my ummah will remain steadfast on the truth, unharmed by those who oppose them or forsake them, until the command of Allah comes.”
(Tirmidhi)
These two narrations are not isolated. Together, they point to the reality that during times of tribulation and deception, there will always remain a small, firm group upon the truth, al-Ta’ifah al-Mansurah, the victorious group, mentioned frequently by the Prophet ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ used the word dakhan, not the absence of good, but a corruption that clouds it. Linguistically, dakhan refers to smoke or a subtle hidden impurity. The scholars explain that it refers to a time when goodness is no longer pure like it was in the prophetic era. The truth is mixed with distortion.
People may call to Islam, but not entirely upon the path of the Prophet ﷺ. Their speech may sound Islamic, but their conduct betrays the Sunnah. Imam al-Nawawi explained that this is a mixture of truth with deviation, the essence of good remains, but it is intermixed with weakness and misguidance.
Hudhayfah then asked, “Will there be evil after that good?” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “Yes, callers at the gates of Jahannam. Whoever responds to them will be thrown into it.” Hudhayfah said, “O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us.” He ﷺ said, “They are from among us and speak our language.” Hudhayfah asked, “What do you command me to do if I live to see that?” He ﷺ said, “Stick to the group of Muslims and their leader.” Hudhayfah asked, “And if they have neither a group nor a leader?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Then avoid all those sects, even if you must grip the root of a tree hard with your teeth until death reaches you while you are in that state.” (Bukhari)
We are now witnessing individuals who appear outwardly righteous, from our communities, speaking our language, wearing religious clothing, yet siding with oppressive regimes, dancing in their courts, legitimising their tyranny. The Prophet ﷺ described them in precise terms: they are from among us, and they speak our tongue. Yet they are not guides; they are callers to destruction. This is not exaggeration. This is prophecy. The Prophet ﷺ warned us of these individuals who mix guidance with personal ambition, who distort religion to gain favour, and who lead others to destruction while claiming to serve Islam.
In another authentic narration, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“The thing I fear most for my ummah is leaders who mislead.” He also said, “A group from my ummah will remain upon the truth, clearly manifest. Those who abandon or oppose them will not harm them, until the command of Allah comes.” (Tirmidhi)
This is a divine promise. No matter how confused the world becomes, there will always be a group upholding the truth, undistorted by the compromises of others. And our task is to find them, to join them, and to stand firm alongside them.
Allah too spoke of two types of leaders in the Qur’an. He said of Firʿaun and his followers:
“And We made them leaders calling to the Fire, and on the Day of Judgement they will not be helped.” And He said, “We caused a curse to follow them in this life, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be among the despised.” (Qasas 41-42)
Their leadership was not based on truth, but on oppression and misguidance. They were powerful in the world, but cursed in the sight of Allah.
In contrast, Allah describes His chosen ones:
“And We made them leaders, guiding by Our command. And We revealed to them to perform good deeds, establish prayer, and give zakah. And they were worshippers of Us.” (Anbiya 73)
These are the leaders who guide with the light of revelation, not the lure of power. Their concern is the Hereafter, not worldly rank. They teach, not for attention or proximity to politicians, but for Allah alone.
In our time, look at those who have remained firm, look to those who hold fast to the truth, even if small in number. Look at the people of Palestine, steadfast despite betrayal. In them, we see the reflection of the victorious group mentioned by the Prophet ﷺ. They do not fear blame, and they remain true to Allah’s cause. Whoever supports them sincerely, stands on the side of the truth. And whoever undermines them, regardless of their title or dress, has fallen into the category of those “callers at the gates of Hell.”
When the Prophet ﷺ was asked what to do in the time of confusion, he did not say to follow those with fame or loud voices, but to cling to the truth even in isolation. If the ummah has no recognised leadership, then distance yourself from all misguided sects, even if that means isolating yourself, gripping the root of a tree hard until death.
These are days of fitnah, and clarity is a rare gift. But the guidance has already been given. The Prophet ﷺ has warned us, described the traits of the misguiders, and pointed to the signs of the truth. It is upon us to listen, to hold fast, and to refuse to be led astray by those who package falsehood in the appearance of religion.
May Allah protect us from the misguidance of corrupt leaders and callers to the Fire. May He make us among those who stand with the truth, even if we stand alone. And may He gather us with the Prophet ﷺ and the victorious group, those who never compromised and never abandoned the path of guidance.
Based on the khutbah of Shaykh Haytham Tamim 11th July 2025. Transcribed by Z Sheikh