ar-ruḥayṭ, with a ḍamma on the rāʾ, is the diminutive of raḥṭ and refers to a group of fewer than ten people. al-ufuq means “side” or “direction.” As for ʿUkkāshah, the ʿayn is pronounced with a ḍamma; the kāf can be read either doubled or light, although the doubled form is preferable.

Commentary: After citing the Qur’anic verses, the author—may Allah have mercy on him—quoted this momentous ḥadith in which the Prophet ﷺ informed us that the nations were displayed before him; in other words, he was shown the communities and their prophets. He says, “I saw a prophet accompanied by ar-ruḥayṭ,” meaning a very small band, anywhere from three to ten. “And a prophet accompanied by one or two men, and a prophet with no one at all.” This tells us that not every prophet—peace be upon them—was obeyed by his people: some had no followers whatsoever, some were obeyed by only a handful, and others by just one or two.

Consider Noah, peace be upon him: he remained among his people for “a thousand years less fifty,” continually reminding them of Allah and calling them to Him, yet Allah the Exalted says, “But none believed with him except a few” (Qur’an 11:40). All that time they neither accepted his call nor spared him their harm. Noah complained, “Every time I called them so that You might forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves with their garments, persisted, and grew arrogantly proud” (Qur’an 71:7). They would pass by him and mock him.

He continues: “A dark mass (sawād) was raised before me,” that is, a vast throng whose sheer number appeared as a dark blur. “I assumed they were my nation, but I was told, ‘This is Moses and his people,’” for Moses is among the prophets with the largest following.