I said: “What is this rancour?” He said: “There will be people (in another route: leaders will come after me [who follow a sunnah other than mine and]) who will guide by other than my guidance; you will recognize [some of what they do] and reject [some]. [Men will arise among them whose hearts are the hearts of devils in human bodies].” (In another route: “What is the rancour in the truce?” He said: “The hearts of some people will not return to what they had previously been upon.”) I said: “Will there be evil after that good?” He said: “Yes: [a blind and deaf tribulation, with] callers at the gates of Hell. Whoever answers their call to it, they will cast him into it.”

I said: “Messenger of Allah, describe them to us.” He said: “They are of our own people and speak our language.” I said: “[Messenger of Allah,] what do you command me to do if I live to see that?” He said: “Adhere to the Muslim community and its leader, [and listen to and obey the ruler even if he strikes your back and takes your wealth; listen and obey].”

I said: “What if they have neither a community nor a leader?” He said: “Then keep away from all those factions, even if you must bite upon the root of a tree, until death overtakes you while you are in that state.” (In another route: “If you die, Hudhayfah, while biting upon a tree stump, that is better for you than following any one of them.”)