397 — “No Prophet was believed as I have been believed. Indeed, among the Prophets was one whom only a single man from his community believed.”

Ibn Hibban narrated it in his Sahih (Mawarid, 2305), saying: Abu Khalifah informed us; Ali ibn al-Madini narrated to us; Husayn ibn Ali narrated to us, from Za'idah, from al-Mukhtar ibn Fulfal, from Anas ibn Malik, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said it.

I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission. Muslim also narrated it in his Sahih (1/130): Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Husayn ibn Ali narrated to us, with the same chain, adding at its beginning:

“I shall be the first intercessor in Paradise. No Prophet among the Prophets was believed as I have been believed. …”

Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Tabari then narrated it through Muslim’s route in al-Amali (7/1). He also narrated it (4/1) through another route from al-Mukhtar, with the same wording.

Further corroboration for this hadith is what Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said:

“The nations were presented before me, and I saw a Prophet accompanied by a small band, a Prophet accompanied by one or two men, and a Prophet with no one accompanying him …” The hadith.

It was narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim, as well as others.

This hadith provides clear evidence that the abundance or scarcity of followers is not a criterion for determining whether one who calls others is upon truth or falsehood. Although these Prophets, peace be upon them, had one and the same call and one and the same religion, they differed in the number of their followers, whether few or many. Among them was one whom only a single man believed; indeed, there was even one who had no one with him at all.

Therein is a profound lesson for those who call others and those whom they call in this age. The caller must remember this reality and press forward in calling to Allah Most High, without being concerned by the small number who respond to him. His duty is only to convey the message clearly, and he has an excellent example in the earlier Prophets