An Arabi asked, "Messenger of Allah, does Islam have an end?"He replied, "Yes. Whenever Allah intends good for any household, whether Arab or non-Arab, He brings Islam into it."The man asked, "Then what, Messenger of Allah?"He said, "Then trials will fall like patches of dark shade."The Arabi said, "Never, Messenger of Allah!"The Prophet ﷺ replied, "Yes indeed. By the One in whose hand is my soul, you will return to striking one another's necks like venomous black serpents lunging in attack."Wazad in another narration at the end, "The best of people will be a believer who withdraws to a mountain pass, fearing his Lord
and sparing people from his harm."
قال أعرابي يا رسول الله، هل للإسلام من منتهى؟ قال: نعم، أيما أهل بيت من العرب أو العجم أراد الله عز وجل بهم خيرا أدخل عليهم الإسلام، قال: ثم ماذا يا رسول الله؟ قال: ثم تقع فتن كأنها الظلل، فقال الأعرابي: كلا يا رسول الله، قال النبي ﷺ: بلى والذي نفسي بيده لتعودن فيها أساود صبا يضرب بعضكم رقاب بعض. وزاد في رواية في آخرها: وأفضل الناس مؤمن معتزل في شعب من الشعاب، يتقي ربه تبارك وتعالى، ويدع الناس من شره.
Reported by Ahmad (15918, 15917), and Hakim graded it sahih (1/34, and 4/454-455), both through the route of Zuhri, from Urwa bin Zubayr, from Karz bin Alqama al-Khuzai, who related it. Its chain is sahih. Hakim said, "This is a sahih hadith."The second narration was reported by Ahmad (15919), and Ibn Hibban graded it sahih (5956), both through the route of Uzai, who said, Abdul-Wahid bin Qays narrated to us, Urwa bin Zubayr narrated to us, from Karz al-Khuzai, who related it. Its chain is hasan because of Abdul-Wahid bin Qays, whose hadith is hasan.His saying, "asawid" is the plural of aswad, meaning snakes. His saying, "sabban," with the letter sad vowelled with a dammah and the letter ba doubled, means as though they were snakes poured out upon the people.