Al-Awlaki and the former and latter rains
Ibn Taymiyyah, the medieval theologian whose previously somewhat obscure work strongly influenced ‘Abd al-Wahhab, and thus the modern Wahhabi current, commented on this hadith:
..what it means is that among those who come later there will be those who are similar to those who came before, and they will be so close that the one who tries to compare them will not know which is better, even though one of them is in fact better.
This is glad tidings for those who come later, that among them will be those who are close to those who came before them, as it says in another hadeeth: “The best of my ummah are the first and the last, and between them there will be some crookedness. Would that I could see my brethren.” They said, “Are we not your brethren?” He said, “You are my companions.” This shows that precedence was given to the Sahaabah, because they alone are his companions, which is a higher status than merely being brothers.”
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In his tribute to “our brother Sheikh Anwar al-Awlaki” Sheikh Imran Hosein says “I don’t think there’s need to say more than one statement about Anwar al-Awlaki.” He then quotes the same hadith, repeating the first phrase for emphasis:
My Ummah is like the rain. My Ummah is like the rain: I do not know which shower is better, the first or the last.
And concludes:
Anwar Awlaki belongs to the last shower. That is his status, may Allah grant him Jannah.
— Jannah being the garden of Paradise.
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But see for yourself — the video clip is only a minute long, and the hadith and commentary are provided below it on the YouTube site:
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