Ghirba

Ghirba (or Ghurba) refers to the state of being a "stranger" or living in "exile." In a spiritual sense, the Prophet (PBUH) said, "Islam began as something strange and will return to being something strange, so give glad tidings to the strangers." This refers to those who remain committed to the truth and moral excellence even when society becomes corrupt or indifferent. Ghirba is not just a physical displacement but a spiritual condition where a believer feels like a traveler in the "Dunya" (world), always longing for their true home in the presence of Allah in the Hereafter. The Prophet said: "Islam began as something strange, and it will return to being something strange as it began, so blessed are the strangers" (Muslim). When asked who the strangers are, he said: "Those who are righteous when the people are corrupt" (Ahmad). The strangers (ghuraba) are those who remain steadfast in faith when society is corrupt. They practice Islam even when it is unpopular. They hold fast to the Quran and Sunnah when others abandon them. Ghirba is also a spiritual state. The believer in this world is like a traveler, passing through, not settling. The Prophet said: "Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler" (Bukhari). The stranger does not get attached to the world. They use it as a means to reach their true home, Paradise. Ghirba can be a source of loneliness. The believer may feel isolated when they are the only one practicing, the only one avoiding sin, the only one remembering Allah. But they are not alone; Allah is with them, and the righteous are their true companions. The strangers are promised glad tidings,the Prophet said "blessed are the strangers" (Muslim). They are blessed in this life with contentment, and in the next with Paradise. For believers, ghirba is a reality. They may feel like strangers in a world that does not share their values. But they are content, knowing that their home is not here. They hold fast to the truth, even when it is strange, and they look forward to the day when they will be in the company of the righteous in Paradise.