“Islam Began as Something Strange”

Question

What is the meaning of [the hadith] “al-Islam bada’a ghariban” (“Islam began as something strange”)?

Answer

The teachings of Islam — beliefs (‘aqa’id), morals (akhlaq), deeds (a‘mal), and acts of worship (‘ibadat) — were, at the very beginning, regarded by people as strange, and were viewed with astonishment and denial; likewise, later on, people will again regard them as strange and view them with astonishment and denial.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.