Explanation of the Hadeeth:

“There will come a time when the one holding onto the religion will be like one grasping onto hot embers.”

عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم 

« يأتي على الناس زمان القابض على دينه كالقابض على الجمر » رواه الترمذي

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “There will come upon the people a time when holding onto the religion will be like holding onto hot coal.” (Tirmidhi)

وفي رواية عن أبي هريرة قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم  

« يأتي على الناس زمان الصابر فيهم على دينه كالقابض على الجمر ». وصححه الألباني

In another narration, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A time will come upon the people when the one who is patient (in them) in his religion (will be) like the one holding onto hot coal.” [Collected by Tirmidhi, authenticated by shaykh al-Albaani (rahimahullah). There is yet another (longer) version of this hadeeth collected by Imam Ahmad (rahimahullah) in his musnad.]

What follows is an explanation of this narration by the noble scholar Shaykh bin Baaz (rahimahullah).

Question: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There will come upon my ummah a time when the one holding firmly upon the religion is like the one holding onto hot embers.” Is this hadeeth authentic? And if it is authentic, then explain it for us. May Allah reward you with much goodness.

Answer: There is no problem with it (the hadeeth) as far as we know. No problem with it. Good narration. Its meaning is that there will come upon him (the one holding onto his religion) some trials, tribulations, and ordeals, which will hurt and harm him such that it will be as if he is holding onto hot coal. From the rigors of his patience with his religion and emaan, and steadfastness upon it, it will be as if he is grasping hot embers due to the severity of the harms and hardships afflicted upon him; a time of trials and tribulations, a time of (sustaining) harms from enemies! And refuge is sought in Allah (from this)! And this is (currently) happening. Thus, it is imperative that the one who is of sound mind, if he is tried with this, that he be patient. And how many people have been tried in times of tribulations, in wars, and other than that (from those who have come) before us and during this time of ours? The point is that whoever is tested, whichever time he finds himself, that he (must) be patient. Perhaps he may be tried by those who prevent him from praying or harm (harass) him when he prays, or he may tested by those who harm (harass) him when he fasts; then let him be patient, (and) fast even if in secret. So if he is harassed in this (i.e. his worship), it will not harm him. Pray, even if harassed; bear with patience and do not give up your prayer, and so forth, and Allah’s help is sought.

Source: http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/18354

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In the series “Nur ala Darb” (Light upon the Path), Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen (rahimahullah) was asked about whether this hadeeth applies to our time.

Question: The (following) listener of the program sent a series of questions. He says in this (current) question: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘There will come upon the people a time (when) the one holding firmly onto his religion is like the one holding onto hot coal.’ The one holding onto his religion, here, is like the one holding onto hot embers.” He says: “Has that time come? Or are we in that time?”

Answer: This matter varies depending on the people or places (in question). Thus, in certain places a person might be severely persecuted in his religion such that he becomes like the one holding onto hot embers. And in such circumstance, it is obligatory for him to make hijrah (migrate) to another land where there is freedom of religion and tranquility. (This is) Because the scholars have said that when someone is not able to openly practice his religion in the land of the disbelievers, then it is mandatory that he migrate to establish his religion. In certain lands, in this time of ours, you find that the people have total freedom in establishing religious rituals, openly practicing, and promoting them, therefore it is not possible for us to say whether the time that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) indicated refers to the present time that we find ourselves in, and to Allah belongs all praise. In some of the Muslim countries it is not possible (for one) to establish his religion in the way that Allah and His Messenger like it. Indeed.

Source: http://www.ibnothaimeen.com/all/noor/article_6688.shtml

Translated by Yusuf Abdurrahman Pyram