Contemporary Life vs Muslims' Affairs

A fatwa translated into English in which the Standing Committee for Scientific Research and Ifta, Dawah and Guidance answers the following question, "Are these the times which are referred to in the hadeeth of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), according to which when one of the Sahaabah asked him, “What should I do when there is too much fitnah and division?”, he replied, “Keep away from the people, and sit in your house”? In al-Saheeh, in Kitaab al-Fitan, Baab Kayf al-Haal idha lam yakun khaleefah, there is a hadeeth which says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told them to withdraw from people when calamities strike, and he said, “… even if you have to bite onto the root of a tree.” Please explain this hadeeth and tell us what the scholars said about it."