Ashrat al-Saah - al-Wabil - Yusuf al-Wabil - (131)

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, also informed us that deceptive years would come in which matters would be turned upside down: the truthful would be called liars, liars would be believed, the trustworthy would be deemed treacherous, and the treacherous would be trusted. This will be discussed later in connection with the rise to prominence of the lowly as one of the signs of the Hour.

13 — The Taking Away of Knowledge and the Appearance of Ignorance

Among its signs are the taking away of knowledge and the spread of ignorance. It is related in the two Sahih collections from Anas ibn Mālik, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Among the signs of the Hour are that knowledge will be taken away and ignorance will take firm root” (1).

Al-Bukhārī narrated from Shaqīq, who said: I was with Abd Allāh and Abū Mūsā, and they said that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Indeed, shortly before the Hour there will be days in which ignorance will descend and knowledge will be taken away” (2).

In a version narrated by Muslim from Abū Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Time will grow shorter, knowledge will be taken away, tribulations will appear, miserliness will be instilled, and killing will increase” (3).

Ibn Battāl said: “All the signs contained in this hadith have

(1) *Sahīh al-Bukhārī*, Book of Knowledge, chapter “The Removal of Knowledge and the Prevalence of Ignorance,” vol. 1, p. 178 (with *Fath al-Bārī*); and *Sahīh Muslim*, Book of Knowledge, chapter “The Removal and Withdrawal of Knowledge and the Prevalence of Ignorance and Tribulations at the End of Time,” vol. 16, p. 222 (with al-Nawawī’s commentary). (2) *Sahīh al-Bukhārī*, Book of Tribulations, chapter “The Emergence of Tribulations,” vol. 13, p. 13 (with *Fath al-Bārī*). (3) *Sahīh Muslim*, Book of Knowledge, chapter “The Removal of Knowledge,” vol. 16, pp. 222–223 (with al-Nawawī’s commentary).

وقد أخبر ﷺ أنّه ستكون هناك سنين خدَّاعة؛ تنعكس فيها الأمور؛ يُكَذَّب فيها الصادق، ويُصَدَّق فيها الكاذب، ويخوَّن الأمين، ويؤتمن الخائن؛ كما سيأتي الحديث عنه في أن من أشراط السّاعة ارتفاع الأسافل. ١٣ - قبض العلم وظهور الجهل: ومن أشراطها قبض العلم وفشوُّ الجهل، ففي "الصحيحين" عن أنس بن مالك ﵁، قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: "من أشراط السّاعة أن يُرْفَعَ العلم، ويَثْبُتَ الجهلُ" (١). وروى البخاريّ عن شقيق؛ قال: كنتُ مع عبد اللهِ وأبي موسى، فقالا: قال النّبيّ ﷺ: "إن بين يدي السّاعة لأيَّامًا يُنزَلُ فيها الجهلُ، ويُرْفَعُ العلم" (٢). وفي رواية لمسلم عن أبي هريرة ﵁؛ قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: "يتقارَبُ الزَّمانُ، ويُقْبَضُ العلم، وتَظْهَرُ الفِتَنُ، ويُلقى الشُّحُّ، ويَكْثر الهَرْجِ" (٣). قال ابن بطَّال: "وجميع ما تضمَّنَهُ هذا الحديث من الأشراط قد

(١) "صحيح البخاريّ"، كتاب العلم، باب رفع العلم وظهور الجهل، (١/ ١٧٨ - مع الفتح)، و"صحيح مسلم"، كتاب العلم، باب رفع العلم وقبضه وظهور الجهل والفتن في آخر الزّمان، (١٦/ ٢٢٢ - مع شرح نووي). (٢) "صحيح البخاريّ"، كتاب الفتن، باب ظهور الفتن، (١٣/ ١٣ - مع الفتح). (٣) "صحيح مسلم"، كتاب العلم، باب رفع العلم، (١٦/ ٢٢٢ - ٢٢٣ - مع شرح نووي).