now been witnessed by us with our own eyes: knowledge has diminished, ignorance has appeared, miserliness has been instilled in hearts, tribulations have become widespread, and killing has increased” (1).

The hadith master Ibn Hajar commented: “It appears that he witnessed much of this, although its opposite still existed. What the hadith means is that these conditions will become firmly entrenched, until virtually none of their opposites remain. This is indicated by the expression ‘the taking away of knowledge’: nothing will remain but sheer ignorance. The existence of a group of learned people does not preclude this, for they will then be lost amid all those people” (2).

Knowledge is taken away through the death of scholars. It is related from Abd Allāh ibn Amr ibn al-Ās, may Allah be pleased with them both, that he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: “Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from His servants. Rather, He takes knowledge away by taking away the scholars, until, when no scholar remains, people appoint ignorant men as leaders. They are asked questions and issue rulings without knowledge; thus they go astray and lead others astray” (3).

Al-Nawawī said: “This hadith explains that what is meant by the taking away of knowledge in the preceding hadiths, where it is stated without qualification, is not that it will be erased from the hearts of those who preserve it. Rather, it means that its bearers will die and people will appoint ignorant men who rule according to their ignorance, and thus go astray