ʿAbd-Allah ibn Ṣāliḥ narrated this to us; al-Layth related it to us, from Ibrāhīm ibn Abī ʿAblah, from al-Walīd ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Jurashī, from Jubayr ibn Nufayr, who said that ʿAwf ibn Mālik al-Ashjaʿī (may Allah be pleased with him) told me: The Prophet ﷺ once looked up to the sky and said, “This is the moment when knowledge will be taken away.” A man from the Anṣār named Ziyād ibn Labīd said, “Messenger of Allah, how can knowledge be taken away when it has been written down and hearts have retained it?” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “I always assumed you were among the most learned people of Medina.” He then reminded him of the misguidance of the Jews and Christians even though they still possessed the Book of Allah.

I later met Shaddād ibn Aws and mentioned ʿAwf’s report to him. He said, “Shall I tell you what will be removed first?” I answered, “Yes, please.” He said, “Humility—until you will not find a single humble person.” ⦗80⦘

Yaḥyā ibn Bukayr also narrated this to me; al-Layth gave us the same report. Khaṭṭāb ibn ʿUthmān transmitted it, and Muḥammad ibn Ḥimyār narrated from Ibrāhīm ibn Abī ʿAblah, from al-Walīd ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, from Jubayr ibn Nufayr, from ʿAwf ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him). He said: While we were sitting with the Prophet ﷺ—he related it in much the same way—Ziyād said, “How can knowledge be taken away when the Book of Allah is among us and we have taught it to our sons and our wives?”