State of Scholars in the Latter Days

Scholars will be Hypocrites

عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ حُدَيْرٍ قَالَ قَالَ لِي عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه هَلْ تَعْرِفُ مَا يَهْدِمُ الْإِسْلَامَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ يَهْدِمُهُ زَلَّةُ الْعَالِمِ وَجِدَالُ الْمُنَافِقِ بِالْكِتَابِ وَحُكْمُ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْمُضِلِّينَ

Ziyad ibn Hudayr reported: Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said to me,

“Do you know what will demolish Islam?” I said no. Umar said, “Islam will be demolished by the faults of scholars, the arguments of hypocrites over the Book, and the judgment of misguided leaders.”

[Sunan al-Dārimī 214]

عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ أَنّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَى أُمَّتِي كُلُّ مُنَافِقٍ عَلِيمِ اللِّسَانِ

Umar ibn al-Khattab reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,

“Verily, among what I fear most for my nation is every hypocrite with a knowledgeable tongue.”

[Musnad Aḥmad 140]

عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ النَّهْدِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ رضي الله عنه إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ الْمُنَافِقُ الْعَلِيمُ قِيلَ وَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ الْمُنَافِقُ الْعَلِيمُ قَالَ عَالِمُ اللِّسَانِ جَاهِلُ الْقَلْبِ وَالْعَمَلِ

Abu Uthman al-Hindi reported: Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

“Verily, what I fear most for this nation is a learned hypocrite.” It was said, “How is he a learned hypocrite?” Umar said, “He is learned with his tongue, but he is ignorant of the heart and good deeds.”

[al-Aḥādīth al-Mukhtārah 236]

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِي قَالَ قَالَ رَسُول اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ أَكْثَرَ مُنَافِقِي أُمَّتِي قُرَّاؤُهَا

Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, most of the hypocrites in my nation are among its reciters.”

[Musnad Ahmad 6455]

عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ النَّهْدِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ رضي الله عنه إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ الْمُنَافِقُ الْعَلِيمُ قِيلَ وَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ الْمُنَافِقُ الْعَلِيمُ قَالَ عَالِمُ اللِّسَانِ جَاهِلُ الْقَلْبِ وَالْعَمَلِ

Abu Uthman al-Hindi reported: Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Verily, what I fear most for this nation is a learned hypocrite.” It was said, “How is he a learned hypocrite?” Umar said, “He is learned with his tongue, but he is ignorant of the heart and good deeds.”

[Al-Aḥādīth al-Mukhtārah 236]

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَأَيْتُ لَيْلَةَ أُسْرِيَ بِي رِجَالًا تُقْرَضُ شِفَاهُهُمْ بِمَقَارِيضَ مِنْ نَارٍ فَقُلْتُ يَا جِبْرِيلُ مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ قَالَ هَؤُلَاءِ خُطَبَاءُ مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ يَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَيَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ

وفي رواية أخرى قال خُطَبَاءُ مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ مَا لَا يَفْعَلُونَ وَيَقْرَءُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَعْمَلُونَ

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “I saw some men on the night of my ascension, whose lips were being sheared by scissors of fire. I said: O Gabriel, who are these people? Gabriel said: Preachers from your nation who commanded people to be righteous and they forgot it themselves, yet they recited the Book. Will they not reason?”

In another narration, the Prophet said, “Preachers from your nation who said what they did not do, and who recited the Book of Allah and did not act upon it.”

[Musnad Aḥmad 13103]

عَنْ جُنْدُبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَثَلُ الْعَالِمِ الَّذِي يُعَلِّمُ النَّاسَ الْخَيْرَ وَيَنْسَى نَفْسَهُ كَمَثَلِ السِّرَاجِ يُضِيءُ لِلنَّاسِ وَيَحْرِقُ نَفْسَهُ

Jundub ibn Abdullah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The parable of the scholar who teaches people virtue but forgets himself, is that of a lamp giving people light while it burns itself.”

[Al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr 1681]

عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ أَنّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَى أُمَّتِي كُلُّ مُنَافِقٍ عَلِيمِ اللِّسَانِ

Umar ibn al-Khattab reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, among what I fear most for my nation is every hypocrite with a knowledgeable tongue.”

[Source: Musnad Aḥmad 140]

وقال ابن عبد البر وَقَالُوا شَرُّ الأُمَرَاءِ أَبْعَدُهُمْ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَشَرُّ الْعُلَمَاءِ أَقْرَبُهُمْ مِنَ الأُمَرَاءِ

Ibn Abdul Barr said, “It is said that the worst rulers are far from the scholars and the worst scholars are near to the rulers.”

[Jāmi’ Bayān al-‘Ilm 727]

No actual Scholars will remain

عَنْ شَقِيقٍ قَالَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بن مسعود رضي الله عنه كَيْفَ أَنْتُمْ إِذَا لَبِسَتْكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ يَهْرَمُ فِيهَا الْكَبِيرُ وَيَرْبُو فِيهَا الصَّغِيرُ وَيَتَّخِذُهَا النَّاسُ سُنَّةً فَإِذَا غُيِّرَتْ قَالُوا غُيِّرَتْ السُّنَّةُ قَالُوا وَمَتَى ذَلِكَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ إِذَا كَثُرَتْ قُرَّاؤُكُمْ وَقَلَّتْ فُقَهَاؤُكُمْ وَكَثُرَتْ أُمَرَاؤُكُمْ وَقَلَّتْ أُمَنَاؤُكُمْ وَالْتُمِسَتْ الدُّنْيَا بِعَمَلِ الْآخِرَةِ

Shaqiq reported: Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “How will you be when you are afflicted with trials that make the old grow senile and the young grow old? And the people take the Sunnah, change it, and say it has been changed?” They said, “O Abu Abdur Rahman, when will this be?” Ibn Mas’ud said, “It will be when you have many reciters but few people of understanding, many leaders but few of them trustworthy, and the world is sought by the deeds of the Hereafter.”

[Sunan Al-Darimi 185]

حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَتْرُكْ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالاً فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا ‏”‏ ‏.‏ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ وَزِيَادِ بْنِ لَبِيدٍ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏ وَقَدْ رَوَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ الزُّهْرِيُّ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو وَعَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَ هَذَا ‏.‏

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘As, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“Indeed Allah does not take away knowledge by removing it from the people, but He takes away knowledge by taking the scholars, until there remains no scholar and the people begin to ask the ignorant leaders, so they give their verdict without knowledge. They will go astray and lead the people astray.”

[Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2652]

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، وَعَبْدَةُ، وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، وَمَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ، وَحَفْصُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ، وَشُعَيْبُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ ‏ “‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ فَإِذَا لَمْ يُبْقِ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالاً فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا ‏”‏ ‏.‏

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin ‘As that, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“Allah will not take away knowledge by removing it from people (from their hearts). Rather He will take away knowledge by taking away the scholars, then when there are no scholars left, the people will take the ignorant as their leaders. They will be asked questions and they will issue verdicts without knowledge, thus they will go astray and lead others astray.”

[Sunan Ibn Majah 52]

He transmitted [traditions] from the Prophet.

According to Ibn Waki’—his father—al-A’mash—Salam b. Abi al-Ja’d—Ziyad b. Labid: The Prophet mentioned something and said: “That [will be] at the time when knowledge will have died out.” We said “O Messenger of God, how will knowledge die out while we read the Qur’an and teach it to our children, who [in their turn] will teach it to their children until Doomsday?” He said: “May your mother be bereaved of you, O Ziyad. I thought that you were one of the most learned men in Medina. Do not these Jews and Christians read their Bible and their Gospel, [yet] know nothing of what is in them?”

[The History of al-Tabari, Volume 39, p. 135-136]

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ، اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ “‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَتْرُكْ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالاً فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا ‏”‏ ‏.‏

‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

“Verily, Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the people but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars, so that when He leaves no learned person, people turn to the ignorant as their leaders; then they are asked to deliver religious verdicts and they deliver them without knowledge, they go astray, and lead others astray.”

[Sahih Muslim 2673a]

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي أُوَيْسٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ “‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا، يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ الْعِبَادِ، وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ، حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يُبْقِ عَالِمًا، اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالاً فَسُئِلُوا، فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ، فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا ‏”‏‏.

قَالَ الْفِرَبْرِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا عَبَّاسٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ عَنْ هِشَامٍ نَحْوَهُ‏.‏

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As: I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying,

“Allah does not take away the knowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men till when none of the (religious learned men) remains, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray.”

[Sahih al-Bukhari 100]

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، وَأَبِي، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الأَشَجُّ، – وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ – حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، قَالَ كُنْتُ جَالِسًا مَعَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَأَبِي مُوسَى فَقَالاَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ إِنَّ بَيْنَ يَدَىِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّامًا يُرْفَعُ فِيهَا الْعِلْمُ وَيَنْزِلُ فِيهَا الْجَهْلُ وَيَكْثُرُ فِيهَا الْهَرْجُ وَالْهَرْجُ الْقَتْلُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

Abu Wa’il reported, I was sitting with ‘Abdullah and Abu Musa that they reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) having said:

“Prior to the Last Hour, there would be a time when knowledge would be taken away, and ignorance would take its place and there would be bloodshed on a large scale.”

[Sahih Muslim 2672a]

عَبْدَ، اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ “‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَتْرُكْ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالاً فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا ‏”‏ ‏.‏

‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

“Verily, Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the people but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars, so that when He leaves no learned person, people turn to the ignorant as their leaders; then they are asked to deliver religious verdicts and they deliver them without knowledge, they go astray, and lead others astray.”

[Sahih Muslim 2673a]

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يُؤَيِّدُ هَذَا الدِّينَ بِأَقْوَامٍ لَا خَلَاقَ لَهُمْ

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, Allah Almighty might support this religion by the hands of people who have no share in the Hereafter.”

[Al-Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ 1948]

عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ يَذْهَبُ الصَّالِحُونَ وَيَبْقَى أَهْلُ الرَّيْبِ قَالُوا يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ وَمَنْ أَهْلُ الرَّيْبِ قَالَ قَوْمٌ لا يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَلا يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ

وفي رواية أخرى قال لَا يَعْرِفُ مَعْرُوفًا وَلَا يُنْكِرُ مُنْكَرًا

Abdur Rahman ibn Yazid reported: Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “The righteous will disappear and the people of doubts will remain.” They said, “O Abu Abdur Rahman, who are the people of doubts?” Ibn Mas’ud said, “People who do not enjoin good and do not forbid evil.”

In another narration, Ibn Mas’ud said, “They do not acknowledge good, nor reject evil.”

[al-Zuhd wal-Raqā’iq 1489]

Scholars will corrupt the Deen and Misguide the people

Ibn al-Mubarak said:

“Who corrupts the Deen other than kings and evil scholars.”

Mak’hul said:

“There will come a time for people when their scholars would be more putrid than the corpse of an ass (donkey).”

[Time is Running Out, by Imam Siddiq Hassan Khan, p. 111]

وَعَنْ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ لَا يَبْقَى مِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ إِلَّا اسْمُهُ وَلَا يَبْقَى مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ إِلَّا رَسْمُهُ مَسَاجِدُهُمْ عَامِرَةٌ وَهِيَ خَرَابٌ مِنَ الْهُدَى عُلَمَاؤُهُمْ شَرُّ مَنْ تَحْتَ أَدِيمِ السَّمَاءِ مِنْ عِنْدِهِمْ تَخْرُجُ الْفِتْنَةُ وَفِيهِمْ تَعُودُ» . رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شُعَبِ الْإِيمَان

‘Ali reported God’s messenger as saying,

“A time is soon coming to mankind when nothing of Islam but its name will remain and only the written form of the Qur’an will remain. Their mosques will be in fine condition but will be devoid of guidance, their learned men will be the worst people under heaven, corruption coming forth from them and returning among them.”

[Mishkat Al-Masabih 276]

قال: كنت أمشي مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: ” لغير الدجال أخوفني على أمتي ” قالها ثلاثا. قال: قلت: يا رسول الله، ما هذا الذي غير الدجال أخوفك على أمتك؟ قال: “أئمة مضلين “.

“There is something I fear for my Ummah more than Dajjal. Misguided scholars.”

[Musnad Al-Imam Ahmad, Part 5, p. 145]
[Al-Mussanaf, by Abdul Razzaq Part 8, p. 647]

أخبرنا يزيد انا العوام عن إبراهيم التيمي قال بلغ بن مسعود : أن عند ناس كتابا يعجبون به فلم يزل بهم حتى أتوه به فمحاه ثم قال إنما هلك أهل الكتاب قبلكم أنهم أقبلوا على كتب علمائهم وتركوا كتاب ربهم

Ibn Mas‘ūd was informed that the people have (other) books that they admire, so he stayed with them until they brought such a book to him and he destroyed it. Then he said: The people of the book before you were destroyed because they turned to the books of their scholars and left the book of their Lord.

[Sun’an Darimi 469]

عَنْ ثَوْبَانَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ إِنَّمَا أَخَافُ عَلَى أُمَّتِي الأَئِمَّةَ الْمُضِلِّينَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ لاَ تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عَلَى الْحَقِّ ظَاهِرِينَ لاَ يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ يَخْذُلُهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ

Thawban narrated that the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) said:

“I only fear for my Ummah from the misguiding A’immah.” He said that the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) said: “There will never cease to be a group from my Ummah manifest upon the truth, they will not be harmed by those who forsake them until Allah’s Decree comes.”

[Jami’at-Tirmidhi 2229]

Comparison of Scholars

عن ابن مفلح قَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيِّبِ رحمه الله إذَا رَأَيْتُمْ الْعَالِمَ يَغْشَى الْأُمَرَاءَ فَاحْذَرُوا مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ لِصٌّ

وقال ابن عبد البر وَقَالُوا شَرُّ الأُمَرَاءِ أَبْعَدُهُمْ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَشَرُّ الْعُلَمَاءِ أَقْرَبُهُمْ مِنَ الأُمَرَاءِ

Ibn Muflih reported: Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “If you see a scholar become too close the rulers, beware of him for he is a thief.”

[Al-Ādāb al-Shar’īyah 477]

قال: كنت أمشي مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: ” لغير الدجال أخوفني على أمتي ” قالها ثلاثا. قال: قلت: يا رسول الله، ما هذا الذي غير الدجال أخوفك على أمتك؟ قال: “أئمة مضلين “.

“There is something I fear for my Ummah more than Dajjal. Misguided scholars.”

[Hashiyah Musnad Al-Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal, Part 12, p. 390]

لا يأتي على الناس ما يوعدون حتى يكون عالمهم فيهم أنتن من جيفة حمار

“What was promised to people will will not come upon them until a scholar from amongst them will be worse than a carcass of a donkey.”

[Hilyat Al-Awliya’ wa Tabaqat al-Asfiya’, by Abu Nu’aym Al-Isbahani]

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ يَذْهَبُ الصَّالِحُونَ الأَوَّلُ فَالأَوَّلُ، وَيَبْقَى حُفَالَةٌ كَحُفَالَةِ الشَّعِيرِ أَوِ التَّمْرِ، لاَ يُبَالِيهِمُ اللَّهُ بَالَةً

Narrated Mirdas Al-Aslami:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

“The righteous (pious people will depart (die) in succession one after the other, and there will remain (on the earth) useless people like the useless husk of barley seeds or bad dates.”

[Sahih Al-Bukhari 6434]

عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ سِتًّا إِمَارَةُ السُّفَهَاءِوَسَفْكُ الدِّمَاءِ وَبَيْعُ الْحُكْمِ وَقَطِيعَةُ الرَّحِمِ وَنَشْوٌ يَتَّخِذُونَ الْقُرْآنَ مَزَامِيرَ وَكَثْرَةُ الشُّرَطِ

Awf ibn Malik reported: The Prophet, peace, and blessings be upon him, said,

“I fear for you six trials: foolish leaders, shedding blood, bribery in judgments, severing family ties, people who take the Quran as music, and an excessive amount of conditions.”

[al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr 14550]

Additional Sources:

“The Dangers of Evil and Misguided Clerics/Scholars In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau”