Holding Fast to the Qur'an and Sunnah

Sahih al-Bukhari 7307

Hadith Text

I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "Allah will not deprive you of knowledge after he has given it to you, but it will be taken away through the death of the religious learned men with their knowledge. Then there will remain ignorant people who, when consulted, will give verdicts according to their opinions whereby they will mislead others and go astray."

Commentary on the Hadith

This profound hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari reveals one of the signs of approaching Judgment Day. The Prophet (ﷺ) informs us that divine knowledge will not be directly withdrawn by Allah, but rather through the gradual passing of the scholars ('ulama) who carry authentic Islamic knowledge in their hearts.

When the true scholars depart, only those ignorant of proper Islamic rulings remain. These individuals will issue religious verdicts (fatāwā) based on personal opinion (ra'y) without proper knowledge of Qur'an and Sunnah. Their erroneous judgments will lead people astray, creating widespread misguidance.

This hadith emphasizes the critical importance of seeking knowledge from qualified scholars and warns against consulting those unqualified in Islamic sciences. It also highlights the immense responsibility of scholars to preserve and transmit authentic knowledge to subsequent generations.

Scholarly Insights

Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani comments in Fath al-Bari that this hadith indicates knowledge is preserved through its carriers - the scholars. When they perish, ignorance prevails.

Imam al-Nawawi explains that giving religious verdicts without knowledge is among the gravest sins, as it misguides people in their fundamental religious matters.

This prophecy has been witnessed throughout Islamic history, particularly during times when political turmoil or neglect of religious education led to the decline of scholarly tradition.

Contemporary Relevance

In our times, this hadith serves as a crucial reminder to verify the qualifications of those from whom we seek religious guidance and to support Islamic educational institutions that preserve authentic knowledge.

Muslims must distinguish between genuine scholars and those who speak without proper Islamic training, ensuring that religious guidance comes only from those firmly grounded in Qur'anic and Prophetic teachings.