I will narrate to you a Hadith and none other than I will tell you about after it. I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying: From among the portents of the Hour are (the following): -1. Religious knowledge will decrease (by the death of religious learned men). -2. Religious ignorance will prevail. -3. There will be prevalence of open illegal sexual intercourse. -4. Women will increase in number and men will decrease in number so much so that fifty women will be looked after by one man.
Tafsir of Hadith on the Portents of the Hour
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari (Book: Knowledge, Hadith: 81) describes significant signs preceding the Day of Judgment, as conveyed by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). The decrease in religious knowledge refers not merely to its availability but to the passing of authentic scholars who embody and correctly apply Islamic teachings, leading to a rise in ignorance despite information abundance.
Scholarly Commentary on the Signs
1. Decrease of Religious Knowledge: Classical scholars like Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explain this as the diminishing of true understanding (fiqh) in religion's matters, not just the number of books. When scholars perish without qualified successors, people follow ignorant leaders, straying from the straight path.
2. Prevalence of Religious Ignorance: This follows naturally from the first sign. Imam al-Nawawi states that ignorance will dominate religious practices, with innovations (bid'ah) replacing Sunnah, and false interpretations spreading.
3. Open Illegal Sexual Intercourse: Scholars emphasize this indicates society's moral decay, where zina becomes normalized and shamelessly practiced, reflecting broken religious and social barriers that once protected morality.
4. Demographic Imbalance: The drastic ratio of women to men results from constant warfare and conflicts, as explained by classical commentators. This imbalance disrupts social structure and marriage norms, making one man responsible for multiple women's welfare.
Contemporary Reflection
These signs serve as warnings for Muslims to hold firmly to authentic knowledge, seek qualified scholars, uphold moral boundaries, and maintain family structures as prescribed in Islam, preparing for the Hereafter while navigating modern challenges.