I will narrate to you a narration which nobody will narrate to you after me. I heard that from the Prophet. I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "The Hour will not be established" or said: "From among the portents of the Hour is that the religious knowledge will betaken away (by the death of religious Scholars) and general ignorance (of religion) will appear; and the drinking of alcoholic drinks will be very common, and (open) illegal sexual intercourse will prevail, and men will decrease in number while women will increase so much so that, for fifty women there will only be one man to look after them."
Hadith Commentary: The Signs of the Hour
This profound narration from Sahih al-Bukhari 6808, transmitted through the trustworthy chain of Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As, addresses the gradual disappearance of divine knowledge and the emergence of societal corruption preceding the Day of Judgment.
Disappearance of Religious Knowledge
The Prophet ﷺ indicates that true Islamic scholarship will vanish through the death of authentic scholars, not merely their physical absence. This refers to the departure of those who understand the Quran and Sunnah deeply, can derive rulings, and distinguish truth from falsehood.
As Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains in Fath al-Bari, this signifies the removal of blessings (barakah) from knowledge, where people will study but not attain true understanding, leading to increased innovation (bid'ah) and misguidance.
Prevalence of Major Sins
The widespread consumption of intoxicants indicates the normalization of what Allah has explicitly forbidden in the Quran. Scholars note this includes all substances that cloud the intellect, not merely alcoholic beverages.
Open illicit sexual relations reflect societal collapse of moral boundaries, where zina is no longer concealed but practiced openly, destroying family structures and challenging the very foundations of Islamic society governed by the Limits and Punishments set by Allah (Hudood).
Demographic Imbalance
The dramatic decrease in male population relative to women may result from continuous warfare, epidemics, or divine decree. This imbalance disrupts natural social order and marriage institutions, creating numerous societal challenges that indicate the approaching end of times.
Scholarly Observations
Classical commentators emphasize these signs appear gradually, not simultaneously. The preservation of authentic hadith collections like Sahih al-Bukhari ensures religious knowledge remains accessible, though proper understanding diminishes.
This narration serves as both a warning and reminder for Muslims to hold firmly to authentic knowledge, avoid major sins, and prepare for the Hereafter while these signs manifest around us.