Thy Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "A time will come upon the people when a person will wander about with gold as Zakat and will not find anybody to accept it, and one man will be seen followed by forty women to be their guardian because of scarcity of men and great number of women. "
Hadith Text and Context
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari 1414 describes two profound signs of the end times: the rejection of Zakat despite its availability and a severe demographic imbalance between men and women.
Scholarly Commentary on Zakat Rejection
The scholars explain that the wandering with gold as Zakat without finding recipients indicates a time when religious consciousness will diminish significantly. People will abandon Islamic obligations, making the practice of Zakat rare.
Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani notes in Fath al-Bari that this demonstrates how the acceptance of charity depends on the piety of the community. When faith weakens, even those eligible may refuse Zakat out of pride or ignorance of its rulings.
The specification of "gold" indicates valuable wealth being offered, yet finding no rightful recipients among the eight categories mentioned in Surah At-Tawbah (9:60), showing widespread material prosperity coupled with spiritual poverty.
Interpretation of Demographic Imbalance
The scenario of one man being followed by forty women reflects extreme demographic disruption. Classical commentators attribute this to several factors: frequent wars decimating male populations, moral decay leading to decreased birth rates of males, or divine punishment for societal corruption.
Imam al-Qurtubi explains that the term "guardian" (muhrim) here refers to men providing protection and maintenance, indicating women's vulnerability in such conditions and the breakdown of normal family structures.
Legal and Spiritual Implications
This hadith emphasizes that Zakat is not merely a financial transaction but an act of worship whose acceptance depends on the spiritual state of the community. It serves as a warning against religious complacency.
The scholars derive that when no eligible recipient is found, the Zakat payer should preserve the funds and continue seeking rightful recipients, as the obligation remains until properly discharged.
The demographic prophecy reminds Muslims of the importance of maintaining balanced societies and the consequences of widespread sin and disregard for Islamic teachings.