Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) narrated to us two narrations, one of which I have seen (happening) and I am waiting for the other. He narrated that honesty was preserved in the roots of the hearts of men (in the beginning) and then they learnt it (honesty) from the Qur'an, and then they learnt it from the (Prophet's) Sunna (tradition). He also told us about its disappearance, saying, "A man will go to sleep whereupon honesty will be taken away from his heart, and only its trace will remain, resembling the traces of fire. He then will sleep whereupon the remainder of the honesty will also be taken away (from his heart) and its trace will resemble a blister which is raised over the surface of skin, when an ember touches one's foot; and in fact, this blister does not contain anything. So there will come a day when people will deal in business with each other but there will hardly be any trustworthy persons among them. Then it will be said that in such-and-such a tribe there is such-and-such person who is honest, and a man will be admired for his intelligence, good manners and strength, though indeed he will not have belief equal to a mustard seed in his heart." The narrator added: There came upon me a time when I did not mind dealing with anyone of you, for if he was a Muslim, his religion would prevent him from cheating; and if he was a Christian, his Muslim ruler would prevent him from cheating; but today I cannot deal except with so-and-so and so-and-so. (See Hadith No. 208, Vol. 9)
The Gradual Erosion of Honesty
This profound narration from Sahih al-Bukhari's "To make the Heart Tender (Ar-Riqaq)" describes the spiritual decline of humanity through the lens of diminishing honesty. The Prophet ﷺ explains that honesty was originally embedded in human nature (fitrah), then reinforced through divine revelation in the Qur'an, and finally preserved through prophetic tradition (Sunnah).
The Metaphor of Disappearing Honesty
The Prophet's ﷺ analogy of honesty being stripped away during sleep illustrates how spiritual qualities can gradually erode without conscious preservation. The comparison to fire traces and blisters emphasizes how what remains becomes superficial - having the appearance but lacking substance, much like faith that exists in name only without true conviction in the heart.
The Final Stage of Spiritual Decline
The hadith culminates in describing an era where trustworthy individuals become so rare that people will specifically seek out the few remaining honest persons. The warning about those admired for worldly qualities while lacking true faith highlights the danger of valuing outward appearances over genuine spiritual substance - a condition where iman doesn't reach even a mustard seed's weight in the heart.
Contemporary Relevance
The narrator's personal testimony about changing social conditions serves as a powerful warning for all times. Where once religious commitment or governmental authority ensured basic honesty, future generations will witness such moral decay that trust becomes exceptional rather than normative. This prophecy serves as both warning and motivation to safeguard our own honesty and faith.