Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "Verily! The best of you (i.e. Muslims) are my generation, then their immediate followers, then their immediate followers. After them there will be people who will give (false) testimony without being asked (to testify), who will be treacherous and are not to be trusted, who will make vows and will not fulfill them, among whom obesity will appear."[Agreed upon].
Hadith Text
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "Verily! The best of you (i.e. Muslims) are my generation, then their immediate followers, then their immediate followers. After them there will be people who will give (false) testimony without being asked (to testify), who will be treacherous and are not to be trusted, who will make vows and will not fulfill them, among whom obesity will appear." [Agreed upon]
Commentary on the Three Generations
The Prophet (ﷺ) clearly delineated the superiority of three generations: his own Companions (Ṣaḥābah), followed by the Successors (Tābiʿūn), then the Followers of the Successors (Atbāʿ al-Tābiʿīn). This hierarchy is based on their proximity to the source of revelation and their embodiment of Islamic teachings in its purest form.
The first generation witnessed the revelation directly and implemented it under the Prophet's guidance. The second generation learned from these Companions and preserved the tradition, while the third maintained strong connections to the original sources through reliable chains of transmission.
Degeneration of Later Generations
After these three blessed generations, the Prophet warned of moral and spiritual decline manifested through specific traits: giving false testimony voluntarily, treachery and untrustworthiness, breaking vows, and the prevalence of obesity.
False testimony without being asked indicates a corruption of justice and truthfulness. Treachery reflects the breakdown of social trust. Unfulfilled vows show disregard for religious commitments. Obesity symbolizes excessive indulgence in worldly pleasures and neglect of spiritual discipline.
Scholarly Insights
Classical scholars explain that this hadith establishes the permanent superiority of the early generations (al-Salaf al-Ṣāliḥ) in understanding and practicing Islam. Their methodology becomes the benchmark for authentic Islamic practice.
The mention of obesity is understood both literally as physical indulgence and metaphorically as spiritual heaviness and laziness in religious matters. The correlation between physical and spiritual states is a recurring theme in Islamic teachings about human nature and devotion.