It is from the conditions of the Last Hour that knowledge would be taken away and ignorance would prevail (upon the world), the liquor would be drunk, and adultery would become rampant.
The Book of Knowledge - Sahih Muslim 2671a
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This commentary examines the profound hadith from Sahih Muslim concerning the signs of the approaching Hour.
The Disappearance of Knowledge
The removal of knowledge refers not to its literal disappearance from texts, but to the death of scholars who carry true understanding. When the bearers of knowledge depart, ignorance spreads among people.
Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Knowledge is not learned by much narration, but rather it is a light that Allah places in the heart." When this light extinguishes in communities, darkness prevails.
The Prevalence of Ignorance
Ignorance here signifies both religious ignorance and moral blindness. People will abandon the Qur'an and Sunnah, following their desires instead of divine guidance.
Al-Qurtubi notes that when ignorant people lead communities, they declare lawful what Allah has forbidden and forbid what Allah has made lawful, corrupting religion itself.
Widespread Consumption of Intoxicants
The Prophet (peace be upon him) specifically mentioned liquor (khamr) as it was the common intoxicant of his time. This includes all substances that cloud the intellect.
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains that when intoxicants become normalized, people lose their God-given reasoning capacity, leading to further sins and social decay.
Rampant Adultery
Zina (unlawful sexual relations) becomes prevalent when modesty is abandoned and religious consciousness weakens. This corrupts lineages and destroys family structures.
Imam Nawawi states that when adultery becomes open and unashamed, it indicates severe spiritual sickness in society and divine punishment becomes imminent.
Interconnected Signs
These signs are interconnected - the disappearance of knowledge leads to ignorance, which enables the normalization of major sins like drinking and adultery.
The wise Muslim recognizes these signs as warnings to return to Allah, seek knowledge, and uphold moral boundaries despite societal pressures.