Do the fitnahs mentioned in this hadīth fit the situation in our times?

Hatith states like this less or more :

Abu Umayyah ash-Sha’bani said:

I asked AbuTha’labah al-Khushani: What is your opinion about the verse “Care for yourselves”. He said: I swear by Allah, I asked the one who was well informed about it; I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about it. He said: No, enjoin one another to do what is good and forbid one another to do what is evil. But when you see niggardliness being obeyed, passion being followed, worldly interests being preferred, everyone being charmed with his opinion, then care for yourself, and leave alone what people in general are doing; for ahead of you are days which will require endurance, in which showing endurance will be like grasping live coals. The one who acts rightly during that period will have the reward of fifty men who act as he does. Another version has: He said (The hearers asked:) Messenger of Allah, the reward of fifty of them? He replied: The reward of fifty of you.

Sunana abu dawood 4341

sunan ibn e maja 4014 tirmizi ,tafseer ul quran , baab” surah maaida 3058

shuab ul iman 7553,7554

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi also thought that this time has come.And remember Maulana thanvi died in 1943.Today after 70 80 years gone after thanvi sahib remarks.

Refernces : [Ashraful jawab , part 4 , 16th objection ,page 446-447]

[Al-Murabit page 23-24 ]

I want to ask that whether that time [ mentioned in hadith ] fits on nowadays ? whether this time has come ? Nowadays , i think , all these signs are present.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The original Arabic of the Hadīth you refer to is as follows:

حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو أُمَيَّةَ الشَّعْبَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا ثَعْلَبَةَ الْخُشَنِيَّ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا أَبَا ثَعْلَبَةَ، كَيْفَ تَقُولُ فِي هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ: {عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ}؟ قَالَ: أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَ عَنْهَا خَبِيرًا، سَأَلْتُ عَنْهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ: «بَلِ ائْتَمِرُوا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ، وَتَنَاهَوْا عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ، حَتَّى إِذَا رَأَيْتَ شُحًّا مُطَاعًا، وَهَوًى مُتَّبَعًا، وَدُنْيَا مُؤْثَرَةً، وَإِعْجَابَ كُلِّ ذِي رَأْيٍ بِرَأْيِهِ، فَعَلَيْكَ – يَعْنِي – بِنَفْسِكَ، وَدَعْ عَنْكَ الْعَوَامَّ، فَإِنَّ مِنْ وَرَائِكُمْ أَيَّامَ الصَّبْرِ، الصَّبْرُ فِيهِ مِثْلُ قَبْضٍ عَلَى الْجَمْرِ، لِلْعَامِلِ فِيهِمْ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ خَمْسِينَ رَجُلًا يَعْمَلُونَ مِثْلَ عَمَلِهِ»، وَزَادَنِي غَيْرُهُ قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَجْرُ خَمْسِينَ مِنْهُمْ؟ قَالَ: «أَجْرُ خَمْسِينَ مِنْكُمْ»[1] 

This hadīth makes mention of four distinct characteristics that will become prevalent at such a time:

1)     Greed: This is especially in the case where it involves disregarding the rights of others.[2]

2)     Desires being followed: This means that people will begin to give preference to their desires over the rules of Sharī’a.[3]

3)     Preference of worldly interests (i.e. fame, fortune, and materialistic aspirations) over religious interests.[4]

4)     Adamance and love for one’s own opinion (without referring properly to the Qur`ān and Sunnah), such that it blinds one to accept what is right even if one’s own opinion is obviously incorrect.[5]

If one takes a cursory glance at modern society, it will become apparent that such a society is certainly not free from corruption. The acquisition of power and wealth fuels the economy and ultimately forces many to compromise on their beliefs and trample over the rights of others. Only those who remain true to their word by exercising patience and holding fast to their Dīn are able to overcome such trials without letting worldly desires take over their decisions that leave no place for religious duties.

From this angle, one can see that the foreshadowing of such events by Rasūlullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) has become a reality in our times. It is for this reason that Mawlānā Ashraf ‘Alī Thānwī also felt that the attributes and signs mentioned in this hadīth are present in today’s world. As a result, he urged the ‘Ulamā to avoid delving into the futilities that surround public platforms and focus more on making du’ā without being forced to involve themselves into the politics of this world[6].

Nevertheless, the purpose of such ahādīth is to see the overall message and make it a means to rectify ourselves while providing guidance on which direction we should be taking when faced with such realities. Although we cannot say for sure that this hadīth is referring to the time we live in, we can still take heed from it and also reflect on the all-encompassing words of Allah the Almighty:  

وَالْعَصْر،ِ إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ، إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ

I swear by the Time, indeed man is in a state of loss, except those who believed and did righteous deeds, and advised each other for truth, and advised each other for patience.[7]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Bilal Mohammad

Student Darul Iftaa
New Jersey, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

www.daruliftaa.net