What is the vaccine for the disease of ignorance?
Signs of the end of time
عَنْ أَنَسٍ رضي الله تعالى عنه قَالَ: لأُحَدِّثَنَّكُمْ حَدِيثًا لاَ يُحَدِّثُكُمْ أَحَدٌ بَعْدِي، سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ: “مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يَقِلَّ الْعِلْمُ، وَيَظْهَرَ الْجَهْلُ، وَيَظْهَرَ الزِّنَا، وَتَكْثُرَ النِّسَاءُ،وَيَقِلَّ الرِّجَالُ، حَتَّى يَكُونَ لِخَمْسِينَ امْرَأَةً الْقَيِّمُ الْوَاحِدُ ”.البخاري.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I will narrate to you a Hadith and none other than I will tell you about it. I heard Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) saying:
From among the signs of the Hour are (the following):
1. Religious knowledge will decrease (by the death of religious learned men).
2. Religious ignorance will prevail.
3. There will be prevalence of open illegal sexual intercourse.
4. Women will increase in number and men will decrease in number so much so that fifty women will be looked after by one man.” (Bukhari)
عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ إِنَّ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يُرْفَعَ الْعِلْمُ، وَيَثْبُتَ الْجَهْلُ، وَيُشْرَبَ الْخَمْرُ، وَيَظْهَرَ الزِّنَا ”. متفق عليه.
In another narration, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said,
From among the signs of the Hour are (the following):
1. Religious knowledge will be taken away (by pop the death of Religious learned men).
2. (Religious) ignorance will prevail.
3. Drinking of Alcoholic drinks (will be very common).
4. There will be prevalence of open illegal sexual intercourse. (Bukhari and Muslim)
The disease of ignorance
In this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) is talking about a disease that will spread before the end of time. What is that disease? Ignorance.
Ignorance will be the new disease that people will be affected by. There are plenty of signs of the Day of Judgment and among those is that knowledge will decrease. How will knowledge decrease? Many narrations explain this. For instance, in Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said Allah will not take knowledge away suddenly but it will dissipate with the death of scholars.
Death of scholars
The death of scholars leads to the diminishing of true knowledge. In another hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) explained why ignorance would spread: people would appoint unqualified, ignorant leaders. When these leaders are asked for guidance, they would issue verdicts without proper knowledge, misleading others and being deluded themselves. This is a reality we are witnessing today, as unqualified voices increasingly shape understanding and practice.
عن عَبْد اللَّهِ بْن عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ قال: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ: “ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ، وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ، حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَتْرُكْ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالاً، فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ، فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا ” .متفق عليه.
‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin al-‘As reported Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying:
Verily, Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the people but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars, so that when He leaves no learned person, people turn to the ignorant as their leaders; then they are asked to deliver religious verdicts and they deliver them without knowledge, they go astray, and lead others astray. (Bukhari and Muslim)
Vile leaders
In another narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) foretold a time when corrupt and evil individuals would occupy positions of honour and authority, while the righteous would face oppression, abuse, and imprisonment.
وعَن عَبدِ الله بن عَمرِو بنِ العاصِ رَضِيَ الله عَنهما عَن رَسولِ الله صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّم أنَّه قال: ((مِنِ اقتِرابِ السَّاعةِ أن تُرفَعَ الأشرارُ، وتُوضَعَ الأخيارُ))
الطبراني /والحاكم
Indeed, one of the signs of the Hour is that the wicked will be elevated, and the righteous will be degraded. (Tabarani and Al-Hakim)
How do we counteract the disease of ignorance?
To uphold and preserve authentic knowledge we have to nurture and raise genuine scholars who remain deeply connected to the true teachings and authenticity of our religion.
We have to protect knowledge so it is not twisted and sullied by corrupt knowledge seekers or so-called modern scholars. We must protect authentic knowledge that is firmly rooted in the Quran and Sunnah. This is the way to keep knowledge alive and enable its application to our lives.
If we do not preserve knowledge, we are contributing to the Signs of the Hour and the spread of the disease of ignorance. If we are to stop the spread, we need the vaccine of authentic knowledge in our communities, starting from our homes, our spouses, our siblings, our parents and our children.
Nurture scholars
Our teachers often reminded us that it was once common for families to dedicate at least one child—whether a boy or a girl—to become a scholar of Islam, an alim or alimah. This practice was a norm in many households. However, today, it has become increasingly rare. Instead, when someone mentions that their child is studying to become an alim, it is often met with ridicule. People dismiss it, saying, “What will they do with that? Just recite the Quran and lead prayers? That’s not a real job! They will not survive” Such attitudes reflect how far we have strayed from valuing the pursuit of Islamic knowledge. To an extent they are right, because they will not earn much from it, but there are solutions for this.
Establishing waqf
Even our earliest scholars recognised and addressed this issue. In the first and second centuries after the revelation, the establishment of waqf (trusts or endowments) provided scholars with financial independence. These waqfs ensured that scholars were not reliant on state payrolls or subject to the influence of those in power. This independence allowed them to uphold the authenticity and integrity of Islamic knowledge without compromise. Unfortunately, when individuals today sacrifice authenticity to put bread on the table, it undermines the trust and purity of their work. This practice is wrong and we can revive this set up. You can read up on waqf which was adopted by Europeans who took the model and improved it
What is Waqf?
Waqf is an institution in which an individual donates an asset, such as land, property, or money, to serve a charitable purpose, such as funding education, healthcare, mosques, or providing for the poor. The donated asset becomes inalienable, meaning it cannot be sold or inherited, and the income it generates is used for the designated purpose. Waqfs were widespread in the Muslim world from as early as the 7th century, enabling the establishment of schools, hospitals, libraries, and other community services independent of state control.
How Europe adopted the concept
The concept of waqf influenced the development of similar charitable systems in Europe, especially during the Crusades and later during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods. European exposure to Islamic institutions occurred primarily through interaction with Muslim societies in Spain (Al-Andalus), Sicily, and during the Crusades in the Levant.
– The waqf system inspired the development of trusts in medieval Europe. English trust law, which became foundational to modern trusts, was heavily influenced by the waqf model.
– In the Islamic waqf, the donor (waqif) appointed a trustee (mutawalli) to manage the endowed property for the benefit of beneficiaries. Similarly, in English trusts, a settlor transfers property to a trustee for the benefit of a beneficiary.
2. Charitable Endowments:
– Institutions like universities, hospitals, and churches in Europe began to adopt endowments that mirrored waqfs. For example:
– Oxford University (founded in the 12th century) and other medieval European universities relied on endowed properties to support their operations, similar to waqfs funding Islamic madrasas. Merton College, the oldest college of Oxford University and Al Qarawiyyin University, founded in 859 AD.
– Churches and hospitals were funded through perpetual endowments, akin to Islamic waqfs, ensuring their financial independence.
3. Legal Structure:
– The legal mechanisms of the waqf—where property was managed by trustees for specific purposes—closely paralleled the structure of trusts in European legal systems.
– The idea of inalienability (the property cannot be sold or inherited) in waqf was integrated into trust law, ensuring that the assets were preserved for charitable or religious purposes.
4. Preservation of Social Services:
– Just as waqfs provided services like education, healthcare, and infrastructure in the Muslim world, European endowments began to fulfill similar roles. They helped fund universities, orphanages, almshouses, and public works.
Impact on European Development
– Economic Independence: Like waqfs, European charitable trusts provided independence from state control, ensuring that services were funded even during political or economic instability.
– Community Development: The model of endowments helped foster a culture of philanthropy and community-focused development, which became a hallmark of European civic life.
– Legal Evolution: Trust law became a cornerstone of property law in Europe and later in colonial and modern legal systems worldwide.
The waqf system not only played a vital role in Islamic society but also left a lasting legacy on global legal and charitable practices. Its adoption by Europe demonstrateshow Islamic ideas contributed to the development of modern institutions, including trusts and endowments that continue to shape charitable and legal systems today.
Funding the growth of knowledge
In order to revive this, we need the will of the people and for them to understand the gravity of this topic. This is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasised the importance of keeping this knowledge alive, because it is the continuation of his message, and his sunnah is the explanation of the Quran. We need proper scholars to revitalise and deliver it in the language that people can relate to. The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned us of ignorance, and we need to vaccinate ourselves against it by spreading knowledge not a variety of outlets – from parents, leaders of the community, mosques and community centres etc. Anyone who has the urge to be connected to this knowledge should do something about it.
I know that we still have gaps in the community and we unfortunately have had many bad examples, but this does not reflect proper scholars. As with anything in life, there are always a few bad apples. They are not the real reflection of knowledge. So, do not let these examples disappoint you. Stick to the true guidance of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Understand text, context and current reality
True scholars are those who integrate both text—the Quran and Sunnah—and context, the circumstances surrounding their revelation. To understand the text and context ensures a deeper understanding of the reality. Knowledge is not merely about memorisation, though memorisation has its significance; it is understanding that holds greater importance. Without understanding the context in which the text was revealed, knowledge remains incomplete.
With that knowledge we can distinguish between true fatwas and fake fatwas which are influenced by politicians etc. We do not want to be deluded. Alhamdulilah, we still have some very brave and authentic scholars, but we also have some deluded scholars who divert and twist the truth for pounds or dollars.
We ask Allah to keep us on the straight path and be among sincere knowledge seekers. Ameen
Khutbah by Shaykh Haytham Tamim 15th Nov 2024
Signs of the Day of Judgment – Time Passing Quickly
Signs of the Day of Judgment – Vile leaders
Signs of the Day of Judgment – Lies and deceit
Signs of the Day of Judgment – earthquakes and bloodshed
The truth has light but not fake shaykhs
When Scholars and Leaders Fail
When we have to obey leaders and scholars and when we don’t
How do I know who is the best teacher for me?
How to receive the light of Allah in your heart
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- What is the vaccine for the disease of ignorance?
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Shaykh Haytham Tamim
Shaykh Haytham Tamim is the founder and main teacher of the Utrujj Foundation. He has provided a leading vision for Islamic learning in the UK, which has influenced the way Islamic knowledge is disseminated. He has orchestrated the design and delivery of over 200 unique courses since Utrujj started in 2001. His extensive expertise spans over 30 years across the main Islamic jurisprudence schools of thought. He has studied with some of the foremost scholars in their expertise; he holds some of the highest Ijazahs (certificates) in Quran, Hadith (the Prophetic traditions) and Fiqh (Islamic rulings). His own gift for teaching was evident when he gave his first sermon to a large audience at the age of 17 and went on to serve as a senior lecturer of Islamic transactions and comparative jurisprudence at the Islamic University of Beirut (Shariah College). He has continued to teach; travelling around the UK, Europe and wider afield, and won the 2015 BISCA award (British Imams & Scholars Contributions & Achievements Awards) for Outstanding Contribution to Education and Teaching.
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