Will the Words of the Qur’an Vanish Near the End?
I have come across a hadith in which I hope you can provide a commentary on.
The hadith is from Muslim in Kitab Al-Iman 1/91 and is as follows:
Islam will become worn out like clothes are, until there will be no-one who knows what fasting, prayer, charity and rituals are. The Qur'an will disappear in one night, and no Ayah will be left on earth. Some groups of old people will be left who will say, We heard our fathers saying La ilaha ila Allah, so we repeat it” Silah asked Hudhayfah, “What will saying La ilaha ila Allah do for them when they do not know what prayer, fasting, ritual and charity are?” Hudhayfah ignored him; then Silah repeated his question three times, and each time Hudhayfah ignored him. Finally he answered, “0 Silah, it will save them from Hell”, and said it three times. (Ibn Majah)
Ibn Kathir briefly states in an excerpt from his history of Islam: “In the last days, knowledge will be taken from the people, and even the Qur'an will disappear from the Mushafs and people's hearts. People will be left without knowledge...”
My question is with regard to the interpretation of this hadith, in particular, the part about the Qur'an disappearing leaving no Ayas left on earth. Could you please provide an explanation/commentary on the hadith, as it would be most useful and beneficial.
Also, how sound is the narration?
Regards and salaam,
Essam, UK
Reply
Unfortunately, I could not find this exact narrative. However, it seems that it entails the same meaning as another narrative ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh), according to which, he said:
Soon a time shall come upon people in which nothing of Islam shall remain, except its name and nothing of the Qur’an shall remain except its written words. (Khalq Af`aal al-`abd, Bukhari)
As should be clear, this narrative reports a time when people shall turn away from God’s directives to the extent that nothing shall remain of Islam, except its name. Likewise, the Qur’an shall become a thing so ignored that only its words shall exist, but no would take heed of these words or live their lives in accordance with these words.
It seems that either this subject has been slightly modified in some of the narratives due, probably, to a mistake in reporting by some of the narrators and later on was reported to imply that the words of the Qur’an shall cease to exist, or the sentence ‘The Qur'an will disappear in one night, and no Ayah will be left on earth’ is actually implied figuratively rather than literally.
After the cessation of the institute of prophethood, it is imperative that the words of the Qur’an remain secure for all those who may desire to seek the path of success stipulated by God. The Qur’an must, therefore, remain in tact and available for all those who desire to seek and follow its path; It shall never become extinct from the world, even for a single day, till the balance is set for the Day of Judgment.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
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