Warning against Eloquent and Ignorant Speakers

In this day and age there are many speakers who try to propagate Islam. Here are a collection of ahadeeth that warn against eloquent and ignorant speakers.

Abu Hurayrah (radiyallaahu anhu) reported that Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Love the one whom you love to a certain degree (moderately), perhaps one day he will be someone for whom you have hatred, and hate the one for whom you have hatred to a certain degree (moderately), perhaps one day he will be one whom you love." (at-Tirmidhee)

Hudhayfah (radiyallaahu anhu) said: “People used to ask the Messenger of Allaah about the good times, but I used to ask him about the bad times fearing lest they should overtake me. I said: Messenger of Allaah, we were in the midst of ignorance and evil, and then Allaah brought us this good (time through Islaam). Is there any bad time after this good one?” He said: “Yes.” I asked: “Will there be a good time again after that bad time?” He said: “Yes, but in it will be a hidden evil.” I asked: “What will be the evil hidden therein?” He said: “(That time will witness the rise of) the people who will adopt ways other than mine and seek guidance other than mine. You will know good points as well as bad points.” I asked: “Will there be a bad time after this good one?” He said: “Yes. (A time will come) when there will be people standing and inviting at the gates of Hell. Whoever responds to their call will be thrown into the fire.” I said: “Messenger of Allaah, describe them to us.” He said: “They will be a people having the same complexion as ours and speaking our language.” (Saheeh Muslim)

Allaah (Subahana Wa Ta’ala) said: “And of mankind there is he whose speech may please you (O Muhammad), in this worldly life, and he calls Allaah to witness as to that which is in his heart, yet he is the most quarrelsome of the opponents.” (Al-Baqarah 2:204)

‘Abdullah bin Umar (radiyallaahu anhu) narrated that 2 men came from the east and addressed the people who wondered at their eloquent speech. On that Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Some eloquent speech is as effective as magic.” (Saheeh al-Bukhaaree)

And we are in a time where the ignorant ones are giving verdicts in matters that they have no knowledge about, and people are taking these ‘ignorant ones’ as scholars.

Ibn Mas’ud (radiyallaahu anhu) said: "There will not come upon you a time, except that it is more evil than the time before it. I do not mean a leader better than another leader, nor a year better than another year. But your 'Ulemah and fuqahaa (i.e. your Scholars) will disappear, and you will not find anyone to succeed them. Then there will come a people who will give verdicts according to their opinion." (Ibn Hajr related it in Fathul-Baaree). And in another wording: "It is not due to abundance of rain, nor due to its scarcity. Rather it is due to the disappearance of the Scholars. Then there will come a people who will give verdicts on matters based upon mere opinion; and thus they will destroy Islaam." (Ibn Hajr related it in Fathul-Baaree)

And that, which affirms the truth of what Ibn Mas’ud (radiyallaahu anhu) said, is what is reported in the Sunnah of the Prophet, in his (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam’s) saying: "Indeed, Allaah does not snatch away the knowledge, but He takes it away by the passing away of the Scholars. Such that when no Scholar remains, the people take ignorant ones as their leaders. They are asked and give verdicts without knowledge. Thus, they misguide themselves and misguide others." (Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim)

And the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Indeed it is among the signs of the Hour that knowledge be sought from the asaghar (minor / lesser people, in lineage or knowledge).” (Recorded by Ibn al-Mubarak in az-Zuhd, 61 and al-Lalaka’i in Sharh Usool I‘tiqad Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah, 102)

And in the Hadeeth of Anas (radiyallaahu anhu), the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) mentioned some more signs of the Last Hour, amongst which he said: "Knowledge will be lifted and ignorance will become widespread." (Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim)

And the following statement of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam): “Towards the last days, a people will emerge who will be young in age and have foolish ideas. They will speak with the best speech of the creatures. Their Eemaan will not go past their throats. So wherever you encounter them, kill them, for indeed there will be a reward for the one who kills them on the Day of Judgement.” (Recorded in as-Sunnah of Imaam Ahmed bin Hanbal)

Muhammad bin Sireen, Maalik bin Anas and many more of the Salaf (Rahimullah) have said: “Indeed, this knowledge is the Religion! So look carefully towards whom you take your Religion from.” (An authentic narration on Muhammad Ibn Sireen reported by Muslim in the introduction to his Saheeh Muslim)

So when taking knowledge we have to be extremely careful where we take it from because taking knowledge from untrustworthy, unreliable and unqualified sources has led many a people to confusion and eventual straying from the straight path. So this taking of knowledge is something that could be a matter of heaven or hell.

It was said: “The people will not cease to be in good as long as they obtain knowledge from the Companions of Muhammad and their elders. But when they obtain knowledge from their asaghar (minor / lesser people, in lineage or knowledge), then that is when they shall be ruined.” (Recorded by Ibn al-Mubarak in az-Zuhd, 851 and al-Lalaka’i in Sharh Usool I‘tiqad Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah, 101 and others)

The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “This knowledge shall be carried by the trustworthy of every generation, negating the distortions of the extreme from it, as well as the impersonation of the false people, and the interpretations of the ignorant.” (Related by Ibnul Wazeer al-Yamaanee in ar-Rawdhun Naas (1/21-23), it was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaanee in Takhreejul Mishkaat (1/28-38/248) and by Shaykh Saleem al-Hilaalee in Hidaayatus Sultaan no. 38)[B]Abu Hurayrah (radiyallaahu anhu) reported that Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Love the one whom you love to a certain degree (moderately), perhaps one day he will be someone for whom you have hatred, and hate the one for whom you have hatred to a certain degree (moderately), perhaps one day he will be one whom you love." (at-Tirmidhee)

I think these key points can be derived from the ahadeeth above:

1. As the Hour comes closer, more and more ignorant people will give fatwas without knowledge.
2. More and more Muslims will follow these people and seek knowledge from them.
3. This will misguide Muslims
4. These people will look knowledgable because of their eloquent speech.
5. Thus we should be wary and listen closely to their lectures.
6. We can help prevent this by loving these speakers to only a certain degree.