Hadith on ulema during end times

There are several hadiths and athār (reports) that warn about corrupt scholars (ʿulamāʾ al-sūʾ) in the end times. Classical scholars have always clarified that this does NOT apply to all ulema, only to those who sell religion for worldly gain, mislead people, or support oppression.

Below is an authentic, sourced, and balanced compilation 👇

1. “The worst people under the sky” (Very strong warning)

📜 Hadith

“The most feared thing for my Ummah is the misleading scholars.”

أَخْوَفُ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَى أُمَّتِي الأَئِمَّةَ الْمُضِلُّونَ

📚 Musnad Ahmad (no. 27770), Sunan Tirmidhi

📖 Hasan–Sahih

🔎 Meaning:

Not ignorant people — but knowledgeable leaders who misguide.

2. Scholars who are evil while people are good

📜 Hadith

“There will come a time upon people when their scholars will be evil, and their rulers will be oppressive.”

📚 Al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr (Ṭabarānī)

📖 Hasan (graded by some scholars)

🔎 This shows a moral inversion in the end times.

3. “The worst of creation” — serious narration

📜 Hadith

“The worst people under the sky are the scholars who go to rulers, and the best of scholars are those whom rulers go to.”

📚 Al-Bayhaqī, Shuʿab al-Īmān

📖 Hasan (strengthened by multiple chains)

🔎 Key point:

Scholars who seek power, flatter tyrants, or justify injustice.

4. Knowledge used for dunya (worldly gain)

📜 Hadith

“Whoever seeks knowledge to compete with scholars, to argue with the foolish, or to attract people’s attention — Allah will put him in Hellfire.”

📚 Sunan Ibn Mājah (no. 253)

📖 Hasan

🔎 This describes ego-driven scholars, common in end times.

5. Knowledge will remain, but guidance will disappear

📜 Hadith

“Allah does not take away knowledge by removing it from hearts, but by taking the scholars. Then people will take ignorant leaders who will give fatwa without knowledge and go astray and lead others astray.”

📚 Sahih Bukhari (100), Sahih Muslim (2673)

📖 Muttafaqun ʿalayh (100% authentic)

🔎 This explains why corrupt ulema dominate near Qiyāmah.

6. Saying of Sahabi (Athar – very important)

🗣️ ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd (RA) said:

“People will remain upon goodness as long as knowledge comes from the elders. When it comes from the young and corrupt, they will be destroyed.”

📚 Muqaddimah of Sahih Muslim

7. Clarification by classical scholars (VERY important)

🛑 Imam al-Ghazālī (RA):

“The scholar of the Hereafter is rare in the end times; most scholars become scholars of the world.”

📚 Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm ad-Dīn

🛑 Ibn al-Qayyim (RA):

“Corruption of the world and religion occurs due to corrupt scholars and oppressive rulers.”

📚 Iʿlām al-Muwaqqiʿīn

⚖️ VERY IMPORTANT BALANCE (Islamic position)

Islam never condemns all ulema.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets.”

📚 Sunan Abu Dawood

📖 Sahih

➡️ So:

❌ Corrupt scholars = worst of people

✅ Sincere scholars = best of people

🔍 Signs of corrupt scholars (summary)

Close to tyrants

Silence on injustice

Selling fatwa for money or power

Dividing the Ummah for fame

Calling falsehood “wisdom”

Mocking sincere believers

If you want, I can next provide:

🔴 Detailed signs of corrupt scholars in the end times

📜 Comparison: true vs false ulema

🕰️ End-times timeline related to scholars

📚 Authentic-only compilation (Sahih/Hasan only)

Just tell me.