The Hadith of the Bedouin
Uploaded Jul 18, 2024
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Sheikh Ibn Al-Uthaymeen
The hadith of the Bedouin who came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked: when is the last hour (Doomsday)? The Prophet ﷺ was speaking to his companions, and he continued his speech and didn’t like to end it. It seems, and Allah knows best, that it was a continuous speech. Some people said: he heard what he said and hated it. If a person hates someone’s question, it is fine for him not to answer even if he heard him. The reason is that the questioner might not have wisdom, nor patience, so he asks an inappropriate question. In this case, the responder has the right to ignore it and not answer. And others said: maybe he did not hear him; therefore, when the Prophet ﷺ had finished his speech, He asked: where is the questioner? He said: it’s me O messenger of Allah. When is the last hour (Doomsday)? The Prophet ﷺ said, "When the power or authority comes in the hands of unfit persons, then wait for the Hour (Doomsday)."
Fatwas (rulings on acts of worship) come in the hands of the ignorant; leadership comes in the hands of the foolish, management comes in the hands of those who don’t have knowledge in management, and so on. "When the power or authority comes in the hands…,” meaning that it comes in the hands of the wrong people, “then wait for the Hour (Doomsday)."
To conclude, when people are corrupt then wait for the last hour (Doomsday) because the hour is (first) established on the worst of creatures. So, in this (i.e., Hadith) there is a warning from the lack of honesty and integrity. And it is a must to give those who are qualified the right position (rank) and so on because that’s what honesty and integrity entail.