Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 1414
sahih

Narrated Abu Musa:

Your Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A time will come upon the people when a person will wander about with gold as Zakat and will not find anybody to accept it, and one man will be seen followed by forty women to be their guardian because of scarcity of men and great number of women. "

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ بُرَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏

‏ لَيَأْتِيَنَّ عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ يَطُوفُ الرَّجُلُ فِيهِ بِالصَّدَقَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُ أَحَدًا يَأْخُذُهَا مِنْهُ، وَيُرَى الرَّجُلُ الْوَاحِدُ يَتْبَعُهُ أَرْبَعُونَ امْرَأَةً، يَلُذْنَ بِهِ مِنْ قِلَّةِ الرِّجَالِ وَكَثْرَةِ النِّسَاءِ ‏

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References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 24, Hadith 18
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 2, Book 24, Hadith 495 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
The Prophet ﷺ would always urge his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to hasten to good deeds, encouraging them to do good deeds, particularly giving zakat and charity to those who deserve it. In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ clarifies that there will come a time when wealth will be so abundant, that no person will be in need. This will happen towards the end of time, close to the time of the Hour, as noted in the narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, from AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him). This sign is considered from among the minor signs of the Hour. It has been said that it will take place during the time of al-Mahdee and when Jesus (peace be upon him) descends to earth. At that time, a person will walk around with his zakat of gold, searching for any poor person to give it to, yet he will find no one to accept it from him. This is because people will become affluent,and no longer be in need of money. It has also been said that this is because people would opt for the Hereafter, and give up on worldly pleasures, and they would therefore be satisfied with whatever Allah provides for them each day, and refrain from saving any money for tomorrow. It has been said that this hadeeth serves as a warning and threat to those who would delay in giving charity – that is to say, it is a threat to those who intentionally delay giving it to the poor who deserve it, until the poor are no longer in need of money. In this case, the rich will be liable and held accountable because they did not help the poor when they were in need. Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ mentions that at that time, each man will be chased by forty women, be they his wives, servants, or relatives i.e., they will pursue him to marry them, to seek his help and protection, or request him to fulfil their needs. The example of this is a tribe that has no men left in it except one, so all the women in that tribe will turn to him. It is possible that the number mentioned in this hadeeth is a metaphor, to indicate the large proportion of women to men, based on a narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, wherein Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ said: “...Until fifty women will have one guardian”; conversely, it could reflect the actual number. This hadeeth warns us against postponing the giving of zakat, because doing so may result in the person finding no one to take it from him later. It also serves as evidence that testifies to the Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ..
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