Open sin: zina and musical instruments
Appeared
In brief
Among the signs is that zina (fornication) becomes widespread and open, and that some people of this ummah treat zina, silk, wine and musical instruments as lawful. Sins that were once hidden are done openly and without shame. Another narration warns of people who drink wine and call it by another name.
The hadith on musical instruments is reported by al-Bukhari in a form scholars call mu'allaq. Most hadith scholars, including Ibn al-Salah and Ibn Hajar, held it authentic, while Ibn Hazm disputed it. Scholars differ on the details of music; the hadith is mentioned here as a sign of the times, not as a legal ruling.
'All of my ummah will be forgiven except those who sin openly.' If you fall, keep it hidden and repent.
Where it sits in the sequence
The narrations do not put these in order, and many of them overlap. Sahih al-Bukhari 7121 lists several together.
Strongest narrations
Read all in the archive →Tags are automatic and unreviewed.
حَدَّثَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، عَنْ أَبِي التَّيَّاحِ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يُرْفَعَ الْعِلْمُ، وَيَثْبُتَ الْجَهْلُ، وَيُشْرَبَ الْخَمْرُ، وَيَظْهَرَ الزِّنَا ".
Narrated Anas:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "From among the portents of the Hour are (the following): -1. Religious knowledge will be taken away (by the death of Religious learned men). -2. (Religious) ignorance will prevail. -3. Drinking of Alcoholic drinks (will be very common). -4. There will be prevalence of open illegal sexual intercourse
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ لأُحَدِّثَنَّكُمْ حَدِيثًا لاَ يُحَدِّثُكُمْ أَحَدٌ بَعْدِي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يَقِلَّ الْعِلْمُ، وَيَظْهَرَ الْجَهْلُ، وَيَظْهَرَ الزِّنَا، وَتَكْثُرَ النِّسَاءُ وَيَقِلَّ الرِّجَالُ، حَتَّى يَكُونَ لِخَمْسِينَ امْرَأَةً الْقَيِّمُ الْوَاحِدُ ".
Narrated Anas:I will narrate to you a Hadith and none other than I will tell you about after it. I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying: From among the portents of the Hour are (the following): -1. Religious knowledge will decrease (by the death of religious learned men). -2. Religious ignorance will prevail. -3. There will be prevalence of open illegal sexual intercourse. -4. Women will increase in number and men will decrease in number so much so that fifty women will be looked after by one man
حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْحَوْضِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ لأُحَدِّثَنَّكُمْ حَدِيثًا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لاَ يُحَدِّثُكُمْ بِهِ أَحَدٌ غَيْرِي، سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " إِنَّ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يُرْفَعَ الْعِلْمُ، وَيَكْثُرَ الْجَهْلُ وَيَكْثُرَ الزِّنَا، وَيَكْثُرَ شُرْبُ الْخَمْرِ، وَيَقِلَّ الرِّجَالُ، وَيَكْثُرَ النِّسَاءُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ لِخَمْسِينَ امْرَأَةً الْقَيِّمُ الْوَاحِدُ ".
Narrated Anas:I will narrate to you a Habith I heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and none other than I will tell you of it. I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "From among the portents of the Hour are the following: Religious knowledge will be taken away; General ignorance (in religious matters) will increase; illegal Sexual intercourse will prevail: Drinking of alcoholic drinks will prevail. Men will decrease in number, and women will increase in number, so much so that fifty women will be looked after by one man
حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مِنْ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَدِيثًا لاَ يُحَدِّثُكُمْ بِهِ غَيْرِي قَالَ " مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يَظْهَرَ الْجَهْلُ، وَيَقِلَّ الْعِلْمُ، وَيَظْهَرَ الزِّنَا، وَتُشْرَبَ الْخَمْرُ، وَيَقِلَّ الرِّجَالُ، وَيَكْثُرَ النِّسَاءُ، حَتَّى يَكُونَ لِخَمْسِينَ امْرَأَةً قَيِّمُهُنَّ رَجُلٌ وَاحِدٌ ".
Narrated Anas:I heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) a narration which none other than I will narrate to you. The Prophet, said, "From among the portents of the our are the following: General ignorance (in religious affairs) will prevail, (religious) knowledge will decrease, illegal sexual intercourse will prevail, alcoholic drinks will be drunk (in abundance), men will decrease and women will increase so much so that for every fifty women there will be one man to look after them
وَقَالَ هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ حَدَّثَنَا صَدَقَةُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ بْنِ جَابِرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَطِيَّةُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ الْكِلاَبِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ غَنْمٍ الأَشْعَرِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عَامِرٍ ـ أَوْ أَبُو مَالِكٍ ـ الأَشْعَرِيُّ وَاللَّهِ مَا كَذَبَنِي سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " لَيَكُونَنَّ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَقْوَامٌ يَسْتَحِلُّونَ الْحِرَ وَالْحَرِيرَ وَالْخَمْرَ وَالْمَعَازِفَ، وَلَيَنْزِلَنَّ أَقْوَامٌ إِلَى جَنْبِ عَلَمٍ يَرُوحُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَارِحَةٍ لَهُمْ، يَأْتِيهِمْ ـ يَعْنِي الْفَقِيرَ ـ لِحَاجَةٍ فَيَقُولُوا ارْجِعْ إِلَيْنَا غَدًا. فَيُبَيِّتُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَضَعُ الْعَلَمَ، وَيَمْسَخُ آخَرِينَ قِرَدَةً وَخَنَازِيرَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ".
Narrated Abu 'Amir or Abu Malik Al-Ash'ari: that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful. And there will be some people who will stay near the side of a mountain and in the evening their shepherd will come to them with their sheep and ask them for something, but they will say to him, 'Return to us tomorrow.' Allah will destroy them during the night and will let the mountain fall on them, and He will transform the rest of them into monkeys and pigs and they will remain so till the Day of Resurrection
أَخْبَرَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ شَبِيبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَنَسٌ، قَالَ لأُحَدِّثَنَّكُمْ حَدِيثًا لاَ يُحَدِّثُكُمُوهُ أَحَدٌ بَعْدِي، سَمِعْتُهُ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ ـ وَإِمَّا قَالَ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ ـ أَنْ يُرْفَعَ الْعِلْمُ وَيَظْهَرَ الْجَهْلُ، وَيُشْرَبَ الْخَمْرُ، وَيَظْهَرَ الزِّنَا، وَيَقِلَّ الرِّجَالُ، وَيَكْثُرَ النِّسَاءُ، حَتَّى يَكُونَ لِلْخَمْسِينَ امْرَأَةً الْقَيِّمُ الْوَاحِدُ ".
Narrated Anas: I will narrate to you a narration which nobody will narrate to you after me. I heard that from the Prophet. I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "The Hour will not be established" or said: "From among the portents of the Hour is that the religious knowledge will betaken away (by the death of religious Scholars) and general ignorance (of religion) will appear; and the drinking of alcoholic drinks will be very common, and (open) illegal sexual intercourse will prevail, and men will decrease in number while women will increase so much so that, for fifty women there will only be one man to look after them
Weak and ungraded reports on this sign
14
Shown for study, not as established. Includes Kitab al-Fitan of Nu'aym ibn Hammad, which is ungraded and weak overall.
Weak report. Shown for study, not as established.
حَدَّثَنَا صَالِحُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ التِّرْمِذِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْفَرَجُ بْنُ فَضَالَةَ أَبُو فَضَالَةَ الشَّامِيُّ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا فَعَلَتْ أُمَّتِي خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ خَصْلَةً حَلَّ بِهَا الْبَلاَءُ " . فَقِيلَ وَمَا هُنَّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " إِذَا كَانَ الْمَغْنَمُ دُوَلاً وَالأَمَانَةُ مَغْنَمًا وَالزَّكَاةُ مَغْرَمًا وَأَطَاعَ الرَّجُلُ زَوْجَتَهُ وَعَقَّ أُمَّهُ وَبَرَّ صَدِيقَهُ وَجَفَا أَبَاهُ وَارْتَفَعَتِ الأَصْوَاتُ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ وَكَانَ زَعِيمُ الْقَوْمِ أَرْذَلَهُمْ وَأُكْرِمَ الرَّجُلُ مَخَافَةَ شَرِّهِ وَشُرِبَتِ الْخُمُورُ وَلُبِسَ الْحَرِيرُ وَاتُّخِذَتِ الْقَيْنَاتُ وَالْمَعَازِفُ وَلَعَنَ آخِرُ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ أَوَّلَهَا فَلْيَرْتَقِبُوا عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ رِيحًا حَمْرَاءَ أَوْ خَسْفًا وَمَسْخًا " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ وَلاَ نَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا رَوَاهُ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الأَنْصَارِيِّ غَيْرَ الْفَرَجِ بْنِ فَضَالَةَ . وَالْفَرَجُ بْنُ فَضَالَةَ قَدْ تَكَلَّمَ فِيهِ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْحَدِيثِ وَضَعَّفَهُ مِنْ قِبَلِ حِفْظِهِ وَقَدْ رَوَاهُ عَنْهُ وَكِيعٌ وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الأَئِمَّةِ .
Ali bin Abi Talib narrated that the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) said:"When my Ummah does fifteen things, the afflictions will occur in it." It was said: "What are they O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "When Al-Maghnam (the spoils of war) are distributed (preferentially), trust is usurped, Zakah is a fine, a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother, he is kind to his friend and abandons his father, voices are raised in the Masajid, the leader of the people is the most despicable among them, the most honored man is the one whose evil the people are afraid of, intoxicants are drunk, silk is worn (by males), there is a fascination for singing slave-girls and music, and the end of this Ummah curses its beginning. When that occurs, anticipate a red wind, collapsing of the earth, and transformation
Weak report. Shown for study, not as established.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْوَاسِطِيُّ، عَنِ الْمُسْتَلِمِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ رُمَيْحٍ الْجُذَامِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا اتُّخِذَ الْفَىْءُ دُوَلاً وَالأَمَانَةُ مَغْنَمًا وَالزَّكَاةُ مَغْرَمًا وَتُعُلِّمَ لِغَيْرِ الدِّينِ وَأَطَاعَ الرَّجُلُ امْرَأَتَهُ وَعَقَّ أُمَّهُ وَأَدْنَى صَدِيقَهُ وَأَقْصَى أَبَاهُ وَظَهَرَتِ الأَصْوَاتُ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ وَسَادَ الْقَبِيلَةَ فَاسِقُهُمْ وَكَانَ زَعِيمُ الْقَوْمِ أَرْذَلَهُمْ وَأُكْرِمَ الرَّجُلُ مَخَافَةَ شَرِّهِ وَظَهَرَتِ الْقَيْنَاتُ وَالْمَعَازِفُ وَشُرِبَتِ الْخُمُورُ وَلَعَنَ آخِرُ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ أَوَّلَهَا فَلْيَرْتَقِبُوا عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ رِيحًا حَمْرَاءَ وَزَلْزَلَةً وَخَسْفًا وَمَسْخًا وَقَذْفًا وَآيَاتٍ تَتَابَعُ كَنِظَامٍ بَالٍ قُطِعَ سِلْكُهُ فَتَتَابَعَ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ . وَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ .
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) said:"When Al-Fai' is distributed(preferentially), trust is a spoil of war, Zakat is a fine, knowledge is sought for other than the(sake of the) religion, a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother, he is close to his friend and far from his father, voices are raised in the Masajid, tribes are led by their wicked, the leader of the people is the most despicable among them, the most honored man is the one whose evil the people are afraid of, singing slave-girls and music spread, intoxicants are drunk, and the end of this Ummah curses its beginning- then anticipate a red wind, earthquake, collapsing of the earth, transformation, Qadhf, and the signs follow in succession like gems of a necklace whose string is cut and so they fall in succession
Not graded under this archive's policy. The verdicts recorded are listed.
أخبرني محمد بن المؤمل بن الحسن، ثنا الفضل بن محمد الشعراني، ثنا نعيم بن حماد، ثنا بقية بن الوليد، عن يزيد بن عبد الله الجهمي، عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه، قال: دخلت على عائشة رضي الله عنها ورجل معها، فقال الرجل: يا أم المؤمنين حدثينا حديثا عن الزلزلة، فأعرضت عنه بوجهها، قال أنس: فقلت لها: حدثينا يا أم المؤمنين عن الزلزلة، فقالت: «يا أنس إن حدثتك عنها عشت حزينا، وبعثت حين تبعث وذلك الحزن في قلبك» فقلت: يا أماه حدثينا، فقالت: " إن المرأة إذا خلعت ثيابها في غير بيت زوجها هتكت ما بينها وبين الله عز وجل من حجاب، وإن تطيبت لغير زوجها كان عليها نارا وشنارا، فإذا استحلوا الزنا وشربوا الخمور بعد هذا وضربوا المعازف غار الله في سمائه، فقال للأرض: تزلزلي بهم، فإن تابوا ونزعوا وإلا هدمها عليهم " فقال أنس: عقوبة لهم؟ قالت: «رحمة وبركة وموعظة للمؤمنين، ونكالا وسخطة وعذابا للكافرين» قال أنس: " فما سمعت بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حديثا أنا أشد به فرحا مني بهذا الحديث، بل أعيش فرحا وأبعث حين أبعث وذلك الفرح في قلبي - أو قال: في نفسي - «هذا حديث صحيح على شرط مسلم، ولم يخرجاه»
No translation yet. Arabic only.
AI draft, not reviewed by an editor. Read the Arabic for the meaning.
Not graded under this archive's policy. The verdicts recorded are listed.
حدثنا عبد الصمد، حدثني أبي، حدثنا أبو التياح، حدثنا أنس بن مالك قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: " من أشراط الساعة، أن يرفع العلم، ويثبت الجهل، وتشرب الخمور، ويظهر الزنا "
No translation yet. Arabic only.
AI draft, not reviewed by an editor. Read the Arabic for the meaning.
Bible · New Testament
Please note: these Bible passages are here for comparison and history only. In Islam, proof comes from the Quran and sahih hadith. Reports taken from earlier scriptures (Isra'iliyyat) are not treated as proof.
Revelation 13:1-18
The Beast from the Sea, the Beast from the Earth, and the Number 666
A blasphemous seven-headed beast arises out of the sea, given global dominion by the dragon (Satan) for forty-two months to persecute the saints. A second beast rises from the earth, performing deceptive wonders (even making fire fall from heaven) and coercing all humanity to take a mark on their right hand or forehead (666) to buy or sell.
καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ στόμα λαλοῦν μεγάλα καὶ βλασφημίας, καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ἐξουσία ποιῆσαι μῆνας τεσσεράκοντα δύο.
There was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy, and he was given authority to make war for forty-two months.
ὧδε ἡ σοφία ἐστίν· ὁ ἔχων νοῦν ψηφισάτω τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦ θηρίου, ἀριθμὸς γὰρ ἀνθρώπου ἐστίν· καὶ ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτοῦ ἑξακόσιοι ἑξήκοντα ἕξ.
Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.
2 Tim & 2 Peter 3:1-5; 2 Peter 3:3-13
Moral Collapse in the Last Days, Scoffers Denying the Promise, and the Dissolution of Elements in Fire
Paul describes the perilous times of the last days: people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, without natural affection, slanderers, without self-control, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Peter warns that scoffers will mock: 'Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.' But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; the heavens will pass away with a roar, the elements will dissolve with fervent heat, and the earth and works in it will be laid bare.
Τοῦτο δὲ γίνωσκε, ὅτι ἐν ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις ἐνστήσονται καιροὶ χαλεποί. ἔσονται γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι φίλαυτοι, φιλάργυροι, ἀλαζόνες, ὑπερήφανοι, βλάσφημοι, γονεῦσιν ἀπειθεῖς, ἀχάριστοι, ἀνόσιοι,
Know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Ἥξει δὲ ἡμέρα κυρίου ὡς κλέπτης, ἐν ᾗ οἱ οὐρανοὶ ῥοιζηδὸν παρελεύσονται, στοιχεῖα δὲ καυσούμενα λυθήσεται, καὶ γῆ καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ ἔργα εὑρεθήσεται.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Comparative Traditions
Please note: these Bible passages are here for comparison and history only. In Islam, proof comes from the Quran and sahih hadith. Reports taken from earlier scriptures (Isra'iliyyat) are not treated as proof.
The Footsteps of the Messiah (Ikvei de-Meshicha): 15 Signs of Moral and Economic Collapse
The Babylonian Talmud records the traditions of the Tannaim and Amoraim regarding the generational crisis directly preceding the coming of the Son of David (the Messiah). The Sages cataloged 15 unmistakable symptoms: unprecedented insolence, hyperinflation where wine is expensive yet plentiful, houses of learning becoming brothels, wisdom of scholars rotting, the righteous despised, truth universally discarded, and youth treating mothers and elders with contempt.
בְּעִקְּבוֹת מְשִׁיחָא חוּצְפָא יִסְגֵּא, וְיוֹקֶר יַאֲמִיר; הַגֶּפֶן תִּתֵּן פִּרְיָהּ וְהַיַּיִן בְּיוֹקֶר, וְהַמַּלְכוּת תֵּהָפֵךְ לְמִינוּת... נַעֲרִים פְּנֵי זְקֵנִים יַלְבִּינוּ, זְקֵנִים יַעַמְדוּ מִפְּנֵי קְטַנִּים, בַּת קָמָה בְאִמָּהּ...
In the footsteps of the Messiah, insolence will increase and prices will soar; the vine will yield its fruit yet wine will be costly; the government will turn to heresy... youth will shame the face of elders, elders will stand before the young, a daughter will rise against her mother...
אֵין בֶּן דָּוִד בָּא עַד שֶׁתִּתְהַפֵּךְ כָּל הַמַּלְכוּת כֻּלָּהּ לְמִינוּת... עַד שֶׁתִּכְלֶה פְּרוּטָה מִן הַכִּיס...
The Son of David will not come until the entire kingdom is converted to heresy... and until the last small coin is depleted from the purse...
The Tree with Seven Branches: The Iron Age of Moral and Ecological Decay
Zarathushtra is shown a cosmic tree with seven branches made of gold, silver, copper, brass, lead, steel, and iron mixed with clay. The final branch of iron represents the tenth century of the millennium: affection between parent and child ceases, honest merchants are ruined while swindlers prosper, the clouds fail to yield rain in due season, hot and cold winds devastate crops, and sacred oaths are broken without remorse.
u-shan mihr i pidar az pus u birad az birad u dost az dost be shaved...
And affection of father for son, and brother for brother, and friend for friend will depart from them...
ab az chashmagan kam shaved u varan a-hangam bared...
Water will diminish from the springs, and rain will fall out of its proper season...
Signs of the End of the Millennium: Moral Reversal, Dishonesty, and the Fading of Rain
King Vishtasp asks the wise seer Jamasp about the signs when the final millennium of Zoroaster draws to a close. Jamasp replies that in that dark age, people will turn away from righteousness; the lower and unfit will dominate the noble, contracts will be broken, truth will be despised, and lying praised. Clouds will cover the sky yet yield little rain, and the seasons will lose their regular order, until Ushidar and the final Saoshyant emerge to renovate creation.
u-šan mihr ud paymān ud rāstīh nēst, ud harw kas pad drōg ud frēb rāyīnēd... ud abr pad asmān paydāg bawēd ud wārān nē wārēd...
They will have no love, no covenant, and no truth; and everyone will manage their affairs through falsehood and deceit... and clouds will appear in the sky, yet they will not rain fruitful rain...
Symptoms of the Dark Age (Kali Yuga): Decay of Dharma, Wealth as Law, and Moral Collapse
The sage Sukadeva foretells to King Parikshit the exact moral and social degradation of Kali Yuga: religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, tolerance, and memory will deteriorate day by day. In this age, physical wealth alone will be the marker of good birth and virtue; raw power will determine law and justice; deceit will be the primary virtue in business; and rulers, becoming indistinguishable from thieves, will mercilessly rob and tax their subjects until people flee into the forests to subsist on roots and leaves.
ततश्चानुदिनं धर्मः सत्यं शौचं क्षमा दया । कालेन बलिना राजन् नङ्क्ष्यत्यायुर्बलं स्मृतिः ॥ वित्तमेव कलौ नॄणां जन्माचारगुणोदयः । धर्मन्यायव्यवस्थायां कारणं बलमेव हि ॥
Then, day by day, religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, tolerance, mercy, duration of life, physical strength, and memory will all diminish... In the age of Kali, wealth alone will be the sign of good birth, proper behavior, and fine qualities; and power alone will be the determinant of law and justice.
अनावृष्ट्या विनङ्क्ष्यन्ति दुर्भिक्षकरपीडिताः । शीतातपवातवर्षैर्हिमेश्रान्योन्यतः प्रजाः ॥
Harassed by famine and excessive taxes, people will resort to eating leaves, roots, flesh, wild honey, and seeds. Parched by drought, they will become completely ruined.
What scholars have said
Scholars cite it as having appeared
Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn al-Arabi (quoted by Ibn Hajar)d. 543 AH (468-543 AH)
'They will make lawful' may mean they believe these things lawful, or that they indulge in them as one indulges in what is lawful; of drinking he says: 'we have heard and seen people who do that'.
Fath al-Bari, on Sahih al-Bukhari 5590
Allamah Muhammad Al-Barzanjid. 1103 AH (1040-1103 AH)
Lists 'that musical instruments appear and wine is drunk' and 'that children of zina become many' (from reports in al-Tabarani) among these signs. He closes the chapter: these signs 'all exist, and increase day by day'.
al-Isha'a li-Ashrat al-Sa'a, ch. 2: signs that have appeared and not ended
Present-day data
These numbers show the world today beside the narration. They do not decide whether the sign has appeared; that is shown only through named scholars, in the Scholars' views tab.
'There will be people of my Ummah who make lawful zina, silk, wine and musical instruments' (Sahih al-Bukhari 5590; Ibn Hajar defends its chain against Ibn Hazm). Bukhari 81 lists zina becoming open among the signs. Two things can be counted today: how many children are born outside marriage, and how widely recorded music is sold. Both are shown as facts about the world, not as judgements on any person or people.
Narrations behind this panel: Sahih al-Bukhari 5590 · Sahih al-Bukhari 81
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Japan
Show the numbers
| Year | United States | United Kingdom | Japan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 1.2 |
| 1961 | 5.6 | 5.7 | - |
| 1962 | 5.9 | 6.3 | - |
| 1963 | 6.3 | 6.6 | - |
| 1964 | 6.9 | 6.9 | - |
| 1965 | 7.7 | 7.3 | 1.0 |
| 1966 | 8.4 | 7.6 | - |
| 1967 | 9.0 | 8.1 | - |
| 1968 | 9.7 | 8.2 | - |
| 1969 | 10.0 | 8.1 | - |
| 1970 | 10.7 | 8.0 | 0.9 |
| 1971 | 11.3 | 8.2 | - |
| 1972 | 12.4 | 8.4 | - |
| 1973 | 13.0 | 8.4 | - |
| 1974 | 13.2 | 8.7 | - |
| 1975 | 14.3 | 9.0 | 0.8 |
| 1976 | 14.8 | 9.0 | - |
| 1977 | 15.5 | 9.5 | - |
| 1978 | 16.3 | 10.0 | - |
| 1979 | 17.1 | 10.6 | - |
| 1980 | 18.4 | 11.5 | 0.8 |
| 1981 | 18.9 | - | - |
| 1982 | 19.4 | 14.1 | - |
| 1983 | 20.3 | 15.4 | - |
| 1984 | 21.0 | 17.0 | - |
| 1985 | 22.0 | 18.9 | 1.0 |
| 1986 | 23.4 | 21.0 | - |
| 1987 | 24.5 | 22.9 | - |
| 1988 | 25.7 | 25.2 | - |
| 1989 | 27.1 | 26.6 | - |
| 1990 | 28.0 | 27.9 | 1.1 |
| 1991 | 29.5 | 29.8 | - |
| 1992 | 30.1 | 30.8 | - |
| 1993 | 31.0 | 31.8 | - |
| 1994 | 32.6 | 32.0 | - |
| 1995 | 32.2 | 33.5 | 1.2 |
| 1996 | 32.4 | 35.5 | - |
| 1997 | 32.4 | 36.8 | - |
| 1998 | 32.8 | 37.6 | - |
| 1999 | 33.0 | 38.8 | - |
| 2000 | 33.2 | 39.5 | 1.6 |
| 2001 | 33.5 | 40.1 | 1.7 |
| 2002 | 34.0 | 40.6 | 1.9 |
| 2003 | 34.6 | 41.5 | 1.9 |
| 2004 | 35.8 | 42.3 | 2.0 |
| 2005 | 36.9 | 42.9 | 2.0 |
| 2006 | 38.5 | 43.7 | 2.1 |
| 2007 | 39.7 | 44.4 | 2.0 |
| 2008 | 40.6 | 45.4 | 2.1 |
| 2009 | 41.0 | 46.3 | 2.1 |
| 2010 | 40.8 | 46.9 | 2.1 |
| 2011 | 40.7 | 47.3 | 2.2 |
| 2012 | 40.7 | 47.6 | 2.2 |
| 2013 | 40.6 | 47.5 | 2.2 |
| 2014 | 40.2 | 47.6 | 2.3 |
| 2015 | 40.3 | 47.9 | 2.3 |
| 2016 | 39.8 | 47.7 | 2.3 |
| 2017 | 39.8 | 48.2 | 2.2 |
| 2018 | 39.6 | 48.4 | 2.3 |
| 2019 | 40.0 | 48.5 | 2.3 |
| 2020 | 40.5 | 49.0 | 2.4 |
| 2021 | 40.0 | 51.3 | 2.3 |
| 2022 | 39.8 | 51.4 | 2.3 |
| 2023 | 40.0 | 49.5 | 2.4 |
| 2024 | - | 47.6 | - |
Japan is shown to make clear this is not universal: there it stays near 2%.
Source: OECD Family Database, via Our World in Data · retrieved 2026-10-27
Read with care
- 'Outside marriage' in these statistics includes parents who live together without a marriage registered by the state. Muslim-majority countries mostly do not publish this figure, so they are not in the data; their absence says nothing either way.
- The narration speaks of people 'of my Ummah' treating these as lawful; Western figures are context for how far the change has gone in the world, not an application of the narration to non-Muslims.
Draft: figures and wording await a researcher's check and the scholar board.