Messenger of Allah ﷺ related to us, two prophetic narrations one of which I have seen fulfilled and I am waiting for the fulfillment of the other. The Prophet ﷺ told us that the virtue of honesty descended in the roots of men's hearts (from Allah) and then they learned it from the Qur'an and then they learned it from the Sunna (the Prophet's traditions). The Prophet ﷺ further told us how that honesty will be taken away: He said: "Man will go to sleep during which honesty will be taken away from his heart and only its trace will remain in his heart like the trace of a dark spot; then man will go to sleep, during which honesty will decrease further still, so that its trace will resemble the trace of blister as when an ember is dropped on one's foot which would make it swell, and one would see it swollen but there would be nothing inside. People would be carrying out their trade but hardly will there be a trustworthy person. It will be said, 'in such-and-such tribe there is an honest man,' and later it will be said about some man, 'What a wise, polite and strong man he is!' Though he will not have faith equal even to a mustard seed in his heart." No doubt, there came upon me a time when I did not mind dealing (bargaining) with anyone of you, for if he was a Muslim his Islam would compel him to pay me what is due to me, and if he was a Christian, the Muslim official would compel him to pay me what is due to me, but today I do not deal except with such-and-such person.  

حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَدِيثَيْنِ رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَهُمَا وَأَنَا أَنْتَظِرُ الآخَرَ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَّ الأَمَانَةَ نَزَلَتْ فِي جَذْرِ قُلُوبِ الرِّجَالِ ثُمَّ عَلِمُوا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ثُمَّ عَلِمُوا مِنَ السُّنَّةِ وَحَدَّثَنَا عَنْ رَفْعِهَا قَالَ يَنَامُ الرَّجُلُ النَّوْمَةَ فَتُقْبَضُ الأَمَانَةُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَيَظَلُّ أَثَرُهَا مِثْلَ أَثَرِ الْوَكْتِ ثُمَّ يَنَامُ النَّوْمَةَ فَتُقْبَضُ فَيَبْقَى فِيهَا أَثَرُهَا مِثْلَ أَثَرِ الْمَجْلِ كَجَمْرٍ دَحْرَجْتَهُ عَلَى رِجْلِكَ فَنَفِطَ فَتَرَاهُ مُنْتَبِرًا وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ شَىْءٌ وَيُصْبِحُ النَّاسُ يَتَبَايَعُونَ فَلاَ يَكَادُ أَحَدٌ يُؤَدِّي الأَمَانَةَ فَيُقَالُ إِنَّ فِي بَنِي فُلاَنٍ رَجُلاً أَمِينًا وَيُقَالُ لِلرَّجُلِ مَا أَعْقَلَهُ وَمَا أَظْرَفَهُ وَمَا أَجْلَدَهُ وَمَا فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةِ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ وَلَقَدْ أَتَى عَلَىَّ زَمَانٌ وَلاَ أُبَالِي أَيُّكُمْ بَايَعْتُ لَئِنْ كَانَ مُسْلِمًا رَدَّهُ عَلَىَّ الإِسْلاَمُ وَإِنْ كَانَ نَصْرَانِيًّا رَدَّهُ عَلَىَّ سَاعِيهِ وَأَمَّا الْيَوْمَ فَمَا كُنْتُ أُبَايِعُ إِلاَّ فُلاَنًا وَفُلاَنًا  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ narrated to us two ahadith. I have seen one (crystallized into reality), and I am waiting for the other. He told us: Trustworthiness descended in the innermost (root) of the hearts of people. Then the Qur'an was revealed and they learnt from the Qur'an and they learnt from the Sunnah. Then he (the Holy Prophet) told us about the removal of trustworthiness. He said: The man would have a wink of sleep and trustworthiness would be taken away from his heart leaving the impression of a faint mark. He would again sleep and trustworthiness would be taken away from his heart leaving an impression of a blister, as if you rolled down an ember on your foot and it was vesicled. He would see a swelling having nothing in it. He (the Holy Prophet) then took up a pebble and rolled it down over his foot and (said): The people would enter into transactions amongst one another and hardly a person would be left who would return (things) entrusted to him. (And there would be so much paucity of honest persons) till it would be said: There in such a such tribe is a trustworthy man. And they would also say about a person: How prudent he is, how broad-minded he is and how intelligent he is, whereas in his heart there would not be faith even to the weight of a mustard seed. I have passed through a time in which I did not care with whom amongst you I entered into a transaction, for if he were a Muslim his faith would compel him to discharge his obligations to me and it he were a Christian or a Jew, the ruler would compel him to discharge his obligations to me. But today I would not enter into a transaction with you except so and so.  

حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَدِيثَيْنِ قَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَهُمَا وَأَنَا أَنْتَظِرُ الآخَرَ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَّ الأَمَانَةَ نَزَلَتْ فِي جِذْرِ قُلُوبِ الرِّجَالِ ثُمَّ نَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ فَعَلِمُوا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَعَلِمُوا مِنَ السُّنَّةِ ثُمَّ حَدَّثَنَا عَنْ رَفْعِ الأَمَانَةِ قَالَ يَنَامُ الرَّجُلُ النَّوْمَةَ فَتُقْبَضُ الأَمَانَةُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَيَظَلُّ أَثَرُهَا مِثْلَ الْوَكْتِ ثُمَّ يَنَامُ النَّوْمَةَ فَتُقْبَضُ الأَمَانَةُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَيَظَلُّ أَثَرُهَا مِثْلَ الْمَجْلِ كَجَمْرٍ دَحْرَجْتَهُ عَلَى رِجْلِكَ فَنَفِطَ فَتَرَاهُ مُنْتَبِرًا وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ شَىْءٌ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ حَصًى فَدَحْرَجَهُ عَلَى رِجْلِهِ فَيُصْبِحُ النَّاسُ يَتَبَايَعُونَ لاَ يَكَادُ أَحَدٌ يُؤَدِّي الأَمَانَةَ حَتَّى يُقَالَ إِنَّ فِي بَنِي فُلاَنٍ رَجُلاً أَمِينًا حَتَّى يُقَالَ لِلرَّجُلِ مَا أَجْلَدَهُ مَا أَظْرَفَهُ مَا أَعْقَلَهُ وَمَا فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ وَلَقَدْ أَتَى عَلَىَّ زَمَانٌ وَمَا أُبَالِي أَيَّكُمْ بَايَعْتُ لَئِنْ كَانَ مُسْلِمًا لَيَرُدَّنَّهُ عَلَىَّ دِينُهُ وَلَئِنْ كَانَ نَصْرَانِيًّا أَوْ يَهُودِيًّا لَيَرُدَّنَّهُ عَلَىَّ سَاعِيهِ وَأَمَّا الْيَوْمَ فَمَا كُنْتُ لأُبَايِعَ مِنْكُمْ إِلاَّ فُلاَنًا وَفُلاَنًا  

"The Messenger of Allah {s.a.w} narrated two narrations to us, one of which I have seen {happening} and I am waiting for the other. He narrated that (in the beginning) trust was preserved in the roots of the hearts of men, then the Qur'an was revealed, and they learned it from the Qur'an, and then they learned it from the Sunnah. Then he narrated to us about the disappearance of trust, saying, 'A man will go to sleep whereupon trust will be taken away from his heart, and only its trace will remain, like speckles. He then will sleep, whereupon the remainder of the trust will also be taken away and trace will remain like a blister, like an ember that you roll on your feet, it causes pain and you see it swollen while it contains nothing.' Then he took a pebble and rolled it over his leg. He said: 'So there will come a day when people will deal in business with each other, but there will hardly be any trustworthy persons among them, such that it would be said that in such and such a tribe, there is such and such person, who is honest, and until a man will be admired for his strength, intelligence, and good manners, although indeed he will not have faith equal to a mustard seed in his heart."' He (Hudhaifah) added: "There came upon me a time when I did not mind dealing with anyone of you, for if he was a Muslim, his religion would prevent him from cheating me, and if was a Jew or a Christian, his Muslim ruler would prevent him from cheating me; but today I cannot deal except with so-and-so and so-and-so."  

حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَدِيثَيْنِ قَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَهُمَا وَأَنَا أَنْتَظِرُ الآخَرَ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَّ الأَمَانَةَ نَزَلَتْ فِي جَذْرِ قُلُوبِ الرِّجَالِ ثُمَّ نَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ فَعَلِمُوا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَعَلِمُوا مِنَ السُّنَّةِ ثُمَّ حَدَّثَنَا عَنْ رَفْعِ الأَمَانَةِ فَقَالَ يَنَامُ الرَّجُلُ النَّوْمَةَ فَتُقْبَضُ الأَمَانَةُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَيَظَلُّ أَثَرُهَا مِثْلَ الْوَكْتِ ثُمَّ يَنَامُ نَوْمَةً فَتُقْبَضُ الأَمَانَةُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَيَظَلُّ أَثَرُهَا مِثْلَ الْمَجْلِ كَجَمْرٍ دَحْرَجْتَهُ عَلَى رِجْلِكَ فَنَفِطَتْ فَتَرَاهُ مُنْتَبِرًا وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ شَيْءٌ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ حَصَاةً فَدَحْرَجَهَا عَلَى رِجْلِهِ قَالَ فَيُصْبِحُ النَّاسُ يَتَبَايَعُونَ لاَ يَكَادُ أَحَدُهُمْ يُؤَدِّي الأَمَانَةَ حَتَّى يُقَالَ إِنَّ فِي بَنِي فُلاَنٍ رَجُلاً أَمِينًا وَحَتَّى يُقَالَ لِلرَّجُلِ مَا أَجْلَدَهُ وَأَظْرَفَهُ وَأَعْقَلَهُ وَمَا فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ قَالَ وَلَقَدْ أَتَى عَلَىَّ زَمَانٌ وَمَا أُبَالِي أَيُّكُمْ بَايَعْتُ فِيهِ لَئِنْ كَانَ مُسْلِمًا لَيَرُدَّنَّهُ عَلَىَّ دِينُهُ وَلَئِنْ كَانَ يَهُودِيًّا أَوْ نَصْرَانِيًّا لَيَرُدَّنَّهُ عَلَىَّ سَاعِيهِ فَأَمَّا الْيَوْمَ فَمَا كُنْتُ لأُبَايِعَ مِنْكُمْ إِلاَّ فُلاَنًا وَفُلاَنًا  

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told us two Ahadith, one of which I have seen, and I am still waiting for the other. He told us: ‘Honesty was preserved in the roots of men’s hearts’ – (One of the narrators) Tanafisi said: ‘Meaning in the middle of men’s hearts’ – ‘Then the Qur’an was revealed and we learned (it) from the Qur’an and the Sunnah.’ Then he told us about its disappearance, saying; ‘A man will go to sleep and honesty will be taken away from his heart, and only its trace will remain, like spots without color. Then he will go to sleep again and the remainder of the honesty will also be taken away (from his heart) and leaving a trace like a blister, as when an ember touches your foot and raises a blister which has nothing inside.’” Then Hudhaifah picked up a handful of pebbles and rolled them on his leg. He said: “People will engage in business with one another, but there will hardly be any honest persons among them. Then it will be said that in such and such a tribe there is an honest man, and a man will be admired for his intelligence, good manners and strength, but there will not be even a mustard seed of faith in his heart.” "There was a time when I did not mind dealing with anyone of you, for if he was a Muslim, his religion would prevent him from cheating; and if he was a Christian, his Muslim ruler would prevent him from cheating. But today I cannot deal except with so-and-so and so-and-so."  

حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَدِيثَيْنِ قَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَهُمَا وَأَنَا أَنْتَظِرُ الآخَرَ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَّ الأَمَانَةَ نَزَلَتْ فِي جَذْرِ قُلُوبِ الرِّجَالِ قَالَ الطَّنَافِسِيُّ يَعْنِي وَسْطَ قُلُوبِ الرِّجَالِ وَنَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ فَعَلِمْنَا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَعَلِمْنَا مِنَ السُّنَّةِ ثُمَّ حَدَّثَنَا عَنْ رَفْعِهِمَا فَقَالَ يَنَامُ الرَّجُلُ النَّوْمَةَ فَتُرْفَعُ الأَمَانَةُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَيَظَلُّ أَثَرُهَا كَأَثَرِ الْوَكْتِ ثُمَّ يَنَامُ النَّوْمَةَ فَتُنْزَعُ الأَمَانَةُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَيَظَلُّ أَثَرُهَا كَأَثَرِ الْمَجْلِ كَجَمْرٍ دَحْرَجْتَهُ عَلَى رِجْلِكَ فَنَفِطَ فَتَرَاهُ مُنْتَبِرًا وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ شَىْءٌ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ حُذَيْفَةُ كَفًّا مِنْ حَصًى فَدَحْرَجَهُ عَلَى سَاقِهِ قَالَ فَيُصْبِحُ النَّاسُ يَتَبَايَعُونَ وَلاَ يَكَادُ أَحَدٌ يُؤَدِّي الأَمَانَةَ حَتَّى يُقَالَ إِنَّ فِي بَنِي فُلاَنٍ رَجُلاً أَمِينًا وَحَتَّى يُقَالَ لِلرَّجُلِ مَا أَعْقَلَهُ وَأَجْلَدَهُ وَأَظْرَفَهُ وَمَا فِي قَلْبِهِ حَبَّةُ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ وَلَقَدْ أَتَى عَلَىَّ زَمَانٌ وَلَسْتُ أُبَالِي أَيَّكُمْ بَايَعْتُ لَئِنْ كَانَ مُسْلِمًا لَيَرُدَّنَّهُ عَلَىَّ إِسْلاَمُهُ وَلَئِنْ كَانَ يَهُودِيًّا أَوْ نَصْرَانِيًّا لَيَرُدَّنَّهُ عَلَىَّ سَاعِيهِ فَأَمَّا الْيَوْمَ فَمَا كُنْتُ لأُبَايِعَ إِلاَّ فُلاَنًا وَفُلاَنًا  

"The Messenger of Allah {s.a.w} narrated two narrations to us, one of which I have seen {happening} and I am waiting for the other. He narrated that (in the beginning) trust was preserved in the roots of the hearts of men, then the Qur'an was revealed, and they learned it from the Qur'an, and then they learned it from the Sunnah. Then he narrated to us about the disappearance of trust, saying, 'A man will go to sleep whereupon trust will be taken away from his heart, and only its trace will remain, like speckles. He then will sleep, whereupon the remainder of the trust will also be taken away and trace will remain like a blister, like an ember that you roll on your feet, it causes pain and you see it swollen while it contains nothing.' Then he took a pebble and rolled it over his leg. He said: 'So there will come a day when people will deal in business with each other, but there will hardly be any trustworthy persons among them, such that it would be said that in such and such a tribe, there is such and such person, who is honest, and until a man will be admired for his strength, intelligence, and good manners, although indeed he will not have faith equal to a mustard seed in his heart."' He (Hudhaifah) added: "There came upon me a time when I did not mind dealing with anyone of you, for if he was a Muslim, his religion would prevent him from cheating me, and if was a Jew or a Christian, his Muslim ruler would prevent him from cheating me; but today I cannot deal except with so-and-so and so-and-so." (Using translation from Tirmidhī 2179)  

حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ حَدِيثَيْنِ قَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَهُمَا وَأَنَا أَنْتَظِرُ الْآخَرَ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَّ الْأَمَانَةَ نَزَلَتْ فِي جَذْرِ قُلُوبِ الرِّجَالِ ثُمَّ نَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ فَعَلِمُوا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَعَلِمُوا مِنَ السُّنَّةِ ثُمَّ حَدَّثَنَا عَنْ رَفْعِ الْأَمَانَةِ فَقَالَ يَنَامُ الرَّجُلُ النَّوْمَةَ فَتُقْبَضُ الْأَمَانَةُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَيَظَلُّ أَثَرُهَا مِثْلَ أَثَرِ الْوَكْتِ ثُمَّ يَنَامُ نَوْمَةً فَتُقْبَضُ الْأَمَانَةُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَيَظَلُّ أَثَرُهَا مِثْلَ أَثَرِ الْمَجْلِ كَجَمْرٍ دَحْرَجْتَهُ عَلَى رِجْلِكَ تَرَاهُ مُنْتَبِرًا وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ شَيْءٌ قَالَ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ حَصًى فَدَحْرَجَهُ عَلَى رِجْلِهِ قَالَ فَيُصْبِحُ النَّاسُ يَتَبَايَعُونَ لَا يَكَادُ أَحَدٌ يُؤَدِّي الْأَمَانَةَ حَتَّى يُقَالَ إِنَّ فِي بَنِي فُلَانٍ رَجُلًا أَمِينًا حَتَّى يُقَالَ لِلرَّجُلِ مَا أَجْلَدَهُ وَأَظْرَفَهُ وَأَعْقَلَهُ وَمَا فِي قَلْبِهِ حَبَّةٌ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍوَلَقَدْ أَتَى عَلَيَّ زَمَانٌ وَمَا أُبَالِي أَيَّكُمْ بَايَعْتُ لَئِنْ كَانَ مُسْلِمًا لَيَرُدَّنَّهُ عَلَيَّ دِينُهُ وَلَئِنْ كَانَ نَصْرَانِيًّا أَوْ يَهُودِيًّا لَيَرُدَّنَّهُ عَلَيَّ سَاعِيهِ فَأَمَّا الْيَوْمَ فَمَا كُنْتُ لِأُبَايِعَ مِنْكُمْ إِلَّا فُلَانًا وَفُلَانًا  

Messenger of Allah ﷺ narrated to us two narrations, one of which I have seen (happening) and I am waiting for the other. He narrated that honesty was preserved in the roots of the hearts of men (in the beginning) and then they learnt it (honesty) from the Qur'an, and then they learnt it from the (Prophet's) Sunna (tradition). He also told us about its disappearance, saying, "A man will go to sleep whereupon honesty will be taken away from his heart, and only its trace will remain, resembling the traces of fire. He then will sleep whereupon the remainder of the honesty will also be taken away (from his heart) and its trace will resemble a blister which is raised over the surface of skin, when an ember touches one's foot; and in fact, this blister does not contain anything. So there will come a day when people will deal in business with each other but there will hardly be any trustworthy persons among them. Then it will be said that in such-and-such a tribe there is such-and-such person who is honest, and a man will be admired for his intelligence, good manners and strength, though indeed he will not have belief equal to a mustard seed in his heart."

The narrator added: There came upon me a time when I did not mind dealing with anyone of you, for if he was a Muslim, his religion would prevent him from cheating; and if he was a Christian, his Muslim ruler would prevent him from cheating; but today I cannot deal except with so-and-so and so-and-so. (Using translation from Bukhārī 6497)   

حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بِحَدِيثَيْنِ وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَهُمَا وَأَنَا أَنْتَظِرُ الْآخَرَ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَّ الْأَمَانَةَ نَزَلَتْ فِي جَذْرِ قُلُوبِ الرِّجَالِ فَنَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ فَعَلِمُوا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَعَلِمُوا مِنَ السُّنَّةِ ثُمَّ حَدَّثَنَا عَنَ رَفْعِهَا فَقَالَ يَنَامُ الرَّجُلُ نَوْمَةً فَتُقْبَضُ الْأَمَانَةُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَيَبْقَى أَثَرُهَا مِثْلَ أَثَرِ الْوَكْتِ ثُمَّ يَنَامُ الرَّجُلُ نَوْمَةً فَتُقْبَضُ الْأَمَانَةُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَيَبْقَى أَثَرُهَا مِثْلَ أَثَرِ الْمَجْلِ كَجَمْرٍ دَحْرَجْتَهُ عَلَى رِجْلِكَ فَنَفِطَ فَتَرَاهُ مُنْتَبِرًا وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ شَيْءٌ فَيُصْبِحُ النَّاسُ يَتَبَايَعُونَ وَلَا يَكَادُ أَحَدٌ يُؤَدِّي حَتَّى يُقَالَ إِنَّ فِي بَنِي فُلَانٍ رَجُلًا أَمِينًا وَحَتَّى يُقَالَ لِرَجُلٍ مَا أَجْلَدَهُ وَأَظْرَفَهُ وَأَعْقَلَهُ وَلَيْسَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةِ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ خَيْرٍ قَالَ حُذَيْفَةُ ؓ وَلَقَدْ أَتَى عَلَيَّ زَمَانٌ وَمَا أُبَالِي أَيُّكُمْ بَايَعْتُهُ لَئِنْ كَانَ مُؤْمِنًا لَيَرُدَّنَّ عَلَيَّ دِينُهُ وَلَئِنْ كَانَ يَهُودِيًّا أَوْ نَصْرَانِيًّا لَيَرُدَّنَّ عَلَيَّ سَاعِيهِ فَأَمَّا الْيَوْمُ فَمَا كُنْتُ أُبَايِعُ إِلَّا فُلَانًا وَفُلَانًا لَفْظُ حَدِيثِ أَبِي صَالِحٍ  

"إِن الأمانَة نزلتْ في جَذْرِ قلوب الرجالِ، ثم نزلَ القرآنُ، فَعَلِمُوا من القرآن وعَلِمُوا من السنةِ ينام الرجُلُ النومةَ فتُقْبَضُ الأمانةُ من قلبه، فَيَظَلُّ أثُرهَا مثلَ الوَكْتِ ثم ينامُ النَّومَةَ فتقبضُ الأمانةُ من قلبهِ، فيظَلُّ أثرُهَا مثلَ المَجلِ ، كجمرٍ دحرجته على رجْلِكَ فنفِطَ ، فتراهُ مُنْتَبِرًا وليس فيه شيء، فيُصْبِحُ الناس يتبايعونَ، لا يكادُ أَحد يُؤَدى الأَمانَةَ، حتى يقال: إِن في بني فلان رجلًا أمينًا، حتى يقال: للرجُلِ: ما أجلَدَهُ، ما أظرَفهُ ، ما أعْقَلَهُ، وما في قلبِهِ حبَّةُ خَرْدَل من إِيمان ".