Sayyiduna Awf bin Malik al-Ashja'i (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) looked towards the sky and said: "This is the time in which knowledge will be lifted." A man from the Ansar named Ziyad bin Labid said to him: "O Messenger of Allah! How will that be, when it (that is, knowledge) has been made firm and hearts have preserved it?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "I used to count you among the people of understanding in Madinah." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that the Jews and Christians also fell into misguidance, even though the Book of Allah was among them. Al-Bazzar recorded it; its chain contains a narrator, Abdullah bin Salih, the scribe of al-Layth. Abd al-Malik bin Shu'ayb says: He is thiqah (trustworthy) and reliable; the others declared him da'if (weak).
Al-Tabarani recorded it likewise in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and added these words: Jubayr bin Nufayr narrates: I met Sayyiduna Shaddad bin Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated to him the narration of Sayyiduna Awf. He said: "Sayyiduna Awf has spoken the truth. Shall I not tell you about the first thing (to be lifted)? Humility (khushu') will be lifted (first of all); you will not see (anyone) who has humility."
Hadith Referenceمجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد / كتاب العلم / 978
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسنادہ حسن۔
Hadith Takhrij«اخرجه الامام الطبراني فى معجمه الكبير 43/1844 اورده المؤلف فى كشف الاستار 232 ، أخرجه مسند البزار برقم: 2741، وأخرجه شرح مشكل الآثار برقم: 301، وأخرجه المدخل إلى السنن الكبرى للبيهقي برقم: 853»