This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Hafiz Mubashir Hussain Lahori's book Signs of the Day of Judgment in the Light of Authentic Hadith.
Sign of the Day of Judgment: They will become rationalist teachers
عن أبى أمية الجمحي رضى الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : إن من أشراط الساعة ثلاثا: إحداهن ، أن يلتمس العلم عند الأصاغر
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: There are three signs of the Day of Judgment, one of which is that knowledge will be sought from the young (those who rely on their own intellect). Abdullah bin Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked, "Who is the young?" He (peace be upon him) said: The young is the one who speaks solely based on his own opinion, not the one from whom an older person narrates.
Reference: Kitab al-Zuhd: by Abdullah bin Mubarak (61) Sahih al-Jami' al-Saghir (243/2) Fath al-Bari (143/1)
Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: People will remain in goodness as long as they seek knowledge from the companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Salaf, and when they seek knowledge from the young (people) and their desires become scattered, they will be destroyed.
Reference: Kitab al-Zuhd (815)
Benefits:
➊ Making the worshippers of intellect and desire the Imam of the era, the jurist of the time, and the Sheikh of all is a sign of the approach of the Day of Judgment.
➋ For some time, the features of this sign have been becoming quite apparent.
➌ By "minor" is not meant young in age but rather less knowledgeable; a person who relies solely on intellect and desire to conceal knowledge, whereas Satan also tried to take this support, but it proved to be a curse for him, and he was declared accursed until the Day of Judgment.
➍ The solution to all issues and disputes is present in the Book and Sunnah.
➎ Declaring personal or individual intellect and reasoning as valid over the Book and Sunnah due to sectarian bias and prejudice is a satanic practice, from which avoidance is the true essence of being a Muslim.
