It is narrated from Yahya ibn Saeed that Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said to a man: "You are in such a time that there are many scholars in it, but few who merely recite words; the commands of the Qur'an are acted upon, and words are not given such importance; there are few who ask questions, and many who answer, or few who beg and many who give; the prayer is made long and the sermon is kept short; good deeds are done first and the desires of the self are not given precedence. And soon a time will come when there will be few scholars, many who recite words, the words of the Qur'an will be memorized but its commands will not be acted upon; there will be many who ask and beg, and very few who answer and give; the sermon will be made long and the prayer will be kept short; they will follow their own desires and will not do good deeds."