The Foolish Ones [As-sufaha (Arabic: السفهاء)]: In the light of the Quran and Sunnah

As-sufaha (Arabic: السفهاء) means the foolish ones or the ignorant ones . They are mentioned in several verses of the Qur'an. They are those who mock the believers, deny the signs of Allah, and follow their own whims and desires. They are also contrasted with as-sabireen (Arabic: الصابرين), meaning the patient ones or the steadfast ones , who are praised by Allah for their faith and perseverance.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ آمِنُوا كَمَا آمَنَ النَّاسُ قَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ كَمَا آمَنَ السُّفَهَاءُ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ السُّفَهَاءُ وَلَكِنْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

And when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed," they say, "Should we believe as the foolish have believed?" Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish, but they know [it] not. [2:13]

The foolish ones are those who have no sense of right and wrong, who do not use their reason to distinguish between truth and falsehood, who follow their whims and desires without any guidance from Allah. They are the ones who mock the believers for their faith and obedience to Allah, thinking that they are superior and smarter than them. But in reality, they are the most foolish of all people, because they do not realize their own ignorance and deviation.

سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا 

قُلْ لِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ 

يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ

The foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?" Say, "To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path." [2:142]

 The foolish ones are those who are attached to outward forms and rituals, who do not understand the essence and purpose of religion, who resist any change or reform that Allah commands. They are the ones who question the change of the qiblah (direction of prayer) from Jerusalem to Makkah, thinking that it is a matter of preference or tradition. But in reality, they are the most foolish of all people, because they do not comprehend the wisdom and mercy of Allah.

وَلَا تُؤْتُوا السُّفَهَاءَ أَمْوَالَكُمُ الَّتِي جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ قِيَامًا وَارْزُقُوهُمْ فِيهَا وَاكْسُوهُمْ وَقُولُوا لَهُمْ قَوْلًا مَعْرُوفًا

And do not give the weak-minded your property, which Allah has made a means of sustenance for you, but provide for them with it and clothe them and speak to them words of appropriate kindness. [4:5]

The foolish ones are those who are weak of understanding and judgment, who cannot manage their own affairs properly, who waste their wealth and resources in vain pursuits.

وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَى قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا لِمِيقَاتِنَا فَلَمَّا أَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ قَالَ رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَإِيَّايَ أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَّا إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا فِتْنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَتَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ أَنْتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ

And Moses chose from his people seventy men for Our appointment. And when the earthquake seized them, he said, "My Lord, if You had willed, You could have destroyed them before and me [as well]. Would You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done? This is not but Your trial by which You send astray whom You will and guide whom You will. You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy upon us; and You are the best of forgivers. [7:155]

The foolish ones are those who disobey Allah and His messengers, who transgress His limits and commit sins. They are the ones who caused the earthquake that shook Mount Sinai when Moses went to meet his Lord, thinking that they could escape His punishment. But in reality, they are the most foolish of all people, because they do not fear Allah and seek His forgiveness. 

the foolish ones or the ignorant ones are those who seek knowledge for the wrong reasons, such as to argue with the scholars, to show off before the people, to attract attention to themselves, or to use it in vying with the learned or disputing with the foolish. They are also those who do not enter the presence of the rulers, believe their falsehood and help them in their oppression. They are also those who will appear at the end of time with young age and immature minds, speaking the best words but having no faith in their hearts. Some of the hadiths that are:

Sunan Ibn Majah 254: It was narrated from Jabir bin 'Abdullah that: The Prophet said: "Do not seek knowledge in order to show off in front of the scholars, or to argue with the foolish, and do not choose the best seat in a gathering, due to it (i.e. the knowledge which you have learned) for whoever does that, the Fire, the Fire (awaits him)."

Mishkat al-Masabih 3700: Ka'b b. ‘Ujra told that God's Messenger said to him, “I commend you to God to protect you from the ruler ship of the foolish.” He asked what that was, and God’s Messenger replied, “After my time governors will arise whose falsehood will be believed and who will be assisted in their oppression by those who enter their presence. They have nothing to do with me and I have nothing to do with them, and they will never come down to me at the Pond. But they who do not enter their presence, believe their falsehood and help them in their oppression, those belong to me and I belong to them, and those ones will come down to me at the Pond.”

Several sources, such as Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan an-Nasa’i and Musnad Ahmad describes some of the signs of the end of time, when there will appear a group of people who are young and foolish, speaking the best words ever uttered by mankind and they will recite the Qur’an, but it will not go beyond their throats, and they will pass through the religion as an arrow passes through its target. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded to kill them whenever they are met, for killing them will bring a reward on the Day of Resurrection. These people are also known as the Khawarij, a deviant sect that emerged during the time of 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and rebelled against him. They are also those who will appear at the end of time with young age and immature minds, speaking the best words but having no faith in their hearts.