To what extent is the statement attributed to Ka'b al-Ahbar (may Allah be pleased with him) authentic: "The world will become so beloved to you that you will worship it and its people, and a time will come upon you when admonition is detested, and when the believer will hide his faith as the wicked person hides his wickedness, and when the believer will be reproached for his faith as the wicked person is reproached for his wickedness"?

The narration attributed to Ka’b al-Ahbar was mentioned by Ibn Abi al-Dunya in his two books: "Al-Zuhd" (Asceticism) and "Dhamm al-Dunya" (Censuring the World), with the wording: "Indeed, the world will become beloved to you until you worship it and its people, and a time will come upon you when admonition is disliked, and until the believer hides his faith just as the wicked hides his wickedness, and until the believer is reproached for his faith just as the wicked is reproached for his wickedness." This is a disconnected narration (athar maqtu’) because Ka’b al-Ahbar was a Tabi'i who narrated from the People of the Book, and no authentication or weakening of it has been reported.