[19].Surah Maryam [Mary]: Ayat 59

Ayat 59. Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As-Salat (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salat (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times, etc.] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell.

[Tafseer] (Now there hath succeeded them a later) evil (generation who have ruined worship) they abstained from the performance of the prayer (and have followed lusts) they occupied themselves with the pleasures of this worldly life and indulged in marrying half sisters from their fathers' side. The reference here is to the Jews. (But they will meet deception) a valley in Gehenna. This selfish godless posterity gains the upper hand at certain times but, even then there is always a minority who see the error of their ways, repent and believe, and live righteous lives. They are not penalised in the Hereafter because they were associated with the ungodly in time. They reap the full reward of their faith and righteousness.  

Hazrat Imran bin Husain (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) said, "The best of you, are my contemporaries, then those who follow them, then those who will come after them. (`Imran said, I do not know if he said this twice or thrice). Then, they will be followed by those who will testify but will not be called upon to testify; they will betray the trust, and will not be trusted. They will make vows but will not fulfill them, and obesity will prevail among them.''

[Al-Bukhari Book 03, Chapter 48, Hadith # 819] 

Lesson : as mentioned above in Surah Maryam Ayat 59."Then, there has succeeded them a posterity". In this Hadith, three eras have been called as the best of ages in a graded order: first, the Prophetic era, second, the Successors' era, and third, the Followers of the Successors' era. Goodness and religion collectively prevailed during this time. Then gradually there was an overall deterioration and every new era that the pass of time brought it, proved to be worse than the preceding one. Today's Muslims have fallen due to their weakness in character. Now, the majority of Muslims lack morals and belief as described in the Qur'an and the Hadith. The complaint is to be lodged only with Allah!