The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam said about Mu`aadh ibn Jabal: "Verily, when the people of knowledge will be present before their Lord, the Mighty and Sublime, Mu`aadh will be one step ahead of them." [Saheeh, Ibn Sa`d, Aboo Nu`aim, at-Tabaraanee]
He, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, also said about Mu`aadh: "…the most knowledgeable of them [my Ummah] about the lawful and the prohibited is Mu`aadh bin Jabal…" [At-Tirmidhee, Ibn Hibbaan, ibn Maajah, al-Baihaqee, al-Haakim, who declared it Saheeh, and adh-Dhahabee and al-Albaanee agreed with him.]
Ibn Taymeeyah writes in al-Wasiyyah: "Part of Mu`aadh’s excellence further is that the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, sent him to the people of Yemen as a preacher on his behalf, a caller, a teacher of understanding in the Deen, a giver of religious verdicts, and a judge."
This is Mu`aadh, radhiallaahu ta`aalaa `anhu, to whom the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, also said: "O Mu`aadh! By Allaah, truly I love you." [Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa’ee, ibn Hibbaa, Aboo Nu`aim, Ibn Khuzaimah and al-Haakim, who declared its isnaad to be saheeh, and adh-Dhaabee agreed]
Aboo Nu`aim reports some sayings of Mu`aadh himself about the excellence of knowledge, among which we find the following:
"Knowledge is a comforting friend in times of loneliness, it is the best companion during travels, and it is the inner friend who speaks to you in your privacy. Knowledge is the discerning proof of what is right and what is wrong, and it is the positive force that will help you surmount the trials of comfort, as well as those of hardships. Knowledge is your most powerful sword against your enemy, and finally, it is your most dignifying raiment in the company of your close companions."
"Through knowledge, Allah, blessed be His Name, raises some people in rank, and He makes them leaders in righteousness and models in morality. The vestige of their faith is avidly sought, their deeds are emulated perceptively, and people will seek and sanction their opinions solicitously and unequivocally. The heavenly angels seek their company and anoint them with their wings, every fresh or withered life they pass by implore Almighty Allah to forgive them their sins, even the fish in the oceans, the beasts of the lands and every bird of prey and migratory bird pray and solicit the mercy of Almighty Allah on their behalf. This is because knowledge revives the dead hearts and drives them out of darkness into light, and because knowledge is the light of the inner eyes that cures one’s blindness and restores his inner sight."
Excerpted from works by Ibn Taymiyyah and Abu Nu`aim
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Lack of Understanding of Religion
That is what distinguishes the hypocrites, that they and all praise be to Allaah, do not understand a thing about the Religion. The hypocrite knows how to drive a car and its mechanics, he knows the nations of the world and their capitals, he also knows lots of trivial things and various other useless facts which do not benefit him, if they do not harm him. However, when you approach him with things from the Religion which are common knowledge, he doesn't know a thing about them.
Allaah, the Sublime, says:
"But the hypocrites do not understand." [Al-Qur'aan, Al-Munaafiqoon (63):7]
The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, said as is reported in the Saheehs of Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim: "Whomsoever Allah wishes to show goodness, he gives him understanding of the Religion."
The people of knowledge have said the opposite to this is that whomsoever Allaah does not wish to show goodness, He does not bestow upon him the understanding of the Religion.
The sign of a believer is that he understands the Religion and is constantly increasing his knowledge of certain matters and benefits and he is covetous of all that is good, as well as the gatherings wherein it is disseminated. The hypocrite, however, completely turns away. When the people talk in a gathering about matters to do with the Prayer or worship, it is to him as if they are speaking in a different language. However, when a matter of this world comes up such a price of goods, vouchers, bills, travellers cheques, the yen and the dollar (and I do not say that the believer does not know these matters, rather he knows these matters but he also knows the affairs of the Religion) then he (the hypocrite) speaks as if that is the only thing in the world which interests him besides food and drink. So he whoknows these matters but does not know a thing about the Religion, then that is a sign of hypocrisy and refuge is only with Allaah!
by Shaykh `Aa'id Abdullah al-Qarnee
Allaah, the Sublime, says:
"But the hypocrites do not understand." [Al-Qur'aan, Al-Munaafiqoon (63):7]
The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, said as is reported in the Saheehs of Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim: "Whomsoever Allah wishes to show goodness, he gives him understanding of the Religion."
The people of knowledge have said the opposite to this is that whomsoever Allaah does not wish to show goodness, He does not bestow upon him the understanding of the Religion.
The sign of a believer is that he understands the Religion and is constantly increasing his knowledge of certain matters and benefits and he is covetous of all that is good, as well as the gatherings wherein it is disseminated. The hypocrite, however, completely turns away. When the people talk in a gathering about matters to do with the Prayer or worship, it is to him as if they are speaking in a different language. However, when a matter of this world comes up such a price of goods, vouchers, bills, travellers cheques, the yen and the dollar (and I do not say that the believer does not know these matters, rather he knows these matters but he also knows the affairs of the Religion) then he (the hypocrite) speaks as if that is the only thing in the world which interests him besides food and drink. So he whoknows these matters but does not know a thing about the Religion, then that is a sign of hypocrisy and refuge is only with Allaah!
by Shaykh `Aa'id Abdullah al-Qarnee
Knowledge, the Key to Success
The adage that ignorance is bliss could not be farther from the truth when seriously put into practical application. Throughout the annals of time, what great accomplishments has ignorance made? What great empires and what marvels of science and technology now bear witness to ignorance's strength and power? That's right, none. Nothing of true worth is achieved without wisdom and knowledge.
It was with supreme knowledge that Allah, SWT, laid the foundations of the heavens and the earth. It was with wisdom, knowledge and understanding that Soleiman (AS) ruled the greatest empire the world has ever known. Our own Prophet, Mohammad (SAW) told us that acquiring knowledge was a duty placed on each and every Muslim. But the knowledge of what and who, remains the question.
Many of us have used the above saying of the Prophet (SAW), to justify dealing in riba (interest), in order to send our sons and daughters to the finest universities to become doctors, lawyers and engineers. We use it to justify sending our children to private schools, because they supposedly have higher academic standing and prestige than Muslim schools. We say we are doing it, because the Prophet (SAW) said to get knowledge, but is this the knowledge he was speaking about?
It is narrated by Abu Musa that the Prophet (SAW) said, "The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain-water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rain- water and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, (making their animals drink from it) and to irrigate the land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then the land was of no benefit). The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah's Religion and gets benefit from the knowledge which Allah has revealed through me and learns and then teaches it to others. The (last example is that of a) person who does not care for it and does not take Allah's Guidance revealed through me (He is like the barren land.)" (Bukhari).
Through the above narration, the Prophet (SAW) is telling us of the superiority of religious knowledge. This is the knowledge that we should give priority to. All other knowledge will not be of benefit if we do not have this one. First and foremost, comes the knowledge of Allah. Knowing His names and His attributes. Knowing what is expected of us in regard to our servitude to Him, and what mutual rights exist between us.
Secondly, we should strive to know Allah's Book, the Qur'an. We should learn to read it in Arabic, if we don't already know how to do so. We should also be trying to memorize as much of it as possible, and stressing the importance of both of these things to our children. Reading the Qur'an should be something commonplace in every Muslim home, and is an activity that the whole family can, and should participate in.
Thirdly, we should know about the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, and his companions. It's by reading their stories that we learn of their bravery, love for the Deen and their complete devotion to Allah. It's by knowing them that we grow to love them, and through loving them, we strive to become more and more like them. This is especially true, when most children nowadays want to be like Mike (Michael Jordan) or Janet Jackson or some other celebrity. They want to emulate these people, because they know so much about them. It then becomes increasingly important for us Muslims to introduce our children to our heroes. Who were braver in battle than Umar and Hamza; who was more wise and gentle than Abu Bakr (RAA); and which women were more graceful and honourable than the wives of the Prophet were?
Yes, in these times of increasing technology and information superhighways, it is important to obtain secular knowledge. Also, as a nation, we do need doctors, lawyers and engineers. But we need people who are knowledgeable of their religion first and foremost. What good will it do us to have a nation of professional people who do not know how to make the salah, or to calculate the zakat, or how to perform Haj?
Ignorance is not bliss. Through it runs the deviant courses of innovation, shirk, disunity and hatred. Knowledge is the key to our success. It give us the power to govern ourselves, our households, and ultimately our communities. A nation, which forgets why it was founded, who it serves and what its responsibilities are, by embracing ignorance, is a nation destined to fail.
By Sr. Sumayyah bint Joan
Al-Jumuah Magazine
It was with supreme knowledge that Allah, SWT, laid the foundations of the heavens and the earth. It was with wisdom, knowledge and understanding that Soleiman (AS) ruled the greatest empire the world has ever known. Our own Prophet, Mohammad (SAW) told us that acquiring knowledge was a duty placed on each and every Muslim. But the knowledge of what and who, remains the question.
Many of us have used the above saying of the Prophet (SAW), to justify dealing in riba (interest), in order to send our sons and daughters to the finest universities to become doctors, lawyers and engineers. We use it to justify sending our children to private schools, because they supposedly have higher academic standing and prestige than Muslim schools. We say we are doing it, because the Prophet (SAW) said to get knowledge, but is this the knowledge he was speaking about?
It is narrated by Abu Musa that the Prophet (SAW) said, "The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain-water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rain- water and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, (making their animals drink from it) and to irrigate the land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then the land was of no benefit). The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah's Religion and gets benefit from the knowledge which Allah has revealed through me and learns and then teaches it to others. The (last example is that of a) person who does not care for it and does not take Allah's Guidance revealed through me (He is like the barren land.)" (Bukhari).
Through the above narration, the Prophet (SAW) is telling us of the superiority of religious knowledge. This is the knowledge that we should give priority to. All other knowledge will not be of benefit if we do not have this one. First and foremost, comes the knowledge of Allah. Knowing His names and His attributes. Knowing what is expected of us in regard to our servitude to Him, and what mutual rights exist between us.
Secondly, we should strive to know Allah's Book, the Qur'an. We should learn to read it in Arabic, if we don't already know how to do so. We should also be trying to memorize as much of it as possible, and stressing the importance of both of these things to our children. Reading the Qur'an should be something commonplace in every Muslim home, and is an activity that the whole family can, and should participate in.
Thirdly, we should know about the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, and his companions. It's by reading their stories that we learn of their bravery, love for the Deen and their complete devotion to Allah. It's by knowing them that we grow to love them, and through loving them, we strive to become more and more like them. This is especially true, when most children nowadays want to be like Mike (Michael Jordan) or Janet Jackson or some other celebrity. They want to emulate these people, because they know so much about them. It then becomes increasingly important for us Muslims to introduce our children to our heroes. Who were braver in battle than Umar and Hamza; who was more wise and gentle than Abu Bakr (RAA); and which women were more graceful and honourable than the wives of the Prophet were?
Yes, in these times of increasing technology and information superhighways, it is important to obtain secular knowledge. Also, as a nation, we do need doctors, lawyers and engineers. But we need people who are knowledgeable of their religion first and foremost. What good will it do us to have a nation of professional people who do not know how to make the salah, or to calculate the zakat, or how to perform Haj?
Ignorance is not bliss. Through it runs the deviant courses of innovation, shirk, disunity and hatred. Knowledge is the key to our success. It give us the power to govern ourselves, our households, and ultimately our communities. A nation, which forgets why it was founded, who it serves and what its responsibilities are, by embracing ignorance, is a nation destined to fail.
By Sr. Sumayyah bint Joan
Al-Jumuah Magazine
Knowledge
31. If knowledge had no other merit than to make the ignorant fear and respect you, and scholars love and honour you, this would be good enough reason to seek after it. Let alone all its other merits in this world and the next.
32. If ignorance had no other fault than to make the ignorant man jealous of knowledgeable men and jubilant at seeing more people like himself, this by itself would be reason enough to oblige us to feel it. Let alone the other bad results of this evil in this world and the next!
33. If knowledge and the action of devoting oneself to it had no purpose except to free the man who seeks it from the exhausting anxieties and many worries which afflict the mind, that alone would certainly be enough to drive us to seek knowledge. But what should we say of the other benefits too numerous to list, the least of which are the above-mentioned, and all of which accrue to the knowledgeable man. In search of benefits as small as these the petty kings have worn themselves out in seeking distraction from their anxieties in games of chess, dicing, wine, song, hunting expeditions and other pastimes which bring nothing but harm in this world and the next and absolutely no benefit.
34. If the scholar who has spent long peaceful hours (at his studies) stopped to think how his knowledge has protected him against humiliation at the hands of the ignorant, and against anxiety about unknown truths, and what joy it has brought him by enabling him to solve problems which others find insoluble, he would certainly increase his expressions of gratitude to Allah and rejoice more in the knowledge that he has and desire even more to add to it.
35. Anyone who spends his time studying something inferior, abandoning higher studies of which he is capable, is like someone who sows corn in a field capable of growing wheat, or who plants bushes in a soil which could corrupt palm trees and olives.
36. To spread knowledge among those incapable of understanding it would be as harmful as giving honey and sugary confections to someone with a fever, or giving musk and amber to someone with a migraine caused by an excess of bile.
37. A man who is miser with his knowledge is worse than a man who is a miser with his money, for the money-miser is being mean with something which does not get used up and is not lost when it is given away.
38. Anyone who has a natural inclination towards a branch of knowledge, even if it is inferior to other branches, should not abandon it, or he would be like someone who plants coconuts in al-Andalus or olive trees in India where neither would produce fruit.
39. The noblest branches of knowledge are those that bring you close to the Creator and help you to be pleasing to Him.
40. When you compare yourself with others in matters of wealth, position, and health, you should look at people less favored than yourself. When you compare yourself with others in matters of religion, knowledge and virtue, look at people who are better than yourself.
42. If a madman threw himself as deeply into good sense as he throws himself into madness, he would surely be wiser than Al Hasan Al Basri, Plato of Athens and Vuzurgmihr the Persian.
43. Intelligence has its limits; it is useless unless it is based on the guidance of religion or on good fortune in this world.
44. Do not harm your soul by experimenting with corrupt views in order to demonstrate their corruption to someone who has consulted you, otherwise you will lose your soul. If you shield yourself from acting in a detestable way, any criticism that can be thrown at you by a man of corrupt beliefs because you disagree with him is better than his respect and better than the bad effect on both of you if you committed these detestable acts.
45. Guard against taking pleasure in any way that will harm your soul and is not required of you by the religious law nor by virtue.
46. Knowledge no longer exists if one has ignored the attributes of the Almighty Great Creator.
47. There is no worse calamity for knowledge and for scholars than when outsiders intrude. They are ignorant and think that they are knowledgeable; they ruin everything and believe that they are helping.
48. Anyone who is seeking happiness in the Hereafter, wisdom in this world, the best way to behave, the sum of all moral qualities, the practice of all the virtues, should take as his model Muhammad, the Prophet of God – God grant him blessings and peace – and emulate as far as possible the Prophet’s morals and behaviour. May God help us to take him as an example, by His grace, ameen!
49. The ignorant have annoyed me on two occasions in my lifetime. First, when they spoke of things they did not know, at a time when I was equally ignorant; the second time when they kept silent in my presence [in the days when I had learnt something]. In the same way they were always silent about matters which would have benefited them to speak about, and spoke about matters which brought them no benefit.
50. Scholars have brought me pleasure on two occasions in my lifetime: first, they taught me when I was ignorant; the second of them was when they conversed with me after I had been taught.
51. One of the merits of religious knowledge and asceticism in this world is that Almighty God does not put it within reach of anyone except those who are worthy of it and deserve it. One of the disadvantages of the great things of this world, wealth and fame, is that they mostly fall to the lot of people who are unworthy of them and do not deserve them.
52. Anyone who is seeking after virtue should keep company with the virtuous and should take no companion with him on his way except the noblest friend, one of those people who is sympathetic, charitable, truthful, sociable, patient, trustworthy, loyal, magnanimous, pure in conscience and a true friend.
53. Anyone who is seeking fame, fortune and pleasure will keep company only with people who resemble mad dogs and sly foxes: they will take for their travelling companions only people [inimical to his belief] who are cunning and depraved in nature.
54. The usefulness of the knowledge [of good] in the practice of virtue is considerable: anyone who knows the beauty of virtue will practice it, though it may be rarely. Knowing the ugliness of vice, he will avoid it, though it may be rarely. The man with knowledge of the good will listen to soundly based praise and desire it for himself. He will listen to talk of evil and desire to avoid it. From this premise it necessarily follows that knowledge has a part in every virtue, and ignorance has a part in every vice. A man who has had no instruction in the knowledge [of good] will not practice virtue unless he has an extremely pure nature, a virtuous constitution. It is the particular state of the Prophets (peac and the blessings of God be upon them!) for God has taught them virtue in its entirety, without them having learnt it from men.
55. It is true that I have seen among the common people some who, by their excellent behaviour and morals, were not surpassed by any wise man, any scholarly, self-controlled man. But this is very rare. And I have seen man who have studied the different branches of knowledge, who have a good knowledge of the messages of the Prophets – peace be upon them – and the advice of the philosophers and who nevertheless surpass the most wicked in their bad behaviour, their depravity, both internal and external. * These are the worst of creatures. * This is very common and I therefore perceive that these two [moral attitudes] are a favour which is granted or withheld by Allah the Almighty.
From "Al-Akhlaq wa’l Siyar" – Morality and Behaviour
Published in "In Pursuit of Virtue" by M. Abu Laylah
32. If ignorance had no other fault than to make the ignorant man jealous of knowledgeable men and jubilant at seeing more people like himself, this by itself would be reason enough to oblige us to feel it. Let alone the other bad results of this evil in this world and the next!
33. If knowledge and the action of devoting oneself to it had no purpose except to free the man who seeks it from the exhausting anxieties and many worries which afflict the mind, that alone would certainly be enough to drive us to seek knowledge. But what should we say of the other benefits too numerous to list, the least of which are the above-mentioned, and all of which accrue to the knowledgeable man. In search of benefits as small as these the petty kings have worn themselves out in seeking distraction from their anxieties in games of chess, dicing, wine, song, hunting expeditions and other pastimes which bring nothing but harm in this world and the next and absolutely no benefit.
34. If the scholar who has spent long peaceful hours (at his studies) stopped to think how his knowledge has protected him against humiliation at the hands of the ignorant, and against anxiety about unknown truths, and what joy it has brought him by enabling him to solve problems which others find insoluble, he would certainly increase his expressions of gratitude to Allah and rejoice more in the knowledge that he has and desire even more to add to it.
35. Anyone who spends his time studying something inferior, abandoning higher studies of which he is capable, is like someone who sows corn in a field capable of growing wheat, or who plants bushes in a soil which could corrupt palm trees and olives.
36. To spread knowledge among those incapable of understanding it would be as harmful as giving honey and sugary confections to someone with a fever, or giving musk and amber to someone with a migraine caused by an excess of bile.
37. A man who is miser with his knowledge is worse than a man who is a miser with his money, for the money-miser is being mean with something which does not get used up and is not lost when it is given away.
38. Anyone who has a natural inclination towards a branch of knowledge, even if it is inferior to other branches, should not abandon it, or he would be like someone who plants coconuts in al-Andalus or olive trees in India where neither would produce fruit.
39. The noblest branches of knowledge are those that bring you close to the Creator and help you to be pleasing to Him.
40. When you compare yourself with others in matters of wealth, position, and health, you should look at people less favored than yourself. When you compare yourself with others in matters of religion, knowledge and virtue, look at people who are better than yourself.
42. If a madman threw himself as deeply into good sense as he throws himself into madness, he would surely be wiser than Al Hasan Al Basri, Plato of Athens and Vuzurgmihr the Persian.
43. Intelligence has its limits; it is useless unless it is based on the guidance of religion or on good fortune in this world.
44. Do not harm your soul by experimenting with corrupt views in order to demonstrate their corruption to someone who has consulted you, otherwise you will lose your soul. If you shield yourself from acting in a detestable way, any criticism that can be thrown at you by a man of corrupt beliefs because you disagree with him is better than his respect and better than the bad effect on both of you if you committed these detestable acts.
45. Guard against taking pleasure in any way that will harm your soul and is not required of you by the religious law nor by virtue.
46. Knowledge no longer exists if one has ignored the attributes of the Almighty Great Creator.
47. There is no worse calamity for knowledge and for scholars than when outsiders intrude. They are ignorant and think that they are knowledgeable; they ruin everything and believe that they are helping.
48. Anyone who is seeking happiness in the Hereafter, wisdom in this world, the best way to behave, the sum of all moral qualities, the practice of all the virtues, should take as his model Muhammad, the Prophet of God – God grant him blessings and peace – and emulate as far as possible the Prophet’s morals and behaviour. May God help us to take him as an example, by His grace, ameen!
49. The ignorant have annoyed me on two occasions in my lifetime. First, when they spoke of things they did not know, at a time when I was equally ignorant; the second time when they kept silent in my presence [in the days when I had learnt something]. In the same way they were always silent about matters which would have benefited them to speak about, and spoke about matters which brought them no benefit.
50. Scholars have brought me pleasure on two occasions in my lifetime: first, they taught me when I was ignorant; the second of them was when they conversed with me after I had been taught.
51. One of the merits of religious knowledge and asceticism in this world is that Almighty God does not put it within reach of anyone except those who are worthy of it and deserve it. One of the disadvantages of the great things of this world, wealth and fame, is that they mostly fall to the lot of people who are unworthy of them and do not deserve them.
52. Anyone who is seeking after virtue should keep company with the virtuous and should take no companion with him on his way except the noblest friend, one of those people who is sympathetic, charitable, truthful, sociable, patient, trustworthy, loyal, magnanimous, pure in conscience and a true friend.
53. Anyone who is seeking fame, fortune and pleasure will keep company only with people who resemble mad dogs and sly foxes: they will take for their travelling companions only people [inimical to his belief] who are cunning and depraved in nature.
54. The usefulness of the knowledge [of good] in the practice of virtue is considerable: anyone who knows the beauty of virtue will practice it, though it may be rarely. Knowing the ugliness of vice, he will avoid it, though it may be rarely. The man with knowledge of the good will listen to soundly based praise and desire it for himself. He will listen to talk of evil and desire to avoid it. From this premise it necessarily follows that knowledge has a part in every virtue, and ignorance has a part in every vice. A man who has had no instruction in the knowledge [of good] will not practice virtue unless he has an extremely pure nature, a virtuous constitution. It is the particular state of the Prophets (peac and the blessings of God be upon them!) for God has taught them virtue in its entirety, without them having learnt it from men.
55. It is true that I have seen among the common people some who, by their excellent behaviour and morals, were not surpassed by any wise man, any scholarly, self-controlled man. But this is very rare. And I have seen man who have studied the different branches of knowledge, who have a good knowledge of the messages of the Prophets – peace be upon them – and the advice of the philosophers and who nevertheless surpass the most wicked in their bad behaviour, their depravity, both internal and external. * These are the worst of creatures. * This is very common and I therefore perceive that these two [moral attitudes] are a favour which is granted or withheld by Allah the Almighty.
From "Al-Akhlaq wa’l Siyar" – Morality and Behaviour
Published in "In Pursuit of Virtue" by M. Abu Laylah
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Knowledge
From an Islamic point of view, any discussion of knowledge and the importance of acquiring knowledge must begin with a consideration of what we mean by the term knowledge. As a learned scholar of Islam has recently written,
'Indeed the virtues and merits of knowledge (`ilm) are well known to everyone. It is the most noble thing one can ask for, and the best thing a striver can seek to attain. Knowledge consists of many branches, but according to the scholars of Islam: "What is meant by knowledge in the absolute sense is Islamic knowledge."
This is the intended meaning of knowledge in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. In the absolute sense, it is knowledge regarding Allah, His names and attributes, knowledge of His rights over His creation, and what He, the One free from all defects, the Most High, has prescribed for them. It is the detailed knowledge of the path that leads to Allah; knowledge of the purpose of our creation; and the end which the slave will result in, in the Hereafter.
This Islamic knowledge is the best of sciences worth acquiring because through it Allah is recognized and acknowledged, and by it He is worshipped. One who possesses this knowledge knows what Allah has made lawful for him and what He has prohibited him from; what pleases Him and what evokes His anger. With this knowledge a person knows his result with Allah and his end...' ("Knowledge", Al-Hidaayah, 1995, p.4)
Thus, the Islamic understanding of knowledge pertains to knowledge about Allah swt. This knowledge, of His names and attributes, is generally referred to as 'aqeedah (belief). Connected to this is the understanding of the purpose and obligations that Allah swt has assigned to human existence. Again related to this is knowledge of Arabic, fiqh, hadeeth and hadeeth methodology, the life of the Prophet, and Islamic history since all of these areas of study, given the proper approach and application, ultimately assist in the strengthening of aqeedah.
Knowledge precedes faith. How can one have faith without knowing what it is that one has faith in? The example of the convert illustrates this. Generally, those who voluntarily enter Islam from other religions and belief-systems do so once they have acquired the knowledge and reached the understanding that Islam is the faith and the way of life to which they would like to adhere.
The Qur'an is clear with respect to the preferred rank, in the eyes of Allah, of those who possess the substantive knowledge described above. "Say: 'Are those who know equal to those who know not?' It is only men of understanding who will remember (that is get a lesson from Allah's signs)." [Az-Zumar, 39:9] Also, "Shall he then who knows that what has been revealed unto you (O Muhammad) from your Lord is the truth be like him who is blind? But it is only the men of understanding that pay heed." [Ar-Ra'd, 13:19]. Clearly, the person who has knowledge of Allah swt is not equal to the person who does not. Those who have knowledge are aware of the truth and act accordingly, thereby having a beneficial impact on those around them whereas those who are ignorant fumble through the world, vainly attempting to satisfy their desires, following Shaytan, and ultimately failing to gain consciousness of their purpose and duty in this life. It should be clear that knowledge is a means to an end. The Muslim who acquires knowledge, if he or she is sincere, does so essentially for three purposes. The first is to build aqeedah and taqwa, that is to say, belief in, and consciousness of, Allah. Secondly, and this obviously follows from the first, the Muslim acquires knowledge in order to practice and implement what he or she has learned. Thirdly, a Muslim who gains knowledge then has a duty to share it with others and invite others towards Allah and His messenger. In a sense, these are not three distinct purposes but all connected branches of the single purpose in acquiring knowledge which ought to be the seeking of the pleasure of Allah. According to a hadeeth reported by Abu Huraira, the Messenger of Allah is reported to have said that "He who does not acquire knowledge with the sole intention of seeking the pleasure of Allah, and does not impart it but for the gains of this world would not smell the scent of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection (reported in Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah). In this respect, as in everything having to do with Islam, sincerity is key. Sincerity in the acquisition and application of knowledge is critical to achieving success in this world and the hereafter. Consider the hadeeth reported by Abu Hurairah, who heard the Messenger say, "...[Another] will be a man who has acquired knowledge ('ilm) and has taught it and who used to recite the Qur'an. He will be brought (on the Day of Judgement) and Allah will make known to him His favours and he will acknowledge them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I studied knowledge and taught it and recited the Qur'an for your sake. He (Allah) will say: You have lied - you did but acquire knowledge that it might be said [of you]: He is learned. You recited the Qur'an that it might be said [of you]: He is a reciter. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into the Hellfire..." (Muslim, at-Tirmidhee, an-Nasaa'ee) Thus those who acquire knowledge and who, either in its acquisition or application or both, engage in riyaa (showing off) face the potential of a grave punishment (no pun intended). They will be the first in the Fire.
(Somewhat tangentially, with respect to sincerity, what springs to mind is the insincerity of the Orientalists. These are individuals who have devoted their lives to the study of one aspect of Islam or another, but who, as a result of their insincerity, remain among the ranks of the kuffar, this despite their having greater factual understanding of Islam than perhaps the vast majority of Muslims).
Having pointed out the meaning of knowledge and its purpose, it should be emphasized that the source of this knowledge must clearly be the Qur'an and Sunnah and the writings of the pious scholars who have adhered closely to the two original sources. The importance of the Qur'an and Sunnah as sources of authentic knowledge is well understood by most. However, a cause of considerable distortion and confusion among Muslims and non-Muslims today is the fact that there exist many writers (both Muslim and non-Muslim) who, in producing different works on Islam, depart from the original sources and the understanding of those sources evinced by the sahaabah and their pious successors. If we accept that the sahaabah and their successors, according to the hadeeth of the Prophet s.a.w., were the best of generations, and the fact that they directly experienced or were most closely connected to the life of the Prophet s.a.w., it should be clear that we must seek out those writings and interpretations that stick most closely to their understanding of the deen.
Especially in this part of the world, acquiring authentic knowledge is a serious struggle. It requires time, money and effort. Alhamdulillah, we are in a period where an ever-increasing number of superb books and audio-cassettes (in English) on all aspects of Islam are becoming available through local mosques, bookstores and other agencies. Thus what is the main aspect of the struggle to gain knowledge really has to do with the time and effort that we put in. We need only consider the amount of energy we put into the study of worldly subjects - engineering, hard sciences, social studies, business - to realize the imbalance that exists in our approach. No one is questioning the fact that we all need to study engineering or commerce or other such subjects in order to earn a living. This is clearly a must. Moreover, Muslims ought to do their best in order to be among the top-ranking students in all of these areas. However, it is a greater duty and obligation upon each of us to sacrifice a certain quantity and quality of time and energy in order to achieve an increasing level of consciousness of Allah. We should all have the intention to learn Arabic, memorize parts of the Qur'an and the Hadeeth, comprehend the life of the Prophet s.a.w. and deepen our understanding of the basic pillars. This requires consistent effort, discipline and commitment. In the end, if we are clear that it is only this type of knowledge - knowledge about Allah, about the Qur'an and Sunnah - that will ultimately be of value to us on the Last Day, then the effort and commitment required should not be difficult to generate.
This is an article of AB Khan
'Indeed the virtues and merits of knowledge (`ilm) are well known to everyone. It is the most noble thing one can ask for, and the best thing a striver can seek to attain. Knowledge consists of many branches, but according to the scholars of Islam: "What is meant by knowledge in the absolute sense is Islamic knowledge."
This is the intended meaning of knowledge in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. In the absolute sense, it is knowledge regarding Allah, His names and attributes, knowledge of His rights over His creation, and what He, the One free from all defects, the Most High, has prescribed for them. It is the detailed knowledge of the path that leads to Allah; knowledge of the purpose of our creation; and the end which the slave will result in, in the Hereafter.
This Islamic knowledge is the best of sciences worth acquiring because through it Allah is recognized and acknowledged, and by it He is worshipped. One who possesses this knowledge knows what Allah has made lawful for him and what He has prohibited him from; what pleases Him and what evokes His anger. With this knowledge a person knows his result with Allah and his end...' ("Knowledge", Al-Hidaayah, 1995, p.4)
Thus, the Islamic understanding of knowledge pertains to knowledge about Allah swt. This knowledge, of His names and attributes, is generally referred to as 'aqeedah (belief). Connected to this is the understanding of the purpose and obligations that Allah swt has assigned to human existence. Again related to this is knowledge of Arabic, fiqh, hadeeth and hadeeth methodology, the life of the Prophet, and Islamic history since all of these areas of study, given the proper approach and application, ultimately assist in the strengthening of aqeedah.
Knowledge precedes faith. How can one have faith without knowing what it is that one has faith in? The example of the convert illustrates this. Generally, those who voluntarily enter Islam from other religions and belief-systems do so once they have acquired the knowledge and reached the understanding that Islam is the faith and the way of life to which they would like to adhere.
The Qur'an is clear with respect to the preferred rank, in the eyes of Allah, of those who possess the substantive knowledge described above. "Say: 'Are those who know equal to those who know not?' It is only men of understanding who will remember (that is get a lesson from Allah's signs)." [Az-Zumar, 39:9] Also, "Shall he then who knows that what has been revealed unto you (O Muhammad) from your Lord is the truth be like him who is blind? But it is only the men of understanding that pay heed." [Ar-Ra'd, 13:19]. Clearly, the person who has knowledge of Allah swt is not equal to the person who does not. Those who have knowledge are aware of the truth and act accordingly, thereby having a beneficial impact on those around them whereas those who are ignorant fumble through the world, vainly attempting to satisfy their desires, following Shaytan, and ultimately failing to gain consciousness of their purpose and duty in this life. It should be clear that knowledge is a means to an end. The Muslim who acquires knowledge, if he or she is sincere, does so essentially for three purposes. The first is to build aqeedah and taqwa, that is to say, belief in, and consciousness of, Allah. Secondly, and this obviously follows from the first, the Muslim acquires knowledge in order to practice and implement what he or she has learned. Thirdly, a Muslim who gains knowledge then has a duty to share it with others and invite others towards Allah and His messenger. In a sense, these are not three distinct purposes but all connected branches of the single purpose in acquiring knowledge which ought to be the seeking of the pleasure of Allah. According to a hadeeth reported by Abu Huraira, the Messenger of Allah is reported to have said that "He who does not acquire knowledge with the sole intention of seeking the pleasure of Allah, and does not impart it but for the gains of this world would not smell the scent of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection (reported in Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah). In this respect, as in everything having to do with Islam, sincerity is key. Sincerity in the acquisition and application of knowledge is critical to achieving success in this world and the hereafter. Consider the hadeeth reported by Abu Hurairah, who heard the Messenger say, "...[Another] will be a man who has acquired knowledge ('ilm) and has taught it and who used to recite the Qur'an. He will be brought (on the Day of Judgement) and Allah will make known to him His favours and he will acknowledge them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I studied knowledge and taught it and recited the Qur'an for your sake. He (Allah) will say: You have lied - you did but acquire knowledge that it might be said [of you]: He is learned. You recited the Qur'an that it might be said [of you]: He is a reciter. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into the Hellfire..." (Muslim, at-Tirmidhee, an-Nasaa'ee) Thus those who acquire knowledge and who, either in its acquisition or application or both, engage in riyaa (showing off) face the potential of a grave punishment (no pun intended). They will be the first in the Fire.
(Somewhat tangentially, with respect to sincerity, what springs to mind is the insincerity of the Orientalists. These are individuals who have devoted their lives to the study of one aspect of Islam or another, but who, as a result of their insincerity, remain among the ranks of the kuffar, this despite their having greater factual understanding of Islam than perhaps the vast majority of Muslims).
Having pointed out the meaning of knowledge and its purpose, it should be emphasized that the source of this knowledge must clearly be the Qur'an and Sunnah and the writings of the pious scholars who have adhered closely to the two original sources. The importance of the Qur'an and Sunnah as sources of authentic knowledge is well understood by most. However, a cause of considerable distortion and confusion among Muslims and non-Muslims today is the fact that there exist many writers (both Muslim and non-Muslim) who, in producing different works on Islam, depart from the original sources and the understanding of those sources evinced by the sahaabah and their pious successors. If we accept that the sahaabah and their successors, according to the hadeeth of the Prophet s.a.w., were the best of generations, and the fact that they directly experienced or were most closely connected to the life of the Prophet s.a.w., it should be clear that we must seek out those writings and interpretations that stick most closely to their understanding of the deen.
Especially in this part of the world, acquiring authentic knowledge is a serious struggle. It requires time, money and effort. Alhamdulillah, we are in a period where an ever-increasing number of superb books and audio-cassettes (in English) on all aspects of Islam are becoming available through local mosques, bookstores and other agencies. Thus what is the main aspect of the struggle to gain knowledge really has to do with the time and effort that we put in. We need only consider the amount of energy we put into the study of worldly subjects - engineering, hard sciences, social studies, business - to realize the imbalance that exists in our approach. No one is questioning the fact that we all need to study engineering or commerce or other such subjects in order to earn a living. This is clearly a must. Moreover, Muslims ought to do their best in order to be among the top-ranking students in all of these areas. However, it is a greater duty and obligation upon each of us to sacrifice a certain quantity and quality of time and energy in order to achieve an increasing level of consciousness of Allah. We should all have the intention to learn Arabic, memorize parts of the Qur'an and the Hadeeth, comprehend the life of the Prophet s.a.w. and deepen our understanding of the basic pillars. This requires consistent effort, discipline and commitment. In the end, if we are clear that it is only this type of knowledge - knowledge about Allah, about the Qur'an and Sunnah - that will ultimately be of value to us on the Last Day, then the effort and commitment required should not be difficult to generate.
This is an article of AB Khan
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