The Virtue of Knowledge and the Method of Acquiring It from Scholars

Section.

And know that the virtue of knowledge and its people is great.

Allah ﷻ said:

“Allāh witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge - [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (Quran 3:18)

“...and the angels and those of knowledge, maintaining justice.”

And He the Exalted said:

“And those who have been given knowledge see that what is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, and it guides to the path of the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy.” (Quran 34:6)

And on the authority of Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan (RA), he said:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Whomever Allah wills good for, He grants him understanding of the religion.”

Agreed upon.

And on the authority of Abu al-Darda (RA), he said:

“I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:

‘Whoever treads a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make him tread a path to Paradise,

and the angels lower their wings in approval of the seeker of knowledge,

and the scholar has forgiveness sought for him

“Do you not see [i.e., know] that to Allāh prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth and the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the moving creatures and many of the people? But upon many the punishment has been justified. And he whom Allāh humiliates - for him there is no bestower of honor. Indeed, Allāh does what He wills.” (Quran 22:18)

and the fish in the depths of the water.

And the superiority of the scholar over the worshiper

is like the moon on the night of the full moon over all the stars.

And the scholars are the heirs of the Prophets.

And the Prophets did not leave behind dinars or dirhams,

they only left behind knowledge, so whoever takes it has taken an abundant share.

Narrated by the authors of the Sunan except al-Nasa'i, and its chain is Hasan.

And that it is taken from its people through direct learning and listening,

and asking questions, along with long companionship.

Allah ﷻ said: "So ask...

“And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed [Our message]. So ask the people of the message [i.e., former scriptures] if you do not know.” (Quran 16:43)

On the authority of Ibn Abbas (RA),

he said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"You hear, and others hear from you, and others hear from those who heard from you."

Narrated by Abu Dawud, and its chain of transmission is authentic.

Malik (RH) said:

"A man would frequent another man for thirty years to learn from him."

Narrated by Abu Nu'aym al-Asfahani in Hilyat al-Awliya.

And those who are not qualified, knowledge is not taken from them.

Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) said:

"Look to those from whom you take this knowledge, for indeed it is your religion."

Narrated by Ibn Adi in Al-Kamil,

and something similar was authenticated from a group of the Salaf.

And Ibn Mas'ud (RA) said:

"People will remain upon good and steadfast as long as knowledge comes to them

from the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ and their elders,

but when it comes to them from their young ones, they will perish."

Narrated by Al-Tabarani with an authentic chain.

And the worst of these ignorant leaders are those who follow the ambiguous.

And the worst of these ignorant leaders are those who follow the ambiguous.

‘Utbah ibn ‘Amir (RA) said:

“Learn the laws of inheritance before the conjecturers.”

Narrated by Ibn Wahb in his Musnad with an authentic chain,

and Al-Bukhari cited it as mu'allaq, saying, "Meaning: those who speak by conjecture."

And in the Two Sahihs, on the authority of ‘Aishah (RA), she said:

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited this verse:"

“It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muḥammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise - they are the foundation of the Book - and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allāh. But those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord." And no one will be reminded except those of understanding.” (Quran 3:7)

“...verses that are precise—they are the foundation of the Book—and others unspecific.”

“It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muḥammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise - they are the foundation of the Book - and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allāh. But those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord." And no one will be reminded except those of understanding.” (Quran 3:7)

...until His saying: 'men of understanding.'

She said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"So if you see those who follow what is unclear thereof, they are those whom Allah has named, so beware of them."

And knowledge is taken away by the death of the scholars. On the authority of Ibn Umar (RA),

that he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:

"Indeed, Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it away from the servants,"

"but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars,"

"until when no scholar remains, people take ignorant leaders,"

"who are consulted and give fatwas without knowledge, going astray and leading others astray." Agreed upon.

So be keen to hasten to receive it from them.

The author, may Allah grant him success, mentioned another section in which he calls to another endeavor among the best of endeavors,

explaining that the virtue of knowledge and its people is great,

calling, by mentioning its virtue and the virtue of its people, to seek it eagerly.

He mentioned verses and Hadiths showing

the greatness of its virtue and high rank,

mentioning the saying of Allah ﷻ:

“Allāh witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge - [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (Quran 3:18)

"...and the angels and those of knowledge—maintaining justice." [the verse]

In this verse is the honor of the people of knowledge,

in that Allah ﷻ called upon them to bear witness to His Oneness,

and that He joined their testimony with His own testimony and the testimony of His angels.

Ibn al-Qayyim (RH) expounded in Miftah Dar al-Sa'adah on deriving the aspects

indicating the virtue of knowledge from this verse, reaching ten aspects.

The greatest of them is that Allah called upon scholars to bear witness to the establishment of His Oneness,

that Allah called upon scholars to bear witness to the establishment of His Oneness, which is His greatest right.

Then he mentioned the saying of Allah ﷻ:

“And those who have been given knowledge see that what is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, and it guides to the path of the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy.” (Quran 34:6)

The religion that the Prophet ﷺ brought,

consisting of knowledge,

is the established truth,

and through it, guidance to the path of Allah عز وجل is attained. Then he mentioned

the hadith of Mu'awiyah (RA) in the two Sahihs, that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whomever Allah wishes good for, He gives him fiqh in the religion.”

So, a sign of Allah wishing good for His servant is that He grants him fiqh in the religion.

And fiqh in the religion is that which combines knowledge and action.

Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned in Miftah Dar al-Sa'adah the consensus of the Salaf

that the term 'fiqh' only applies to the combination of knowledge and action.

Ibn al-Qayyim (RH) mentioned in Miftah Dar al-Sa'adah the consensus of the Salaf

that the term 'fiqh' is only applied to one who combines knowledge and action.

Then he mentioned the hadith of Abu al-Darda' (RA) recorded by the authors of the Sunan except al-Nasa'i, and its chain is Hasan,

and it is the greatest hadith regarding the virtue of knowledge,

for the Prophet ﷺ mentioned in it five virtues of its people.

The first virtue is that: "Whoever treads a path seeking knowledge,

Allah will make him tread a path to Paradise."

"Whoever treads a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make him tread a path to Paradise."

And this path in this world is by being guided to the deeds of the people of Paradise,

and this path in this world is by being guided to the deeds of the people of Paradise.

And in the Hereafter, it is by guidance to the bridge set over Hellfire,

and in the Hereafter, it is by guidance to the bridge set over Hellfire.

The second virtue is that the angels lower their wings

for the seeker of knowledge, pleased with what he does.

that the angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge, out of satisfaction with what he does.

The third virtue is that the scholar is sought forgiveness for...

“Do you not see [i.e., know] that to Allāh prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth and the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the moving creatures and many of the people? But upon many the punishment has been justified. And he whom Allāh humiliates - for him there is no bestower of honor. Indeed, Allāh does what He wills.” (Quran 22:18)

that the scholar is sought forgiveness for

“Do you not see [i.e., know] that to Allāh prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth and the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the moving creatures and many of the people? But upon many the punishment has been justified. And he whom Allāh humiliates - for him there is no bestower of honor. Indeed, Allāh does what He wills.” (Quran 22:18)

even by the fish in the depths of the water.

The fourth virtue is that the superiority of the scholar over

the worshipper is like that of the moon over all other stars,

for the moon is of greater benefit at

night to the traveler than all the stars,

which are fixed in the sky.

The fifth virtue is that the scholars are the heirs of the Prophets,

and the inheritance they left behind is knowledge; for the Prophets did not leave behind dinars or dirhams,

but they left behind knowledge, so whoever takes it has taken an abundant share.

Abu al-Faraj ibn Rajab (RH) has a comprehensive book explaining this Hadith

and clarifying the great meanings it contains.

It is one of the books that a student of

knowledge needs to reread time and again

to consolidate the realities of faith mentioned in it regarding knowledge.

Then he said,

And that knowledge is acquired from its people through direct transmission, listening, and asking,

along with long companionship.

So whoever seeks knowledge must traverse these described paths.

And he mentioned, regarding asking about knowledge, the saying of Allah ﷻ: "So ask..."

“And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed [Our message]. So ask the people of the message [i.e., former scriptures] if you do not know.” (Quran 16:43)

Among the means by which knowledge is acquired is asking its people, not asking others.

So when the learner asks the people of knowledge,

seeking to extract what they have of it, he obtains much good.

Then, regarding listening,

he mentioned the Hadith of Ibn Abbas (RA) in Abu Dawud, and its chain is authentic:

"You hear, and others will hear from you, and others will hear from those who heard from you."

Knowledge is acquired by listening, not by reading from books and compilations.

For the soul is unable to comprehend the meanings of knowledge except by receiving it through listening from its people.

And this is a distinction with which Allah ﷻ has favored this Ummah,

that knowledge is acquired in it by transmission between its generations through listening,

the successors transmitting it from the predecessors, and each generation taking its knowledge from the one before it.

The Companions (RA) took knowledge from the Prophet ﷺ,

And the Tabi'un took knowledge from the Companions (RA),

and the followers of the Tabi'un took knowledge from the Tabi'un,

and likewise throughout all the generations of the Ummah.

Regarding the length of companionship, he mentioned the saying...

...of Malik, who is Ibn Anas, the Imam of Dar al-Hijrah,

that he said, "A man would frequent a man for thirty years to learn from him."

Narrated by Abu Nu'aym al-Asfahani in the book Hilyat al-Awliya.

This is a description of the state...

...of the norm of acquiring knowledge in the era of those who preceded us,

and that a man would constantly accompany the people of knowledge.

What is meant by long companionship during this period...

...is not merely knowing the issues,

for this is only a part of knowledge,

and beyond that is what is greater than it,

which is the manner of propagating knowledge,

and guiding people, directing them, and pointing them to it,

and issuing fatwas to the young and old, the ruler and the ruled,

and speaking regarding trials, events, and calamities that occur among people.

For this cannot be attained in a short period.

For merely acquiring information, the time needed to gather it might not be that long,

especially for the intelligent and quick-witted.

But beyond that, in terms of proper reception,

understanding, and grasping how to spread knowledge,

interact with people, and guide them during trials and calamities,

this is something that cannot be acquired in a short period,

and the student needs long companionship with the scholars among his teachers,

to observe their actions

in those situations, and benefit from them in guiding himself and guiding people when they need him.

Whoever understands this concept will realize the benefit of associating oneself with senior scholars

and referring matters back to them as long as he is not tested with this,

for relying on those who preceded him and leaning on them keeps

him safe from falling into what would compromise his religion.

Then he said: "And whoever is not from its people, it is not to be taken from them,"

meaning, whoever is not of the people of knowledge, knowledge is not taken from them.

For knowledge is only acquired by taking it from its people.

And he mentioned the saying of 'Ali (RA):

"Look to whom you take this knowledge from, for indeed it is religion."

Narrated by Ibn 'Adi in Al-Kamil, and the like was authenticated from the Salaf (RH),

all of them saying: "Indeed, this knowledge is religion,

so look to whom you take your religion from."

For a servant's religion is not soundly established

except by taking it from its people.

So if a person turns away from this and takes knowledge

from other than its people, he falls into destruction,

such as taking his religion from the inheritance of fathers and grandfathers,

or from what he found the people of his town practicing,

or what he picked up from someone who is not of the scholars,

or what he read in a book,

and did not acquire it in the most complete manner by understanding it from the scholars,

then he will fall into what corrupts his religion, and perhaps corrupts his worldly life as well.

Then he mentioned the statement of Abu Mas'ud (RA) recorded by al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir:

"People will remain upright and cohesive as long as

knowledge comes to them from the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ,

from their elders. But when it comes from their young ones, they will perish." And its chain of narration is authentic.

So, the safety of people's religion in

acquiring knowledge depends on two things:

First, acquiring knowledge from

the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ,

by receiving it from them during their lives and from their reports after their death,

and from their legacy after their death.

The second is taking it from their elders,

who are those referred to as having a firmly established footing in knowledge,

who are those referred to as having a firmly established footing in knowledge,

in terms of greatness of knowledge and adherence, as mentioned in yesterday's lectures,

among those described as having greatness of knowledge and greatness of adherence.

This is usually the case for those who are advanced in age

and older in years. Such a person is more worthy of attaining greatness of knowledge

and greatness of adherence, unlike those who are younger than him.

Then he warned against taking knowledge from the young ones,

because it is a destruction for people,

saying: "When it comes to them from their young ones, they are destroyed."

The "young ones" here are of two types:

The first is the young in religion, who are the people of innovation,

the young in religion, who are the people of innovation.

For if knowledge is taken from them, the servant is destroyed and his religion corrupted,

for if knowledge is taken from them, the servant is destroyed and his religion corrupted.

The other is the young from Ahl al-Sunnah who enter into what is not for them—

the young from Ahl al-Sunnah who enter into what is not for them.

For knowledge has levels and degrees,

and each level has what suits it regarding the age of the one speaking on it.

So, taking from the beginner in knowledge— students not advanced in age—

from Ahl al-Sunnah, is beneficial in clarifying its issues.

But if they are consulted on major crises, situations, and events, destruction occurs.

Because the soul of the beginner falls short of the level of experience,

and self-discipline and humility,

so there is in him, from lack of experience and the control of Satan over him, what causes him to fall into evil.

Then if he sets himself up as authority for the people, he leads them into evil.

Yet they can be benefited from in receiving knowledge, clarifying its principles and issues.

As for the events, calamities, and circumstances surrounding creation,

the resort should be to those whose knowledge and age are both advanced.

Then he mentioned those from whom the people of knowledge do not learn, saying:

"And the worst of these are the ignorant leaders" and those who follow ambiguous texts;

these are the worst of the young ones

from whom knowledge is taken, whereby a person would then be ruined.

He mentioned the saying of ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir (RA): "Learn the laws of inheritance

before the conjecturers."

It was narrated by Ibn Wahb in his Musnad with a Sahih chain, and it is in Al-Bukhari as mu'allaq.

And Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar mentioned that he did not find it connected,

but it is connected in the Musnad of 'Abdullah ibn Wahb al-Misri with a Sahih chain,

and in it is his saying (RA): "Learn before the conjecturers." Then after it,

is the comment of Al-Bukhari, who said: "Meaning, those who speak by conjecture."

The term 'fara'id' has two meanings,

one of which is general:

which is the obligatory Sharia rulings upon people,

and the other is specific, which is inheritance.

So, if a servant receives either of these

from someone who is not firmly grounded in knowledge,

from those who speak out of conjecture and do not refer to a solid foundation,

for then he will corrupt his religion and perish.

Then he mentioned the Hadith of Aisha (RA) and her father,

regarding the Prophet's ﷺ warning against those who follow the ambiguous,

that he said: "If you see those who follow what is ambiguous of it,

then those are the ones whom Allah has named, so beware of them."

Those who resort to the ambiguous [verses] and leave the clear ones,

the servant must beware of them with great caution,

This caution has two aspects:

First, their persons — they are not to be accompanied,

and the servant does not take them as a source from which to derive knowledge.

Second, their texts, meaning their words,

which are not to be relied upon nor followed.

Then he mentioned that knowledge is taken away by the taking away of scholars, meaning by their death.

He mentioned the hadith of Abdullah ibn Amr (RA) in the Sahihayn that...

...the Prophet ﷺ said: "Indeed, Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the servants,

meaning taking it from them and removing it from their souls,

but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars, meaning by the end of their lifespans.

So when a scholar dies, the knowledge he possessed goes with him,

and this continues among the people until their scholars are gone,

...the very name of knowledge from them. Thus, knowledge is taken away from people by the death of their scholars.

So whoever understands this principle, it is incumbent upon him to hasten to take knowledge from the scholars,

lest his situation leads him to a time of ignorance,

in which one does not know the religion by which he should worship Allah ﷻ.

So if a person is granted time during the lifespans of the scholars such that he reaches them,

then he should hasten to take it from them, and beware of procrastination.

Some of the Salaf said: "'I will do it later' is one of the soldiers of Iblis."

"Procrastination is one of the soldiers of Iblis."

And another said: "Procrastination is a ray of Satan."

"Procrastination is a ray of Satan."

Meaning, from the deceptive light that Satan spreads among people,

and sways their hearts with it, so that they keep procrastinating

and hoping in the pursuit of their goals until...

leads them to missing the window of opportunity.

We have seen this often in people

who lived with scholars among their fathers,

but did not realize the value of acquiring knowledge from them until after their death.

They kept hoping that they would have plenty of time to complete learning from their fathers in

the most perfect way they desired for themselves,

but procrastination and wishful thinking led them until...

the father passed away without them acquiring knowledge from him.

So if this happens to a scholar's son with his father in his own home,

then it is even more likely to happen to others who barely meet the scholar

except briefly in his study circle, his session of ifta, or elsewhere.

This should urge a person to hasten to acquire knowledge from the scholars, and not to miss any...

time in receiving knowledge from them, seeking the safety of his religion and his salvation.

For this scholar is like the light that guides

you to the path brought by the Prophet ﷺ,

and when this scholar dies, this light departs.

So whoever acquires a gleam of light from the niche of his lights to be guided by, is guided.

And whoever neglects himself until the scholar dies will not have from the niche of light that which guides him.

We ask Allah ﷻ to make us all guides who are rightly guided.

This is the end of the explanation of this passage of the book, and we will complete the rest, Allah willing, after the Asr prayer.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May Allah's peace and blessings be upon His servant and Messenger Muhammad, his family and companions.

Give the Sheikh... no, wait there.

This is a question about a waqf.