EPISODE 1️⃣ : SEEKING KNOWLEDGE
﷽
Islam is the religion of knowledge. The first aayah of the Qur’aan to be revealed enjoined reading which is the key to knowledge.
Allaah says:
ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ
“Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists) [Al-‘Alaq 96:1].
Furthermore, Allaah [ﷻ] equipped us with facilities for learning (sight, hearing, and memory).
Knowledge sometimes is in the mind, sometimes on the tongue, and sometimes in writing with the fingers. Thus, it may be intellectual, spoken and written. And while the last (written) necessitates the first two (intellectual and spoken), the reverse is not true.
On the Day of Judgment, ignorance will not be taken as an excuse for default in action.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said : “Indeed the cure for ignorance is to ask.” (Ahmad)
It is an obligation for every Muslim to seek knowledge. Because of the importance of knowledge, Allaah commanded His Messenger to seek more of it.
وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْمًا
..and say: ‘My Lord! Increase me in knowledge”
[Ta-Ha 20:114]
It is only with the knowledge that a servant can know enough about Allaah to worship and fear Him.
Allaah the Exalted said,
إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى ٱللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ٱلْعُلَمَٰٓؤُا۟
It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allaah
(Faatir 35:28).
Knowledge should be sought for the sake of Allaah alone.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said :
مَن تَعَلَّمَ عِلْمًا مِمَّا يُبْتَغَى بِهِ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ لاَ يَتَعَلَّمُهُ إِلاَّ لِيُصِيبَ بِهِ عَرَضًا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا لَمْ يَجِدْ عَرْفَ الْجَنَّةِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
“If anyone acquires knowledge that should be sought for the sake of Allaah [ﷻ], but instead he acquires it merely to get some worldly advantage, he will not experience the fragrance of Paradise.”
(Sunan Abu Daud)
There is a great difference between a Muslim who has knowledge and the one who does not. The excellence of a scholar over another (ordinary) worshipper is like the excellence of the full moon over the rest of the heavenly bodies.”
(Abu Dawood).
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “For him who adopts a path of seeking knowledge, Allaah [ﷻ] eases the way in Paradise, and Angels spread their wings for the seekers of knowledge, being pleased with his occupation, and all that is in the heavens and the Earth including the fish in the water, ask for his forgiveness. The learned are the heirs of the Prophets and the Prophets do not leave an inheritance of dirhams and dinars, but only of knowledge. He who acquires knowledge acquires a vast portion.”
(Abu Dawood and Tirmidhi)
Allaah [ﷻ] warns every Muslim against speaking without knowledge, as He says:
وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْبَصَرَ وَٱلْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْـُٔولًا
“And follow not (O man, i.e., say not, or do not, or witness not) that of which you have no knowledge. Verily, the hearing, and the sight, and the heart of each of those ones will be questioned (by Allâh)”
[Al-Isra’i 17:36]
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However, it is important to note who we take knowledge from.
Imaam Muhammad ibn Sīrin (d. 110 H), the great Tābi‘ī, said:
إن هذا العلم دين فانظروا عمن تأخذون دينكم
“Verily, this knowledge is religion, so be mindful from whom you take your religion.”
[The Introduction to Saheeh Muslim]
Knowledge should only be taken from he who is known with integrity, fear of Allaah, sound Aqeedah, and sound Manhaj, not from innovative transgressors who go against the Ahlus-Sunnah. These include the Shee’ah and Imaamiyyah. Do not study with them or sit with them or correspond with them or read their books, lest they lead you astray from the path of Allaah [ﷻ].
Ya Allaah, do not make the worldly matters our greatest concern, nor the aim of our knowledge. آمين.
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