0. Introduction
٠۔ المقدمة
[Machine] Abu Muslim al-Khawlanī said, "The scholars are of three types: a man who lived in his knowledge and the people lived with him in it, a man who lived in his knowledge and no one lived with him in it, and a man who people lived in his knowledge and he was confused by it."
أَبُو مُسْلِمٍ الْخَوْلَانِيُّ «الْعُلَمَاءُ ثَلَاثَةٌ فَرَجُلٌ عَاشَ فِي عِلْمِهِ وَعَاشَ مَعَهُ النَّاسُ فِيهِ وَرَجُلٌ عَاشَ فِي عِلْمِهِ وَلَمْ يَعِشْ مَعَهُ فِيهِ أَحَدٌ وَرَجُلٌ عَاشَ النَّاسُ فِي عِلْمِهِ وَكَانَ وَبَالًا عَلَيْهِ»
[Machine] Prophet Musa ﷺ asked his Lord, "O Lord, who among your servants is the most fair in judgment?" He replied, "The one who judges people as he judges himself." Musa ﷺ asked, "O Lord, who among your servants is the richest?" He replied, "Those whom I have satisfied with what I have given them." Musa ﷺ asked, "O Lord, who among your servants is the most fearful of you?" He replied, "Those who know me the best."
مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ يَا رَبِّ أَيُّ عِبَادِكَ أَحْكَمُ؟ قَالَ الَّذِي يَحْكُمُ لِلنَّاسِ كَمَا يَحْكُمُ لِنَفْسِهِ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ أَيُّ عِبَادِكَ أَغْنَى؟ قَالَ أَرْضَاهُمْ بِمَا قَسَمْتُ لَهُ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ أَيُّ عِبَادِكَ أَخْشَى لَكَ؟ قَالَ أَعْلَمُهُمْ بِي
[Machine] It is said that there are three types of scholars: a scholar who fears Allah but is not well-versed in His commands, a scholar who fears Allah and is knowledgeable about His commands, and that is the perfect scholar, and a scholar who is knowledgeable about His commands but does not fear Allah, and that is the corrupt scholar.
يُقَالُ الْعُلَمَاءُ ثَلَاثَةٌ عَالِمٌ بِاللَّهِ يَخْشَى اللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِعَالِمٍ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ وَعَالِمٌ بِاللَّهِ عَالِمٌ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ يَخْشَى اللَّهَ فَذَاكَ الْعَالِمُ الْكَامِلُ وَعَالِمٌ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ لَيْسَ بِعَالِمٍ بِاللَّهِ لَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ فَذَلِكَ الْعَالِمُ الْفَاجِرُ
[Machine] Knowledge is of two types: knowledge in the heart, and knowledge on the tongue. Knowledge in the heart is beneficial knowledge, and knowledge on the tongue is the evidence of Allah over the son of Adam.
الْعِلْمُ عِلْمَانِ فَعِلْمٌ فِي الْقَلْبِ فَذَلِكَ الْعِلْمُ النَّافِعُ وَعِلْمٌ عَلَى اللِّسَانِ فَذَلِكَ حُجَّةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى ابْنِ آدَمَ
This hadith has been narrated oif the authority of 'Adi b. Hatim through another chain of transmitters. (Using translation from Muslim 1929i)
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ
«تَعَلَّمُوا تَعَلَّمُوا فَإِذَا عَلِمْتُمْ فَاعْمَلُوا»
[Machine] Whoever seeks knowledge for four purposes: to enter into Hell, to boast to scholars, to mock fools, to turn people's faces towards him, or to manipulate rulers.
مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمَ لِأَرْبَعٍ دَخَلَ النَّارَ أَوْ نَحْوَ هَذِهِ الْكَلِمَةِ لِيُبَاهِيَ بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ أَوْ لِيُمَارِيَ بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ أَوْ لِيَصْرِفَ بِهِ وُجُوهَ النَّاسِ إِلَيْهِ أَوْ لِيَأْخُذَ بِهِ مِنَ الْأُمَرَاءِ
[Machine] "From the words of Jesus, peace be upon him, you work for the world and you are provided for in it without any effort, and you do not work for the hereafter and you are not provided for in it except by your deeds! Woe to you, evil scholars who take rewards and waste deeds! The Lord of deeds is about to demand his own work, and you are about to leave this vast world for the darkness of the grave and its narrowness. Allah forbids you from sins as He commanded you to pray and fast. How can someone be considered knowledgeable if they become angry with their sustenance and belittle their position, knowing that it is from the knowledge and power of Allah? How can someone be considered knowledgeable if they accuse Allah of what He has decreed for them and is not pleased with what afflictions have befallen them? How can someone be considered knowledgeable if they prioritize their worldly life over their hereafter, when they are in this world with a greater desire? How can someone be considered knowledgeable if their destination is towards their hereafter, while they are inclined towards their worldly life and what harms them is more delicious or beloved to them than what benefits them? How can someone be considered knowledgeable if they seek knowledge only to inform others of it, and not to act upon it?"
أَنَّهُ مِنْ كَلَامِ عِيسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ تَعْمَلُونَ لِلدُّنْيَا وَأَنْتُمْ تُرْزَقُونَ فِيهَا بِغَيْرِ عَمَلٍ وَلَا تَعْمَلُونَ لِلْآخِرَةِ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تُرْزَقُونَ فِيهَا إِلَّا بِالْعَمَلِ ويلَّكمْ عُلَمَاءَ السَّوْءِ الْأَجْرَ تَأْخُذُونَ وَالْعَمَلَ تُضَيِّعُونَ يُوشِكُ رَبُّ الْعَمَلِ أَنْ يَطْلُبَ عَمَلَهُ وَتُوشِكُونَ أَنْ تَخْرُجُوا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا الْعَرِيضَةِ إِلَى ظُلْمَةِ الْقَبْرِ وَضِيقِهِ اللَّهُ ينهاكمْ عَنِ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالصِّيَامِ كَيْفَ يَكُونُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مَنْ سَخِطَ رِزْقَهُ وَاحْتَقَرَ مَنْزِلَتَهُ وَقَدْ عَلِمَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ؟ كَيْفَ يَكُونُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مَنِ اتَّهَمَ اللَّهَ فِيمَا قَضَى لَهُ فَلَيْسَ يَرْضَى شَيْئًا أَصَابَهُ؟ كَيْفَ يَكُونُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مَنْ دُنْيَاهُ آثَرُ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ آخِرَتِهِ وَهُوَ فِي الدُّنْيَا أَفْضَلُ رَغْبَةً؟ كَيْفَ يَكُونُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مَنْ مَصِيرُهُ إِلَى آخِرَتِهِ وَهُوَ مُقْبِلٌ عَلَى دُنْيَاهُ وَمَا يَضُرُّهُ أَشْهَى إِلَيْهِ أَوْ قَالَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا يَنْفَعُهُ؟ كَيْفَ يَكُونُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مَنْ يَطْلُبُ الْكَلَامَ لِيُخْبِرَ بِهِ وَلَا يَطْلُبُهُ لِيَعْمَلَ بِهِ؟
[Machine] It is said, "Learn knowledge and benefit from it, and do not learn it for the purpose of showing off, for it is very likely that if your life span is prolonged, the person with knowledge will show off with his knowledge just as the person with a fine garment shows off with his garment."
يُقَالُ «تَعَلَّمُوا الْعِلْمَ وَانْتَفِعُوا بِهِ وَلَا تَعَلَّمُوهُ لِتَتَجَمَّلُوا بِهِ فَإِنَّهُ يُوشِكُ إِنْ طَالَ بِكُمْ عُمُرٌ أَنْ يَتَجَمَّلَ ذُو الْعِلْمِ بِعِلْمِهِ كَمَا يَتَجَمَّلُ ذُو الْبِزَّةِ بِبِزَّتِهِ»
[Machine] A man asked the Prophet ﷺ about evil, and he replied "Do not ask me about evil, but ask me about goodness" and he repeated this three times. Then he said, "Indeed, the worst of evil is the evil of scholars, and the best of goodness is the goodness of scholars."
سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ عَنِ الشَّرِّ فَقَالَ «لَا تَسْأَلُونِي عَنِ الشَّرِّ وَاسْأَلُونِي عَنِ الْخَيْرِ يَقُولُهَا ثَلَاثًا» ثُمَّ قَالَ «أَلَا إِنَّ شَرَّ الشَّرِّ شِرَارُ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْخَيْرِ خِيَارُ الْعُلَمَاءِ»
[Machine] I heard Sha'abi saying that the seeking of this knowledge was only for those who possess two qualities: intellect and devotion. If someone is devoted but lacks intellect, he would say, "This is a matter that only the wise pursue," and he would not seek it. And if someone is intelligent but lacks devotion, he would say, "This is a matter that only the devout pursue," and he would not seek it. Then Sha'abi said, "I was afraid that today someone who possesses neither of these qualities would seek it."
سَمِعْتُ الشَّعْبِيَّ يَقُولُ إِنَّمَا كَانَ يَطْلُبُ هَذَا الْعِلْمَ مَنِ اجْتَمَعَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَتَانِ الْعَقْلُ وَالنُّسُكُ فَإِنْ كَانَ نَاسِكًا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ عَاقِلًا قَالَ هَذَا أَمْرٌ لَا يَنَالُهُ إِلَّا الْعُقَلَاءُ فَلَمْ يَطْلُبْهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ عَاقِلًا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ نَاسِكًا قَالَ هَذَا أَمْرٌ لَا يَنَالُهُ إِلَّا النُّسَّاكُ فَلَمْ يَطْلُبْهُ فَقَالَ الشَّعْبِيُّ وَلَقَدْ رَهِبْتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ يَطْلُبُهُ الْيَوْمَ مَنْ لَيْسَتْ فِيهِ وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْهُمَا لَا عَقْلٌ وَلَا نُسُكٌ
[Machine] The sentence translates to: "The man did not seek knowledge until he had worshipped for forty years before that."
«كَانَ الرَّجُلُ لَا يَطْلُبُ الْعِلْمَ حَتَّى يَتَعَبَّدَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً»
The Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever seeks knowledge in order to argue with the foolish, or to show off before the scholars, or to attract people's attention, will be in Hell." (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 253)
«مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمَ لِيُمَارِيَ بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ وَلِيُبَاهِيَ بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ أَوْ لِيَصْرِفَ بِهِ وُجُوهَ النَّاسِ إِلَيْهِ فَهُوَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ»
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever seeks knowledge in order to argue with the foolish, or to show off before the scholars, or to attract people's attention, Allah will admit him to Hell.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 260)
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمَ لِيُبَاهِيَ بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ أَوْ لِيُمَارِيَ بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ أَوْ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُقْبِلَ بِوُجُوهِ النَّاسِ إِلَيْهِ أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ جَهَنَّمَ»
[Machine] "The speech of a person is guarded according to his intention."
«إِنَّمَا يُحْفَظُ حَدِيثُ الرَّجُلِ عَلَى قَدْرِ نِيَّتِهِ»
[Machine] To me, Abdullah says,"Verily, I reckon that a man forgetting knowledge that he knew is a sin that he commits."
لِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ «إِنِّي لَأَحْسَبُ الرَّجُلَ يَنْسَى الْعِلْمَ كَانَ يَعْلَمُهُ لِلْخَطِيئَةِ كَانَ يَعْمَلُهَا»
[Machine] Luqman the wise used to say to his son, "Oh my son, do not seek knowledge in order to show off to the scholars, to challenge the foolish, or to impress people in gatherings. And do not abandon knowledge out of arrogance and desire for ignorance. Oh my son, choose your companions wisely. If you see a group of people remembering God, then sit with them, for if you are knowledgeable, your knowledge will benefit you, and if you are ignorant, they will teach you. Perhaps Allah will bless you with His mercy through them and grant you their righteousness. But if you see a group of people who do not remember God, then do not sit with them, for if you are knowledgeable, your knowledge will not benefit you, and if you are ignorant, they will increase you in ignorance. Perhaps Allah will expose them to punishment, and you will befall the same fate."
أَنَّ لُقْمَانَ الْحَكِيمَ كَانَ يَقُولُ لِابْنِهِ «يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تَعَلَّمِ الْعِلْمَ لِتُبَاهِيَ بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ أَوْ لِتُمَارِيَ بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ أَوْ تُرَائِيَ بِهِ فِي الْمَجَالِسِ وَلَا تَتْرُكِ الْعِلْمَ زُهْدًا فِيهِ وَرَغْبَةً فِي الْجَهَالَةِ يَا بُنَيَّ اخْتَرِ الْمَجَالِسَ عَلَى عَيْنِكَ وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ قَوْمًا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ فَاجْلِسْ مَعَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ تَكُنْ عَالِمًا يَنْفَعْكَ عِلْمُكَ وَإِنْ تَكُنْ جَاهِلًا يُعَلِّمُوكَ وَلَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَطَّلِعَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِرَحْمَتِهِ فَيُصِيبَكَ بِهَا مَعَهُمْ وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ قَوْمًا لَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ فَلَا تَجْلِسْ مَعَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ تَكُنْ عَالِمًا لَا يَنْفَعْكَ عِلْمُكَ وَإِنْ تَكُنْ جَاهِلًا زَادُوكَ غَيًّا وَلَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَطَّلِعَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِعَذَابٍ فَيُصِيبَكَ مَعَهُمْ»
[Machine] "Do not speak falsehood in front of the wise, as they will despise you. Do not speak wisdom to the foolish, as they will deny you. Do not prevent knowledge from those who deserve it, for you would commit a sin. And do not place it in the hands of those who are not qualified, as you would be disregarded. Know that you have a responsibility towards your knowledge, just as you have a responsibility towards your wealth."
«لَا تُحَدِّثِ الْبَاطِلَ الْحُكَمَاءَ فَيَمْقُتُوكَ وَلَا تُحَدِّثِ الْحِكْمَةَ لِلسُّفَهَاءِ فَيُكَذِّبُوكَ وَلَا تَمْنَعِ الْعِلْمَ أَهْلَهُ فَتَأْثَمَ وَلَا تَضَعْهُ فِي غَيْرِ أَهْلِهِ فَتُجَهَّلَ إِنَّ عَلَيْكَ فِي عِلْمِكَ حَقًّا كَمَا أَنَّ عَلَيْكَ فِي مَالِكَ حَقًّا»
أَنَّهُ يَنْفَعُ»
[Machine] "Do not feed your food to those who do not desire it."
«لَا تُطْعِمْ طَعَامَكَ مَنْ لَا يَشْتَهِيهِ»
[Machine] "Luqman said to his son: 'O my son, do not seek knowledge to boast to the scholars, argue with the ignorant, show off in gatherings, or abandon knowledge in arrogance and desire for ignorance. And when you see people who do not remember Allah, sit with them, for if you are knowledgeable, your knowledge will benefit you, and if you are ignorant, they will teach you. Perhaps Allah will guide them through His mercy and you will be blessed with it too. And when you see people who do not remember Allah, do not sit with them. If you are knowledgeable, your knowledge will not benefit you, and if you are ignorant, they will increase you in deviation and heedlessness. Perhaps Allah will reveal His displeasure upon them and you will be affected with them.'"
لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ «يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تَعَلَّمِ الْعِلْمَ لِتُبَاهِيَ بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ وتُمَارِيَ بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ وَتُرَائِيَ بِهِ فِي الْمَجَالِسِ وَلَا تَتْرُكِ الْعِلْمَ زَهَادَةً فِيهِ وَرَغْبَةً فِي الْجَهَالَةِ وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ قَوْمًا لا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ فَاجْلِسْ مَعَهُمْ إِنْ تَكُ عَالِمًا يَنْفَعْكَ عِلْمُكَ وَإِنْ تَكُ جَاهِلًا عَلَّمُوكَ وَلَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَطَّلِعَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِرَحْمَتِهِ فَيُصِيبَكَ بِهَا مَعَهُمْ وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ قَوْمًا لَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ فَلَا تَجْلِسْ مَعَهُمْ إِنْ تَكُ عَالِمًا لَمْ يَنْفَعْكَ عِلْمُكَ وَإِنْ تَكُ جَاهِلًا زَادُوكَ غَيًّا أَوْ عِيًّا وَلَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَطَّلِعَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَخَطٍ فَيُصِيبَكَ بِهِ مَعَهُمْ»
[Machine] "O holders of knowledge, act upon it, for true scholars are those who act upon what they know and align their actions with their knowledge. There will be people who possess knowledge but their actions do not reach the level of their knowledge. Their behavior contradicts their knowledge and their true intentions differ from what they display. They sit in gatherings to show off, competing with one another, to the extent that a person might get angry if their companion sits with someone else. Those individuals' deeds do not ascend to the heavens, rather they are presented to Allah the Almighty."
«يَا حَمَلَةَ الْعِلْمِ اعْمَلُوا بِهِ فَإِنَّمَا الْعَالِمُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِمَا عَلِمَ وَوَافَقَ عِلْمُهُ عَمَلَهُ وَسَيَكُونُ أَقْوَامٌ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعِلْمَ لَا يُجَاوِزُ تَرَاقِيَهُمْ يُخَالِفُ عَمَلُهُمْ عِلْمَهُمْ وَتُخَالِفُ سَرِيرَتُهُمْ عَلَانِيَتَهُمْ يَجْلِسُونَ حِلَقًا فَيُبَاهِيَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا حَتَّى إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَغْضَبُ عَلَى جَلِيسِهِ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ وَيَدَعَهُ أُولَئِكَ لَا تَصْعَدُ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي مَجَالِسِهِمْ تِلْكَ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى»
أَنْ يُعْجَبَ بِعِلْمِهِ»
[Machine] "That the least knowledgeable nation of this nation has taken a nation from the nations by its knowledge, so that nation became righteous."
أَنَّ أَدْنَى هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ عِلْمًا أَخَذَتْ أُمَّةٌ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ بِعِلْمِهِ لَرَشَدَتْ تِلْكَ الْأُمَّةُ»
[Machine] "If a man seeks knowledge and acts upon it, it will be better for him than the whole world and everything in it, even if he possessed it, and he will have it in the Hereafter."
«إِنْ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ لَيُصِيبُ الْبَابَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَيَعْمَلُ بِهِ فَيَكُونُ خَيْرًا لَهُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا لَوْ كَانَتْ لَهُ فَجَعَلَهَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ»
[Machine] To see that in his sight and in his humility, and in his tongue and in his hands and in his prayers and in his asceticism.
أَنْ يُرَى ذَلِكَ فِي بَصَرِهِ وَتَخَشُّعِهِ وَلِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ وَصَلَاتِهِ وَزُهْدِهِ
[Machine] Muhammad said, "Look carefully at the source from whom you take this hadith, for it represents your religion."
وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ «انْظُرُوا عَمَّنْ تَأْخُذُونَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ فَإِنَّمَا هُوَ دِينُكُمْ»
[Machine] I heard Sufyan say, "No servant increases in knowledge without increasing in desire for the world, except that it increases their distance from Allah."
سَمِعْتُ سُفْيَانَ يَقُولُ «مَا ازْدَادَ عَبْدٌ عِلْمًا فَازْدَادَ فِي الدُّنْيَا رَغْبَةً إِلَّا ازْدَادَ مِنَ اللَّهِ بُعْدًا»
[Machine] "No servant increases in knowledge of Allah except that people get closer to the mercy of Allah because of him."
«مَا ازْدَادَ عَبْدٌ بِاللَّهِ عِلْمًا إِلَّا ازْدَادَ النَّاسُ مِنْهُ قُرْبًا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ»
[Machine] And he said in another narration, "A servant does not gain knowledge except that he gains determination, and Allah does not bestow upon a servant a gift better than serenity."
وَقَالَ فِي حَدِيثٍ آخَرَ مَا ازْدَادَ عَبْدٌ عِلْمًا إِلَّا ازْدَادَ قَصْدًا وَلَا قَلَّدَ اللَّهُ عَبْدًا قِلَادَةً خَيْرًا مِنْ سَكِينَةٍ
[Machine] I heard Wahb ibn Munabbih say, "O my son, seek wisdom for indeed all goodness is in wisdom. It elevates the small over the great, the slave over the free, and it increases a leader's strength, while it enables the poor to sit in the company of kings."
سَمِعْتُ وَهْبَ بْنَ مُنَبِّهٍ يَقُولُ يَا بُنَيَّ عَلَيْكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ فَإِنَّ الْخَيْرَ فِي الْحِكْمَةِ كُلَّهُ وَتُشَرِّفُ الصَّغِيرَ عَلَى الْكَبِيرِ وَالْعَبْدَ عَلَى الْحُرِّ وَتُزِيدُ السَّيِّدَ سُؤْدُدًا وَتُجْلِسُ الْفَقِيرَ مَجَالِسَ الْمُلُوكِ
[Machine] "And what would we be without the words of the scholars?"
«وَمَا نَحْنُ لَوْلَا كَلِمَاتُ الْعُلَمَاءِ؟»