In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
The Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] said: “Indeed from the signs of the hour is that knowledge will be sought from the young ones”.
Ibn Mas’ood [radiyallaahu anhu] said: “The people will not cease to be upon good as long as they acquire knowledge from their elders, their trustworthy ones and their scholars, for if they acquire it from their young ones and evil ones, they will be destroyed”.
Shaikh Abdus Salaam Burgess [rahimahullaah] stated in Awaa’iq At-Talab pages 29-35 that this ruling is not an absolute [or unrestricted] regarding the young ones, for indeed there were a group of the Sahaabah and the Taabi’een who taught and gave verdicts in their young age, whilst the elders were present. However, the likes of these people are hard to find amongst those who came after them. So, if they are found and are known for being upright- upon a sound [path], possess knowledge and their firmness is manifested, whilst there are no elders to be found, then knowledge of the Sharee’ah is acquired from them, if they are free from fitnah! So, the intent is not that the knowledge possessed by the young person is boycotted, whilst the elders are present; rather the intent is that the people are placed in their rightful positions. [1]
[1] NB: We do not speculate and make our own judgements regarding the levels of the Ulamaa and Tullaabul Ilm – be they elders or youth; rather the Tazkiyyaat given to them – specifically- by the senior scholars is well known, so we limit ourselves to that – neither exaggerating their status nor diminishing their status.
And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies- Shayaateen (devils) among mankind and jinns, inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion (or by way of deception). If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it, so leave them alone with their fabrications.’ [6:112]
Imaam as-Sa’di [rahimahullaah] said: Allaah [The Most High] stated in consolation to His Messenger Muhammad [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam], that this is the way things are. We have appointed for you enemies who reject your call, wage war against you and are envious towards you.
[يُوحِى بَعۡضُهُمۡ إِلَىٰ بَعۡضٍ۬ زُخۡرُفَ ٱلۡقَوۡلِ غُرُورً۬اۚ – Inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion]- meaning: beautifying the falsehood they call one another to, and adorning it with expressions until they make it appear in the finest image, so that the foolish and stupid ones are deceived by it, and those who neither understand the reality of things nor their (real) meanings are made to comply with it; rather they are amazed by beautified statements and distorted expressions, so they believe that that which is truth is falsehood and that which is falsehood is the truth.
He [rahimahullaah] also said: And from the Wisdom of Allaah in appointing enemies for the Prophets and supporters of falsehood calling to it, is so that the slaves are faced with trials and tests in order that the truthful one is differentiated from the liar, the one of sound intellect from the ignorant one, and the one with insight from the blind one. [Source: An Excerpt from Tayseer Al-Kalaam Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseeri Kalaam Al-Mannaan. slightly paraphrased]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
ان يزيد ابن حكيم يقول
ما هبت أحدا قط هيبتي لرجل ظلمته وانا اعلم انه لا ناصر له إلا اللّه و هو يقول لي: ‘حسبي اللّه، واللّه بيني و بينك
Yazeed Bin Hakeem [rahimahullaah] used to say: I have never feared anyone more than my fear of a man whom I oppressed and I know that he had no helper except Allaah, and he says to me, “Allaah is sufficient for me, and between me and you is Allaah [i.e. Allaah will judge between us]”. [Source: An Excerpt from a khutbah by Shaykh Husayn Aala-Shaykh on the aayah: حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل ‘Allaah is sufficient for us, and he is the best disposer of affairs ( Surah Imran. Aayah 173]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allaah (The Most High) said: [وَاللَّهُ يَقُولُ الْحَقَّ وَهُوَ يَهْدِي السَّبِيلَ – Allaah Says the Truth, And He Guides to the Right Way (33: 4)]
This noble ayah makes it absolutely clear that Allaah speaks the truth -truthfulness and certainty in His narratives; justice and wisdom in that which He has commanded and prohibited. Everything Allaah has stated is truth, absolute credibility and beneficial for the slaves. It is a source of wellbeing in their creed and manners, and in their religious and worldly affairs. Everything Allaah has commanded is an act of righteousness, a quality of perfection, a benefit and a blessing; and everything Allaah has forbidden is evil, harmful and corruption, whether in the affairs of the worldly life or the religion. The entire Islamic legislation is an explanation of this great principle, which Allaah has mentioned in this Ayah and other than it.
Then Allaah says [وَهُوَ يَهْدِي السَّبِيلَ – And He (Allaah), guides to the right way]; It is the path leading to the truth which Allaah has mentioned, and by way of which Allaah establishes judgements. Allaah suffices (us) and clarifies this truth for (us) through clear perceptible evidences (i.e. sound evidences that agree with the upright innate human fitrah and the uncorrupted intellect) and divine evidences, as Allaah stated in another Ayah:
[سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ – We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest to them that (this Qur’aan) is the truth (41:53)]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful The Bestower of Mercy.
Imaam as-Saa’di [rahimahullaah] said: “He who deceives the Muslims in their Religious and Worldly Affairs is not from them. Amongst the benefits of Naseehah [sincere advice] is safety from deceit. Indeed, he who deceives the Muslims in their Religious and Worldly Affairs is not from them. Deceit is one of the most repugnant of ugly traits as it relates to [fulfilling] the rights of a relative and the non-relative, the [rights] of the one in opposition [to you] and the one in agreement. The Great Qur’aan calls to this quality, which is from the best of qualities. It [naseehah-sincere advice] is that which the Religion of Islaam is founded and upon which its structure is made to stand firm, and through which its superiority over everything else is manifested. Indeed, giving sincere advice to every individual is commended by the sharee-ah, the sound intellect and the natural disposition, and that which is in opposition to it is repulsive to the sharee-ah, the intellect and the natural disposition. [Source: An Excerpt from Fathul Raheemil Malikil Allaam Fee Ilmil Aqaa-id Wat-tawheed, Wal Akhlaaq, Wal Ahkaam. Page: 98]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
One of the obstacles that prevents people from knowledge is [when they] turn to the knowledge of the Asaaghir [the small ones] – and Allaah’s refuge is sought. And from the [minor] signs of the hour [i.e. the day of judgement] is that knowledge will be acquired from the young in age, who learn very little and thus considers himself an Aalim!
This person is young and a Miskeen [i.e. one lacking strength in the field of knowledge], but considers himself as one who has reached the highest level; so the ignoramuses come to him, gather around him and cut off from the scholars – and Allaah’s refuge is sought. This is one of the [minor] signs and portents of the hour, when the people abandon the senior scholars and embark upon acquiring knowledge from the ignorant young ones – those who pretend to be scholars. This is a calamity. Ibn Mas’ood [radiyallaahu-anhu] said: “The people will not cease to be upon good as long as they acquire knowledge from their elders, trustworthy ones and scholars.”
Contemplate on this statement, “And if they acquire knowledge from their young ones, they will be destroyed.” This is one of the obstacles and barriers to acquiring knowledge. It may be that some people desire knowledge, but he [i.e. an individual] becomes deceived by that young person and considers him to be the most knowledgeable of people. And had he gone to other than that young person, he would find that it is obligated on that young person to seek knowledge together with him, and sit down in the presence of the scholars. [Marhaban Yaa Taalibal Ilm’ – pages 227 – 228. slightly paraphrased].
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
The Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said: It is enough sin for a person to speak of everything that he hears. [Ref 1]
Abu Haatim [Imaam Ibn Hibbaan (rahimahullaah)] said: This narration contains a rebuke – that a person should not speak about [or narrate] everything he hears until he knows whether it is authentic or not, then he speaks about [or narrates] it. And he should not speak about [or narrate] that which is not authentic. [Ref 2]
The Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said: I command you fear Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic] and to listen to and obey your [leaders] even if a maimed [or disabled] Abyssinian slave is put in charge over you. Whoever lives among you will see a lot of differences, so it is obligated on you to adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Khulafaa- bite onto it with your molar teeth [i.e. adhere firmly to it]. And beware of newly invented matters [in the religion], for every newly invented matter [in the religion] is an innovation [in religion] and every innovation [in the religion] is misguidance. [Ref 3]
Abu Haatim [Imaam Ibn Hibbaan (rahimahullaah)] said regarding the statement of the Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam]: ‘’Whoever lives among you will see a lot of differences, so it is obligated on you to adhere to my Sunnah…’’
This is a sound evidence [to show that] the Prophet [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] commanded his Ummah to know [and distinguish] the weak narrators from the reliable narrators, because it not possible for a person to adhere to the Sunnah if it is mixed with lies and falsehood, except when one can distinguish the weak narrators from the reliable narrators. [Ref 4] [End of Quotes]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said: The difference between a sincere adviser and the one who merely wants to blame others is that a sincere adviser does not declare enmity against you if you do not accept his advice, rather he says, “Perhaps Allaah will reward me whether he accept or reject my advice”, and he supplicates for you in your absence – neither mentions your faults nor rebukes you in the presence of the people. As for the one who merely desires to blame others, he is the opposite. [Ar-Rooh. P443. Slightly paraphrased]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
The Hardening of a young man’s heart due to (excessive speech):
Shaikh Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him) says that this is among those first corrupt affairs related to excessive speech. If a person’s speech is too much without remembrance of Allaah, then indeed it hardens his heart. That is because he will be heedless of the remembrance of Allaah, and if he is heedless of the remembrance of Allaah, his heart will become hard. And the hearts that are most distanced from Allaah is the hardened heart, which is not softened through the remembrance of Allaah. [Glorified and Exalted Be He]. [Allaah said]:
Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism) to be affected by Allah’s Reminder (this Qur’an), and that which has been revealed of the truth, lest they become as those who received the Scripture [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] before (i.e. Jews and Christians), and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened? And many of them were Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah).
[Allaah said]: [ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً -Then, after that, your hearts were hardened and became as stones or even worse in hardness] [Surah Al-Baqarah Ayah 74]. The heart hardens, even though it is a soft (piece) of meat; however it can harden or even worse until it becomes harder than stones. This has been stated by way of Qur’aanic text: [ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ – Then, after that, your hearts were hardened]- that was after the children of Israel witnessed the great lesson (or sign); – regarding the murdered person who was brought back to life, which should have softened the hearts but they did not benefit from it. [Allaah said]: [ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ الأَنْهَارُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْمَاء وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللّهِ – Then, after that, your hearts were hardened and became as stones or even worse in hardness. And indeed, there are stones out of which rivers gush forth, and indeed, there are of them (stones) which split asunder so that water flows from them, and indeed, there are of them (stones) which fall down for fear of Allah] [Surah Al-Baqarah Ayah 74] . Therefore, if you want to soften your heart, then abandon excessive speech and busy yourself with the remembrance of Allaah, for indeed that will soften your heart. [Ref 1]
Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him) also said: It is obligated on a person to restrain his (or her) tongue from excess Speech. He (or she) should not make his (or her) tongue tired and waste time, but one should be engaged in remembrance of Allaah because profuse remembrance of Allaah is good, if that is done by way of At-Tasbeeh [uttering ( سبحان الله), At-Tahleel [uttering (لاإله إلا الله ), At-Takbeer [uttering (الله اكبر), teaching beneficial knowledge, calling to the path of Allaah (The Mighty and Majestic) and giving admonitions. This is the means by way of which Allaah raises the status (of a person) and a tree planted for him (or her) in paradise. An increase in remembrance of Allaah has no limits. Whenever it is possible for you to increase (in remembrance of Allaah), then increase in remembrance of Allaah. [Allaah] said: [اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا-Remember Allah with much remembrance] [Surah Al-Ahzaab Ayah 41]
[وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ -And remember the Name of Allah much (both with tongue and mind), so that you may be successful. [Surah Al-Anfaal Ayah 45]. From the signs of Imaan is to remember Allaah a lot and from the signs of hypocrisy is to remember Allaah very little. Allaah stated about the hypocrites: [وَإِذَا قَامُوا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ قَامُوا كُسَالَىٰ يُرَاءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا – And when they stand up for As-Salat (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little. [Surah An-Nisaa Ayah 142] [Ref 1]
Little remembrance of Allaah is from the signs of hypocrisy and remembering Allaah a lot is from the signs Imaan. So if you want to speak a lot, let it be through remembrance of Allaah – by way of At-Tasbeeh [uttering ( سبحان الله), At-Tahleel [uttering (لاإله إلا الله ), At-Takbeer [uttering (الله اكبر), At-Tahmeed [uttering (الحمد لله ), recitation of the Qur’aan and this is the best of Dhikr – by way of teaching beneficial knowledge, bringing about reconciliation between the people, giving admonitions, enjoining good and forbidding evil. There are many opportunities for remembering Allaah (The Mighty and Majestic). [Ref 2]
Faa’idah from Imaam Sadi (rahimahullaah) regarding the Ayah:
[وَإِذَا قَامُوا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ قَامُوا كُسَالَىٰ يُرَاءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا – And when they stand up for As-Salat (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little. [Surah An-Nisaa Ayah 142]
Among their characteristics (i.e. the Munaafiqoon) is that ‘when they stand up for prayer’, and if they offer the prayer, which is the greatest physical act of obedience to Allaah, ‘They stand with laziness‘- with lack of enthusiasm and being uneasy. ‘And to be seen of men’; this is what their hearts conceal and this is the initial reason behind their deeds – to be seen of men. They intend to be seen of men, praised and honoured, but not out of carrying out acts of worship sincerely for Allaah. And due this, ‘They do not remember Allaah but a little’ because their hearts are filled with Riyaa. For indeed remembrance of Allaah and what it necessitates cannot be (established) except by a believer whose heart is filled with love for Allaah and His Greatness. [Abridged and slightly paraphrased. See Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan of Imaam Sadi]
Ref 1: An Excerpt from It’haaf At-Tullaab Bi-Sharh Mandhoomah Al-Aadaab’ page 86. Paraphrased. See text below:
Ref2 :An Excerpt from It’haaf At-Tullaab Bi-Sharhi Mandhoomah Al’Aadaab’ page 85. Paraphrased. See text below::
Verily, We established him (i.e. Dhul Qar’nayn) in the earth, and We gave him the means of everything. So he followed a way. [18:84-85]
Ali bin Abee Talhah reported from ibn Abbaas who said, ”[it is] knowledge.” Qataadah, Ibn Zaid, Ibn Jurayj and Dahhaak said, “[it is] knowledge which led him to what he wanted.” Ishaaq said, “[it is] knowledge that led him wherever he wanted to [reach or go].” Many of the Mufassiroon said that he [Dhul Qar’nayn] was given knowledge of everything that a person needs to aid himself. So he followed a path through those means bestowed upon him to reach their [praiseworthy] goals. [Source: An Excerpt from Badaa’i At-Tafseer Al-Jaami Limaa Fassarahu Al-Imaam Ibnul Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah..2/165]
