In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

‘’Whoever goes out [to seek] knowledge and [only] desiring knowledge, it will not benefit him; but whoever goes out [to seek] knowledge and desiring to act on knowledge, he will be benefited [even] with little knowledge’’.

Shaikh Abdur-Razzaaq Al-Badr [hafidhahullaah] said, “This is what is incumbent upon a student of knowledge when going out for knowledge and in the gatherings of knowledge. His aim should be that Allaah benefits him through knowledge, for indeed even a little will benefit him. As for acquiring a lot without giving concern to act upon it, this will not benefit the acquirer of such knowledge; rather it will be a proof against him and not for him. [Sharh Iqtidaa Al-Ilm Al-A’mal. Lesson 1]

Maalik Ibn Deenaar said, ‘’Indeed, when a slave seeks knowledge to act upon it, his knowledge will restrain him [from what is blameworthy], but if he seeks it for other than that, it will increase him in sinful behaviour and boastfulness’’.

Shaikh Abdur Razzaaq Al-Badr [hafidhahullaah] said, ‘’It will prevent him from self-importance and self-amazement; but if he seeks knowledge for other than acting upon it, he will increase in sinful behaviour and boastfulness. [Sharh Iqtidaa Al-Ilm Al-Amal. Lesson 1]

‘’There are two acts of transgression in the Dunyaa – transgression through knowledge and transgression through wealth. And that which will save one from transgression through knowledge is [to know] that [acquiring] knowledge is worship and that which will save one from transgression through wealth is Zuhd.

Shaikh Abdur Razzaaq Al-Badr [hafidhahullaah] said: Transgression through wealth is well known, just as Allaah said:

كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ لَيَطۡغَىٰٓ

أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰٓ

Nay! Verily, man does transgress all bounds (in disbelief and evil deed, etc.). Because he considers himself self-sufficient.

Transgression through wealth [includes] extravagance, arrogance, self-amazement, self-deception etc. The other type of transgression is through knowledge, such as boasting, showing off, desiring to be mentioned, self-amazement, self-deception etc. So, just as there are people who are afflicted with transgression through wealth, likewise there are those afflicted with transgression through knowledge. If a scholar or student is afflicted with self-amazement, self-deception and boasting, then this is all tantamount to transgression through knowledge. [Sharh Iqtidaa Al-Ilm Al-Amal. Lesson 1]

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

What is Dhulm -injustice or oppression? Dzulm [injustice (or oppression)] is of three types according to the people of knowledge (i.e. the scholars):

Firstly: The greatest of them is shirk and why is shirk referred as Dzulm [injustice]? That is because the basis of injustice is to place something in other than its rightful place. And the meaning of shirk is to direct acts of worship to other than its rightful place and this is the greatest injustice – because when they (i.e. the people of shirk) directed acts of worship to other than its rightful place and to those who are not deserving of it, they equated the created (beings) to the Creator and a weak one (i.e. a created being) to Al-Qawiy [The One Perfect in Strength (i.e. Allaah)], who is not unable to do anything. Therefore, is there any greater injustice after this?

The second type of Dzulm [injustice] is committed when a person oppresses himself by committing sins. A sinner oppresses himself because he exposes himself to punishment, even though it is obligated on his to save himself and place himself in an appropriate situation and that is to obey Allaah etc

The third type of Dzulm [injustice] is committed when a person oppresses others (or commits injustice against them) by taking their wealth (unlawfully), or backbiting them, or spreading tales about them, or stealing their wealth, or violating their honour through backbiting, tale carrying, slander, or shedding their blood by way of unlawful murder, or beating them, inflicting injuries, degrading them without right etc [Paraphrased. Source: I’aanah Al-Mustafeed Bi-Sharhi Kitaab At-Tawheed’ page 55-56 by Shaykh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan  (may Allaah preserve him)]

Shaykh Uthaymeen said:

Verily, we all know that the intent of knowledge is action. Because knowledge is a means and action is the fruits. And if a person does not benefit with his knowledge, then an ignoramus is better than him. And many knowledge based issues are understood by most students, however they do not carry them out, whether it was in (issues of) worship, or dealings with the creation. And this there is no doubt is a deficiency; a deficiency, and a reason for deficiency, meaning deficiency in knowledge. For if a person was to act by his knowledge he benefits and his knowledge increases. So, whoever acts by that which he has learnt, then Allāh will forgive him for that which he did not know.

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Question to Shaikh Ubaid [hafidhahullaah]: Is it permissible for the one who seeks knowledge from some Shaikh – by way of books and audios – to say to him [i.e. the Shaikh], “Our Shaikh” and thus he becomes a Shaikh of his?

Answer: There’s no harm in considering someone as one’s Shaikh, but I bring your attention to the fact that there are two ways of acquiring knowledge. The first path: Seeking knowledge in person and sitting to acquire knowledge from the scholar directly-sitting in his presence, learn good manners from him and good Tarbiyah. This is the ideal way and the loftiest. This is the way of the Sahaabah in acquiring knowledge from their Prophet [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] – those who were with him in Madeenah and those who traveled to him. They acquired knowledge directly from the Prophet [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] and taught their people. Likewise, this is how the Taabi’oon acquired knowledge from the Sahaabah; they took knowledge [directly] from the Sahaabah, especially the seniors. Likewise, those who followed the Taabi’een did the same up to this era of ours. This is the correct and loftiest path of acquiring knowledge from a Shaikh.

The second path: It is to acquire knowledge from books and audios. There is no harm in this and it benefits, but it does not contain that which is found in the first method; rather it is for a woman and the one who is unable because of the difficulty in reaching the Shaikh due to distance, for one might not be able to sit in the presence of a scholar even in his own country. Not all women are able-some of them are sometimes able and unable at other times, and some are not able. So, these people benefit [i.e. from the books & tapes], but also they are not advised to enter into challenging [or very difficult] issues related to differences of opinion between the scholars; rather they entrust those affairs to the people of knowledge.

And whoever is a teacher – one who gives instructions in knowledge [nurturing others] or an Imaam of a Masjid in his city district or town- we advise him to be at the service of the people and that he takes those questions of theirs which he is able to answer and respond to them in his city district. And those questions that carry difference of opinion and requires investigation, he offers his services to the people by sending those questions to the people of knowledge and take answers from them. This is a good service with regards to the Muslim helping another Muslim. [paraphrased] [Listen to audio here: https://safeshare.tv/x/aIVf6vxUqh8#

All praise is due to Allaah, we have never claimed that we are students of knowledge nor do we stop the people from attending the study circles; rather all the Salafi Masaajid and Centres either have a resident student or a student who travels to them. This suffices as clarification, so that none claims or thinks that we are claiming to be what we are not. We post articles in this website to share Fawaa-id with our community, attend the duroos we can attend, benefit from the books and audios of the scholars and ask about that which is unclear to us. Finally, we have stated more than once what this website is for; see here once again: https://salaficentre.com/2016/09/new-clarification-reminder-regarding-purpose-website/

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

And thus We have sent to you (O Muhammad) Ruhan (an Inspiration, and a Mercy) of Our Command. You knew not what is the Book, nor what is Faith? But We have made it (this Qur’an) a light wherewith We guide whosoever of Our slaves We will. And verily, you (O Muhammad) are indeed guiding (mankind) to the Straight Path (i.e. Allah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism). The Path of Allah, to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. Verily, all the matters at the end go to Allah (for decision). [Surah Ash-Shooraa’ Aayaat 52-53]

Shaikh Saaleh Aala Ash-Shaikh [may Allaah preserve him] said: Not every Haafidh of the Qur’aan has this light, rather the one who understands the Qur’aan and is guided by it – the one who adheres to its ordainments, declares lawful what the Qur’aan declares lawful and declares unlawful what the Qur’aan declares unlawful – has light in his heart and clear-sightedness based on how much light he has.

[An Excerpt from ‘Sharh Muqaddimah Usool At-Tafseel Li-Shaikh Al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah’ pages 13-14. By Shaikh Saaleh Aala Ash-Shaikh. slightly paraphrased]

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Shaikh Uthaymeen [rahimahullaah] stated in Sharh Hilyati Taalibil Ilm- [see page 77 onwards, under the section:  كيفية الطلب والتلقي]- that a person should learn the Usool and establish his knowledge on sound Usool- the Qur’aan and the Sunnah etc. A person should not approach knowledge, whilst intending to acquire everything at once because that is not possible; rather one should acquire knowledge little by little. Likewise, one should not rely solely on books and his personal efforts, rather one should have a reliable Shaikh- one who is reliable in his understanding and is trustworthy- because the Shaikh who teaches you has already studied, taught, revised and understood. The Shaikh also mentioned that students have different abilities and some might be able to study more advanced books -under a Shaikh- than others. Likewise, the path followed in the path of seeking knowledge under the scholars vary depending where a person is residing and the method adopted by the scholars of that country.

[1] Aqeedah: Thalaathatul Usool, Qawaa’idul Arba’ah, Kash Ash-Shubuhaat, Kitaab At-Tawheed. Tawheed Al-Asmaa Was-Sifaat: Aqeedah Al-Waasitiyyah, then Al-Hamawiyyah and then At-Tadmuriyyah.

[2] Arabic Grammar: Al-Aajurroomiyyah, then Mulhatul I’raab’ by Al-Haraaree, then Qatr An-Nadaa’ by Ibn Hishaam and then Alfiya’ by Ibn Maalik with the explanation of Ibn Aqeel.

[3] Hadeeth: Arba’een of Imaam An-Nawawi, then Umdatul Ahkaam and then Buloogh Al-Maraam. Shaikh Uthaymeen [rahimahullaah] said he prefers that one limits himself [or herself] to Buloogh al Maraam because Umdatul Ahkaam enters Buloogh al Maraam-the majority of the ahaadeeth in Umdatul Ahkaam can be found in Buloogh Al-Maraam. If one is not able to memorise Buloogh al-Maraam, he [or she] has Umdatul Ahkaam because it is short and most of its ahaadeeth are found in Bukhaari and Muslim, so one is not burdened with checking their authenticity. Then one moves to Al-Muntaqaa’ by Ibn Taymiyyah, which is much bigger than Buloogh al-Maraam but weaker in its grading of the ahaadeeth found in it. Then one moves to the Ummahaat As-Sitta [Al-Bukhaari, Muslim, Abu Daawud, At-Tirmidhee, An-Nasaa’ee and Ibn Maajah].

[4] Mustalah: Nukhbatul Fikr and then Al-Fiyyah’ by Al-Iraaqee

[5] Fiqh: Aadaabul Mashee ilas Salaah’ by Shaikhul Islaam Muhammad Ibn Abdil Wahhaab [rahimahullaah], then Zaad Al-Mustaqni or Umdatul Fiqh, then Al-Muqni to study the difference of opinions in the madhaahib and further higher studies of this subject matter in Al-Mughnee. Order: Al-Umdah, then Al-Muqnee, then Al-Kaafee and then Al-Mughnee.

[6] Usool Al-Fiqh: Al-Waraqaat and then Rawdah An-Naadhir. But Shaikh Uthaymeen [rahmahullaah] said that there are other good and concise books on Usool al-Fiqh that can suffice a person.

[7] Tafseer: Ibn Katheer

[8] Usool At-Tafseer: Al-Muqaddimah’ by Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah

[9] Seerah: Mukhtasar Seerah An-Nabiy’ by Shaikhul Islaam Muhammad Ibn Abdil Wahhaab [rahimahullaah]. The source of this work is based on Ibn Hishaam’s work and Ibn Qayyim’s Zaadul Ma’aad. Zaadul Ma’aad -in particular- contains Fiqh in relation to the Seerah, in Tawheed and the deeds [acts of worship, dealings, manners, etiquetes etc] of the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam)]. [End of paraphrased quote]

For further benefits, see Sharh Hilyati Taalibil Ilm’ by Shaikh Uthaymeen [rahimahullaah]’ page 77 onwards]