Adorning Knowledge with Actions - Page 2

Faizah · **Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions -** 08-27-2007

The Indications of Beneficial Knowledge

Everything has its indications and signs. Indications that knowledge is beneficial are that it leads to fine character, good manners and praiseworthy attributes. In this regard it was said: "He whose knowledge doesnt cause him to weep, can be justifiably considered not to have been granted beneficial knowledge, since Allah (swt) described the people of knowledge saying:

"Say: Believe in it (the Qur'an) or do not believe. Verily! Those who were given knowledge before it, when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration. And they say: "Glory be to our Lord! Truly, the promise of our Lord must be fulfilled". And they fall down on their faces weeping and it adds to their humility." (17:107-9)

Thus knowledge carries its possessor towards humility, prostration, crying, calling oneself to account and truthfulness with Allah swt.

Indeed crying is the clearest sign and best proof of the knowledge one possesses and of a person's truthfulness. What is the benefit of knowledge a person learns, if it doesnt lead him to crying, humbleness, penitence and good dealings with the people?

Is not the possessor of knowledge one who knows most about his Lord swt? Has he not read about His Exalted, Perfect, Lofty Attributes that which causes his heart to humble and his eyes to shed tears?? Has he not read in the Book of Allah and in the sayings of the Messenger of Allah saw, texts pertaining to the Fire, the terror in the grave and the fearfula ccounts of the Resurrection because of which mountains are humbled out of the fear of Allah (swt)?

So compare your position to this - may Allah have mercy upon us - and dont forget that virtuous saying, "He who's knowledge doesnt cause him to weep, can be justifiably considered not to have been granted beneficial knowledge".

Faizah · **Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions -** 08-27-2007

A Call to Scholars and Students of Knowledge

I remind myself, and also advise you to have taqwa of Allah (swt). Before we commence with good actions, let us together answer a few important questions.

Are you from amongst those who are working in the field of hadith and its science?

Beware of busying yourself with the means at the expense of the goals. Do not spend your life gathering together all the different supporting chains of narrations and in doing so become oblivious of the intent behind it. In this regard, I would like to relate to you this short story, hoping that a lesson may be taken from it

On the authority of Hamzah al Kanaanee who say, "I gathered (1) a hadith of the Prophet (saw) from about two hundred different chains of narrations, which caused me great pleasure and satisfaction. I then saw Yahya ibn Ma'een (2) in a dream so I said, "O Abu Zakariyah, I gathered one hadith from two hundred different chains of narrations." So he remained silent for a while and then said, "I fear that this might fall under (the saying of Allah):

"The mutual rivalry for piling up of wordly things diverts you". (102:1)

(Siyar A'laam an-Nubalaa - adh-Dhahabi, vol.16, p.108)

Do not neglect acting in accordance with these texts, for you were not created so that it may be said, "you gathered this knowledge, checked that book, authored this and did that..."

You may busy yourself gathering a particular hadith, studying its chain of narrators and its text, moving from one book to another, trying to get to the correct position. Slow down, may Allah have mercy upon you, and ask: What would this hadith teach me, if it were authentic? What is its meaning and what is it directing to? Is it directing towards a superogatory action, already proven by many other authentic texts - you being amongst those who regard it as authentic?

Before you gather this hadith, turn to the already gathered, authenticated hadiths that direct you towards obligatory actions you haven't yet acted upon. Be eager to spend your time doing that which has been made obligatory upon you before anything else.

Ask yourself before you check a book or gather the ahadith in it: "Has anybody preceded me in this? Is he better than me, or as good as me at this?" If so, dont undertake this work, as you will be held to account for wasting time and following your desires.

Are you from those that teach the rulings of Qur'aanic recital?

Do not spend your time teaching these rulings while forgetting for what purpose the Qur'an was revealed! Beware of neglecting acitng upon the contents of these verses that you read. Here you are teaching your student how to correctly recite Surah al Falaq. In teaching the verse:

"And from the evil of the envier when he envies" (113:5)

your only concern should not be to teach the correct pronunciation of the verse. Rather you must also consider the content of the verse, that the envious person is of the companions of evil, of those that anger Allah swt and please the shaytaan, so you seek refuge in Allah from this evil. Then you should cry because of the envy you may have of your Muslim brothers and make full effort to purify yourself of this illness with all that you have been granted of strength.

Further, it is shameful that there should be any emnity between you and your peers, those who have specialised to teach this noble knowledge.

Are not the verses that you study and recite enough to bring together even the best of people? Not to mention other than them? So why the enmity? Or is it just striving after fame and leadership?

O people of the Qur'an, who will come together in harmony if you people do not? Who will devote faithfully to Allah, if you fail to do so? The ignorant and ordinary folk? The open transgressors and sinners?

Worthy it is that you bring the hearts together by the permission of Allah - and not that your hearts remain diverse, for there is in the Qur'an that which unites the hearts, purifies the souls and guides to all righteousness.

Finally, I would like to remind you of the saying of the Messenger (saw), "The best among you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it". (Ahmad in Musnad, al Bukhari, Eng. trans. vol.6, p. 501, hadith no. 545). So be from amongst the best in knowledge, actions and manners. May Allah swt grant us success in doing all good.

As for the students of knowledge, do not let the gaining of a certificate turn your attention from the correct study, beneficial knowledge and righteous actions. Do not let achieving good grades and passing the academic year be the height of your concerns. Place the fear of Allah in your hearts and enver ever forget the goal of the concious Muslim, the objective of the repenting worshipper and true believer.

(1) The reference here is to the science of takhreej ul hadith.

(2) Imam an-Nasa'i said about Yahya ibn Ma'een, "Abu Zakariya, the reliable the trustworty, one of the Imams of hadith.." Yahya ibn Ma'een said, "I wrote with my own hands, one million hadith". Ali ibn Madini said, "We do not know of anyone, since the time of Aadam, that wrote hadith the like of what Yahya ibn Ma'een wrote." He also said, "The knowledge of all the people ended at Yahya ibn Ma'een." Imam Ahmad said, "Yahya ibn Ma'een is the most knowledgeable of us regarding narrators of hadith". He died in the year 233H may Allah have meryc upon him. Taken from Tadhkirat al Huffadh, by Imam adh-Dhahabi, vol.3, p.429-430.

Faizah · **Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions -** 08-27-2007

A Call to the Du'aat and the Imaams of the Masajid

O inviters to Allah's path, strive towards beneficial knowledge and righteous actions and do not forget to set good examples with fine character for actions speak louder than words.

The people most likely to be affected by you, are your parents, the people of your household and your children. (1) Is this influence found in you or not? Look at your behaviour and your character, and compare it to the behaviour of the true, sincere teacher, acting upon his knowledge. Until when, my respected brother, will you continue energetically giving da'wah to the people, yet forgetting your family and children? Until when, may Allah have mercy upon you, will you pursue giving da'wah, going here and there, then return back late at night, only to sleep. A person in your situation should not neglect the saying of Allah swt:

"O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern and severe, who disobey not, from executing the commands they receive from Allah but do that which they are commanded". (66:6)

Do not undertake giving lectures and lessons without thorough preparation, as your role is one of great importance, so don't take it lightly. Is it not sad to see that a da'ee (ie inviter to Allah's path, one who gives da'wah) goes to his lecture not knowing what he will say?

Do not hasten to give fatawa without verification, for passing rulings without knowledge is a great sin and its punishment is severe.

Do not relate a hadith unless you know that the people of knowledge have ruled in favour of its authenticity.

As for you, O Imams of Masajid, everybody's eyes are on you, so act in accordance with the responsibility you have been given, in knowledge, action and da'wah having patience upon any harm the people may cause you. Certainly, a cause for grief is that an Imam recites the Book of Allah swt, not being proficient in the rules of Qur'anic recital. It is sad indeed that an Imam who has been designated solely to lead the Prayers, having no other occupation but this, fails to master his work!

How do you spend your spare time that Allah swt will soon ask you about?

How can you be pleased with praying in a manner other than that of the Messenger of Allah (saw). So for example, you prostrate, leaving the space of two hand spands between your feet. Is it not to your advantage, may Allah have mercy upon you, that you take some moments out of the hours that you trifle away and learn that the Prophet (saw) used to "join his heels together" (at-Tahawi, Ibn Khuzaymah, Hakim declared it authentic and adh-Dhahabi agreed) in prostration?

Is it not an obligation upon you to spend some of your time in knowledge in order that you may answer the people's questions? Enough of answering questions with general texts, to conceal your ignorance of the proofs and your lack of understanding of most issues, may Allah guide us all.

It suffices you to say "the religion is ease", and under this banner you pass rulings which are just not permissible.

(1) Maybe some of them are not affected by you because of being taken over by desires, or because of heedlessness on their part, but what I am alluding to here is that the manners of the inviter to Allah's path should not be a cause in averting his loved one's and his relatives, as far as he is able to prevent that.

Faizah · **Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions -** 08-27-2007

A Call to Authors and Book Publishers

As for you, O authors and writers! Your main concern should not be authoring books and writing, less this be a proof against you in front of Allah swt. Write about those topics you feel will benefit your own selves as well as your Muslim brothers, and your Ummah, taking heed not to turn knowledge into a business through which you seek this wordly life.

Maybe you write, explain or check works related to the topic of jealousy, or righteousness to parents, the love of Allah, or taqwa. Your role is indeed a great one, but you are the first person that should take benefit from these texts. So ask yourself: "Have I purified myself from jealousy?" Who is it that you envy and why? Do not have a good opinion about your own self. That self which urges you towards evil. Reproach yourself so that you may be savd and hurry to seek treatment for yourself with repentence to Allah swt, before you complete your composition. This shoul be your affair with every piece of writing and explanation, every checking and every book that you work on.

Is it not disgraceful that an author spends months on a book, knowing that somebody else has already written its like, or similar to it, or has done a much better job than him. Where is the fear of Allah with regard to this time spent, that Allah swt will soon ask him about on the Day of Resurrection?

Do you find it acceptable, may Allah have mercy upon you, that you spend years preparing a thesis in order to gain a major certificate, researching a "particle" of the Arabic language?

Or do you deem it proper that you expend years writing about a particular personality, knowledge of whom is no benefit to the Muslims.

How can you be pleased with yourself, that you waste several years in writing about issues which do not lead to righteous actions nor to the abandonment of evil actions?

How do you permit yourself to quote from somebody, without ascribing that to whome you quoted from, or mentioning the book that you took from?

* Is it that you pretend to possess what you do not have? How is it that you, while being one who puts himself forward to teach the people, neglect the saying of the Messenger (saw), "The one who pretends that he has been given what he has not, is like the one who wears two garments of falsehood". (al Bukhari, Eng. trans. vol.7 no.146; Muslim, Eng. trans. vol.3, p.1167, no.5313; and others).

* Or is it out of jealousy on your part that you hide that which should not be hidden? Did not your writings, lectures and admonitions lead you to remove and mitigate this jealousy? Whereas the Messenger of Allah swt says in this regard, "Two things can never unite in the heart of any true worshipper: faith and jealousy". (part of a hadith reported by Ahmad in his Musnad, and an-Nasa'i. Sahih an-Nasa'i, no.2912, reported by Abu Hurayrah ra). * Or do you see it as a love for prominence, reputation and showing off? Was the saying of the scholars hidden from you: "The blessing of knowledge is in ascribing it to he who mentioned it"? So as a result of this, the blessing was removed and destruction justified.

As for you O book publishers! Fear Allah your Lord, the Most High. It is not befitting that one among you should print and distribute many books, not knowing whether or not they are beneficial and worthy, except through hearsay, or due to their high demand.

Indeed your very self, my brother publisher, has more priority in being benefitted by this good. So give your attention to reading a beneficial book, contemplating its meaning and hurry towards acting upon it. This is worthier than busying yourself printing a second, third.. ninth book, for "that which is little yet suffices is better than that which is abundant but causes distraction". (part of a hadith mentioned in full in chapter 19).

Beware from having that which your printed come as a proof against you on the Day of Resurrection because of what it contains, of orders you have not fulfilled, and prohibitions you have not abstained from.

Also, take heed from printing that which is of no benefit and from distributing that which contains misguidance. Do not let the Shaytan play around with you through his rulings, making halal for you that which Allah sanctioned as haram, out of love for wealth and seeking its gain.

Stay well away from books which have been stolen, whether it be from the authors or from other publishing houses, as the blessing is removed by such a practice. Moreover, transgressing the rights of creation is a dangerous path to tread, and its repercussions are severe.

Examine yourselves: Are you gaining closeness to Allah swt while continuing in printing and distributing? Or do you feel preoccupied, heedless of Allah swt?

Try to strike a balance as much as is possible, between purifying yourselves and increasing in spreading knowledge.

Yet as I have already said, and I will continue saying, "Don't forget yourselves, before everything else".

Faizah · **Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions -** 08-27-2007

A Call to Businessmen

As for you, O businessmen! Fear Allah swt with regard to yourselves, and do not sell your Hereafter in return for your wordly life. Have you paid off those debts, the owners of which are urging you to repay, before venturing into another business deal? before expanding into new projects, have you fulfilled all the rights in connection ot previous ones?

Do you not know that you are gathering sins for the sake of something superificial and temporary? What will you wealth do for you on

"The day when neither wealth nor sons will avail Except for him who brings to Allah a clean heart" (26:88-9)

How strange it is to see someone who has enough wealth to suffice himself, his family qand his offspring, probably for thousands of years if they were to live that long, spending his time greedily running after shortlived vanities and by that missing most congregational prayers and many obligations.

Remember, whilst you act in this manner the saying of the Messenger (saw)

"Never does the sun rise without two angels having been sent at either side of it, calling out, causing all the inhabitants of the eath to hear except humans beings and jinns, "O People! Draw near to your Lord (by spending in chairty) for that which is little yet suffices is better than that which is abundant but causes distraction". Never does the sun set without two angels having been sent at either side of it calling out, causing all the inhabitants of the earth to hear except human beings and jinns, "O Allah! grant succession (of wealth) to he who spends (in charity) and grant ruin to he who holds back his wealth" (Ahmad, Ibn Hibbaan)

Faizah · **Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions -** 08-27-2007

Words of Wisdom from the Book Iqtidaa' ul-'Ilm il-'Amal

* "Knowledge is like a father and action is like a child. Knowledge goes with action as narrating goes with understanding."

* "Do not feel satisfied with action, while being desolate of knowledge and do not feel satisfied with knowledge, whilst being heedless of actions. Rather, combine the two, even if your share of either may be meagre. A little of this, with a little of that is safer in the outcome, If Allah bestows His Mercy, and completes His favour upon His slave..."

* "Knowledge leads to action, just as action leads to salvation. So if the action is less than the knowledge, the scholar's knowledge is a burden upon him". (3)

* "Just as wealth has no benefit unless it is spent, knowledge does not benefit except one who acts upon it and observes its obligations".

* Knowledge is one of the pleasures of the world, yet if it is acted upon, it becomes for the Hereafter".

* "There are two tyrannies in the world: the tyranny of knowledge and the tyranny of wealth. What saves you from the tyranny of knowledge is worship, and what saves you from tyranny of wealth is renouncing it".

* "Whenever you intend to be honoured with knowledge, be attributed to it, and be of its people, before giving knowledge its full rights upon you, otherwise its light will be concealed from you and all that will remain on you is its outward illumination. That knowledge is against you, not for you because knowledge directs towards its application, so if it is not applied appropriately, its blessings are removed."

* "The best knowledge is that which benefits, and Allah only causes knowledge to benefit a person when he acts upon it once having learnt it and he does not cause it to benefit the person that leaves it after having learnt it".

* Knowledge without action is like a tree without fruit".

* "You are now in the preliminary world, in front of you are two places of abode, out of which you must live in one of. You have not been given assurance of protection, causing you to feel safe. Nor have you been granted acquittal, causing you to slacken".

* "If I were to know with full certaintythat all of my life was but an hour,Why should I not renounce itand dedicate it to righteousness and obedience".

* "You are submerged in careless hope,the time of death you do not know of. Do not be fooled by good health.for it is from the most painful of illnessesEvery soul is by its day.In the morning all hope will be removed.So act with good deeds and work hardBefore you are prevented from acting"

* Ibn Mas'ud (ra) said, "Learn, learn, and once you have learnt, act". (hasan isnad , no.13)

* Abu Hurayrah (ra) said, "The example of knowledge not acted upon is that of a treasure none of which is spent in the way of Allah the Mighty and Majestic".

* az-Zuhri said, "The people will never be pleased with the statement of a scholar who does not act, nor of a person who acts but has no knowledge". (hasan isnad, no.12)

* "Whoever sought knowledge, intending the knowledge alone (ie without action), would not benefit by it. Yet whoever sought knowledge intending to act upon it, would benefit, even by a little knowledge".

* "Knowledge rests upon action, action rests upon sincerity, and sincerity to Allah brings about understanding of Allah the Mighty and Majestic".

* "Whoever seeks knowledge in order to act upon it will be humbled by his knowledge but whoever seeks it for other than that, will be increased by it in arrogance".

* "The time will soon come, if you live long, that knowledge will become a source of beautification, just as a person beautifies himself with a garment".

* "If Allah grants you knowledge, in return worship Him and do not make your goal merely narrating to the people".

* "The scholar remains ignorant with regard to what he has learnt until he acts according to it, and only then does he become a true scholar".

* "The knowledge of the hypocrite is in his speech, yet the knowledge of the believer is in his actions".

* "Act upon your knowledge, O man, and you will profit, for knowledge does not benefit unless one is proficient in action. Knowledge is a beauty, the taqwa of Allah being its ornation, and the pious are busy with the knowledge they possess/ Learn, and then act, as much as you are able to, and do not let amusement nor arguing distract you. Teach the people and always intend to benefit them, and beware! Beware of weariness befalling you."

* "Whoever speaks good things yet acts unrighteously, Allah does not accept his good speech. Whereas he who speaks good things and works righteous acts, his speech is raised by his good deeds. That is because Allah swt says:

"To Him ascend the goodly word, and the righteous action raises it". (35:10)

* "Knowledge is the tool of action. So if a person spends his whole life gaining knowledge, when will he act?!"

* "Regardless of what knowledge passes you, do not let acting upon what you already know pass you".

* "Whoever does not look into Allah's right upon him with regards to his knowledge, that knowledge is a proof against you and its result is evil".

* "If knowledge is not acted upon it becomes a proof against you and you are not granted an excuse for the knowledge you possess, So if you have realised this fact, also realise,That the proof of a man's speech is in his actions."

* One scholar said, "O how I wish I could gain salvation from my knowledge, it neither being for me nor against me".

* "If knowledge does not benefit you, it will harm you"

* "There is no good in seeking to gain more knowledge, without having acted upon what you have already learnt, for the example of this person is that of one who gathers firewood and then ties them ready to carry. Yet once finding himself unable to do so, adds another to the bundle".

* "For how long will I continue seeking knowledge,affectionately gathering with every eagerness,seeking to learn every type of it and every fieldyet not acting upon a thing of it. If the seeker of knowledge does not act upon what he knows,he is a wretched servant. Indeed knowledge is only of benefit for hewho acts upon it and is pious".

* "I certainly regard that a person forgets what he used to know because of a sin he commits".

* "Indeed if the scholar does not act, his admonitions fail to affect the hearts, just like the rain slides off a smooth rock".

* "The example of an evil scholar is that of a large rock which blocks a canal. Neither does it drink from the water, nor does it allow the water to pass, giving life to the trees. So if only the evil scholars advised the servants of Allah saying, "O worshippers of Allah! Listen to what we tell you of your Prophet (saw), and your righteous predecessors, and act upon that. Do not look at these poor actions of ours, as we are a people in trial". They would have, by this, advised the people correctly. Yet they want to call the people towards their bad actions, causing them to act similarly."

* "A corrupt reciter (of the Qur'an) is more feared by me than a corrupt man who is open with his corruption, as the latter is the less deceiving of the two".

* One scholar said: " Indeed the Qur'an was revealed to be acted upon, but the people took its reciting as a vocation. At that it was asked, "What is acting upon it? " So he replied, "Accepting as halal what is mentioned in it as halal, and as haraam what is mentioned as haram. To act upon its orders, abstain from all it prohibits and to ponder over its wonders".

* It has been said with regard to saying of Allah the Most High

"(they) recite it as it should be recited". (2:121)

"They follow it as it should be followed, acting upon it". (3)

* If Allah intends good for a servant he opens for him the door of action and closes for him the door of argumentation. Whereas if Allah intends for a servant evil (4), He opens for him the door of argumentation, and closes for him the door of action".

* "We used to seek aid in memorising the hadeeths by acting upon them".

* "You may meet a man not finding one mistake in his speech yet his actions may be completely at fault."

* We have not ben given ignorance but weHide the face of knowledge through ignoranceWe detest making mistakes in our speechYet we do not care about making mistakes in our actions.

* And you will not possess on the Day of ResurrectionOther than what you ascertained before deathIf you do not sow the seeds and the harvest approaches youYou will regret not having done so when the time was right.

* When you find yourself in need of provisionsYou will not find provisions the like of righteous actions

* One of the scholars saw his neighbours wandering aimlessly, so he asked them, "What is the amtter with you?" They replied, "We have finished our duties of the day." So he said, "And is this what the one with no duties has been ordered with?"

* "The people who will be most accountable on the Day of Resurrection will be the healthy ones who had free time".

* "Take advantage of your spare time by engaging in prayersFor maybe your death will come suddenlySo many a healthy person you may have seenHis life snatched away from him unexpectedly."

* Some people invited a man to eat with them who in turn said, "I am fasting". They said to him, "Break your fast today and instead fast tomorrow". So he said, "And who will guarantee my living tomorrow?".

* It was said to a scholar, "Advise us". So he said, "Beware of saying "soon"."

* Beware of procrastination overcoming you and taking over your heart for verily it is the cause of fatigue and wastefulness. Due to it, aspirations are severed and amidst it, death is met.

Faizah · **Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions -** 08-27-2007

EPILOGUE

This is all that Allah swt granted me the ability to write. I hope that it will be a source of guidance to its writer as well as its reader. As I hope that it will be an incentive for them towards action and sincerity in accordance to the Prophetic Way and correct knowledge. Verily He, the Most High, is the All Hearer, the All Answerer. Our final supplication is that all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.

(1) tr. "The Need Knowledge has of Action".

(2) I have removed the names that the sayings were attributed to fearing inauthenticity in the original attribution, except where the authenticity is established. Some statements have also been slightly abridged.

(3) Ibn Kathir mentions in his Tafsir, "If the reciter reaches mention of paradise, he beseeches Allah the Most High to grant him Paradise. If he reaches mention of the Fire, he seeks refuge with Allah the Most High from it." He also mentions, "Abu al 'Aliyah said, Ibn Mas'ud (ra) said, "By Him, in Who's Hand is my soul, reciting it as it should be recited is to consider its halal as halal and its haram as haram. To recite it as Allah revealed it without distorting its words, not falsely explaining its intended meanings."

(4) Once the servant has decided to follow such a path, Allah the Most High, allows him to take such a path.

Silver Pearl · **Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions -** 08-28-2007

May Allaah reward you for your efforts and May Allaah have mercy upon those who have read this work and have taken on the advice.

Rabbee zidni 3ilm!

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	(#16 (permalink))
Faizah al-Athariyyah Status: Offline Posts: 7,580 Reputation: 31261 Rep Power: 68 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: ~ Daar as-Sa'aadah ~ Gender: Way of Life: Muslim	Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions - 08-27-2007 The Indications of Beneficial Knowledge Everything has its indications and signs. Indications that knowledge is beneficial are that it leads to fine character, good manners and praiseworthy attributes. In this regard it was said: "He whose knowledge doesnt cause him to weep, can be justifiably considered not to have been granted beneficial knowledge, since Allah (swt) described the people of knowledge saying: "Say: Believe in it (the Qur'an) or do not believe. Verily! Those who were given knowledge before it, when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration. And they say: "Glory be to our Lord! Truly, the promise of our Lord must be fulfilled". And they fall down on their faces weeping and it adds to their humility." (17:107-9) Thus knowledge carries its possessor towards humility, prostration, crying, calling oneself to account and truthfulness with Allah swt. Indeed crying is the clearest sign and best proof of the knowledge one possesses and of a person's truthfulness. What is the benefit of knowledge a person learns, if it doesnt lead him to crying, humbleness, penitence and good dealings with the people? Is not the possessor of knowledge one who knows most about his Lord swt? Has he not read about His Exalted, Perfect, Lofty Attributes that which causes his heart to humble and his eyes to shed tears?? Has he not read in the Book of Allah and in the sayings of the Messenger of Allah saw, texts pertaining to the Fire, the terror in the grave and the fearfula ccounts of the Resurrection because of which mountains are humbled out of the fear of Allah (swt)? So compare your position to this - may Allah have mercy upon us - and dont forget that virtuous saying, "He who's knowledge doesnt cause him to weep, can be justifiably considered not to have been granted beneficial knowledge". __________________

	(#17 (permalink))
Faizah al-Athariyyah Status: Offline Posts: 7,580 Reputation: 31261 Rep Power: 68 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: ~ Daar as-Sa'aadah ~ Gender: Way of Life: Muslim	Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions - 08-27-2007 A Call to Scholars and Students of Knowledge I remind myself, and also advise you to have taqwa of Allah (swt). Before we commence with good actions, let us together answer a few important questions. Are you from amongst those who are working in the field of hadith and its science? Beware of busying yourself with the means at the expense of the goals. Do not spend your life gathering together all the different supporting chains of narrations and in doing so become oblivious of the intent behind it. In this regard, I would like to relate to you this short story, hoping that a lesson may be taken from it On the authority of Hamzah al Kanaanee who say, "I gathered (1) a hadith of the Prophet (saw) from about two hundred different chains of narrations, which caused me great pleasure and satisfaction. I then saw Yahya ibn Ma'een (2) in a dream so I said, "O Abu Zakariyah, I gathered one hadith from two hundred different chains of narrations." So he remained silent for a while and then said, "I fear that this might fall under (the saying of Allah): "The mutual rivalry for piling up of wordly things diverts you". (102:1) (Siyar A'laam an-Nubalaa - adh-Dhahabi, vol.16, p.108) Do not neglect acting in accordance with these texts, for you were not created so that it may be said, "you gathered this knowledge, checked that book, authored this and did that..." You may busy yourself gathering a particular hadith, studying its chain of narrators and its text, moving from one book to another, trying to get to the correct position. Slow down, may Allah have mercy upon you, and ask: What would this hadith teach me, if it were authentic? What is its meaning and what is it directing to? Is it directing towards a superogatory action, already proven by many other authentic texts - you being amongst those who regard it as authentic? Before you gather this hadith, turn to the already gathered, authenticated hadiths that direct you towards obligatory actions you haven't yet acted upon. Be eager to spend your time doing that which has been made obligatory upon you before anything else. Ask yourself before you check a book or gather the ahadith in it: "Has anybody preceded me in this? Is he better than me, or as good as me at this?" If so, dont undertake this work, as you will be held to account for wasting time and following your desires. Are you from those that teach the rulings of Qur'aanic recital? Do not spend your time teaching these rulings while forgetting for what purpose the Qur'an was revealed! Beware of neglecting acitng upon the contents of these verses that you read. Here you are teaching your student how to correctly recite Surah al Falaq. In teaching the verse: "And from the evil of the envier when he envies" (113:5) your only concern should not be to teach the correct pronunciation of the verse. Rather you must also consider the content of the verse, that the envious person is of the companions of evil, of those that anger Allah swt and please the shaytaan, so you seek refuge in Allah from this evil. Then you should cry because of the envy you may have of your Muslim brothers and make full effort to purify yourself of this illness with all that you have been granted of strength. Further, it is shameful that there should be any emnity between you and your peers, those who have specialised to teach this noble knowledge. Are not the verses that you study and recite enough to bring together even the best of people? Not to mention other than them? So why the enmity? Or is it just striving after fame and leadership? O people of the Qur'an, who will come together in harmony if you people do not? Who will devote faithfully to Allah, if you fail to do so? The ignorant and ordinary folk? The open transgressors and sinners? Worthy it is that you bring the hearts together by the permission of Allah - and not that your hearts remain diverse, for there is in the Qur'an that which unites the hearts, purifies the souls and guides to all righteousness. Finally, I would like to remind you of the saying of the Messenger (saw), *"The best among you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it".* (Ahmad in Musnad, al Bukhari, Eng. trans. vol.6, p. 501, hadith no. 545). So be from amongst the best in knowledge, actions and manners. May Allah swt grant us success in doing all good. As for the students of knowledge, do not let the gaining of a certificate turn your attention from the correct study, beneficial knowledge and righteous actions. Do not let achieving good grades and passing the academic year be the height of your concerns. Place the fear of Allah in your hearts and enver ever forget the goal of the concious Muslim, the objective of the repenting worshipper and true believer. (1) The reference here is to the science of takhreej ul hadith. (2) Imam an-Nasa'i said about Yahya ibn Ma'een, "Abu Zakariya, the reliable the trustworty, one of the Imams of hadith.." Yahya ibn Ma'een said, "I wrote with my own hands, one million hadith". Ali ibn Madini said, "We do not know of anyone, since the time of Aadam, that wrote hadith the like of what Yahya ibn Ma'een wrote." He also said, "The knowledge of all the people ended at Yahya ibn Ma'een." Imam Ahmad said, "Yahya ibn Ma'een is the most knowledgeable of us regarding narrators of hadith". He died in the year 233H may Allah have meryc upon him. Taken from Tadhkirat al Huffadh, by Imam adh-Dhahabi, vol.3, p.429-430. __________________

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Faizah al-Athariyyah Status: Offline Posts: 7,580 Reputation: 31261 Rep Power: 68 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: ~ Daar as-Sa'aadah ~ Gender: Way of Life: Muslim	Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions - 08-27-2007 A Call to the Du'aat and the Imaams of the Masajid O inviters to Allah's path, strive towards beneficial knowledge and righteous actions and do not forget to set good examples with fine character for actions speak louder than words. The people most likely to be affected by you, are your parents, the people of your household and your children. (1) Is this influence found in you or not? Look at your behaviour and your character, and compare it to the behaviour of the true, sincere teacher, acting upon his knowledge. Until when, my respected brother, will you continue energetically giving da'wah to the people, yet forgetting your family and children? Until when, may Allah have mercy upon you, will you pursue giving da'wah, going here and there, then return back late at night, only to sleep. A person in your situation should not neglect the saying of Allah swt: "O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern and severe, who disobey not, from executing the commands they receive from Allah but do that which they are commanded". (66:6) Do not undertake giving lectures and lessons without thorough preparation, as your role is one of great importance, so don't take it lightly. Is it not sad to see that a da'ee (ie inviter to Allah's path, one who gives da'wah) goes to his lecture not knowing what he will say? Do not hasten to give fatawa without verification, for passing rulings without knowledge is a great sin and its punishment is severe. Do not relate a hadith unless you know that the people of knowledge have ruled in favour of its authenticity. As for you, O Imams of Masajid, everybody's eyes are on you, so act in accordance with the responsibility you have been given, in knowledge, action and da'wah having patience upon any harm the people may cause you. Certainly, a cause for grief is that an Imam recites the Book of Allah swt, not being proficient in the rules of Qur'anic recital. It is sad indeed that an Imam who has been designated solely to lead the Prayers, having no other occupation but this, fails to master his work! How do you spend your spare time that Allah swt will soon ask you about? How can you be pleased with praying in a manner other than that of the Messenger of Allah (saw). So for example, you prostrate, leaving the space of two hand spands between your feet. Is it not to your advantage, may Allah have mercy upon you, that you take some moments out of the hours that you trifle away and learn that the Prophet (saw) used to "join his heels together" (at-Tahawi, Ibn Khuzaymah, Hakim declared it authentic and adh-Dhahabi agreed) in prostration? Is it not an obligation upon you to spend some of your time in knowledge in order that you may answer the people's questions? Enough of answering questions with general texts, to conceal your ignorance of the proofs and your lack of understanding of most issues, may Allah guide us all. It suffices you to say "the religion is ease", and under this banner you pass rulings which are just not permissible. (1) Maybe some of them are not affected by you because of being taken over by desires, or because of heedlessness on their part, but what I am alluding to here is that the manners of the inviter to Allah's path should not be a cause in averting his loved one's and his relatives, as far as he is able to prevent that. __________________

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Faizah al-Athariyyah Status: Offline Posts: 7,580 Reputation: 31261 Rep Power: 68 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: ~ Daar as-Sa'aadah ~ Gender: Way of Life: Muslim	Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions - 08-27-2007 A Call to Authors and Book Publishers As for you, O authors and writers! Your main concern should not be authoring books and writing, less this be a proof against you in front of Allah swt. Write about those topics you feel will benefit your own selves as well as your Muslim brothers, and your Ummah, taking heed not to turn knowledge into a business through which you seek this wordly life. Maybe you write, explain or check works related to the topic of jealousy, or righteousness to parents, the love of Allah, or taqwa. Your role is indeed a great one, but you are the first person that should take benefit from these texts. So ask yourself: "Have I purified myself from jealousy?" Who is it that you envy and why? Do not have a good opinion about your own self. That self which urges you towards evil. Reproach yourself so that you may be savd and hurry to seek treatment for yourself with repentence to Allah swt, before you complete your composition. This shoul be your affair with every piece of writing and explanation, every checking and every book that you work on. Is it not disgraceful that an author spends months on a book, knowing that somebody else has already written its like, or similar to it, or has done a much better job than him. Where is the fear of Allah with regard to this time spent, that Allah swt will soon ask him about on the Day of Resurrection? Do you find it acceptable, may Allah have mercy upon you, that you spend years preparing a thesis in order to gain a major certificate, researching a "particle" of the Arabic language? Or do you deem it proper that you expend years writing about a particular personality, knowledge of whom is no benefit to the Muslims. How can you be pleased with yourself, that you waste several years in writing about issues which do not lead to righteous actions nor to the abandonment of evil actions? How do you permit yourself to quote from somebody, without ascribing that to whome you quoted from, or mentioning the book that you took from? * Is it that you pretend to possess what you do not have? How is it that you, while being one who puts himself forward to teach the people, neglect the saying of the Messenger (saw), *"The one who pretends that he has been given what he has not, is like the one who wears two garments of falsehood".* (al Bukhari, Eng. trans. vol.7 no.146; Muslim, Eng. trans. vol.3, p.1167, no.5313; and others). * Or is it out of jealousy on your part that you hide that which should not be hidden? Did not your writings, lectures and admonitions lead you to remove and mitigate this jealousy? Whereas the Messenger of Allah swt says in this regard, *"Two things can never unite in the heart of any true worshipper: faith and jealousy".* (part of a hadith reported by Ahmad in his Musnad, and an-Nasa'i. Sahih an-Nasa'i, no.2912, reported by Abu Hurayrah ra). * Or do you see it as a love for prominence, reputation and showing off? Was the saying of the scholars hidden from you: "The blessing of knowledge is in ascribing it to he who mentioned it"? So as a result of this, the blessing was removed and destruction justified. As for you O book publishers! Fear Allah your Lord, the Most High. It is not befitting that one among you should print and distribute many books, not knowing whether or not they are beneficial and worthy, except through hearsay, or due to their high demand. Indeed your very self, my brother publisher, has more priority in being benefitted by this good. So give your attention to reading a beneficial book, contemplating its meaning and hurry towards acting upon it. This is worthier than busying yourself printing a second, third.. ninth book, for *"that which is little yet suffices is better than that which is abundant but causes distraction".* (part of a hadith mentioned in full in chapter 19). Beware from having that which your printed come as a proof against you on the Day of Resurrection because of what it contains, of orders you have not fulfilled, and prohibitions you have not abstained from. Also, take heed from printing that which is of no benefit and from distributing that which contains misguidance. Do not let the Shaytan play around with you through his rulings, making halal for you that which Allah sanctioned as haram, out of love for wealth and seeking its gain. Stay well away from books which have been stolen, whether it be from the authors or from other publishing houses, as the blessing is removed by such a practice. Moreover, transgressing the rights of creation is a dangerous path to tread, and its repercussions are severe. Examine yourselves: Are you gaining closeness to Allah swt while continuing in printing and distributing? Or do you feel preoccupied, heedless of Allah swt? Try to strike a balance as much as is possible, between purifying yourselves and increasing in spreading knowledge. Yet as I have already said, and I will continue saying, "Don't forget yourselves, before everything else". __________________

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Faizah al-Athariyyah Status: Offline Posts: 7,580 Reputation: 31261 Rep Power: 68 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: ~ Daar as-Sa'aadah ~ Gender: Way of Life: Muslim	Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions - 08-27-2007 A Call to Businessmen As for you, O businessmen! Fear Allah swt with regard to yourselves, and do not sell your Hereafter in return for your wordly life. Have you paid off those debts, the owners of which are urging you to repay, before venturing into another business deal? before expanding into new projects, have you fulfilled all the rights in connection ot previous ones? Do you not know that you are gathering sins for the sake of something superificial and temporary? What will you wealth do for you on "The day when neither wealth nor sons will avail Except for him who brings to Allah a clean heart" (26:88-9) How strange it is to see someone who has enough wealth to suffice himself, his family qand his offspring, probably for thousands of years if they were to live that long, spending his time greedily running after shortlived vanities and by that missing most congregational prayers and many obligations. Remember, whilst you act in this manner the saying of the Messenger (saw) "Never does the sun rise without two angels having been sent at either side of it, calling out, causing all the inhabitants of the eath to hear except humans beings and jinns, "O People! Draw near to your Lord (by spending in chairty) for that which is little yet suffices is better than that which is abundant but causes distraction". Never does the sun set without two angels having been sent at either side of it calling out, causing all the inhabitants of the earth to hear except human beings and jinns, "O Allah! grant succession (of wealth) to he who spends (in charity) and grant ruin to he who holds back his wealth" (Ahmad, Ibn Hibbaan) __________________

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Faizah al-Athariyyah Status: Offline Posts: 7,580 Reputation: 31261 Rep Power: 68 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: ~ Daar as-Sa'aadah ~ Gender: Way of Life: Muslim	Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions - 08-27-2007 Words of Wisdom from the Book Iqtidaa' ul-'Ilm il-'Amal * "Knowledge is like a father and action is like a child. Knowledge goes with action as narrating goes with understanding." * "Do not feel satisfied with action, while being desolate of knowledge and do not feel satisfied with knowledge, whilst being heedless of actions. Rather, combine the two, even if your share of either may be meagre. A little of this, with a little of that is safer in the outcome, If Allah bestows His Mercy, and completes His favour upon His slave..." * "Knowledge leads to action, just as action leads to salvation. So if the action is less than the knowledge, the scholar's knowledge is a burden upon him". (3) * "Just as wealth has no benefit unless it is spent, knowledge does not benefit except one who acts upon it and observes its obligations". * Knowledge is one of the pleasures of the world, yet if it is acted upon, it becomes for the Hereafter". * "There are two tyrannies in the world: the tyranny of knowledge and the tyranny of wealth. What saves you from the tyranny of knowledge is worship, and what saves you from tyranny of wealth is renouncing it". * "Whenever you intend to be honoured with knowledge, be attributed to it, and be of its people, before giving knowledge its full rights upon you, otherwise its light will be concealed from you and all that will remain on you is its outward illumination. That knowledge is against you, not for you because knowledge directs towards its application, so if it is not applied appropriately, its blessings are removed." * "The best knowledge is that which benefits, and Allah only causes knowledge to benefit a person when he acts upon it once having learnt it and he does not cause it to benefit the person that leaves it after having learnt it". * Knowledge without action is like a tree without fruit". * "You are now in the preliminary world, in front of you are two places of abode, out of which you must live in one of. You have not been given assurance of protection, causing you to feel safe. Nor have you been granted acquittal, causing you to slacken". * "If I were to know with full certaintythat all of my life was but an hour,Why should I not renounce itand dedicate it to righteousness and obedience". * "You are submerged in careless hope,the time of death you do not know of. Do not be fooled by good health.for it is from the most painful of illnessesEvery soul is by its day.In the morning all hope will be removed.So act with good deeds and work hardBefore you are prevented from acting" * Ibn Mas'ud (ra) said, "Learn, learn, and once you have learnt, act". (hasan isnad , no.13) * Abu Hurayrah (ra) said, "The example of knowledge not acted upon is that of a treasure none of which is spent in the way of Allah the Mighty and Majestic". * az-Zuhri said, "The people will never be pleased with the statement of a scholar who does not act, nor of a person who acts but has no knowledge". (hasan isnad, no.12) * "Whoever sought knowledge, intending the knowledge alone (ie without action), would not benefit by it. Yet whoever sought knowledge intending to act upon it, would benefit, even by a little knowledge". * "Knowledge rests upon action, action rests upon sincerity, and sincerity to Allah brings about understanding of Allah the Mighty and Majestic". * "Whoever seeks knowledge in order to act upon it will be humbled by his knowledge but whoever seeks it for other than that, will be increased by it in arrogance". * "The time will soon come, if you live long, that knowledge will become a source of beautification, just as a person beautifies himself with a garment". * "If Allah grants you knowledge, in return worship Him and do not make your goal merely narrating to the people". * "The scholar remains ignorant with regard to what he has learnt until he acts according to it, and only then does he become a true scholar". * "The knowledge of the hypocrite is in his speech, yet the knowledge of the believer is in his actions". * "Act upon your knowledge, O man, and you will profit, for knowledge does not benefit unless one is proficient in action. Knowledge is a beauty, the taqwa of Allah being its ornation, and the pious are busy with the knowledge they possess/ Learn, and then act, as much as you are able to, and do not let amusement nor arguing distract you. Teach the people and always intend to benefit them, and beware! Beware of weariness befalling you." * "Whoever speaks good things yet acts unrighteously, Allah does not accept his good speech. Whereas he who speaks good things and works righteous acts, his speech is raised by his good deeds. That is because Allah swt says: "To Him ascend the goodly word, and the righteous action raises it". (35:10) * "Knowledge is the tool of action. So if a person spends his whole life gaining knowledge, when will he act?!" * "Regardless of what knowledge passes you, do not let acting upon what you already know pass you". * "Whoever does not look into Allah's right upon him with regards to his knowledge, that knowledge is a proof against you and its result is evil". * "If knowledge is not acted upon it becomes a proof against you and you are not granted an excuse for the knowledge you possess, So if you have realised this fact, also realise,That the proof of a man's speech is in his actions." * One scholar said, "O how I wish I could gain salvation from my knowledge, it neither being for me nor against me". * "If knowledge does not benefit you, it will harm you" * "There is no good in seeking to gain more knowledge, without having acted upon what you have already learnt, for the example of this person is that of one who gathers firewood and then ties them ready to carry. Yet once finding himself unable to do so, adds another to the bundle". * "For how long will I continue seeking knowledge,affectionately gathering with every eagerness,seeking to learn every type of it and every fieldyet not acting upon a thing of it. If the seeker of knowledge does not act upon what he knows,he is a wretched servant. Indeed knowledge is only of benefit for hewho acts upon it and is pious". * "I certainly regard that a person forgets what he used to know because of a sin he commits". * "Indeed if the scholar does not act, his admonitions fail to affect the hearts, just like the rain slides off a smooth rock". * "The example of an evil scholar is that of a large rock which blocks a canal. Neither does it drink from the water, nor does it allow the water to pass, giving life to the trees. So if only the evil scholars advised the servants of Allah saying, "O worshippers of Allah! Listen to what we tell you of your Prophet (saw), and your righteous predecessors, and act upon that. Do not look at these poor actions of ours, as we are a people in trial". They would have, by this, advised the people correctly. Yet they want to call the people towards their bad actions, causing them to act similarly." * "A corrupt reciter (of the Qur'an) is more feared by me than a corrupt man who is open with his corruption, as the latter is the less deceiving of the two". * One scholar said: " Indeed the Qur'an was revealed to be acted upon, but the people took its reciting as a vocation. At that it was asked, "What is acting upon it? " So he replied, "Accepting as halal what is mentioned in it as halal, and as haraam what is mentioned as haram. To act upon its orders, abstain from all it prohibits and to ponder over its wonders". * It has been said with regard to saying of Allah the Most High "(they) recite it as it should be recited". (2:121) "They follow it as it should be followed, acting upon it". (3) * If Allah intends good for a servant he opens for him the door of action and closes for him the door of argumentation. Whereas if Allah intends for a servant evil (4), He opens for him the door of argumentation, and closes for him the door of action". * "We used to seek aid in memorising the hadeeths by acting upon them". * "You may meet a man not finding one mistake in his speech yet his actions may be completely at fault." * We have not ben given ignorance but weHide the face of knowledge through ignoranceWe detest making mistakes in our speechYet we do not care about making mistakes in our actions. * And you will not possess on the Day of ResurrectionOther than what you ascertained before deathIf you do not sow the seeds and the harvest approaches youYou will regret not having done so when the time was right. * When you find yourself in need of provisionsYou will not find provisions the like of righteous actions * One of the scholars saw his neighbours wandering aimlessly, so he asked them, "What is the amtter with you?" They replied, "We have finished our duties of the day." So he said, "And is this what the one with no duties has been ordered with?" * "The people who will be most accountable on the Day of Resurrection will be the healthy ones who had free time". * "Take advantage of your spare time by engaging in prayersFor maybe your death will come suddenlySo many a healthy person you may have seenHis life snatched away from him unexpectedly." * Some people invited a man to eat with them who in turn said, "I am fasting". They said to him, "Break your fast today and instead fast tomorrow". So he said, "And who will guarantee my living tomorrow?". * It was said to a scholar, "Advise us". So he said, "Beware of saying "soon"." * Beware of procrastination overcoming you and taking over your heart for verily it is the cause of fatigue and wastefulness. Due to it, aspirations are severed and amidst it, death is met. __________________

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Faizah al-Athariyyah Status: Offline Posts: 7,580 Reputation: 31261 Rep Power: 68 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: ~ Daar as-Sa'aadah ~ Gender: Way of Life: Muslim	Re: Adorning Knowledge with Actions - 08-27-2007 EPILOGUE This is all that Allah swt granted me the ability to write. I hope that it will be a source of guidance to its writer as well as its reader. As I hope that it will be an incentive for them towards action and sincerity in accordance to the Prophetic Way and correct knowledge. Verily He, the Most High, is the All Hearer, the All Answerer. Our final supplication is that all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. (1) tr. "The Need Knowledge has of Action". (2) I have removed the names that the sayings were attributed to fearing inauthenticity in the original attribution, except where the authenticity is established. Some statements have also been slightly abridged. (3) Ibn Kathir mentions in his Tafsir, "If the reciter reaches mention of paradise, he beseeches Allah the Most High to grant him Paradise. If he reaches mention of the Fire, he seeks refuge with Allah the Most High from it." He also mentions, "Abu al 'Aliyah said, Ibn Mas'ud (ra) said, "By Him, in Who's Hand is my soul, reciting it as it should be recited is to consider its halal as halal and its haram as haram. To recite it as Allah revealed it without distorting its words, not falsely explaining its intended meanings." (4) Once the servant has decided to follow such a path, Allah the Most High, allows him to take such a path. __________________