knowledge and Humility in (ISLAM)

[k.ibrahim]

Bismillah Ir-Rahman, Ir-Raheem. I begin with ALLAH's auspiciousness,whose Name is the Best among all the names. All Revences, All Sanctities and All Worships are due to ALLAH alone. Ashahadu An Laa illaaha illal llahu Wa Ash Hadu Anna Muhammadan Abdu Hu Wa Rasooluhu ''I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah who is without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) is the Rasool.'' "O Allah, Shower Your Peace come upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have brought peace to Ibrahim and his family. Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, Shower your blessing upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have blessed Ibrahim and his family. Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious". I am Satisfied with Allâh as My Rabb and Cherisher, I am Satisfied With Islam as My Din(religion) and I am satisfied with Muhammad as a Rasulallah (Messenger)sallallahu alaihi was salam) I seek Protection with ALLAH! With the Glorious and Noble Face of ALLAH! With the Complete and Perfect words of ALLAH! With the Exalted Attributes of ALLAH! From the Punishment of Hell; From chastisement in the Grave; From the Trial of Life and Death; From the Mischief of the dajjal. There is no power nor strength with (anyone) save Allah. ALLAH is Good and Only accept that which is Good. ALLAH is the Truth and only accept that which True. ALLAH is Pure and only accept that which is Pure. Ya ALLAH! ALL the praises are for You, You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are are the Substaner of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All the praises are for you; You have the Possession of the Heavens and the Earth and whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All the praises are for You; You are Light(Nur) of the Heavens and Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are the King of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are the Truth and Your Promise is the Truth, And Your word is the Truth and the Meeting with You is true, And Parardise is True And Hell is true and All the Prophets(peace be upon them) are true; And Muhammad Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) is true,And the Day of Resurrection is True. Ya ALLAH! You have promise and Your promise is the truth,Ya ALLAH! You have promise and Your words is the truth, Ya ALLAH! You have promise and You are the Truth! (((Knowledge and Humility in (ISLAM) ))) ‘O Allah indeed I ask You for beneficial knowledge, and a good Halal provision, and actions which are accepted.’ ‘Knowledge is power’ is a popular proverb. Knowledge is a powerful factor that empowers people achieves great results. The more knowledge a person gains, the more powerful he becomes. “There is no god but He: That is the witness of Allah, His angels, and those endued with knowledge, standing firm on justice. There is no god but He, the Exalted in Power, the Wise” [Quran, 3:18]. It remains a duty on all Muslims to strive for knowledge – Islam encourages and promotes the idea of learning, asking questions, and striving to better oneself through acquiring knowledge. Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) is famously reported to have said: “Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim”. He is also reported to have stated: “You must seek knowledge from birth till death”.
But before we delve into the numerous hadith and sayings of Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) on knowledge, let us look into the Holy Quran – the definite authoritative word of ALLAH – to understand the true importance of knowledge. Here are just five examples from the Quran on the depth of faith one can hope to achieve through actively pursuing knowledge: 1. Read in the Name of Allah “Proclaim! (or read!) in the name of thy Rabb and Cherisher, Who created – Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And thy Rabb is Most Bountiful, He Who taught (the use of) the pen, Taught man that which he knew not” [Quran, 96:1-5]. Here we receive a direct commandment to recite, or read in the name of Allah – and to cherish the gift of knowledge and the use of writing and reading as a blessing from Allah to make ourselves better servants of ALLAH. We must understand that obtaining knowledge is a form of worship – a way to truly show our gratitude towards Allah.
2. Knowledge is Tawheed
“There is no god but He: That is the witness of Allah, His angels, and those endued with knowledge, standing firm on justice. There is no god but He, the Exalted in Power, the Wise” [Quran, 3:18].
In this verse, we understand that we cannot just assume that we believe in tawheed, the Oneness of ALLAH. We must actively learn and obtain knowledge to truly understand the Greatness and Oneness of Allah – which will help us stand firm on the path of righteousness.
3. Study to Protect Your Faith
“…they could devote themselves to studies in religion, and admonish the people when they return to them, – that thus they (may learn) to guard themselves (against evil)” [Quran, 9:122]. The Quran reminds us here that by devoting ourselves to the pursuit of knowledge, we can help protect ourselves from the evil and ignorance of this world. By reading and truly understanding our religion, only then can we hope for protection from Allah.
4. Gaining Knowledge is an Active Part of Faith “And those who strive in Our (cause), – We will certainly guide them to our Paths: For verily Allah is with those who do right” [Quran, 29:69].
We must remember that studying and gaining knowledge is an active act of worship – it will not always be easy and remains a form of constant struggle. But as the Quran reminds us, struggle is also an integral part of becoming a better Muslim and will hopefully guide us towards being closer to Allah.
5. Knowledge is a Blessing
“…And when ye are told to rise up, rise up. Allah will raise up, to (suitable) ranks (and degrees), those of you who believe and who have been granted (mystic) Knowledge. And Allah is well-acquainted with all ye do” [Quran, 58:11].
While all of us have a duty to obtain knowledge, with every strive towards being better comes the blessings of Allah – meaning that to be blessed with knowledge from Allah should be one of our highest attainments. If we continuously try to learn and be better Muslims, let us pray that we all will be blessed with the Love and Mercy of Allah. There are many evidence and virtues of seeking, acquiring and spreading the knowledge of the deen, that can be found in the hadith of Allah’s last messenger Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam)…… (1) Abu Huraira reported Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) as saying:
(When) the time would draw close to the Last Hour, knowledge would be snatched away, turmoil would be rampant, miserliness would be put (in the hearts of the people) and there would be much bloodshed. They said: What is al-harj? Thereupon he said: It is bloodshed. — Sahih Muslim 157 d 2. Abu Mas’ud al-Ansari reported Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) as saying:
The one who is most versed in Allah’s Book should act as Imam for the people, but if they are equally versed in reciting it, then the one who has most knowledge regarding Sunnah if they are equal regarding the Sunnah, then the earliest one to emigrate ; it they emigrated at the same time, then the earliest one to embrace Islam. No man must lead another in prayer where (the latter) has authority, or sit in his place of honor in his house, without his permission. Ashajj in his narration used the word, “age” in place of “Islam”.
— Sahih Muslim 673 a
3. Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:
I heard Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) saying, “While I was sleeping, I saw that a cup full of milk was brought to me and I drank of it and gave the remaining of it to `Umar bin Al-Khattab.” They asked. What have you interpreted (about the dream)? O Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) said. “(It is Religious) knowledge.”
— Sahih al-Bukhari 7032 4. Narrated Ibn `Abbas:
Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) embraced me and said, “O Allah! Teach him (the knowledge of) the Book (Qur’an).”
— Sahih al-Bukhari 7270
5. Narrated Ibn Mas`ud:
“I heard Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) saying, “There is no envy except in two: a person who ALLAH has given wealth and he spends it in the right way, and a person whom Allah has given wisdom (ie religious knowledge) and he gives His decisions accordingly and teaches it to the others. "
— Sahih al-Bukhari 1409
6. Abu Hurairah reported Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) as saying:
If anyone pursues a path in search of knowledge, Allah will thenby make easy for him a path to paradise; and he who is made slow by his actions will not be speeded by his genealogy.
— Sunan Abi Dawud 3643
7. Narrated Habib ibn Maslamah al-Fihri:
Makhul said: I was the slave of a woman of Banu Hudhayl; afterwards she emancipated me. I did not leave Egypt until I had acquired all the knowledge that seemed to me to exist there.
I then came to al-Hijaz and I did not leave it until I had acquired all the knowledge that seemed to be available.
Then I came to al-Iraq, and I did not leave it until I had acquired all the knowledge that seemed to be available.
I then came to Syria, and besieged it. I asked everyone about giving rewards from the booty. I did not find anyone who could tell me anything about it.
I then met an old man called Ziyad ibn Jariyah at-Tamimi. I asked him: Have you heard anything about giving rewards from the booty? He replied: Yes. I heard Maslamah al-Fihri say: I was present with the Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam).
He gave a quarter of the spoils on the outward journey and a third on the return journey.
— Sunan Abi Dawud 2750. 8. Abu Mas’ud narrated that:
Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam)said: “The one who recites most of the Book of Allah is to lead the people (in prayers.) If they are equal in recitation, then the most knowledgeable in the Sunnah among them. If they are equal regarding the Sunnah, then the earliest of them to emigrate. If they are equal in their emigration then the eldest among them. And a man is not to be led in prayer in the place of his authority, and his spot of esteem in his home is not to be sat on without his permission. “
— Jami` at-Tirmidhi 235
9. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) said, “The world, with all that it contains, is accursed except for the remembrance of Allah that which pleases Allah; and the religious schools and seekers of knowledge.”
— At- Tirmidhi, Riyad as-Salihin Book 13, Hadith 9
10. Abu Hurairah narrated that Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) said:
“Lo! Indeed the world is cursed. What is in it is cursed, except for remembrance of Allah, what is conducive to that, the knowledgeable person and the learning person.”
— Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2322
11. Hisham bin Hassan narrated from Al-Hasan: concerning the saying of Allah: O our Rabb , give us good in this world, and good in the Hereafter. He said: “Knowledge and worship in this world, and Paradise in the Hereafter.”
— Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3488
12. Narrated Yazid bin ‘Umairah:
“When death was upon Mu’adh bin Jabal, it was said to him: ‘O Abu’ Abdur-Rahman, advise us. ‘ He said: ‘Sit me up.’ So he said: ‘Indeed, knowledge and faith are at their place, which desires them shall find them.’ He said that three times. ‘And seek knowledge from four men:’ Uwaimir Abu Ad-Darda, with Salman Al-Farisi, with ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud, and with’ Abdullah bin Salam who used to be a Jew and then accepted For indeed, I heard Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) saying, “Indeed he is the tenth of ten in Paradise.”
— Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Vol. 1, Book 46, Hadith 3804
13. Narrated Qais bin Kathir:
“A man from Al-Madinah came to Abu Ad-Darda when he was in Dimashq. He replied: ‘A Hadith reached me which you have narrated from Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam).’ He said: ‘You did not come for some need?’ He said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘Did you come for trade?’ He said: ‘No, I did not come except seeking this Hadith.’ So he said: ‘Indeed, I heard Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) saying: “Who takes a path upon which he seeks knowledge, then Allah makes a path to Paradise easy for him. And indeed the angels lower their wings in approval to the one seeking knowledge. Indeed forgiveness isought for the knowledgeable one by whomever is in the heavens and whomever is in the earth, even the fish in the waters. And the superiority of the scholar over the worshiper is like the superiority of the moon over the rest of the celestial bodies. Indeed the scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets do not leave behind Dinar or Dirham. The only legacy of the scholars is knowledge, so whoever takes from it, then he has indeed taken the most able share.
— Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2682
14. Narrated Abu Hurairah:
that Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) said: “Whoever takes a path upon which to obtain knowledge, Allah makes the path to Paradise easy for him.”
— Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2646
15. Narrated Anas bin Malik:
that Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) said: “Who goes goes seeking knowledge, then he is in Allah’s cause until he returns.”

— Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2647
16. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) said:
“When a person dies, his deeds are cut off except for three: Continuing charity, knowledge that others benefited from, and a righteous son who supplicates for him.
— Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1376… 17. It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said:
Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) said: ‘One Faqih (knowledgeable man) is more formidable against the Shaitan than one thousand devoted worshipers.’”
— Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 222
18. It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that:
Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) said: “The best of charity is when a Muslim man gains knowledge, then he teaches it to his Muslim brother.”
— Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 243
19. It was narrated that Abu Umamah said:
“Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam)aid: ‘You must acquire this knowledge before it is taken away, and its taking away means that it will be lifted up.’ He joined his middle finger and the one that next to the thumb like this, and said: ‘The scholar and the seeker of knowledge will share the reward, and there is no good in the rest of the people.’ “
— Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 228
20. Sahl bin Mu’adh bin Anas narrated from his father that:

Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam)said: “Whoever teaches some knowledge will have the reward of the one who acts upon it, without that detracting from his reward in the slightest.”
— Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 240
21. It was narrated from Umm Salamah that when Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) performed the Subh (morning prayer), while he said the Salam, he would say:
‘Allahumma inni as’aluka’ ilman nafi’an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa ‘amalan mutaqabbalan (O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, good provision and acceptable deeds).’ “
— Sunan of Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 925
22. It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) said:
“Seeking knowledge is a duty upon every Muslim, and he who passes knowledge to those who do not deserve it, is like one who puts a necklace of jewels, pearls and gold around the neck of swines.”
— Sunan of Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 224
(Humility is a key characteristic of a believer, even more so for a student or teacher of knowledge. The companions and early scholars of Islam exhibited this throughout their lives, because they understood the Deen and importance of practicing what they preached. The word Quran most frequently uses to describe worship is Ibadah. Ibadah is the root of the word ‘ubudiyyah, which means to express ones humility or humbleness, and as with most Arabic words there are many shades of meaning. Ibadah involves more then an awareness of humility. It is the complete sense of humbleness that overcomes one who is totally submitted to the will of ALLAH, the Almighty. Worship is submission to ALLAH, the essential part of submission is humility. Humility is Piety
The main pillar of worship, Ibadah, is the prayer. The congregational prayer is performed in rows where all men stand before ALLAH as equals.[2] There is no special place for the rich or powerful, the meek and poor are not relegated to the back lines. Each man bows his head in humility knowing that his brothers, on either side of him are equally important in the sight of ALLAH. Only one thing raises one man or woman above another – piety. True piety or righteousness is not achievable without cultivating a sense of humility.
“And turn not your face away from men with pride, nor walk in insolence through the earth. Verily, ALLAH likes not each arrogant boaster.” (Quran 31:18)
Humility comes from knowing about ALLAH and recognising His greatness, venerating Him, loving Him and being in awe of Him; and it comes from knowing about oneself and one’s own faults, and weaknesses. ALLAH gives this characteristic to those who struggle to become close to Him through deeds of piety and righteousness.[3] A companion close to Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) heard him say,
“Wealth does not decrease because of charity, and ALLAH increases His slave in honour when he forgives others. And no one humbles himself before ALLAH but ALLAH will raise him (in status).” (Saheeh Muslim )
Humility is one of the greatest blessings ALLAH can bestow on a human being. It allows one to achieve genuine submission. Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) was truly submitted to ALLAH; his character was one of complete humility and based on sincere trust in ALLAH. He was a model of kindness and humbleness. In fact, the characteristics displayed by Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) were the exact opposite of pride and arrogance. Every aspect of his life reflected humbleness, even his walking, talking, sitting or eating. “Call upon your Rabb in humility and privately; indeed, He does not like transgressors.” (7:55)

Allah reminds Muslims that Allah is their Creator and they should humbly submit to and worship Him Alone. Islam establishes humility as the foundation of all moral excellence. The absence of humility is likely to remove all virtues of the believer except some artificial ones.
“The servants of the Merciful are those who walk on the earth in humility.” (25:63)
Humbleness is among the noblest virtues of a believer. This attribute is highly praised by Allah in the Holy Qur’an and Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) . We must, however, comprehend the true meaning of humility In order to be blessed and honored with such virtuous characteristics. In its more pure and pristine form, humility is the awareness and declaration on the part of a believing person that all good qualities held by him/her are granted by ALLAH, the Glorious and Merciful, and that all praise and thanks is to Him.
“And remember your Rabb within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech.in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless.”(7:205)