In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
“Is he who payeth adoration in the watches of the night, prostrate and standing, bewaring of the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, (to be accounted equal with a disbeliever)? Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Are those who know equal with those who know not? But only men of understanding will pay heed.” (39:9)
The Splendor of Knowledge and Wisdom.
By Dr. Hamzah Ibn Fayi' Al Fathi.
May Allah preserve him.
On the Afflictions of Knowledge.
Imam Al Zuhri, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
He who passed away in the year 124 AH:
"Knowledge only departs through..."
"...forgetfulness and the abandonment of review."
Knowledge is kept alive and firmly rooted through discussion.
It is solidified through teaching and revision.
Abandoning or neglecting it leads to forgetfulness.
Thus, one benefits from the saying of the wise:
"Knowledge only departs through forgetfulness and the abandonment of review."
Therefore, it is necessary to review knowledge, teach it, and write it down.
This is what is known as the zakat of knowledge and fulfilling its due right.
Forgetfulness occurs as a result of negligence,
indulgence in worldly desires,
and the abandonment of reading and academic renewal.
It also comes from being preoccupied away from it,
and failing to teach it or call others to it.
The greatest of its afflictions is forgetfulness, which is the most dangerous,
because it leads to the effacement of knowledge and the loss of its benefit.
It involves forgetting what is good and remaining among the ignorant,
for the place of the ignorant is not among the scholars.
Its outcome is failure, not success,
and its end is misery, not contentment.
It has been narrated that there is blame for one who memorizes a surah of the Qur'an,
and then forgets it out of negligence.
While this narration is considered weak by the scholars,
it does not exempt one from accountability and reproach.
How ugly it is for a student of knowledge to forget the Qur'an!
Even if it is not a major sin, it is a calamity for which one is held to account,
especially for the negligent and the distracted.
The eminent scholar Ibn 'Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy upon him, was asked about this matter,
and he replied:
"Forgetfulness of the Qur'an has two causes:
The first:
That which is necessitated by human nature.
The second:
Turning away from the Qur'an and showing indifference toward it.
As for the first:
A person does not incur sin for it,
nor is he punished for it.
It even occurred to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
when he led the people in prayer,
and forgot a verse.
When he finished,
Ubayy Ibn Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him, reminded him of it.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said to him:
'Why did you not remind me of it?'
And the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, heard
a reciter reciting,
and he said:
'May Allah have mercy on so-and-so;
he has reminded me of a verse
that I had forgotten.'
This indicates that the forgetfulness which occurs by way of human nature
carries no blame for the person.
As for that which is caused by turning away and indifference,
for this, one may incur sin.
Some people are plotted against by the Shaytan,
who whispers to them not to memorize the Qur'an
so that they do not forget it and fall into sin.
Yet Allah, glory be to Him and Exalted is He, says:
'So fight against the allies of the Shaytan.'
“Those who believe do battle for the cause of Allah; and those who disbelieve do battle for the cause of idols. So fight the minions of the devil. Lo! the devil's strategy is ever weak.” (4:76)
Let a person memorize the Qur'an,
for it is good,
and let him hope not to forget it.
For Allah, glory be to Him,
is as His servant expects Him to be.
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best."