1 00:00:00,820 --> 00:00:04,019 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:04,019 --> 00:00:09,560 The life of the salaf between speech and action. 3 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:15,189 Condemning ignorance. 4 00:00:15,189 --> 00:00:18,890 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 5 00:00:18,890 --> 00:00:22,190 "How will you be when a trial envelops you, 6 00:00:22,190 --> 00:00:24,489 In which the elderly grow decrepit, 7 00:00:24,489 --> 00:00:26,890 The young grow up, 8 00:00:26,890 --> 00:00:29,690 And people adopt it as a Sunnah? 9 00:00:29,690 --> 00:00:32,289 If it is ever changed, they will say, 10 00:00:32,289 --> 00:00:34,390 'The Sunnah has been changed!'" 11 00:00:34,950 --> 00:00:36,149 They asked, 12 00:00:36,149 --> 00:00:39,850 "When will that be, O Abu 'Abd al-Rahman?" 13 00:00:39,850 --> 00:00:41,149 He replied, 14 00:00:41,149 --> 00:00:43,750 "When your reciters become many, 15 00:00:43,750 --> 00:00:46,049 Your scholars of fiqh become few, 16 00:00:46,049 --> 00:00:48,450 Your leaders become many, 17 00:00:48,450 --> 00:00:50,850 Your trustworthy ones become few, 18 00:00:50,850 --> 00:00:55,420 And the world is sought through the deeds of the Hereafter." 19 00:00:55,420 --> 00:00:58,719 'Urwah Ibn al-Zubayr, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 20 00:00:58,719 --> 00:01:01,219 "O my sons, seek knowledge, 21 00:01:01,219 --> 00:01:04,819 For if you are the juniors of a people today, 22 00:01:04,819 --> 00:01:08,349 You may become their seniors tomorrow." 23 00:01:08,349 --> 00:01:10,450 How wretched, 24 00:01:10,450 --> 00:01:14,760 What is more unsightly than an ignorant old man? 25 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:16,920 The poet spoke the truth: 26 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,819 "What use are the days when you count them, 27 00:01:20,819 --> 00:01:26,030 If you have gained neither knowledge nor virtue in them?" 28 00:01:26,030 --> 00:01:29,230 It was said to Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, 29 00:01:29,230 --> 00:01:32,430 "A man has 500 dirhams; 30 00:01:32,430 --> 00:01:35,829 Do you think he should spend it on military expeditions and jihad, 31 00:01:35,829 --> 00:01:37,930 Or on seeking knowledge?" 32 00:01:37,930 --> 00:01:39,230 He replied, 33 00:01:39,230 --> 00:01:44,420 "If he is ignorant, seeking knowledge is more beloved to me." 34 00:01:44,420 --> 00:01:46,620 He also said, may Allah have mercy on him, 35 00:01:46,620 --> 00:01:50,219 "I am amazed at those who hold back from seeking knowledge, 36 00:01:50,219 --> 00:01:53,719 And they use al-Fudayl, may Allah have mercy on him, as an excuse, 37 00:01:53,719 --> 00:01:56,819 Yet perhaps al-Fudayl had already attained sufficiency. 38 00:01:56,819 --> 00:02:02,159 No one holds back from seeking knowledge except an ignorant person." 39 00:02:02,159 --> 00:02:04,379 Some have said: 40 00:02:04,379 --> 00:02:08,580 "In ignorance, before death, there is death for its people, 41 00:02:08,580 --> 00:02:13,080 And their bodies are graves before they reach the grave. 42 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:17,280 Their souls are in desolation within their bodies, 43 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:24,460 And they shall have no resurrection even after the Resurrection." 44 00:02:24,460 --> 00:02:27,159 Condemning blind imitation and forbidding it. 45 00:02:27,159 --> 00:02:31,240 And what has been said regarding partisanship. 46 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:35,780 On the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: 47 00:02:35,879 --> 00:02:40,379 "Let no one among you blindly follow a man in his religion; 48 00:02:40,379 --> 00:02:42,379 For if he believes, he believes, 49 00:02:42,379 --> 00:02:44,740 And if he disbelieves, he disbelieves. 50 00:02:44,740 --> 00:02:47,439 But if you must follow someone, 51 00:02:47,439 --> 00:02:50,039 Then follow one who has already passed away, 52 00:02:50,039 --> 00:02:54,639 For the living are not safe from trial." 53 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:58,039 Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 54 00:02:58,039 --> 00:03:01,840 "I am but a human; I err and I am correct. 55 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,139 So examine my opinions; 56 00:03:04,139 --> 00:03:08,639 Whatever agrees with the Book and the Sunnah, take it, 57 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:13,629 And whatever does not agree with the Book and the Sunnah, leave it." 58 00:03:13,629 --> 00:03:17,129 It was said to Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, 59 00:03:17,129 --> 00:03:23,430 "There is a man in Tarsus who has heard the opinion of 'Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak, may Allah have mercy on him, 60 00:03:23,430 --> 00:03:25,360 And he issues fatwas based on it." 61 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:26,659 He said, 62 00:03:26,659 --> 00:03:29,759 "This is due to the man's limited knowledge; 63 00:03:29,759 --> 00:03:37,210 He blindly follows in his religion a man who is not broad in knowledge." 64 00:03:37,210 --> 00:03:41,479 Condemning boasting about lineage. 65 00:03:41,479 --> 00:03:45,280 A man said to Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, 66 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:47,379 "O Abu 'Abd Allah, 67 00:03:47,379 --> 00:03:50,580 It has reached me that you are a man from the Arabs, 68 00:03:50,580 --> 00:03:53,379 So from which of the Arabs are you?" 69 00:03:53,379 --> 00:03:54,780 He replied, 70 00:03:54,780 --> 00:03:57,580 "We are a humble people, 71 00:03:57,580 --> 00:04:00,629 And what benefit is there in this?" 72 00:04:00,629 --> 00:04:05,319 Ibn al-Rumi, may Allah have mercy on him, spoke well when he said: 73 00:04:05,319 --> 00:04:09,419 "Do not boast except of what you yourself have done, 74 00:04:09,419 --> 00:04:13,819 And do not think that glory is inherited through lineage. 75 00:04:13,819 --> 00:04:17,620 A man does not attain nobility except through his own actions, 76 00:04:17,620 --> 00:04:22,459 Even if he counts noble ancestors of high status. 77 00:04:22,459 --> 00:04:26,459 If a branch does not bear fruit, even if it is a shoot 78 00:04:26,459 --> 00:04:31,410 From a fruit-bearing tree, people count it as firewood." 79 00:04:31,410 --> 00:04:36,069 Among what is considered excellent in this regard is the saying of the poet: 80 00:04:36,069 --> 00:04:39,970 "The true youth is he who says, 'Here I am,' 81 00:04:39,970 --> 00:04:45,470 Not the youth who says, 'My father was.'"