In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
The life of the salaf: between word and deed.
Advice and guidance for the scholar and the student of knowledge.
It is narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
"Acquire knowledge and teach it to the people."
"Learn dignity and tranquility."
"Be humble toward those from whom you learn."
"And do not be arrogant scholars."
It is narrated that Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said:
"A man will not attain a high station in knowledge,"
"Until he ceases to envy those above him,"
"Ceases to belittle those below him,"
"And ceases to seek a price for his knowledge."
It is narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
"You do not relate a hadith to a people that their minds cannot grasp,"
"But it becomes a source of discord for some of them."
A man from the tribe of ‘Abs accompanied Salman, may Allah be pleased with him,
and he drank a draught from the Tigris.
Salman said to him, "Go back and drink."
He replied, "I have had my fill."
Salman said, "Do you think this draught you drank diminished the Tigris at all?"
He said, "What could a single draught I drank possibly diminish?"
Salman said, "Likewise, knowledge does not run dry."
"So seek from knowledge that which benefits you."
Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said:
"Be Rabbaniyyin," meaning: wise, learned scholars.
It is also said that the Rabbani is one who nurtures people with the basics of knowledge before its advanced levels.
Al-Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
"If you take this knowledge by trying to consume it all at once, it will overwhelm you and you will gain nothing from it."
"Rather, take it gently over the days and nights, and you will attain it."
Rabi‘ah said:
He said to Ibn Khaldah al-Zuraqi, may Allah have mercy on him:
"I see that the people have entrusted you with their own affairs."
"So when you are asked a question, seek a way out for yourself first,"
"And then for the one who asked you."
Abu ‘Asim al-Dahhak, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
"Whoever seeks a hadith has sought the highest of matters."
"Therefore, he must be the best of people."
‘Ata’ ibn Yasar and Sulayman ibn Musa, may Allah have mercy on them, said:
"Nothing is combined with anything more beautiful than knowledge combined with forbearance."
Some of the salaf said:
"Whoever sets out to seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge, the knowledge will not benefit him."
"But whoever sets out to seek knowledge to act upon it, a little knowledge will benefit him."
Knowledge is dependent upon acting upon it.
And action is dependent upon sincerity.
Sincerity to Allah grants one understanding from Allah, the Almighty and Majestic.
Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah, may Allah have mercy on him, would often say:
"A little divine guidance is better than a great deal of knowledge."
They mentioned the scholars and the sharpness of their minds in the presence of Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him.
He said, "It is only divine guidance."
Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
to al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy on him, in Medina:
"What has the trial left of you?"
He replied, "And what trial have you seen me in?"
He said, "I saw them kissing your hand and you did not stop them."
Al-Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
"The worst of Allah’s servants are those who seek out the worst of issues,"
"To confuse the servants of Allah with them."
He, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked, "What is the punishment of a scholar?"
He said, "The death of the heart."
It was asked, "And what is the death of the heart?"
He said, "Seeking the world through the deeds of the Hereafter."
Ibn al-Muqaffa‘, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
"Make knowledge beloved to your soul until you adhere to it and become accustomed to it."
"Let it be your passion, your pleasure, your comfort, and your sustenance."
He, may Allah have mercy on him, also said:
"Know the foundations, then seek the branches."
"For many people seek the branches while neglecting the foundations."
Thus, their attainment is no attainment at all.
Whoever secures the foundations is satisfied with them, dispensing with the branches.
And if one attains the branch after securing the foundation, that is better.
It was said to Malik ibn Anas, may Allah have mercy on him:
"So-and-so narrates strange things to us."
He said, "Beware of the strange."
"The worst of knowledge is the strange,"
"And the best of knowledge is the manifest, which the people have narrated."
He, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
"If a man is asked a question and does not answer, and the matter passes him by,"
"Then it is a calamity that Allah has averted from him."
It was said to him, "A scholar makes mistakes."
He replied, "The good he points to is greater."
"And who is there who is free of faults?"
"If only those who were free of faults were to enjoin good,"
"No one would ever enjoin good."
He, may Allah have mercy on him, said to his brother’s sons:
"If you wish for Allah to benefit you with this matter,"
"Then take little of it and reflect deeply upon it."
He said, "No one ever took too much of it and succeeded."
Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
"It is not appropriate for a man to set himself up for issuing fatwas,"
"Until he possesses five qualities."
"As for the first, he must have a sincere intention."
"For if he has no intention,"
"There will be no light upon him, nor upon his speech."
"As for the second,"
"He must possess forbearance, dignity, and tranquility."
"As for the third,"
"He must be strong in what he is doing and in his knowledge of it."
"As for the fourth,"
"It is self-sufficiency."
"Otherwise, the people will chew him up."
"And the fifth is knowledge of the people."
Ahmad ibn Abi Sulayman, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
"O student of knowledge,"
"When you seek knowledge,"
"Adopt, before seeking it, an etiquette that will help you carry it."
Yahya ibn Yahya, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
"Maintain a sense of reserve between yourself and the people,"
"For it is more dignified for your honor."
The life of the salaf:
between word and deed.