WEBVTT 00:00:00.820 --> 00:00:04.120 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 00:00:04.120 --> 00:00:09.560 The life of the salaf: between word and deed. 00:00:09.560 --> 00:00:17.280 Advice and guidance for the scholar and the student of knowledge. 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:22.079 It is narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:26.149 "Acquire knowledge and teach it to the people." 00:00:26.149 --> 00:00:29.149 "Learn dignity and tranquility." 00:00:29.149 --> 00:00:33.149 "Be humble toward those from whom you learn." 00:00:33.450 --> 00:00:38.250 "And do not be arrogant scholars." 00:00:38.250 --> 00:00:42.250 It is narrated that Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: 00:00:42.250 --> 00:00:45.250 "A man will not attain a high station in knowledge," 00:00:45.250 --> 00:00:48.250 "Until he ceases to envy those above him," 00:00:48.250 --> 00:00:51.250 "Ceases to belittle those below him," 00:00:51.250 --> 00:00:54.250 "And ceases to seek a price for his knowledge." 00:00:54.250 --> 00:01:00.020 It is narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 00:01:00.020 --> 00:01:06.019 "You do not relate a hadith to a people that their minds cannot grasp," 00:01:06.019 --> 00:01:10.659 "But it becomes a source of discord for some of them." 00:01:10.659 --> 00:01:15.659 A man from the tribe of ‘Abs accompanied Salman, may Allah be pleased with him, 00:01:15.659 --> 00:01:18.689 and he drank a draught from the Tigris. 00:01:18.689 --> 00:01:22.689 Salman said to him, "Go back and drink." 00:01:22.689 --> 00:01:25.689 He replied, "I have had my fill." 00:01:25.689 --> 00:01:32.879 Salman said, "Do you think this draught you drank diminished the Tigris at all?" 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:38.069 He said, "What could a single draught I drank possibly diminish?" 00:01:38.069 --> 00:01:43.099 Salman said, "Likewise, knowledge does not run dry." 00:01:43.099 --> 00:01:46.099 "So seek from knowledge that which benefits you." 00:01:46.099 --> 00:01:50.099 Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:01:50.099 --> 00:01:54.099 Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: 00:01:54.099 --> 00:02:00.260 "Be Rabbaniyyin," meaning: wise, learned scholars. 00:02:00.260 --> 00:02:08.900 It is also said that the Rabbani is one who nurtures people with the basics of knowledge before its advanced levels. 00:02:08.900 --> 00:02:11.900 Al-Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:02:11.900 --> 00:02:18.900 "If you take this knowledge by trying to consume it all at once, it will overwhelm you and you will gain nothing from it." 00:02:18.900 --> 00:02:26.729 "Rather, take it gently over the days and nights, and you will attain it." 00:02:26.729 --> 00:02:28.729 Rabi‘ah said: 00:02:28.729 --> 00:02:32.729 He said to Ibn Khaldah al-Zuraqi, may Allah have mercy on him: 00:02:32.729 --> 00:02:37.949 "I see that the people have entrusted you with their own affairs." 00:02:37.949 --> 00:02:43.949 "So when you are asked a question, seek a way out for yourself first," 00:02:43.949 --> 00:02:45.949 "And then for the one who asked you." 00:02:45.949 --> 00:02:50.849 Abu ‘Asim al-Dahhak, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:02:50.849 --> 00:02:55.849 "Whoever seeks a hadith has sought the highest of matters." 00:02:55.849 --> 00:02:58.849 "Therefore, he must be the best of people." 00:02:58.849 --> 00:03:06.389 ‘Ata’ ibn Yasar and Sulayman ibn Musa, may Allah have mercy on them, said: 00:03:06.389 --> 00:03:13.060 "Nothing is combined with anything more beautiful than knowledge combined with forbearance." 00:03:13.060 --> 00:03:15.060 Some of the salaf said: 00:03:15.060 --> 00:03:20.099 "Whoever sets out to seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge, the knowledge will not benefit him." 00:03:20.099 --> 00:03:27.129 "But whoever sets out to seek knowledge to act upon it, a little knowledge will benefit him." 00:03:27.129 --> 00:03:30.379 Knowledge is dependent upon acting upon it. 00:03:30.379 --> 00:03:34.379 And action is dependent upon sincerity. 00:03:34.379 --> 00:03:40.379 Sincerity to Allah grants one understanding from Allah, the Almighty and Majestic. 00:03:40.379 --> 00:03:46.120 Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah, may Allah have mercy on him, would often say: 00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:51.120 "A little divine guidance is better than a great deal of knowledge." 00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:57.659 They mentioned the scholars and the sharpness of their minds in the presence of Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him. 00:03:57.659 --> 00:04:01.659 He said, "It is only divine guidance." 00:04:01.659 --> 00:04:06.240 Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:10.240 to al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy on him, in Medina: 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:13.240 "What has the trial left of you?" 00:04:13.240 --> 00:04:18.370 He replied, "And what trial have you seen me in?" 00:04:18.370 --> 00:04:23.370 He said, "I saw them kissing your hand and you did not stop them." 00:04:23.370 --> 00:04:27.720 Al-Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:04:27.720 --> 00:04:32.750 "The worst of Allah’s servants are those who seek out the worst of issues," 00:04:32.750 --> 00:04:35.750 "To confuse the servants of Allah with them." 00:04:35.750 --> 00:04:40.069 He, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked, "What is the punishment of a scholar?" 00:04:40.069 --> 00:04:43.069 He said, "The death of the heart." 00:04:43.069 --> 00:04:46.139 It was asked, "And what is the death of the heart?" 00:04:46.139 --> 00:04:51.139 He said, "Seeking the world through the deeds of the Hereafter." 00:04:51.139 --> 00:04:54.649 Ibn al-Muqaffa‘, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:04:54.649 --> 00:04:59.740 "Make knowledge beloved to your soul until you adhere to it and become accustomed to it." 00:04:59.740 --> 00:05:05.740 "Let it be your passion, your pleasure, your comfort, and your sustenance." 00:05:05.740 --> 00:05:07.970 He, may Allah have mercy on him, also said: 00:05:08.970 --> 00:05:12.970 "Know the foundations, then seek the branches." 00:05:12.970 --> 00:05:18.970 "For many people seek the branches while neglecting the foundations." 00:05:18.970 --> 00:05:22.970 Thus, their attainment is no attainment at all. 00:05:22.970 --> 00:05:27.100 Whoever secures the foundations is satisfied with them, dispensing with the branches. 00:05:27.100 --> 00:05:33.100 And if one attains the branch after securing the foundation, that is better. 00:05:33.100 --> 00:05:37.769 It was said to Malik ibn Anas, may Allah have mercy on him: 00:05:37.769 --> 00:05:41.769 "So-and-so narrates strange things to us." 00:05:41.769 --> 00:05:45.899 He said, "Beware of the strange." 00:05:45.899 --> 00:05:48.899 "The worst of knowledge is the strange," 00:05:48.899 --> 00:05:55.019 "And the best of knowledge is the manifest, which the people have narrated." 00:05:55.019 --> 00:05:57.019 He, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:05:57.019 --> 00:06:03.019 "If a man is asked a question and does not answer, and the matter passes him by," 00:06:03.019 --> 00:06:07.019 "Then it is a calamity that Allah has averted from him." 00:06:07.019 --> 00:06:11.310 It was said to him, "A scholar makes mistakes." 00:06:11.310 --> 00:06:16.470 He replied, "The good he points to is greater." 00:06:16.470 --> 00:06:19.470 "And who is there who is free of faults?" 00:06:19.470 --> 00:06:24.470 "If only those who were free of faults were to enjoin good," 00:06:24.470 --> 00:06:27.470 "No one would ever enjoin good." 00:06:27.470 --> 00:06:31.790 He, may Allah have mercy on him, said to his brother’s sons: 00:06:31.790 --> 00:06:35.790 "If you wish for Allah to benefit you with this matter," 00:06:35.790 --> 00:06:39.790 "Then take little of it and reflect deeply upon it." 00:06:39.790 --> 00:06:44.949 He said, "No one ever took too much of it and succeeded." 00:06:44.949 --> 00:06:48.500 Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:06:48.500 --> 00:06:53.500 "It is not appropriate for a man to set himself up for issuing fatwas," 00:06:53.500 --> 00:06:56.500 "Until he possesses five qualities." 00:06:56.500 --> 00:07:01.620 "As for the first, he must have a sincere intention." 00:07:01.620 --> 00:07:04.620 "For if he has no intention," 00:07:04.620 --> 00:07:09.620 "There will be no light upon him, nor upon his speech." 00:07:09.620 --> 00:07:11.910 "As for the second," 00:07:11.910 --> 00:07:15.910 "He must possess forbearance, dignity, and tranquility." 00:07:15.910 --> 00:07:18.139 "As for the third," 00:07:18.139 --> 00:07:23.139 "He must be strong in what he is doing and in his knowledge of it." 00:07:23.139 --> 00:07:25.360 "As for the fourth," 00:07:25.360 --> 00:07:27.360 "It is self-sufficiency." 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:29.360 "Otherwise, the people will chew him up." 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:33.360 "And the fifth is knowledge of the people." 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:38.060 Ahmad ibn Abi Sulayman, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:07:38.060 --> 00:07:40.060 "O student of knowledge," 00:07:40.060 --> 00:07:42.060 "When you seek knowledge," 00:07:42.060 --> 00:07:48.060 "Adopt, before seeking it, an etiquette that will help you carry it." 00:07:48.060 --> 00:07:51.639 Yahya ibn Yahya, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:07:51.639 --> 00:07:55.639 "Maintain a sense of reserve between yourself and the people," 00:07:55.639 --> 00:07:58.639 "For it is more dignified for your honor." 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:01.889 The life of the salaf: 00:08:01.889 --> 00:08:05.370 between word and deed.