Part of Rawnaq Al-Ilm (series completed)
· Lesson 46 of 50
The book of the elegance of knowledge among the wise | Episode (46) | Download the knowledge
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Transcript
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
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“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)
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The Refinements of Knowledge According to the Wise.
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By Dr. Hamzah Ibn Fayi' Al Fathi.
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May Allah preserve him.
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The Accessibility of Knowledge.
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Imam Al-Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
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Who passed away in the year 204 AH.
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"If Muhammad Ibn Al-Hasan
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had spoken to us according to the capacity of his own intellect,
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we would not have understood him.
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But he spoke to us according to the capacity of our intellects,
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so we understood him."
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Knowledge must be brought down to the level of the people and simplified,
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so that students may understand it,
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and those seeking knowledge may find it accessible.
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This is the duty of shaykhs, professors, and scholars.
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This is part of the fiqh of knowledge, da'wah, and sincere counsel:
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to bring knowledge down and simplify it for the people.
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In doing so, there is ease for them and a means of endearing it to them,
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so that it becomes gentle and pleasant for them to grasp.
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Especially in our later eras,
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when aspirations have waned and resolve has diminished.
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And Allah is the One whose help is sought.
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This has its methods and techniques,
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among which is avoiding overly eloquent or obscure speech,
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and language that is barely understood.
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It includes avoiding complex fiqh disputes,
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abandoning heavy technical terminology,
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and refraining from choosing the most difficult and burdensome issues.
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It involves starting with concise summaries of the sciences rather than lengthy ones,
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and using contemporary examples to facilitate understanding,
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while leaving aside the examples of the ancients,
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whose meanings, tools, and contexts have faded away.
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The wise shaykh should treat those new to knowledge
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like young students who are just becoming acquainted
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with the pen and paper,
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and are observing the world and its wonders.
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He should make knowledge easy and bring information closer,
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carefully selecting his words and applications.
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In this is proof of the variation in intellects,
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and that shaykhs are not like students,
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and the young are not equal to the elders.
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This is a fiqh that is almost overlooked
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by many scholars who do not practice it.
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You find some of them opening their lessons with difficult texts,
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and books known for their intellectual strain,
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or using high-level language that is far-reaching.
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Yet the attendees do not even retain the language of the Qur'an as it is used,
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let alone grasp the shaykh's high-flown and affected linguistic styles.
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Peace.