The life of the predecessors between words and deeds | Episode (7) | Advice and guidance for the world and seekers of knowledge

0:00 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

0:04 The life of the salaf: between word and deed.

0:09 Advice and guidance for the scholar and the student of knowledge.

0:17 It is narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

0:22 "Acquire knowledge and teach it to the people."

0:26 "Learn dignity and tranquility."

0:29 "Be humble toward those from whom you learn."

0:33 "And do not be arrogant scholars."

0:38 It is narrated that Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said:

0:42 "A man will not attain a high station in knowledge,"

0:45 "Until he ceases to envy those above him,"

0:48 "Ceases to belittle those below him,"

0:51 "And ceases to seek a price for his knowledge."

0:54 It is narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

1:00 "You do not relate a hadith to a people that their minds cannot grasp,"

1:06 "But it becomes a source of discord for some of them."

1:10 A man from the tribe of ‘Abs accompanied Salman, may Allah be pleased with him,

1:15 and he drank a draught from the Tigris.

1:18 Salman said to him, "Go back and drink."

1:22 He replied, "I have had my fill."

1:25 Salman said, "Do you think this draught you drank diminished the Tigris at all?"

1:32 He said, "What could a single draught I drank possibly diminish?"

1:38 Salman said, "Likewise, knowledge does not run dry."

1:43 "So seek from knowledge that which benefits you."

1:46 Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

1:50 Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said:

1:54 "Be Rabbaniyyin," meaning: wise, learned scholars.

2:00 It is also said that the Rabbani is one who nurtures people with the basics of knowledge before its advanced levels.

2:08 Al-Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

2:11 "If you take this knowledge by trying to consume it all at once, it will overwhelm you and you will gain nothing from it."

2:18 "Rather, take it gently over the days and nights, and you will attain it."

2:26 Rabi‘ah said:

2:28 He said to Ibn Khaldah al-Zuraqi, may Allah have mercy on him:

2:32 "I see that the people have entrusted you with their own affairs."

2:37 "So when you are asked a question, seek a way out for yourself first,"

2:43 "And then for the one who asked you."

2:45 Abu ‘Asim al-Dahhak, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

2:50 "Whoever seeks a hadith has sought the highest of matters."

2:55 "Therefore, he must be the best of people."

2:58 ‘Ata’ ibn Yasar and Sulayman ibn Musa, may Allah have mercy on them, said:

3:06 "Nothing is combined with anything more beautiful than knowledge combined with forbearance."

3:13 Some of the salaf said:

3:15 "Whoever sets out to seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge, the knowledge will not benefit him."

3:20 "But whoever sets out to seek knowledge to act upon it, a little knowledge will benefit him."

3:27 Knowledge is dependent upon acting upon it.

3:30 And action is dependent upon sincerity.

3:34 Sincerity to Allah grants one understanding from Allah, the Almighty and Majestic.

3:40 Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah, may Allah have mercy on him, would often say:

3:46 "A little divine guidance is better than a great deal of knowledge."

3:51 They mentioned the scholars and the sharpness of their minds in the presence of Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him.

3:57 He said, "It is only divine guidance."

4:01 Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

4:06 to al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy on him, in Medina:

4:10 "What has the trial left of you?"

4:13 He replied, "And what trial have you seen me in?"

4:18 He said, "I saw them kissing your hand and you did not stop them."

4:23 Al-Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

4:27 "The worst of Allah’s servants are those who seek out the worst of issues,"

4:32 "To confuse the servants of Allah with them."

4:35 He, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked, "What is the punishment of a scholar?"

4:40 He said, "The death of the heart."

4:43 It was asked, "And what is the death of the heart?"

4:46 He said, "Seeking the world through the deeds of the Hereafter."

4:51 Ibn al-Muqaffa‘, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

4:54 "Make knowledge beloved to your soul until you adhere to it and become accustomed to it."

4:59 "Let it be your passion, your pleasure, your comfort, and your sustenance."

5:05 He, may Allah have mercy on him, also said:

5:08 "Know the foundations, then seek the branches."

5:12 "For many people seek the branches while neglecting the foundations."

5:18 Thus, their attainment is no attainment at all.

5:22 Whoever secures the foundations is satisfied with them, dispensing with the branches.

5:27 And if one attains the branch after securing the foundation, that is better.

5:33 It was said to Malik ibn Anas, may Allah have mercy on him:

5:37 "So-and-so narrates strange things to us."

5:41 He said, "Beware of the strange."

5:45 "The worst of knowledge is the strange,"

5:48 "And the best of knowledge is the manifest, which the people have narrated."

5:55 He, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

5:57 "If a man is asked a question and does not answer, and the matter passes him by,"

6:03 "Then it is a calamity that Allah has averted from him."

6:07 It was said to him, "A scholar makes mistakes."

6:11 He replied, "The good he points to is greater."

6:16 "And who is there who is free of faults?"

6:19 "If only those who were free of faults were to enjoin good,"

6:24 "No one would ever enjoin good."

6:27 He, may Allah have mercy on him, said to his brother’s sons:

6:31 "If you wish for Allah to benefit you with this matter,"

6:35 "Then take little of it and reflect deeply upon it."

6:39 He said, "No one ever took too much of it and succeeded."

6:44 Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

6:48 "It is not appropriate for a man to set himself up for issuing fatwas,"

6:53 "Until he possesses five qualities."

6:56 "As for the first, he must have a sincere intention."

7:01 "For if he has no intention,"

7:04 "There will be no light upon him, nor upon his speech."

7:09 "As for the second,"

7:11 "He must possess forbearance, dignity, and tranquility."

7:15 "As for the third,"

7:18 "He must be strong in what he is doing and in his knowledge of it."

7:23 "As for the fourth,"

7:25 "It is self-sufficiency."

7:27 "Otherwise, the people will chew him up."

7:29 "And the fifth is knowledge of the people."

7:33 Ahmad ibn Abi Sulayman, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

7:38 "O student of knowledge,"

7:40 "When you seek knowledge,"

7:42 "Adopt, before seeking it, an etiquette that will help you carry it."

7:48 Yahya ibn Yahya, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

7:51 "Maintain a sense of reserve between yourself and the people,"

7:55 "For it is more dignified for your honor."

7:58 The life of the salaf:

8:01 between word and deed.

The life of the predecessors between words and deeds | Episode (7) | Advice and guidance for the world and seekers of knowledge

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