Part of Rawnaq Al-Ilm (series completed)
· Lesson 10 of 50
The book of the elegance of knowledge among the wise | Episode (10) | Permanence of learning
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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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 Splendor of Knowledge according to the Sages.
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By Dr. Hamza Ibn Fayi' Al Fathi.
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May Allah preserve him.
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The Perpetuity of Learning.
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The Imam and exegete Sa'id Ibn Jubayr, may Allah the Exalted have mercy upon him, said:
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Who passed away in the year 95 AH:
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"A man remains knowledgeable as long as he continues to learn.
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But if he abandons learning,
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and assumes that he has become self-sufficient and content with what he possesses,
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then he is at his most ignorant."
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Knowledge is a sustainable process,
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a continuous effort,
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and a lifelong immersion;
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it has no limit in time, stage,
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degree, or position.
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The reason for this
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is its vastness and the immensity of its ocean,
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and that it cannot be fully encompassed,
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nor can all its chapters be attained.
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Therefore, the wise person continues to draw from it,
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sipping its pure waters,
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gathering its springs,
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and finding delight in its collection and acquisition.
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Whoever believes they have reached sufficiency
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will find themselves bound by the shackles of ignorance,
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which will surround them from every side.
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And whoever signals that they are self-sufficient
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is counted among the ignorant,
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just as Sa'id said here, may Allah have mercy upon him.
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A similar sentiment is reported from Ibn Al Mubarak:
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"And if he is content with what he has,
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he is at his most ignorant."
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This is because the one who claims sufficiency and self-reliance
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has blocked the door to learning.
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He claims understanding and fluency,
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believing that what he gathered at the beginning,
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or during his university stage,
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or in that high position he holds,
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is sufficient for providing benefit, answering questions, and issuing fatwas.
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Nay, not so.
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We must continue to learn,
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we shall continue to read,
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and we shall remain lovers of knowledge and benefits,
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from whichever door they may come and be obtained.
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Self-sufficiency may lead to arrogance,
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and the wearing of a haughty disdain for knowledge,
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and for drawing inspiration from lessons and benefits,
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which results in the rejection of truth,
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the denial of sources,
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the refusal of proofs,
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and the belittling of those who provide benefit.
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This is because he has closed the door,
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fastened its lock securely,
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and summoned his cavalry and infantry and his army,
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such that no window remains for a solution,
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no door for mutual understanding,
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and no channel for enlightenment.
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And Allah is the One whose help is sought.
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The fact that scholars continue to learn,
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and that sheikhs ask those who are younger than them,
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despite their high standing,
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is a testament to their humility and their love for knowledge.
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I recall some of our sheikhs consulting me
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at the university
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regarding issues of hadith and authorship
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after we had graduated.
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They thought well of this poor servant,
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and I answered according to what I understood,
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but it taught me a lesson
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in humility, good companionship,
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and continuous scholarly discourse.
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So I followed their path,
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and followed those who walked it.
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To Allah belongs all praise and grace.