The Etiquettes of Seeking Knowledge 11

بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Upon the Authority of Abdullah Ibn AlImaam AlHujjah (the son of the authoritative Imam and the [abundant] narrator in the six books), Bakr bin Abdillah Al-Muzanee said:

"I heard a person narrated that when my father was standing on Mount Arafah, he became soft hearted and said: "If I wasn't among them (i.e. One of the congregation), I would have said they have been forgiven'

Adh-Dhahabi narrated it, then said, "I say: in this way the slave should pity himself and swallow his pride"

This statement implies that his presence in the congregation didn't allow him to say they had been forgiven due to his lowly status; although he was a great scholar. 

This can be looked at in two ways: You could either assume that he was a corrupt person, or promoting his own humility.

Ibn Uthaymeen said in commentary:

The intent behind such a statement was to merely warn the people, who were studying under them, in order to raise their consciousness and humility, because they'd look at such an individual as an example and guide. 

Otherwise, it's more befitting for a person to be optimistic regarding Allah; to have حسن الظن بالله. The Mountain of Arafah is a place of humility towards Allah, and the believer should say, "Allah didn't make it easy for me to arrive at this place, except in order to forgive me" and ask Allah's forgiveness and hope for salvation. 

The statement of the Salaf highlights humility and pessimism towards the human soul, and not towards Allah. The human soul is constantly erring, and we need to be conscious of such errors.

عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كُلُّ بَنِي آدَمَ خَطَّاءٌ وَخَيْرُ الْخَطَّائِينَ التَّوَّابُونَ

The Prophet ﷺ said, All of the children of Adam are sinners, and the best of sinners are those who repent.” [Ibn Majah] 

And the Prophet ﷺ used to ask Allah to forgive him 100 times a day. Because it's human nature to make mistakes, and sometimes we may even consider the deed we are doing to be good, but in reality it's a sin in the eyes of Allah. 

We can't escape our nature, but good deeds erase evil deeds, and they're rewarded for at least 10 times their value. Allah loves to forgive us.

 عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال: " لو لم تذنبوا لذهب الله بكم ولجاء بقومٍ يذنبون ثم يستغفرون فيُغفَرُ لهم "

The Prophet ﷺ said: “If you did not commit sin, Allaah would do away with you and bring people who would commit sins then ask Him to forgive them, so He would forgive them" [Muslim] 

And Allah said in [3:133]:

So we should have optimism with regards to Allah, and pessimism with regards to ourselves.

6) Contentment and Asceticism 

Adorn (yourself) with contentment and asceticism. And the realty of Zuhd is: "Zuhd (is) in the Haraam, and to distance yourself from its boundaries by abstaining from the matters of Halaal and Haraam which are unclear, and from wishing for what is in peoples possession"

So asceticism refers to a way of life where one lives in a very basic way; refraining from seeking pleasure and accumulation of material life. 

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ رضى الله عنهما قَالَ أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمَنْكِبِي فَقَالَ كُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَأَنَّكَ غَرِيبٌ أَوْ عَابِرُ سَبِيلٍ وَكَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ يَقُولُ إِذَا أَمْسَيْتَ فَلاَ تَنْتَظِرِ الصَّبَاحَ وَإِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَلاَ تَنْتَظِرِ الْمَسَاءَ وَخُذْ مِنْ صِحَّتِكَ لِمَرَضِكَ وَمِنْ حَيَاتِكَ لِمَوْتِكَ

Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took hold of my shoulder and he said, “Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler along a path.” 

Ibn Umar said, “If you enter the evening, then do not wait for the morning. If you enter the morning, then do not wait for the evening. Take from your health for your sickness and from your life for your death.” [Bukhari]

The traveler only takes what's necessary for him on his journey. 

And the Prophet ﷺ said:

الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَجَنَّةُ الْكَافِرِ

“The world is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the unbeliever.” [Muslim]

The prisoner has limitations. The Muslims faith has imposed some things on him and restricts him from others. Paradise for the disbelievers means that they can do whatever they desire; enjoy to the maximum. But that's for us in Jannah. Allah said in [41:30-32]:

And the Prophet ﷺ said:

 الْحَلَالُ بَيِّنٌ وَالْحَرَامُ بَيِّنٌ وَبَيْنَهُمَا مُشَبَّهَاتٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا كَثِيرٌ مِنْ النَّاسِ فَمَنْ اتَّقَى الْمُشَبَّهَاتِ اسْتَبْرَأَ لِدِينِهِ وَعِرْضِهِ وَمَنْ وَقَعَ فِي الشُّبُهَاتِ كَرَاعٍ يَرْعَى حَوْلَ الْحِمَى يُوشِكُ أَنْ يُوَاقِعَهُ أَلَا وَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ مَلِكٍ حِمًى أَلَا إِنَّ حِمَى اللَّهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ مَحَارِمُهُ أَلَا وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ أَلَا وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ

وفي رواية أخرى قال اجْعَلُوا بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْحَرَامِ سُتْرَةً مِنَ الْحَلالِ مَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ اسْتَبْرَأَ لِعِرْضِهِ وَدِينِهِ وَمَنْ أَرْتَعَ فِيهِ كَانَ كَالْمُرْتِعِ إِلَى جَنْبِ الْحِمَى يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَقَعَ فِيهِ وَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ مَلِكٍ حِمًى وَإِنَّ حِمَى اللَّهِ فِي الأَرْضِ مَحَارِمُهُ

“Verily, the lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear, and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which many people do not know. Thus, he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor, and he who falls into doubtful matters will fall into the unlawful as the shepherd who pastures near a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Verily, every king has a sanctum and the sanctum of Allah is his prohibitions. Verily, in the body there is a piece of flesh which if upright then the entire body is upright, and if corrupt then the entire body is corrupt. No doubt it is the heart.”

In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said, "Make between yourself and the unlawful a barrier of what is lawful. Whoever does so will clear himself in regard to his honor and his religion. A shepherd who grazes near the side of a sanctum will nearly fall into it. Verily, every king has a sanctum and the sanctum of Allah is his prohibitions.” [Bukhari and Muslim] 

Ibn Uthaymeen said in his commentary:

Adorning oneself with contentment is most important for the student of knowledge, because it means to be content with what Allah has given him, and not to seek to be amongst the wealthy and prosperous. Some students of knowledge and other desire to be in the ranks of the rich and affluent and spend extravagantly on food, clothing, and household goods, until they end up to their necks in debt. 

The best provision for a Muslim is to be content. And contentment and peace is found in the remembrance of Allah. In [13:28]:

And Ibn Uthaymeen said with regards to Zuhd:

"The reality of Zuhd with regards to the Haraam is to distance ones from its boundaries (not even come close to them)." This is really the definition of الورع. 

Zuhd is one thing, and الورع is something else. Zuhd is of a higher level, because الورع is abstaining from what will harm you in the hereafter, whereas Zuhd is abstaining from what has no benefit of you in the hereafter. It's abstaining from something permissible, and not displeasing to Allah, but will have no benefit in the next life. Both concepts involve abstinence. 

When someone dies there's a natural inheritance which is automatically divided according to the prescribed Laws of Inheritance found in the Qur'an and Sunnah. To those whom Allah doesn't specify a portion, up to one third of your wealth may be bequeathed to them, even if that person is a non-Muslim. 

So Imam Ash-Shafi says, that if a person left a bequest to the wisest, most intelligent of all people, the money would be given to the Zaahid. 

This teaches us that ultimate wisdom is to live a life is where one seeks benefit for the life to come, and not just merely live here for enjoyment; because this life is a bridge to the afterlife. The ascetic are the most intelligent of people due to their avoidance of whatever doesn't benefit them in the hereafter.

It was narrated that when it was said to Muhammed Ibn Al-Hasan ash-Shaybanee, "Will you not write a book on Zuhd?" He replied, "I have written a book on transactions" meaning: a The true ascetic person is the one who is cautious from falling into the شبهات (matters of Halaal and Harasm which are unclear), and things which are disliked, whether in business or other transactions and professions.

The person who learns business matters, in order to only seek what is Halal and avoid the Haraam is considered an ascetic. Asceticism isnt limited to spiritual matters, it works in all aspects of our lives.

Therefore, the seeker of knowledge should be moderate in his lifestyle in a way that does not dishonor him, by maintaining himself and those who are dependent upon him, so he doesn't put himself in a position of humility and shame.

Our Sheikh Muhammed Al-Amin ash-Shinqitee, who died on 17/12/1393H, رحمه الله, took very little from this worldly life, and I used to see him and he could not differentiate between the values of different notes within the same currency, and he once said to me: "I came from my country (Mauritania) and with me is a treasure that is very seldom found in the possession of anyone, and it is contentment; and if I wanted high status, I would have known the way to achieve it, but I chose not to exchange this worldly life for the hereafter, and I do not give my knowledge to attain worldly desires"