The Etiquettes of Seeking Knowledge 13

بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم


PDF: Continuation Point 7

Continuation: 

7. Adorn yourself with the splendour of knowledge 

As a student of knowledge, one should have the right priorities. If seeking knowledge is most important, then our lifestyles should reflect it. And this is not to try to create a facade - so that people see you this way. 

There are people who don't iron their clothes, because 'there was no iron at the time of the Prophet ﷺ' and 'we should be simple'. This is extreme. Yes there were no irons at the time of the Prophet ﷺ, but a basic groomed appearance is that ones clothing is ironed. If rumpled crumbled creased type clothing is associated with people who are of a lower status in society, we as people seeking knowledge shouldn't have this outward appearance. People will judge the knowledge one has to convey from that perspective. 

At the same time, you don't want to go to the other extreme of being so stylish and into the latest this and that. 

Take the balanced path - The Dunya is a means of attaining the hereafter. Allah created us for the hereafter. The knowledge we seek is knowledge which will help us get there, and since that is our priority, it should be reflected in our external character as well as our internal. The beautification of ourselves should be one that is within, as opposed to one that is purely external. We should be internally good, because that is ultimately what Allah judges by. 

Sheikh Bakr Abu Zayd said in conclusion of this point:

And in the Judicial book of the Inspired Speaker, the Commander of the Believers, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab said:

"....and whoever adorns himself with other than that which he possesses, then Allah will disfigure him"

Sheikh Bakr Abu Zayd used the term "المحدث" which literally means 'the one spoken to'. And this title implies 'one spoken to by God', and is taken from a Hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ says:

"If there were among you those who were spoken to (by Allah), it would have been Umar رضي الله عنه" 

This statement is part of a longer Hadith which is found in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, and the major books of the Sunan. In one of the narrations:

Sheikh Bakr Abu Zayd also described Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه as "الملهم" (Inspired). He spoke as if he was speaking in accordance with revelation. 

This expression was considered problematic with some scholars, because it necessitates that Umar was the best of the companions. But it is well known that Abu Bakr was the best of the Ummah after the Prophet ﷺ

Ibn Taymiyah responded to this question that was raised by saying that Abu Bakr was better than Umar. Anyone who saw how Abu Bakr handled a crisis knows that Abu Bakr was more correct than Umar.

-> Whether it was in the Treaty of Hudaibiya;- the Prophet ﷺ came to an agreement with the Quraish, while in the process consulting Umar and Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr's opinion was the same as the Prophet ﷺ's word for word. 

-> Or during the fighting against the apostates, Abu Bakr held his ground. Umar bin Khattab was willing to negotiate with those who refused to pay Zakat after the Prophet ﷺ passed away. They took the position that Zakat was like tribute you pay to the rulers. When they were told it was obligatory, they brought their forces outside Madinah, and threatened that if they weren't allowed to be excused, they would attack. Abu Bakr took his strong position, saying that if they paid a hobbling cords worth of Zakat at the time of the Prophet ﷺ, they would have to pay it now. 

-> Similarly, the Prophet ﷺ assigned Usama bin Zayd - who was 15 years old, to lead the army. After he ﷺ passed away, people started grumbling. But Abu Bakr stood firm. This was the decision of the Prophet ﷺ and he wouldn't change it. And this was the time when forces all over Arabia started to array themselves against the Muslims. The false Prophets Musaylimah and others were already making their claims and gathering armies, so Umar bin Khattab didn't want to send the army out at that time. But Abu Bakr stood his ground and executed the command of the Prophet ﷺ and it turned out to be the best decision . 

-> When the Prophet ﷺ passed away, Umar bin Khattab was unable to handle the concept that the Prophet ﷺ died. He went out with his sword in his hand threatening to kill anyone who said that the Prophet ﷺ died. It was Abu Bakr who came out and said, "Whoever was worshipping Muhamed ﷺ, then know that Muhammed ﷺ passed away. And whoever was worshipping the Lord of Muhammed ﷺ, then know that He is Ever-Living"

These are all circumstances which prove that Abu Bakr's opinions were more correct than those of Umar. 

Ibn Uthaymeen رحمه الله goes on to say: If it was asked who narrated more Hadiths - Abu Bakr or Abu Hurayrah? The answer would be Abu Hurayrah. However, that doesn't mean that Abu Hurayrah heard more Hadith than Abu Bakr. Abu Hurayrayah was only with the Prophet ﷺ for four years, yet became the most prolific narrator of Hadith. You hear modernists and Shi'a attacking him, saying it's because he fabricated Hadith. Of course some times the numbers are exaggerated - people say that he narrated 5000+ narrations, when in fact the number was 1,300. Because the Scholars, when they count narrations, count all the chains. 

Abu Bakr didn't narrate everything he heard from the Messenger ﷺ. He was the constant companion of the Prophet ﷺ, he knew the Prophet ﷺ more intimately than anyone. He was his companion day and night, in the winter and summer, in traveling and at home. But the position he was put in was that he was required to lead the Ummah. He was engaged in maintaining the leadership as the Prophet ﷺ's life came to an end.

So the above makes the answer clear concerning the Hadith regarding Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه.

The other issue is with regards to "المحدثون". We know that there were people whom Allah spoke to by way of Angels, such as Maryam عليها السلام. But this came to an end with the coming of the Prophet ﷺ. You have people claiming today that they are محدثون, mainly amongst the Sufis.

The statement, "...if there were to be any.." basically means that there won't be anymore. But if there were to be, it would have been Umar رضي الله عنه. So that door is closed.

Sheikh Bakr Abu Zayd رحمه الله then quotes the statement of Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه: 

"....and whoever adorns himself with other than that which he possesses, then Allah will disfigure him"

This was in a letter which was sent by Umar to Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari رضي الله عنهما, who was appointed by the Prophet ﷺ along with Muadh Ibn Jabal in Yemen. 

Ibn Uthaymeen رحمه الله says in his commentary: 

This is the reality. If a person beautifies himself as a student of religious knowledge, and every time a case comes he rolls up his sleeves and says, "I can handle it - this is Halal, this is Haraam, This is Obligatory, this is Fardh 'Ayn, this has such and such conditions, that has no conditions," he gives specific pronouncements and generalizes. 

When a young or minor student asks him about something, Allah exposes him and shows him that he is not a Scholar, although he was pretending to be.

Similarly is the one who beautifies himself with acts of worship, so that it appears to people that he is a devout worshipper. Allah will expose him for what he is.

This is because otherwise, such people would mislead the Ummah. So one way or another, Allah will expose him for what he really is.

Then Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen رحمه الله goes on to quote a line of poetry:

No matter what characteristics a man may have,         Even if he hides it from the people, it will become known

No matter how much people hide it, Allah knows, and will expose those who don't work for His pleasure. Use this phrase of Umar bin AlKhattab رضي الله عنه to weigh your deeds.

Are we really seeking knowledge for the sake of Allah? Or are we seeking it to promote ourselves, thereby claiming for ourselves things which we don't have a right to? If this is the case, Allah will expose us at some point in time.

Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd رحمه الله says:

Refer back to Ibn Al-Qayyims explanation 

Ibn Al-Qayyim was one of the main students of Ibn Taymiyah. He is an end of 13th century, beginning of early 14th century Hanbali Scholar. He was called Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah because his father was the principal of Al-Jawzi school in Damascus. 

His real name is Muhammed Ibn Abi Bakr Ibn Ayyub Az-Zura'a, which is an aspiration to the place Ezra in the south of Syria. If you ask people today who Muhammed Ibn Abi Bakr was, no one would know. This is like if you ask anyone who Abdur-Rahman Ibn Sakhr was. He was one of the most famous companions of the Prophet ﷺ. His name was originally Abd ush-Shams, but the Prophet ﷺ changed it to Abdur-Rahman, keeping his fathers name 'As-Sakhr' (which means rock). So who was Abdur-Rahman Ibn Sakhr? Abu Hurayra رضي الله عنه. 

And there are many people like that. Take Abu Hanifah for example. He's called that because his daughters name was Hanifa. His real name was Nu'man Ibn Thabit.

Among Ibn Qayyims students was Ibn Kathir and Ibn Rajab.

Ibn Qayyim wrote a book called "I'laam al Muwaqi'een" (إعلام الموقعين) and it is in three large volumes. If you read it, you will find that it is a commentary on this concept - on its words from one perspective and a commentary on the meanings and lessons from another. 

The original meaning of the statement of Umar bin Khattab is found in a Hadith narrated by Asmaa Bint Abi Bakr, where the Prophet ﷺ said:

"He who describes himself with that which he has not been given, is like one who wears two garments of falsehood" [Agreed upon]