بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
آداب مجلس العلم
The Ettiquetes of attending the Assembly of Knowledge
Ibn Al-Qayyim رحمه الله said that the good manners
of a person indicates his success and happiness, and his impoliteness indicates
his wretchedness and ruin. There is nothing like good manners in attaining the good of this world and the Hereafter, and there is nothing
like bad manners in causing deprivation of the good in this world and the
Hereafter. [Madaarij As-Salikeen 2/391]
The Scholars of the past and present emphasized the
matter of manners in their books and assemblies. This is because the gathering of knowledge is where the student of knowledge begins to learn.
The Salaf used to respect and venerate the gatherings of
knowledge because they knew its status with Allah. There are many narrations
from the Prophet ﷺ which emphasize the importance of the gatherings of knowledge. For example, he ﷺ
said:
مَا جَلَسَ قَوْمٌ مَجْلِسًا, يَذْكُرُونَ اَللَّهَ إِلَّا حَفَّتْ بِهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ, وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ, وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ
"People will not sit in an assembly in which they remember Allah without the angels surrounding them, mercy covering them, and Allah mentioning them among those who are with Him." [Muslim]
And he ﷺ said,
إِذَا مَرَرْتُمْ بِرِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ فَارْتَعُوا قَالُوا وَمَا رِيَاضُ الْجَنَّةِ قَالَ حِلَقُ الذِّكْرِ
'When you pass by the meadows of Paradise, then graze as you like.” They said, “What are the meadows of Paradise?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “The circles of remembrance.” [At-Tirmithi #3510]
These gatherings are not like any other gatherings.
Therefore, we should follow the manners of attending.
1) The Manners of entering and leaving the Gathering
-> You should enter with the
Salaam. The Prophet ﷺ said,
إِذَا انْتَهَى أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى مَجْلِسٍ فَلْيُسَلِّمْ فَإِنْ بَدَا لَهُ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ فَلْيَجْلِسْ ثُمَّ إِذَا قَامَ فَلْيُسَلِّمْ فَلَيْسَتِ الأُولَى بِأَحَقَّ مِنَ الآخِرَةِ
"When one of you arrives at the gathering, then give the Salam, and if he is given a place to sit, then let him sit. Then when he stands, let him give the Salam, the first is more worthy than the last." [At-Tirmithi]
-> If there are a group of
people entering with you, you should give precedence to the elders. If they are
of the same age, then those in the right should enter before those on the left.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ لَمْ يَرْحَمْ صَغِيرَنَا وَيَعْرِفْ حَقَّ كَبِيرِنَا فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا
"Those who do not show mercy to our young ones and do not realise the right of our elders are not from us." [Sunan Abi Dawud]
2) The Manners of sitting in the Gathering
- -> Sit with calmness. Ibn
Jam’ah, born in the year 636H in Sham, was the Sheikh of Ibn Kathir, Imam
an-Nawawi, and Imam Adh-Dahabi. He listed some manners of the student of knowledge
in his book at-Tadhkihrah, “The student should sit in front of his Sheikh in a
good manner like the little boy when he sits in front of the Qur’an teacher. He should sit crossed legged in humbleness and calmness.”
-> Make space for newcomers. Allah
said in Surah Al-Mujadalah [58:11]:
"O you who believe! When you are told to make room in the assemblies, (spread out and) make room. Allah will give you (ample) room (from His Mercy). And when you are told to rise up [for prayers, Jihad (holy fighting in Allah's Cause), or for any other good deed], rise up. Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do."
- -> Sit wherever there is place
available. Do not step over the necks of people unnecessarily.
- -> Do not sit between two
people without their permission.
-> Avoid separating in the
gathering. It is one of the manners of the assemblies of knowledge to sit
together.
Jabir ibn Samurah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered a
Masjid and saw the companions sitting in separate groups. He said,
مَا لِي أَرَاكُمْ عِزِينَ
“Why do I
see you in separate groups?”
[Saheeh Abu Dawud and graded Saheeh by Al-Albani]
The Prophet ﷺ was very keen to have unity.
This was not limited to the gatherings of
knowledge, it extended to all his affairs. Abu Tha’labah رضي الله عنه narrated that when the
Prophet encamped, the companions used to be scattered all over the valley. The Prophet ﷺ said,
إِنَّ تَفَرُّقَكُمْ فِي هَذِهِ الشِّعَابِ وَالأَوْدِيَةِ إِنَّمَا ذَلِكُمْ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ
"Your scattering in these glens and wadis is only of the devil"
After that, the
companions kept so close to one another when they encamped, to the extent that if a
cloth was spread over them it would cover them all. [Saheeh Abu Dawud]
Al-Albani رحمه الله used to say that this outward
gathering affects the unity of the hearts.
The Name of Allah Ar-Razzaq
- If you know that Allah is the All-Provider, you will live mentally stable in
this life.
All of creation without exclusion live in
this life enjoying the provision of Allah.Ever since the
human was in the womb of his mother Allah has been providing for him. The
compassion of the parents towards the unborn baby is a provision from Allah.
There are some parents who have no compassion, so when you see that, you would
know this is a provision from Allah. Even if someone
visited you, that visit is a provision from Allah. Both spiritual and
materialistic matters are provision from Allah.
When many parents grow old they complain
that their children do not visit them. One should think correctly- that the
visit of their children, their call, their care, is a provision from Allah. If
you understand who Allah is you would not become upset with people.
Even the feelings of love, care,
acceptance, are provision from Allah. There are people who wherever they go
people love and accept them and there are others who are not liked wherever they go. If you understand
that it is a provision from Allah you would be calm and not complain or be upset.
- Since everything is a provision from Allah, do not do
what pleases the people and displeases Allah.
E.g. She’s a married woman and her husband does not love
her. She may go and do many things contrary to what Allah loves in order to
please her husband and make him love her. Do not do what displeases Allah to
get provision from people. The provision is in Allah’s Hand, not in
the hands of the people. You have to go back to Allah ar-Razzaq and He will provide for you. None will
accept you from among the people if Allah diverts their hearts from you.
Most of our problems is because we do not know who Allah
Ar-Razzaq is. Sit with yourself and look at your problem, and you will find
that it is a problem in understanding the name of Allah ar-Razzaq. If you really
know it, you will live at peace and in rest. You will be able to explain things
correctly.
Your concern should be seeking the love of Allah, not the
love of the people. The Prophet ﷺ said,
إذا أحب الله العبد نادى جبريل: إن الله تعالى يحب فلانًا، فأحببه، فيحبه جبريل، فينادي في أهل السماء: إن الله يحب فلانًا، فأحبوه، فيحبه أهل السماء، ثم يوضع له القبول في الأرض
"When Allah loves a slave, calls out Jibril and says: 'I love so-and-so; so love him'. Then Jibril loves him. After that he (Jibril) announces to the inhabitants of heavens that Allah loves so- and-so; so love him; and the inhabitants of the heavens (the angels) also love him and then make people on earth love him" [Agreed Upon]
This means that all the good people on earth will accept that person. Allah loves the
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ the most and we believe that Allah placed acceptance for him
on earth. But this acceptance is by the believers, because the
disbelievers mock him.
- The main problem
with the people nowadays is their job, salaries, their money, how much they
earn, what will happen to them tomorrow. They are living in fear and worry for
their provision which Allah has already written before the creation of the
heavens and earth by fifty thousand years. If Allah has written a morsel of food for you it will reach
you no matter how far away it is. Allah will create the means for it to reach
you wherever you are. Every time Zakariya عليه السلام entered upon Mayam’s prayer place he
found that she was provided with sustenance. He knew that she did not have a
job and earn livelihood, so he asked as mentioned in Surah Aal-Imran [3:37]:
"So her Lord (Allah) accepted her with goodly acceptance. He made her grow in a good manner and put her under the care of Zakariya (Zachariya). Every time he entered Al-Mihrab to (visit) her , he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Maryam (Mary)! From where have you got this?" She said, "This is from Allah." Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit."
She was in her praying place and Allah sent sustenance for
her. When Zakariya saw with his own eyes how Allah provided for Maryam without
any means, he moved from علم اليقين (Knowledge of Certainty) to عين اليقين (Seeing with Certainty),
therefore at that spot, he immediately asked for offspring. Although the means
of having offspring was available for Zakariya, it was very weak. When he saw
that Allah gave provision without means to Maryam, he asked for offspring from Allah, and Allah gave him. The angels
immediately called upon him and gave him the glad tidings of a son named Yahya عليه السلام.
- This does not mean that you do not take the means. This life
is based on means. However, we should not rely on them. Again, when Maryam was
in labour with Jesus, Allah provided her with a date tree. He ordered her to
shake the trunk of the tree. Although she was weak and the trunk of the date
tree is stiff, Allah is teaching us that even if the means are weak, Allah is
the Provider. You have to have trust in Allah. Do your best and Allah will
provide for you even if your work and effort is weak. If you believe that Allah is Ar-Razzaq, He may bring your
healing, guidance, and reformation for yourself or for others through means
beyond your imagination.
Take the means but do not think that the means is bringing
you the provision. Allah gave you the means and He is the One who gives you the
result of the means.
- The last thing that we should be concerned about in this
life is our provision. You should not be worried about it at all because it is
something Allah has decreed for you before the creation of the heavens and the
earth. Allah said in Surah adh-Dhariyat [51:22-23]:
"And in the heaven is your provision, and that which you are promised."
"Then, by the Lord of the heaven and the earth, it is the truth (i.e. what has been promised to you), just as it is the truth that you can speak."
Just as you have no doubt in the fact that you can speak,
you should have no doubt that your provision is with Allah and He will give it to
you. Some people think that you have high degrees you will get a good job and
if you don’t you will have a bad job. There are people who are highly qualified
but earn little.
- If Allah has written any provision for you He will bring it
for you and He will bring the means for it. In Surah Al-Waqiah [56:63-65]:
"Tell Me! The seed that you sow in the ground."
"Is it you that make it grow, or are We the Grower?"
"Were it Our Will, We could crumble it to dry pieces, and you would be regretful (or left in wonderment)."
The seed is from Allah, the soil is from Allah, the water is
from Allah, the sun is from Allah, the air is from Allah, the strength to
plough is from Allah. Everything is from Allah. After you put the seed in the
ground, who will make it grow? Allah is the Splitter of the Seed. He is the One
who makes it split and sprout and grow into a plant.
Allah is affirming a very important fact, that He is the One
controlling and providing us with everything. So why are you worried for
tomorrow? He is the One who gives us the means and the result of using the
means.
Sometimes you wish for something and you see that what you
wished for comes through someone. This is to tell us – who knew what was in
your heart? What do you think of Alllah – Do you think that Allah can fulfill
your wishes or do you doubt? Allah is watching your heart and seeing what you
think of Him. If you think good of Allah, He will be for you as you think of
Him.
If your Lord is Ar-Razzaq, what is your duty?
The first one who you should think of when you have a need
is Allah.
E.g. You need a doctor. Before asking anybody, go to Allah.
He is the One who brings a good doctor for you and guides the doctor to
diagnose your sickness and write the correct prescription and He is the One who
gives you the result of that medicine. But all you have to do is ask Him.
Allah tests us with needs. He initiates needs within us
in order for us to go to Him and invoke Him. Not to ask people or rely on
ourselves. Even cure is a provision from Allah.
How do we know that provision is a test for us? Allah
said in Surah al-Jinn [72:16-17]:
"If they had believed in Allah, and went on the Right Way (i.e. Islam) We should surely have bestowed on them water (rain) in abundance."
"That We might try them thereby. And whosoever turns away from the Reminder of his Lord (i.e. this Quran, and practice not its laws and orders), He will cause him to enter in a severe torment (i.e. Hell)."
Sometimes, we invoke Allah for something and Allah does not
give it to us. Later, we discover that Allah not giving us that thing was not good for
us and we thank Allah. Be satisfied what Allah has written for you and He will
give you more and more. Wake up at the night when everyone is asleep and ask Him
for all your needs and have good thoughts and expectations about Him. No one
can prevent the provision from you or take the morsel that’s written for you
from your mouth. Knowing the name of Allah ar-Razzaq will turn your life into a
peaceful content life.
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