Knowledge

[Islamic Creature]

Sufyaan Ath-Thawree, raHimahullaah, said: "The excellence of knowledge is due only to the fact that it causes a person to fear and obey Allaah, otherwise it is just like anything else." [Related by ibn Rajab]

Al-Hasan al-Basree, raHimahullaah, said: "Whoever learns something in the name of Allaah, seeking that which is with Him, he will win. And whoever learns something for other than Allaah, he will not reach the goal, nor will his acquired knowledge bring him closer to Allaah." [Related by Ibn ul Jawzee]

Ibn Mas`ood, raDiallaahu `anhu, said: "True knowledge is not measured in relationship to how much you memorize and then narrate, but rather, true knowledge is an expression of piety [protecting oneself from what Allaah prohibited and acting upon what He mandated]."Also, "Study and act upon what you learn." [Related by Abu Na`eem]

[Islamic Creature]

Benefiting from Knowledge
by Ibnul-Jawzee

I have met many mashaaykh and the affair of one was different from that of the other, and their knowledge capacity were of varying levels. And the one whom I benefited from his company the most was the one who used to apply what he knew, even though there were those who were more knowledgeable than him.

I met a group from the people of hadeeth who memorized and knew a lot, however they would permit backbiting under the guise of jarh wa ta'deel (ed.: "accreditation and disreputation", science of criticism of narrators), they would take monetary payment in return for narrating hadeeth, and they would be hasty in giving answers, even if they are wrong, lest their status diminishes.

I met Abdulwahaab Al-Anmaatee, he used to be upon the methodology of the salaf. One would never hear backbiting in his gatherings nor would he take payment for teaching hadeeth. Whenever I read a hadeeth that contained in it a heart-softener, he used to cry continuously. I was very young at that time, (but) his crying affected my heart. He had the calm of those whose description we hear about from the narrations.

I met Abu Mansur Al-Jawaaliqee, he was very quiet, very careful about what he said, precise, and scholarly. Sometimes he would be asked a question, which may seem easy; one that our young ones would rush to answer, however he would withhold from answering until he was certain. He used to fast a lot and remain quiet often.

Thus, I benefited from these two more than I benefited from the others, and I understood from this that: guiding people by one's action is more inspiring than doing so by words. So Allah, Allah, one should implement what he knows for it is indeed the greatest foundation. And the miskeen, the true miskeen is the one who wasted his life learning what he does not practice, thus he looses the pleasures of the dunyah and the goodies of the akhirah. (In addition to) Coming forth bankrupt (on the day of judgment) with strong evidences against himself."