asalamualikum...
*Who are the scholars and from whom should knowledge be taken?*
by *Shaykh Ahmed Muhammed Al-Munayee حفظه الله*
on Sunday, June 18, 2006
http://www.albaseerah.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1910
- They are cautious and take their time before passing any type of
religious ruling (fatwa) i.e. they are not hasty. Also, they would prefer
that someone else passes a religious ruling instead of themselves, if there
is another individual. They are also cautious in the area where they have no
knowledge on a particular issue. If at a given moment they do not have at
the forefront of their mind the evidence for a particular issue they will
refrain from answering.
- They are concerned about conveying knowledge and passing it on to
others, and also teaching and instructing others in the knowledge that they
have been given.
- They are preoccupied with knowledge and putting it into practice.
- When they deal with knowledge – whether conveying it or acquiring it –
they start with that which is most important and then that which is
important – there is prioritisation. This is done without becoming bored or
tired, although it is something that they do constantly.
- They have great concern for the knowledge; and for the areas of Tawheed
and the Sunnah – that nothing touches these aspects of our Deen.
- They are the ones who stand in defence of the Qur’aan, the Sunnah, and
for the Deen in general.
- They have humility and fear of Allaah and they depend on Him سبحانه و
تعالى and they adhere to whatever He commands. Narrated by ‘Awf ibn Maalik
al-Asja’ee رضى الله عنه that: *“The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم once
looked at the sky and he صلى الله عليه و سلم said “This seems to be the time
of the raising up of knowledge,” so one of them said: “O Messenger of
Allaah, how is it that knowledge will be raised up and we have the Book of
Allaah and we read it and we study it and we teach it to our children?” The
Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said: “I used to consider you one of the most
knowledgeable people of Ahlul Madinah, didn’t the Jews and Christians have
their book with them?[5] Should I not inform you of the first of the
knowledge to be raised up?” He صلى الله عليه و سلم said: “khushoo and the
fear of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى until you will not see a person having this
type of humbleness in a state of fear in times to come”*.”[6]
- They put knowledge into practice, so you find the scholar working with
the knowledge that he has from the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, and being
concerned about it. They practice the optional acts of worship, not to
mention the compulsory acts of *eebaadah* (worship). They adhere to all
these acts of worship, and they stay away from those things that are
disliked and should be shunned.
- Their knowledge is in the heart and not on the tongue. Knowledge is of
two types:
1. Knowledge on the *tongue* – this is the evidence of Allaah سبحانه و
تعالى that is used to convey to the people from the Qur’aan and from the
Sunnah. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم mentions in the hadith: *“The
Qur’aan is an evidence for or against you.”*[7]
2. Knowledge found in the *heart* – this is the beneficial knowledge.
Al-Hasan رحمه الله said that *“Knowledge is of two types, knowledge on
the tongue is the evidence of Allaah against the children of
Aadam as comes
in the hadith: “The Qur’aan is an evidence for or against you.” and
knowledge in the heart is the truly beneficial knowledge.”*
- They do not try to find an easy life which goes against the Deen and
they stay away from innovations and from discussions which have no basis in
the Deen. When Ibn Rajab رحمه اللهdealt with the virtue of knowledge of the
Salaf over the Khalaf, this is one of the things that he pointed out as one
of the characteristics that they (the Scholars) possess.
- They try to avoid hasty religious rulings or being involved in passing
them. This is an aspect of the Deen which the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم
had much concern for – persons who pass religious rulings without being
properly qualified. One of the reasons that we find the scholars of the past
being very cautious is due to their fear of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and the
caution that they had in respect of their Deen, and a desire to free
themselves form the responsibility of the fataawa that would be given. For
this reason we find that this was the mannerism of the Sahaabah who were
chosen to be the Companions of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم. They used to
try and pass on the fataawa to someone else, who might be more knowledgeable
in their eyes to pass religious rulings. Sometimes a person would come into
Madinah and he would ask a question, and he would be told to go to someone
else, and that person would say to go to someone else and he would go to
that second individual who would tell him to go to a third, until he would
go all around Madinah and return to the first individual. Because of this,
we find in regard of the *Mufti* (the person who passes religious
rulings) that he should have certain qualities.
*Characteristics of the Mufti*
- One of these is his *concern for the Arabic language* – he exerts
himself in acquiring and excelling in the Arabic language, until he becomes
one of the most eloquent individuals. This is because the Arabic language is
the language of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. So, if you have an understanding
of the Arabic language you will be able to understand the verses of the
Qur’aan – what is abrogated and what is not abrogated. You are able to
understand the general and restricted expressions. You will be able to
understand what is specific and what is not specific. All these things are
accomplished by understanding the Arabic language. You will know what has
been explained in detail and what has not been explained in detail.
- After that you find them having *concern for the knowledge of the
Sunnah*. One aspect of the Sunnah is that one is supposed to be aware of
what is authentic and what is *da’eef* (weak); and to have some
understanding of those people who are acceptable to take narrations from and
those whose narrations must be rejected, so that based on the hadith being
authentic in his view he will be able to make religious rulings based on it.
--
Masjid Ahlul-Quraan wa As-Sunnah of New york
http://www.seekknowledge.org
http://www.albaseerah.org
