Chapter Two :THE WAYS OF ATTAINING KNOWLEDGE

18And the beneficial knowledge has certain ways and means by which it isobtained and certain paths that are taken in its acquisition andmemorisation. Amongst the most important of them are:

Firstly: That the servant asks his Lord for the beneficialknowledge and that he seeks assistance by Him, the Exalted, and showshis need to Him. Allaah ordered His Prophet, Muhammad (PBUH) to ask Himthat He increases him in knowledge, in addition to his knowledge. He,the Exalted said:

And say, “O Lord! Increase me in knowledge.” [Soorah Taa Haa(21):114].

And the Messenger (PBUH) used to say, “O Allaah, benefit me withwhat you have taught me and teach me that which will benefit me andincrease me in knowledge.” [Reported by at Tirmidhee (5/578) andIbn Maajah (1/92). Also refer to Saheeh Ibn Maajah (1/47)].

Secondly: And this is the greatest and the essence of themall -sincerity in seeking the knowledge. The Messenger (PBUH) said, “Whoeverlearnt knowledge by which the Face of Allaah is to be sought, but doesnot do so except for attaining a goal of this world, (he) will notsmell the fragrance of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection.” [Reportedby Aboo Daawood with his wording in Kitaabul-Ilm and Ibn Maajah in hisintroduction (1/93). Refer also to Saheeh Ibn Maajah (1/48)].

Thirdly: Striving and exerting oneself in seeking knowledge,having keen interest for it, having a true desire in which the Pleasureof Allaah, the Most High, is sought and adopting all of the ways andmeans in seeking knowledge of the Book and the Sunnah. 19

A man came to Aboo Hurairah  and said, “I desire to learn theknowledge but I fear that I may waste it.” So Aboo Hurairah replied tohim, “Your abandonment of learning it is sufficient in wasting it.”[Refer to Tafseerus-Sa’dee (5/194)].

For this reason one of the wise people, upon being asked, “What isthe way by which knowledge is obtained?” answered, “With eagerness isit followed, with love is it listened to, with sole concern is itgathered, teach your knowledge to the one who is ignorant, and learnfrom the one who teaches, for if you do that, you will come to knowthat of which you were ignorant and you will memorise that which you(yourself) have learnt.” [Jaami Bayaanul-Ilm wa Fadlihi of IbnAbdul-Barr (1/102,103)].

For this reason, Imaam ash Shaafi’ee (may Allaah have mercy on him)said:

“My brother! You will not acquireknowledge except by six matters, I will inform you of their detail with an explanation: Intelligence, zeal, striving, competence/proficiency The companionship of a teacher … and a long time!”

Fourthly: Avoiding all disobedience by having taqwaa ofAllaah, the Most High, for that is the greatest of means of acquiringknowledge, as He, the Most High, has said:

Have taqwaa of Allaah and Allaah will teach you, and Allaah hasknowledge of every single thing. [Soorah al-Baqarah (2):282].

And He, the Most High, also said:

O you who believe! If you have taqwaa of Allaah, He will grantyou a criterion (to judge between truth and falsehood). [Soorahal-Anfaal (8):29].

This is clear and manifest proof that the one who has taqwaa ofAllaah, He will grant him knowledge by which he will distinguishbetween truth and falsehood. For this reason Abdullaah ibnMas’ood said, “Indeed, I consider that a man loses knowledge which he once had,due to a sin which he committed.” [Jaami’ Bayaanul-‘ILm wa Fadlihi ofIbn ‘Abdul-Barr (1/196)].

Imaam ash Shaafi’ee (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, “Icomplained to Wakee’ about the poorness of my memory. So he directed meto abandon disobedience. And informed me that the knowledge of Allaahis light. And that the light of Allaah is not given to thedisobedient.” [Deewaanush-Shaafi’ee (p.88). Refer also to Al-Jawaab al-Kaafee of Ibn al-Qayyim (p.104).]

Imaam Maalik said to Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee (may Allaah have mercy onthem both), “I see that Allaah has placed light in your heart so do notextinguish it with the darkness of disobedience.” [Al-Jawaab al-Kaafeeof Ibn al-Qayyim (p.104)].

Fifthly: Being neither shy nor arrogant in seekingknowledge, and this is why ‘Aa’ishah, (may Allaah be pleased with her),said, “How excellent are the women of the Ansaar, shyness/modesty doesnot prevent them from understanding the religion.” [Reported byBukhaaree in Kitaabul-Ilm].

Umm Sulaim, (may Allaah be pleased with her), said, “O Messenger ofAllaah! Allaah is not ashamed of the truth, so is it necessary for awomen to make ghusl when she has a wet dream?” The Prophet (PBUH) said,“Ifshe sees the fluid.” [Reported by Bukhaaree in Kitaabul-Ilm].

Mujaahid said, “The shy person and the arrogant one will not learnthe knowledge.” [Reported by Bukhaaree in Kitaabul-Ilm].

And finally: Acting upon the knowledge. The Messenger of Allaah(PBUH) said, “A servants two feet will not move on the Day ofJudgement until he is questioned about four (things). His youth-how hespent it; his knowledge-how he acted upon it; his wealth-how he earnedit and how he spent it and his body-how he used/wasted it.” [Reportedby at-Tirmidhee (2417) and see Saheehut-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb (1/126)]. He (PBUH) also said, “A man will be brought on the Day of Judgementand will be thrown into the Fire and his entrails will pour out. Itwill be said, Did you not used to order the good and forbid the evil?’He will say, ‘I used to command you with good and not do it myself andI used to forbid you from evil and do it myself.” [Reported byBukhaaree (3094) and Muslim (2989).18 FromAL-Hikmah fid-Da’wah Ilallaah, (pp. 50~53) of Sa’eed ibn ‘Aleeibn Wahf al-Qahtaanee, with modifications and additions.

19 Suchas buying booksand cassettes, connecting with the people of knowledge fromAhlus-Sunnah, not Ahlul-Bid’ah, attending their gatherings, talks andconferences, travelling for the sake of knowledge and other such efforts. Refer toChapter Eleven: The Methodology of a Muslim.