Question posed to Shaykh Abd Allaah ibn Abd al-Raheem al-Bukhaari [May Allaah preserve him]
Taken from Sharh Nukhbat al-Fakr, tape 5; 122-124 minutes
Q: What is the meaning of the statement of Muhammad Ibn Sireen [May Allaah have Mercy on him] ‘Verily ilm is the religion, so be careful where you take your ilm from’?
A: The religion is knowledge so the warning here is to avoid those who are Majhool [Unknown] because knowledge is not given to just anyone and anyone. You are not to ask anyone who comes across your way or anyone you have respect for, and you are not free to ask anyone and turn away from this matter seeing it to be something light! You are a slave of Allaah, you have free will but you have to be obedient with that free will, commanded to follow this pure religion and the guidance of the Sunnah. It is obligatory that you make them rule over you and judge all your affairs. It is incumbent for you to practice your religion in line with the Sunnah, following its guidance under the scope of the scholars. You are not free, you control your tongue, your sight and your hearing etc. but they are not yours! They belong to Allaah and he has given you this based on a trust that you use them properly!
“And follow not (O man, i.e., say not, or do not, or witness not) that of which you have no knowledge. Verily, the hearing, and the sight, and the heart of each of those ones will be questioned (by Allaah)” [Al-Israa’ 17:36]
So it is not permissible for you to lend your ear to every person that talks, rather you must verify if this person is established in knowledge and is free from any mistakes and is upon the Sunnah and calls to it for you to take knowledge from. This is the intent of Imaam Muslim when he narrated the statement of Ibn Sireen in the Introduction to his Saheeh; that knowledge is only taken from scholars. It was only him who stated this and narrated this from the Salaf, it was also a point stressed by Imaam Ahmad and Yahya ibn Maeen and others from the Scholars of the Salaf.
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