Introduction and Advice to Students of Knowledge Before the New Academic Year, 1438

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Introduction for Students of Knowledge 1438

By Shaykh Sa’d bin Naasir ash-Shathree [may Allaah Preserve him]

-We have been created to worship and studying knowledge is the best forms of worship.

The Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “The angels lower their wings in approval of the seeker of knowledge”

And, “Whoever follows a path in the pursuit of knowledge, Allaah will make easy for him a path to Paradise”

We often here some students complaining that they can't memorise, so they become deterred from studying.

We say in response to them;

Firstly, seek the Reward in Allaah, the Most High, by attending the gatherings of knowledge. Even if you don’t memorise anything, if you have the intention to seek the Reward of Allaah and His Pleasure, then you shall be rewarded.

The Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “No people gather in one of the houses of Allaah, reciting the Book of Allaah and studying it together, but tranquility will descend upon them, mercy will overshadow them, the angels will surround them and Allaah will mention them to those who are with Him.”

In this Hadeeth, there is no mention of a condition stipulating that a person must memorise or that they must have a special ability to understand and memorise well, rather the reward is recorded by his very attendance.

Secondly, people often complain after attending Duroos that because they haven’t memorised they feel that they haven’t gained anything, however this is also incorrect. 
Let’s take schoolchildren as an example. If you ask them what they have studied and memorized at school they won’t be able to give you an exact memorised replication, yet by merely being in the schooling system they have achieved a lot as they have instilled in them the foundations of knowledge (from different disciplines) and etiquette without even realizing it.

Some people say, “I don’t need to attend lessons, I can gain knowledge by reading books by myself or listening to recordings from the internet.”

We say;

-That these are all valid means in gaining knowledge but if you rely on these alone then you may fall into some serious mistakes without realizing it. From these mistakes include the student not being able to read well, they may make mistakes in pronouncing words or understanding terminologies properly. Likewise, by self-studying one may not be able to decipher between what is Saheeh and Da’eef or what is correct or incorrect (from the various opinions).

Note: knowledge is not to read a lot and to know the differences of opinions between scholars, rather knowledge is to be able to know what is correct and the ability to eradicate what is incorrect.

Therefore doubts will arise in self-studying and perhaps he will fall into these mistakes without even realizing it. Therefore sitting with the scholars will help resolve these issues, as well as facilitate a degree of interactivity in which he may ask questions and discuss issues, of which reading and listening can’t offer.

-Studying together helps us to cooperate and support one another. We gain brotherhood and kindness towards each other, all of which makes us gain closeness to Allaah, the Most High – studying together united in one hand whilst getting closer to Allaah. Similarly through these gatherings of knowledge, we help each other in gaining understanding in which others can’t accomplish in their sittings.

-Some people also say, “I have no time to set aside for studying, I have work etc.”

We say, if a person doesn’t program himself and organize then he will not benefit from his time in general. Allaah, the Most High, Promises to place Barakah in those who use their time properly, so using part of your time to get closer to him will mean you have Barakah placed within it even if it is minimal to attain a lot.

With all of these benefits, we realize that these gatherings will help instill love within us for one another, being able to help one another, rejoicing when the other does well, wishing for each other Khayr, all of which for the sake of getting closer to Allaah and attaining a great reward.

The Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “My love is guaranteed for two who love one another for My sake; My love is guaranteed for two who visit one another for My sake; My love is guaranteed for two who help one another (financially) for My sake; My love is guaranteed to two who uphold ties with one another for My sake.”

Also in advice to the students is for the students to activate all five senses when they are studying in these sitting, according to ones ability. So if they are listening and writing they will be able to attain and record more than those who are doing less. Looking, talking, asking question, listening and reading will be a cause of him benefiting immensely.

There is also another important point which is connected to acts of worship of the heart. The Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] said “In the body there is a piece of flesh: if it is sound the whole body will be sound and if it is corrupt then the whole body will be corrupt.”

Therefore, it is upon us to rectify ourselves in our hearts before seeking improvement elsewhere.

“Verily! Allah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves” [ar-Ra’d 13: 11]

So there is heavy important on actions of the heart as it controls the actions of the limbs.

There are some ways in which rectification of the heart can be attained, from them include:

-To be always mindful that one will be questioned before Allaah.

-Sincerity for Allaah.

-Having a fear of Allaah.

-Having hope in Allaah.

-Loving and hating for the sake of Allaah.

-Have full certainty (Yaqeen).

-Being patient (Sabr).

-Submissiveness (Khushoo)

-Gratitude (Shukr)

About books on Fiqh, then books of Madhabs have two functions; either they discuss Masaa’il for us to benefit and study from, in the Qawaa’id and Usool and the respected books written by its scholars.

As for judging by a Madhab then people are of two types:

1. The Fuqahahaa’: for them it is not permitted to make Taqleed of anyone. Rather, they are those who are bound to follow the Daleel. The scholars from the past, which were scholars of the various Madhabs,  have clearly stated that Taqleed for those who are able to derive and understand the evidences is Haraam. They are not allowed (nor obligated) to follow the Ijtihad of those who have also done Ijtihad before them.

2. Laypeople: for them Madhabs are used to blindly follow. However, this is also incorrect because their role is to go back to the Fuqahahaa’ and are not permitted to take knowledge from the books by themselves.

Allaah, the Most High says :

“So ask the people of the Reminder if you do not know”[al-Anbiya’ 21:43] 

Therefore the command is to ask and not read or blindly follow.

Moreover, if laypeople are not scholars themselves then for them to blindly follow a Madhab is even more detrimental as they do not have the capabilities to read and understand the books of the Madhabs for themselves. They will not be able to understand the statements of the scholars and decipher between what is right and wrong.

What we have mentioned here is also evident in the approach of the scholars of the various Madhabs and in their works. Throughout the ages, those who have expertise in each Madhab authored books in stages, so they authored books which were simple for the layman to read. Thereafter, they authored books which were slightly more advanced but still within the Madhab, using its technical terms and Usool. The final stage was to author books which were comparative in Fiqh, which perhaps had views which were outside of the view of the Madhabs. This is typical in the works of Ibn Qudaamah who authored Umdah al-Fiqh, then al-Kaafee and then finally al-Mughnee. Similar to this was Ibn Abdul-Barr from the Maalikee Madhaab with his extensive works found in at-Tamheed and an-Nawawee in places kept the Fiqh simple and then extensive in al-Majmoo’.

So the point is that the the Madhabs are primarily used to benefit and study from, in their rulings and the Qawaa’id they set however it is not permitted to take them as a source to blindly follow. Blindly following Madhabs contradicts the texts, the statements and views of the scholars – from the past, present and from those within the Madhab themselves.

Question: if there is a difference of opinion ‘Aqeedah, is the Mujtahid bound to follow an opinion or does he make Ijtihaad even in issues of al-‘Aqeedah?

Answer: the questioner is asking here whether it is binding that a Mujtahid, who is able to derive a view for himself, is bounded to follow the Ijtihaad of another Mujtahid, even if this is in al-‘Aqeedah?

The answer has two points:

Some said that he must make Takhreej of the views. What this means is that he gets the view and the statements of a Mujtahid and he follows it after studying it.

Making takhreej has six different methods:

1.      He takes the opinion directly from the statement of a said Mujtahid (Nass).

2.     He extracts an understanding to what the statement is alluding to (Mafhoom).

3.     He extracts an understanding from an action from the said Mujtahid (F’il).

4.     He extracts an understanding to what he said Mujtahid may have been referring or  alluding to (Ishaarah).

5.     He makes Qiyaas with the Nass to derive a new Ijtihaad.

6.     He makes Qiyaas with the Mafhoom to derive a new Ijtihaad.

In summary, there are three views from the scholars on this question but the correct opinion is that the Mujtahid is bound to follow the truth. He is not obliged to follow the Ijtihaad of another Mujtahid because once he has understood the Haqq, then it becomes mandatory for him to follow it. As for him differing with the Mujtahid then this is possible for various reasons, but they both share the same Manhaj which is that they both accept the truth, even if they differ in their opinions from one another.

I ask Allaah, the Most High, to make us of those who are sincere to Him and that we don’t have any desires except to seek His Pleasure and to get closer to Him in every moment of our sittings.

And Allaah Knows Best.