Time isn’t money. Time is more than that… Time is money in the West. From an Islamic perspective, time is life. Time is the substance of life, the sphere in which man exists, the fortress of his spirit. Life is more valuable than money. With every passing second and every passing breath, we are losing…
Thirst and Ambition to Seek Knowledge Knowledge is a vast ocean, and the seeker will never attain all of it. You should not be frustrated by the little you know, however this should not make you become lazy by being content with the little you do know. Have the desire to learn, starting with the…
Sincerity and purity are interwoven. Purity of intention leads to sincerity in one’s action, and sincerity in action will in turn bring further purity of the heart. The student must be sincere to himself and to his Lord when seeking knowledge. Since seeking knowledge is an act of worship and as stated in earlier in…
‘Everything has a fruit, and the fruit of knowledge is being closer to Allah’. Rabi’ah al Adawiyya; great female scholar once said this, and a poet once commented that if you have impurities in your heart then the seed of imaan and Islam will never grow toward excellence (ihsan). Rather than utilising the shade of this tree of knowledge…
How to Get the Best from Students Islam has placed a burden of responsibility on the shoulder of all people, from none may be excused. The Prophet (peace be on him) of Allah said: ‘Each one of you is a shepherd (trustee) and each of you is responsible for his flock (that which is entrusted…
Keeping the Audience Engaged Space out Lessons, Lectures and Circles The gathering of knowledge should not be every day because this will cause the student of knowledge to become weary. It was recorded in Bukhari Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud used to give a sermon to the people on every Thursday. A man said to Abdullah Ibn…
A scholar must be aware of the reality in order to give rulings specific to locations, times and the reality of people.
Knowing the Limits of your Knowledge Knowledge is a trust; the one who has knowledge should not betray what Allah has entrusted him with. A teacher should not deceive or misguide his student by giving them wrong information or the wrong advice or even give advice where he does not have adequate knowledge. Deep knowledge…
Why So Sad? O you who believe, do not be down-beat or in a state of despair. Allah fashioned you with His own Two Hands. He made you, but He is not in need of you, rather, it is you who is inherently, inseparably and intricately in need of Him. He created you because He is…
Humility is knowing that knowledge is not yours There is no room for arrogance in Islam. No one can assume they are better than others or look down on them. One cannot assume that their deeds or character put them on a higher level than others because what we all have is only between us and…
Allah is Beautiful and loves Beauty Islam encourages the Muslims to stand out among people, readily distinguishable by their dress, appearance and behaviour, so that they will be a good example, worthy of the great message that they bring to humanity. The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) used to look after his appearance,…
Why Spreading Knowledge is linked to Good Character People with soft hearts and gentle natures are the ones whom Allah loves the most amongst His creation. The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said: ‘Allah has vessels (for Him) from among the people of the earth, and the vessels of your Lord are the hearts…
Why Teachers should belong to Respected Professions In the lengthy introduction of Sahih Muslim, Imam Muslim makes mention that it is impermissible for knowledge seekers to humiliate themselves. They should avoid entering professions that are viewed by the general public as lowly professions or looked down upon. E.g. like a street sweeper. This reflects badly…
The Importance of having the Right Intention Purity of intention is one of the most important ingredients a teacher requires. He must be honest with himself and sincere with Allah Almighty about the true purpose of his acquiring knowledge. The moment a teacher takes a step in the circle of knowledge, he is looked upon…
The Connection between Abstinence and Knowledge Counter intuitively, instead of pursuing material gain, the best teachers of deen practice zuhud; abstaining from the quest for the perks of worldly life and possessing little of its luxuries. Ibn Abi’d-Dunya was told by some scholars: ‘The scholar should praise Allah for having deprived him of the luxuries…