The etiquettes of seeking knowledge from Adab al-Alim wal-Mutaalim
On scholars
The science of hadith
Finding the right teacher All human behaviour begins with role models, we learn to walk, talk and feed ourselves by watching our families doing those things every day. But we learn more than simple everyday activities from the people who surround us as we grow up. We also learn how to think and behave by…
Reading and Writing – how to elevate yourself Love Reading The first command given to the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) was the command of reading Iqra. Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an: Read, in the name of your Lord Who Creates; Created man from a clot. [al-Alaq 86:1-3] The underlining meaning of the…
Acting upon what you know Islam is a practical religion, in which the highest virtue is to combine knowledge with action. When this is achieved a person is worshipping Allah Almighty as He commanded him. In the Qur’an, Allah Almighty has linked belief and actions in numerous places. Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an: ‘Those…
Identifying the Right Teacher Different Types of Teacher There are many different types of scholars in our midst today. Some scholars are strict and literal in their understanding, some liberal and reforming, some practical and balanced, some politically minded, some spiritually orientated, some self taught (desktop scholar), some well-known and others not so well-known. The…
Dedication and Commitment Knowledge is not something you will attain with ease or being passive by sitting and relaxing, rather it is attained by being active in seeking it from the sources, making sacrifice in your efforts and time. The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said: ’Surely knowledge is only attained by seeking…
Not Trying to Attain the Impossible If you feel frustrated in pursuing knowledge, it is worth thinking again, as knowledge is not something we can acquire overnight. It is a consistent approach that brings the seeds of knowledge to bloom. Slow and Steady One must apply gentleness and proceed in a slow and calm manner…
Fear What Tomorrow Holds The Future is Unknown We do not know what will happen tomorrow let alone the rest of our lives. Do not procrastinate or defer things to the future. Today you are fine but tomorrow you may not. Many people have good health today, and then out of the blue, they have…
Fear the Sins You have Committed We should fear the sins that we have committed between yourself and Allah Almighty. We should have this fear, and not be of those who are over reliant on His mercy and forgiveness. Yes, Allah Almighty is the All-Merciful and All-Forgiving, but He is also severe in His punishment….
Choosing Good Friends ‘Advice is like snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind.’ (Samuel T Coleridge) Good friends are most capable of delivering good advice in the most effective way to have the right impact. The choice of a friend can make one’s life…
Seeking Knowledge over Sleep There are so many studies about the benefits of sleep and the its healing effects for the body and the mind. However there is still much we can learn from the scholars of the past about maximising energy and productivity through managing our sleep. Here is a brief look… Burning the…
Fear a Day that you will receive from Allah Almighty what you didn’t expect We should fear a Day when all the records are laid open, and we find in our books things we didn’t expect. Maybe we were under the impression that most of our deeds and our worship are accepted and we find…
The Pitfalls of Excessive Eating One of the factors that determine how well we utilise our time is dependant on our energy level. Energy is related to the food and drink we consume. The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said: ‘The worst vessel that the son of Adam can fill is his stomach.’…
Fear the Denial of Allah’s Favour One of the legitimate fears Muslims should have is being included in those who deny the favours of Allah; the ones who are ungrateful of the favours that they have received. Kufr – linguistically means to cover something, farmers are called kuffars because they cover the seeds with earth….
Not Relying on Your Deeds as Your Ticket to Paradise There are 9 legitimate types of fear which Imam Muhasibi, the influential scholar from Basra renowned for his introspection, explored in his work on fear and hope. The first fear is fearing how our good deeds will counted and how we viewed them. Fearing deeds…
Good Fear and Bad Fear When we read this word khawf, we have a common conception or misconception about its meaning. Some of our construct of what khawf, especially with regards to the deen or Allah Almighty is perhaps not healthy and not correct. Yet, from childhood the concept of fearing Allah Almighty is through…