The etiquettes of seeking knowledge from Adab al-Alim wal-Mutaalim
On scholars
The science of hadith
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…
What Qualities a Teacher of Deen Should Have The observation of Allah Almighty, in the life of a teacher, is perhaps the single most important aspect a teacher should have; the others are secondary features that fall into place when the first is present. As the teacher is acting as a representative of Allah and…
How to Keep Knowledge Safe Moving Away from Student Mentality We all know that from experience that sitting in a classroom as a student is not the same as being in the class as the teacher. The difference is in the preparation. If you were the teacher, you would have prepared the subject matter, what topics…
Fake News The REAL danger of compromising your akhirah by indiscriminately hitting the forward button… Allah the Almighty says in the Qur’an, ‘Oh People of the Book! Why do you mix truth with falsehood and conceal the truth while you know?’ (3:71) And in another verse, Allah says, ‘And there are a group of people from the People of…
How Do You Know When You Have Enough Knowledge to Teach? The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said: ‘Allah illuminates (or make radiant the face of) a man (or a woman) who hears a hadith from me, preserves it carefully, and passes it on onto others.’ What You Need before You Spread Knowledge…
Inheriting a Lasting Legacy Allah Almighty chooses individuals amongst humanity to lead people to Him. These Messengers are receiving divine revelation from Allah Almighty. It is neither their wealth or possession but rather their knowledge and their responsibility that separates them from the rest of humanity. The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him)…
Road to Paradise The Messenger of Allah Almighty (peace be on him) said: ‘Whosoever travels upon a path, seeking knowledge thereupon, Allah Almighty will ease for him a path to Paradise’ [Muslim] The Physical Road Travelled The ‘travels upon a path’ could be taken literally as one’s physical journey to seek knowledge. Allah Almighty narrates…
What gives scholars superiority over others? The Lofty Task of Transmitting Knowledge The blessing of knowledge is essential for the advancement of humanity and its happiness in this life and the next, for knowledge is a lofty blessing whichever form it takes; seeking it is a blessing, benefiting from it and benefiting others by it…
Does Allah really suffice People of Knowledge? ‘Whosoever acquires an understanding of the religion of Allah, Allah suffice him in his, matters of concerns and provides him sustenance from source which he could not expect.’ (Abu Hanifah heard Abdullah Ibn Jaz’ relate what the Prophet (peace be on him) said in Makkah) Allah Almighty…
The Greatest Gift is to understand the Deen The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) mentioned one of the greatest virtues of knowledge as recorded by Imam Bukhari, he said: ‘Whomsoever Allah wishes good for, He gives him understanding in Deen (religion)’ [Bukhari] The person who finds Deen understands the basic principles of this…