Seeking knowledge is our main priority in life. This is why the very first divine word revealed to the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was ‘read’. It is incumbent on every believer to seek knowledge, from day 1 verse 1 we are commanded to learn. Anas ibn Malik May Allah be pleased with him…
Seeking authentic knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim Today’s topic is the imposters – those people who claim that they have knowledge and lead people with ignorance. The Prophet (peace be on him) mentioned in different narrations the importance of seeking knowledge and before all of this, the first verse which was revealed by…
The limitless words of Allah Surat Luqman has a unique and beautiful verse in it: If all the trees on earth were pens and the ocean ˹were ink˺, refilled by seven other oceans, the Words of Allah would not be exhausted. Surely Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (31:27) The reason behind this revelation was that the…
During Makkan times, Allah Almighty was drawing the attention of non-believers to His signs, and prompting them to think about who was the originator of the universe and the world. He pointed out the wonders of creation around them, so that they could distinguish between the truth and their misguided inherited beliefs, which they were…
Ibn Abbas mentioned that Surat al Qalam was the second surah to be revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). Not all of the surah was revealed at once, just as not all of Surat al Alaq, the first surah to be revealed was conveyed in one go. The surahs which followed these…
The etiquette of seeking knowledge In Islam, it is not just knowledge which we are interested in, but how we seek knowledge is also important. Our attitude towards learning, and our teachers and fellow students. There is a huge body of literature and learning on the etiquette of learning itself, which has been passed down…
Aside from the entertaining aspect of the stories, there are many valuable lessons we can glean from Shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah’s 400 page book, The Patience of the Pious Predecessors, which he divided into 8 chapters. When I re-read the lengthy (50 page!) conclusion of the book I couldn’t help thinking that it is the…
Ali ibn Hasan (Abu Qasim) Ibn Asakir al Dimashqi The great scholar Ibn Asakir is one of the very well known scholars of the 6th century Hijri. Born in Damascus in 499AH, he passed away in 571AH. (1105–1175AD). He was so dedicated to knowledge that he was al hafidh as well as the top of…
Sacred knowledge brings us closer to Allah. The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said, ‘Allah makes the way to Jannah easy for him who treads the path in search of knowledge.’ (Muslim) ‘Verily, the angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge out…
The determination of the scholars and how they tread the path of knowledge was accompanied by continual sacrifice on their part. Sacrifice of their sleep, the luxuries and the pleasures of life. They were not choosing between halal or haram when they gave them up, but were made knowledge their priority over enjoyment, relaxation and…
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…
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…
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…