Category Archives: What to avoid

Mar 2012 · Mar

Be humble to people who benefit you

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah comments:

Beware of the disease of the tyrants – and it is kibr (pride). And the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam explained it in the best manner, and it was that pride is arrogance towards the Truth and belittling the people – meaning looking down upon them and having disdain for them…

(And know that) your behaving in an insolent manner towards your teacher is pride. And this behaving in an insolent manner might be upon the tongue and it might be also through being irritable and agitated. A person may be walking along with his teacher whilst strutting in a cocky manner, saying “I did such-and such and I did such-and-such.”

And likewise pride is having aversion towards the person who benefits you from those people who are lesser than you; and this also occurs from some of the students when someone lesser than them in knowledge informs them of something, they have an aversion (to this) and they do not accept it.

(Sharh hilyah taalib il ‘ilm p28 – 29 of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah, translated by Nasser ibn Najam )

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Feb 2012 · Feb

Stay away from meetings where there is harmful and non-beneficial speech

WIth regards to the student of knowledge staying away from gatherings of laghw, Shaykh al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah commented:

As for his (the author’s) statement: turning away from gatherings of futile speech…

Then laghw (futile speech) is of two types:

i) laghw which contains no benefit and no harm

And ii) laghw which contains harm

As for the first type – then it is not befitting for a person who has intellect to allow his time to disappear in this because it is (nothing but) loss.

As for the second type – this is something evil; it is forbidden for him to spend his time in this because it is evil and forbidden.

And it is as if the author was taking the interpretation (of this word) upon the second meaning – which is the forbidden laghw. And without doubt, the person is not allowed to sit at gatherings which contain that which is forbidden because Allaah, the Most High, says:

And it has been revealed to you in the Book that if you when you hear the aayaat of Allaah being denied and mocked, then do not sit with them (those people) until engage in speech other than that.

(If you were to stay with them) then you would be just like them.

Soorah an Nisaa (4) aayah 140

So it is obligatory upon whoever sits in a gathering of munkar (evil) to forbid that evil. Then if the situation is rectified, that is what is desired. And if it is not rectified and they (the people) continue upon their evil, then it is obligatory upon him to leave (them).

This is in contrast to what some of the common people falsely believe, saying:

“Indeed Allaah’s Messenger sall Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: Then if he is not able (to change the evil with his tongue or hand) then let him (hate it) with his heart.” And I hate this evil in my heart.”

And (yet) he is sitting with its people.

So it is said to him:

If you truly were someone who hated it, you would not sit with them – because it is not possible that a person sits in a gathering whilst hating those people in it.

As for something which you hate and (yet) you sit (there) through your own choice, then your claim of hating it is not correct and true.

(Sharh hilyah taalib il ‘ilm p47- 48 of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah, translated by Nasser ibn Najam

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Feb 2012 · Feb

Not acting upon knowledge leads to difficulty in remembering it

With regards to the student of knowledge acting upon his knowledge, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah comments:

Therefore it is a must that (he) act upon what he has knowledge of – because if he does not act upon his knowledge he becomes from the first of those who will be burned by the Fire on the Day of Resurrection:

The scholar who does not act upon his knowledge                          

Will be punished before the worshippers of idols

This is one aspect – if he does not act upon his knowledge, it will result in disappointment regarding the knowledge, and no barakah (blessing), and nisyaan (forgetfulness) of the knowledge…  And therefore it was reported from Imaam ‘Alee radi Allaahu ‘anhu that he said: Knowledge calls out for action, so either it is responded to or else it departs…

So what is it that departs? Knowledge, and this is something clear – because if you act upon (your) knowledge, you will remember it each time you act.

And I will strike an example for you – that of a man who knows the description of the salaat (prayer) from the Sunnah. So he begins to act upon it whenever he prays. Will he forget what he has learned? He will not forget because he keeps on repeating it. However, if he were to leave off acting upon it, he would forget. And this is an evidence which can be perceived (by us) – that acting upon knowledge necessitates firmness upon (that) knowledge, and that (the person) does not forget it.

(Sharh hilyah taalib il ‘ilm p24-25 of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah, translated by Nasser ibn Najam)

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Feb 2012 · Feb

Shyness can prevent a person from learning his religion

In his khutbah (Friday sermon) two weeks ago, Shaykh Saalih al Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him) said:

“… and as for the shyness that prevents a person from acquiring knowledge and from asking about that from the affairs of his religion which is unclear to him, this is timidity and not shyness and it is cowardice and it is blameworthy shyness, not the shyness [encouraged] in the religion.”

(Translator Nasser ibn Najam. Arabic taken from http://www.alfawzan.af.org.sa/node/13687. The Shaykh’s weekly khutbahs are uploaded as audios on this website within hours with Arabic transcription.)

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Jan 2012 · Jan

Argumentation and opposing the Truth when it comes to you

Shaykh al Uthaymeen rahimahullaah said:

And likewise (from the most important of matters) also is abandonment of argumentation and disputing because argumentation and disputing are a door to blocking the correct path.

For argumentation and disputing  incite a person to speak and try to support himself only; even if the Truth is made clear to him, you will find him either rejecting it or else twisting it in a detestable manner, seeking to support himself and trying to force his opponent to take his statement.

So if you see argumentation and disputing from your brother, in that the Truth (in that matter) is something clear but he does not follow it, then flee from him as you would flee from a lion. And say, “I don’t have anything except this (information which I have told you)” and leave him…

So from those matters of importance for the student of knowledge is that he leave off argumentation and disputing and that he leave off those ideas which come to his mind; leave these matters and do not be obstinate. Make your knowledge be something simple and easy – meaning (like) the Arab who came, he came upon his camel and asked the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam about matters of the Religion, then he (the Arab) departed without arguing because he had nothing with him except tasleem (submission).

As for arguing and disputing and quarreling then this is something that harms the person.

(Sharh hilyah taalib il ‘ilm p19 to 20 of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah. Translated by Nasser ibn Najam)

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