Jan 2012 · Jan

Where does the student begin?

Shaykh Saalih al Fawzaan hafidhahullaah said:

And the scholars give importance to these brief works, authoring them and exerting themselves in keeping them to shorten them and refine them; then they would encourage their students to memorise them so that they should remain fundamental assets for them and a store of provision for them from which they can derive benefit, and through which they bring benefit to others by means of them.

And beginning with these shorter works is the foundation for the students of knowledge, so the student of knowledge should begin by learning little by little, taking from the initial points of knowledge and its fundamentals and then proceeding in stages through it.

So these brief works are the path leading on to the longer works. So it is not possible for the longer works to be understood exept after the brief works have been understood and then the person has preceded on from them in stages. And therefore they said about the meaning of His saying, He the Most High:

But rather be rabbaaniyyoon (wise scholars who cultivate the people) by your teaching them the Book and your studying it. [Soorah Aale Imraan aayah 79]

The word rabbaaniyyoon – they are those who begin with the small matters of knowledge before the greater ones. They cultivate themselves and their students beginning with the smaller matters and moving onto the larger matters, and this is something natural, because all things begin from their roots and their foundations and then they grow bigger and larger after that.

As for the person who pounces upon knowledge from its top, then this person will just tire himself out and not attain anything. Whereas the one who begins with the fundamentals and proceeds in stages, this is the person who, by the permission of Allaah, will be proceeding in the correct way and with sound direction.

(From the introduction to Sharh Usoolith Thalaathah by Shaykh Saalih al Fawzaan, translator Abu Talhah Dawood, taken from www.ittibaa.com)

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Jan 2012 · Jan

The student has fine manners

Shyakh al Uthaymeen rahimahullah said:

Adorn yourself with fine personal behaviour, such as abstinence and forbearance and patience and humbly submitting to the Truth – because the station (of being a student of knowledge) necessitates this, that the student of knowledge has abstinence from that which is in the hands of the people and abstinence from that which is linked to looking at forbidden things.

And forbearance, such that he does not hasten towards punishing if someone treats him badly.

And patience upon the harms which occur by way of that which he hears, whether it be from the common folk or from his peers or from his teacher – so let him be patient and anticipate the reward (from Allaah).

And humbly submitting to the Truth, and likewise showing humility to the creation; he humbly submits to the Truth, meaning that when the Truth is made clear to him, he yields to it and he does not seek anything else to take its place.

And likewise towards the creation; so how many a student has opened doors to his teacher which had not occurred to him; and do not belittle anything…

And it is befitting for the student of knowledge that he stay far away from acting frivolously whether that be in the way he walks or in his dealings with the people  – that he is not plentiful in laughing uproariously which (is something) which kills the heart, and removes dignity. Rather he lowers his wing, being one who has the refined manners which are befitting for a student of knowledge.

(from Sharh hilyah taalib il ‘ilm p26 – 27 of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah, translator Nasser ibn Najam, checked by Abu Talhah Dawood)

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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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Jan 2012 · Jan

Why learn?

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al Uthaymeen, rahimahullaah, said:

“The foundation of knowledge is khashyah (fear and awe) of Allaah, the Most High”. And this statement of Imaam Ahmad is correct: the foundation of knowledge is khashyah of Allaah.

And khashyah of Allaah is fear of Allaah which is built upon knowledge and glorification (of Him). And for this reason, Allaah the Most High, said:

It is only the people of knowledge from amongst His servants who have khashyah of Allaah. [Soorah Faatir (35) aayah 28]

So if a person has true knowledge of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and if he has true awareness and knowledge of Him, then khashyah of Allaah will inevitably be established in his heart. (This is) because if he has knowledge of that, having knowledge of a Lord who is ‘Adheem (Tremendous), of a Lord who is Qawee (Perfect in strength), of a Lord who is Qaahir (Invincible Subduer), of a Lord who is All Knowing of that which the person keeps secret and hidden, then you will find him (that person) establishing obedience to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic in a complete manner.

It is only the people of knowledge from amongst His servants who have khashyah of Allaah. The scholars have said: The distinction between khashyah (fear and awe) and khawf (fear) is that khashyah occurs due to tremendous greatness of the one being feared – and khawf occurs due to the weakness of the one who has the fear, even if the one being feared (with khawf) is not tremendous and great… So in summary, khashyah is more tremendous than khawf – but sometimes it is said, ‘have khawf of Allaah’. He, the Most High, said:

So do not have khawf of them, but rather have khawf of Me if you truly believe. [Soorah aale ‘Imraan (3) aayah 175]

And this is (being said) in direct opposition to the action of those who have khawf of the people.

(Sharh hilyah taalib il ‘ilm p23 of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah, translator Nasser ibn Najam, checked by Abu Talhah Dawood Burbank)

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Jan 2012 · Jan

Something for someone who is unsure about salafeeah

Do you know someone who prays and fasts, but is not sure whether salafeeah is the right way? Do they become annoyed when they are told that there is only one path that is correct in Islaam? They like to hear eemaan-building narrations but hate all criticism, even of the most deviant groups amongst the Muslims. They feel that it is wrong to criticise any Muslim group and become annoyed when you restrict the Truth to a single group of Muslims.

Why not go through with them a book written by one of the giants of our salaf? A book written in the early times of Islaam?

One such book written about the basics of our religion is that of Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal, called Foundations of the Sunnah, known in Arabic as Usool us Sunnah. This tremendous book contains what he considered to be the basics of the religion that the early Muslims agreed on. A book that teaches us that there is only correct path in Islaam and what that correct path is. The path which, if the Muslims were to follow it, would lead to unity amongst us. 

I have a study guide on this book, checked by Abu Talhah a few years ago while he was alive. It is available on this website on this page. I know sisters who have used this study guide. It is not only for those who are unsure about the correct manhaj; it can benefit us all to run through the main points of aqeedah again and in doing so, pick up some new points too. The Study Guide is only short (9 weeks if you study it for 45 minutes a week) in Multiple Choice format. Additional quotes from scholars have been included, mostly from books that are available in English.

May Allaah help us all in sticking to the straight way.

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Jan 2012 · Jan

Which study guide is the easiest?

The easiest study guides on this website (so far) are:

Each of these should take between 2 and 4 months to complete, inshaa Allaah. Each one is slightly different so there is something for everyone. The first two have been written by me (Aalia bint Ehsanullah) and checked by Abu Talhah Dawood. The third has been written by a friend of mine, Umm Umar Najma.

If you wish to study in more depth, these questions and answer sets each take about a year to go through:

These three have been written by Nasser ibn Najam, checked by Abu Talhah Dawood Burbank rahimahullaah and can be used with a full set of audio lectures (over 50 hours each) available on www.ittibaa.com. Finally, the question and answer set below is not the longest, but it needs some background knowledge of tawheed and shirk before even attempting it:

In the “Various Bits & Bobs” section of this website are some shorter items that are quick and easy to go through if all the above are too long. We have some materials that are awaiting completion inshaa Allaah that will be uploaded when ready inshaa Allaah.

People who are new to Islaam are encouraged to begin at an even more basic level than the materials on this website.  I have  something that may be suitable for them. You can contact me on islamthestudyguides@gmail.com for more information.

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Jan 2012 · Jan

How do you purify your intention when seeking knowledge?

So if someone says to you: How does ikhlaas in seeking knowledge come about? It comes about through a (number) of matters:

1 – It is that in doing that (seeking of knowledge), you have as your intention that you are complying with Allaah’s command because Allaah, the Most High, commanded with that (seeking of knowledge). So He said: “Have knowledge that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah. And seek forgiveness for your sin.” (Soorah Muhammad (47) aayah 19) And he – sall Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam –  encouraged [us] upon knowledge; and encouraging upon a matter necessitates loving it and being pleased with it and commanding with it.

2 – It is that in doing that, you intend to preserve the Sharee’ah (Islamic legislation) of Allaah, because preserving the Sharee’ah of Allaah occurs through learning, and it comes about through preserving [it] in the chests [of people], and it comes about through writing down, writing down the books.

3 – It is that in doing that, you intend to protect the Sharee’ah and defend it, because were it not for the people of knowledge, then the Sharee’ah would not have been protected and no one would have defended it. And therefore you find, for example, Shaykh ul Islaam ibn Taymiyyah and other than him from the people of knowledge who resisted and blocked the people of innovation and clarified the false and futile nature of their innovations, we see that they (these people of knowledge) attained a great deal of good.

4 – It is that in doing that, your intention is to be following the Sharee’ah of Muhammad – sall Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam – because you are not able to follow his Sharee’ah until you have knowledge of this Sharee’ah.

(From The Explanation of the Etiquette of Seeking Knowledge of Shaykh al Uthaymeen, p14, translator Nasser ibn Najam)

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Jan 2012 · Jan

Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal on the intention behind learning

And Imaam Ahmad said: Al ‘ilm (knowledge) – nothing is equal to it, for the person who makes his niyyah  correct.

They said: How is the niyyah made correct, O Aboo ‘Abdillaah?

He said: (The person) has as his intention removing ignorance from himself and from other than himself.

(Sharh hilyah taalib il ‘ilm p13 of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah, translated by Nasser ibn Najam)

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Jan 2012 · Jan

Intention

“Indeed actions are only in accordance with their intentions.”

[needs Shaykh al Uthaymeen’s explanation at the beginning of Riyaadus Saaliheen]

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