2. Knowledge

وَعَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ قَالَ: كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَشَخَصَ بِبَصَرِهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «هَذَا أَوَانٌ يُخْتَلَسُ فِيهِ الْعِلْمُ مِنَ النَّاسِ حَتَّى لَا يَقْدِرُوا مِنْهُ على شَيْء» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

Abu Darda’ told how God’s messenger, on an occasion when they were with him, turned his eyes to the sky and said, "This is a time when knowledge will be snatched away from men, so that they will be unable to acquire any.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَن أبي هُرَيْرَة رِوَايَةً: «يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَضْرِبَ النَّاسُ أَكْبَادَ الْإِبِلِ يَطْلُبُونَ الْعِلْمَ فَلَا يَجِدُونَ أَحَدًا أَعْلَمَ مِنْ عَالم الْمَدِينَة» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ فِي جَامِعِهِ. قَالَ ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ: إِنَّهُ مَالِكُ بْنُ أنس وَمثله عَن عبد الرَّزَّاق قَالَ اسحق بْنُ مُوسَى: وَسَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: هُوَ الْعُمَرِيُّ الزَّاهِدُ وَاسْمُهُ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عبد الله

Abu Huraira transmitted , "The time is approaching when men will urge on their camels in search of knowledge, but will find no one more learned than the learned man of Medina.” Tirmidhi transmitted it. and in his Jami' he quotes Ibn ‘Uyaina as saying that Malik b. Anas was meant, and the same view is expressed by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq. Ishab b. Musa said he heard Ibn ‘Uyaina say that he was al-‘Umari the ascetic, whose name was ‘Abd al-‘Aziz b. ‘Abdallah.

وَعَنْهُ فِيمَا أَعْلَمُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَبْعَثُ لِهَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ عَلَى رَأْسِ كُلِّ مِائَةٍ سَنَةٍ مَنْ يُجَدِّدُ لَهَا دِينَهَا» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

He also reported among the material he knew to come from God’s messenger that he said, "At the beginning of every century God will send one who will renew its religion for this people.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْعُذْرِيِّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «يَحْمِلُ هَذَا الْعِلْمَ مِنْ كُلِّ خَلَفٍ عُدُولُهُ يَنْفُونَ عَنْهُ تَحْرِيفَ الْغَالِينَ وَانْتِحَالَ الْمُبْطِلِينَ وَتَأْوِيلَ الْجَاهِلين» . رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيّ

Ibrahim b. ‘Abd ar-Rahman al-‘Udhri reported God's messenger as saying, "In every successive century those who are reliable authorities will preserve this knowledge, rejecting the changes made by extremists, the plagiarisms of those who make false claims for themselves, and the interpretations of the ignorant.”* *The source is lacking. The editor of the Damascus edition of the Mishkat says the tradition is given by Baihaqi in al-Madkhal.

وسنذكر حديث جابر: "فإنما شفاء العي السؤال" في باب التيمم إن شاء الله تعالى.

We shall mention Jabir’s tradition, “The only cure for perplexity is to ask”* in the chapter on performing ablution with sand, if God will. *Book 111. Chap. xi, section ii.

عَنِ الْحَسَنِ مُرْسَلًا قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ جَاءَهُ الْمَوْتُ وَهُوَ يَطْلُبُ الْعِلْمَ لِيُحْيِيَ بِهِ الْإِسْلَامَ فَبَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ النَّبِيِّينَ دَرَجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ» . رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ

Al-Hasan reported in mursal form that God’s messenger said, “If death comes to anyone when he is seeking knowledge with the purpose of using it to revivify Islam, there will be only one degree between him and the prophets in paradise.” Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَنْهُ مُرْسَلًا قَالَ: سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ رَجُلَيْنِ كَانَا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَحَدُهُمَا كَانَ عَالِمًا يُصَلِّي الْمَكْتُوبَةَ ثُمَّ يَجْلِسُ فَيُعَلِّمُ النَّاسَ الْخَيْرَ وَالْآخِرُ يَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَيَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ أَيُّهُمَا أَفْضَلُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «فَضْلُ هَذَا الْعَالِمِ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي الْمَكْتُوبَةَ ثُمَّ يَجْلِسُ فَيُعَلِّمُ النَّاسَ الْخَيْرَ عَلَى الْعَابِدِ الَّذِي يَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَيَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ كَفَضْلِي عَلَى أَدْنَاكُمْ» . رَوَاهُ الدَّارِمِيُّ

He also reported in mursal form that God’s messenger was asked which of two men who had been among the B. Isra’il was superior, one who was a learned man who observed the prescribed prayers, then sat and taught men what is good, the other who fasted by day and prayed during the night. He replied, “The superiority of this learned man who observed the prescribed prayers, then sat and taught men what is good over the devout man who fasted by day and prayed during the night is like my superiority over the most contemptible among you.” Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ الْفَقِيهُ فِي الدِّينِ إِنِ احْتِيجَ إِلَيْهِ نَفَعَ وَإِنِ اسْتُغْنِيَ عَنْهُ أَغْنَى نَفْسَهُ» . رَوَاهُ رزين

‘Ali reported God’s messenger as saying, “Good is the man learned in religion who, if people have need of him benefits them, but who, if they ignore him enriches himself.”* Razin transmitted it. *i.e. with religious exercises and study.

وَعَن عِكْرِمَة أَنَّ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: حَدِّثِ النَّاسَ كُلَّ جُمُعَةٍ مَرَّةً فَإِنْ أَبَيْتَ فَمَرَّتَيْنِ فَإِنْ أَكْثَرْتَ فَثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ وَلَا تُمِلَّ النَّاسَ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ وَلَا أُلْفِيَنَّكَ تَأْتِي الْقَوْمَ وَهُمْ فِي حَدِيثٍ مِنْ حَدِيثِهِمْ فَتَقُصُّ عَلَيْهِمْ فَتَقْطَعُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَدِيثَهُمْ فَتُمِلَّهُمْ وَلَكِنْ أَنْصِتْ فَإِذَا أَمَرُوكَ فَحَدِّثْهُمْ وَهُمْ يَشْتَهُونَهُ وَانْظُرِ السَّجْعَ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ فَاجْتَنِبْهُ فَإِنِّي عَهِدْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ لَا يَفْعَلُونَ ذَلِك " رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Ikrima reported Ibn ‘Abbas as saying, “Talk to the people once every Friday, but if you object, then twice, and if you want more, then three times, but do not weary the people with this Qur’an. And do not let me find you coming to the people when they are talking about their concerns, interrupting them in their talk by addressing them, and so wearying them. Keep silent, and when they request you, talk to them at a time when they want it. Look out for rhymed prose in supplications and avoid it, for I know that God’s messenger and his companions did not use it.” Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَنْ وَاثِلَةَ بْنِ الْأَسْقَعِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمَ فَأَدْرَكَهُ كَانَ لَهُ كِفْلَانِ مِنَ الْأَجْرِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يُدْرِكْهُ كَانَ لَهُ كفل من الْأجر» . رَوَاهُ الدِّرَامِي

Wathila b. al-Asqa‘ reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who seeks knowledge and attains it will have a double portion of reward, but if he does not attain it he will have a single portion of reward." Darimi transmitted it.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ مِمَّا يَلْحَقُ الْمُؤْمِنَ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ وَحَسَنَاتِهِ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ عِلْمًا علمه ونشره وَولدا صَالحا تَركه ومصحفا وَرَّثَهُ أَوْ مَسْجِدًا بَنَاهُ أَوْ بَيْتًا لِابْنِ السَّبِيلِ بَنَاهُ أَوْ نَهْرًا أَجْرَاهُ أَوْ صَدَقَةً أخرجهَا من مَاله فِي صِحَّته وحياته يلْحقهُ من بعد مَوته» . رَوَاهُ بن مَاجَه وَالْبَيْهَقِيّ فِي شعب الْإِيمَان

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Among the actions and good deeds for which a believer will continue to receive reward after his death are knowledge which he taught and spread, a good son whom he left behind, or a copy of the Qur'an which he left as a legacy, or a mosque which he built, or a house which he built for the traveller, or a stream which he caused to flow, or a sadaqa which he gave from his property when he was alive and well, for which he will continue to receive reward after his death.” Ibn Majah transmitted it, and also Baihaqi in Shu'ab al-iman.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَوْحَى إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُ مَنْ سَلَكَ مَسْلَكًا فِي طَلَبِ الْعِلْمِ سَهَّلْتُ لَهُ طَرِيقَ الْجَنَّةِ وَمَنْ سَلَبْتُ كَرِيمَتَيْهِ أَثَبْتُهُ عَلَيْهِمَا الْجَنَّةَ. وَفَضْلٌ فِي عِلْمٍ خَيْرٌ مِنْ فَضْلٍ فِي عِبَادَةٍ وَمِلَاكُ الدِّينِ الْوَرَعُ» . رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شعب الْإِيمَان

‘Aisha said she heard God’s messenger say that God revealed to him, “ If anyone follows a path in search of knowledge, I shall make easy for him the road to paradise; and if I deprive anyone of his eyes, I shall guarantee paradise to him in return for them. Superiority in knowledge is better than superiority in worship, and the basis of the religion is abstinence.” Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.

وَعَن ابْن عَبَّاس قَالَ: تَدَارُسُ الْعِلْمِ سَاعَةً مِنَ اللَّيْلِ خَيْرٌ من إحيائها. رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ

Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Studying together for an hour during the night is better than spending the whole night in devotions.” Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَرَّ بِمَجْلِسَيْنِ فِي مَسْجِدِهِ فَقَالَ: «كِلَاهُمَا عَلَى خَيْرٍ وَأَحَدُهُمَا أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ أَمَّا هَؤُلَاءِ فَيَدْعُونَ اللَّهَ وَيَرْغَبُونَ إِلَيْهِ فَإِنْ شَاءَ أَعْطَاهُمْ وَإِنْ شَاءَ مَنَعَهُمْ. وَأَمَّا هَؤُلَاءِ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ الْفِقْهَ أَوِ الْعِلْمَ وَيُعَلِّمُونَ الْجَاهِلَ فَهُمْ أَفْضَلُ وَإِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ مُعَلِّمًا» ثمَّ جلس فيهم. رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr told of God’s messenger coming upon two groups in his mosque and saying, “They are both engaged in what is good, but one of them is superior to the other. These ones are praying and supplicating God who, if He wills, may answer their prayers but, if He wills, may refuse them. Those ones are learning knowledge* and teaching the ignorant, so they are superior. I was sent only as a teacher.” He then sat down among them. Darimi transmitted it. *The text has al-fiqh au al-'ilm, fiqh and ‘ilm having the same meaning, but the transmitter of the tradition was not sure which word was used by the Prophet on this occasion.

وَعَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ قَالَ: سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَا حَدُّ الْعِلْمِ الَّذِي إِذَا بَلَغَهُ الرَّجُلُ كَانَ فَقِيهًا؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «من حَفِظَ عَلَى أُمَّتِي أَرْبَعِينَ حَدِيثًا فِي أَمْرِ دِينِهَا بَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ فَقِيهًا وَكُنْتُ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة شافعا وشهيدا»

Abu Darda’ told how God’s messenger, when asked how much a man had to learn to become a faqih, replied, “ If anyone preserves for my people forty traditions concerning their religion, God will raise him up in the next world as a faqih, and I shall be an intercessor and witness for him on the day of resurrection.”

وَعَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَنْ أَجْوَدُ جُودًا؟» قَالُوا: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ: «اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَجْوَدُ جُودًا ثُمَّ أَنَا أَجْوَدُ بَنِي آدَمَ وَأَجْوَدُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِي رَجُلٌ عَلِمَ عِلْمًا فَنَشَرَهُ يَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَمِيرًا وَحده أَو قَالَ أمة وَحده»

Anas b. Malik said that God’s messenger asked, “Do you know who is most generous?" On receiving the reply that God and His messenger knew best, he said, “God is the most generous, then I am the most generous of mankind, and the most generous of them after me will be a man who acquires knowledge and spreads it. On the day of resurrection he will come as a prince alone.” Or he said, “As one people."

وَعَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: " مَنْهُومَانِ لَا يَشْبَعَانِ: مَنْهُومٌ فِي الْعِلْمِ لَا يَشْبَعُ مِنْهُ وَمَنْهُومٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا لَا يَشْبَعُ مِنْهَا «. رَوَى الْبَيْهَقِيُّ الْأَحَادِيثَ الثَّلَاثَةَ فِي» شُعَبِ الْإِيمَانِ " وَقَالَ: قَالَ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ فِي حَدِيثِ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ: هَذَا مَتْنٌ مَشْهُورٌ فِيمَا بَين النَّاس وَلَيْسَ لَهُ إِسْنَاد صَحِيح

he who is greedy for knowledge can never get enough of it, and he who is greedy for worldly goods can never get enough of them." Baihaqi transmitted the three traditions in Shu'ab al-iman, and quoted the imam Ahmad as saying about Abu Darda''s tradition, “This is a well-known text among the people, but it does not have a sound isnad."

عَن عَوْنٍ قَالَ: قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ: مَنْهُومَانِ لَا يَشْبَعَانِ صَاحِبُ الْعِلْمِ وَصَاحِبُ الدُّنْيَا وَلَا يَسْتَوِيَانِ أَمَّا صَاحِبُ الْعِلْمِ فَيَزْدَادُ رِضًى لِلرَّحْمَنِ وَأَمَّا صَاحِبُ الدُّنْيَا فَيَتَمَادَى فِي الطُّغْيَانِ. ثُمَّ قَرَأَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ (كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَيَطْغَى أَنْ رَآهُ اسْتَغْنَى) قَالَ وَقَالَ الْآخَرُ (إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عباده الْعلمَاء. رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ

‘Aun reported Ibn Mas'ud as saying, “Two greedy ones never attain satisfaction, the learned man and the worldly man, but they are not equal. The learned man becomes more pleasing to the Compassionate One, but the worldly man perseveres in transgression." Then ‘Abdallah recited, “Nay, but man transgresses in considering that he is self-sufficient. "* He added, “The other is preferable, for ‘only those of His servants who are learned fear God.’ " Darimi transmitted it. *Qur’an, xcvi, 6 f.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم قَالَ: " إِنَّ أُنَاسًا مِنْ أُمَّتِي سَيَتَفَقَّهُونَ فِي الدِّينِ ويقرءون الْقُرْآن يَقُولُونَ نَأْتِي الْأُمَرَاءَ فَنُصِيبُ مِنْ دُنْيَاهُمْ وَنَعْتَزِلُهُمْ بِدِينِنَا وَلَا يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ كَمَا لَا يُجْتَنَى مِنَ الْقَتَادِ إِلَّا الشَّوْكُ كَذَلِكَ لَا يُجْتَنَى مِنْ قُرْبِهِمْ إِلَّا - قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ: كَأَنَّهُ يَعْنِي - الْخَطَايَا ". رَوَاهُ ابْن مَاجَه

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “Some among my people will become learned in religion, will recite the Qur’an, and say that they will go to princes and get some of their worldly goods, but withdraw from them with their religion. That cannot be; for, as what is gathered from tragacanth trees consists only of thorns, so what is gathered from drawing near to them consists only of . . . ” Muhammad b. as-Sabbah said that he obviously meant “sins." Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: لَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْعِلْمِ صَانُوا الْعِلْمَ وَوَضَعُوهُ عِنْدَ أَهْلِهِ لَسَادُوا بِهِ أَهْلَ زَمَانِهِمْ وَلَكِنَّهُمْ بَذَلُوهُ لِأَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا لِيَنَالُوا بِهِ مِنْ دُنْيَاهُمْ فَهَانُوا عَلَيْهِمْ سَمِعْتُ نَبِيَّكُمْ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ جَعَلَ الْهُمُومَ هَمًّا وَاحِدًا هَمَّ آخِرَتِهِ كَفَاهُ اللَّهُ هَمَّ دُنْيَاهُ وَمَنْ تَشَعَّبَتْ بِهِ الْهُمُومُ فِي أَحْوَالِ الدُّنْيَا لَمْ يُبَالِ اللَّهُ فِي أَيِّ أَوْدِيَتِهَا هَلَكَ» . رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَه وَرَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شُعَبِ الْإِيمَانِ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ: «مَنْ جَعَلَ الْهُمُومَ» إِلَى آخِره

If the learned were to guard learning and entrust it to those who are worthy of it, they would thereby, rule their contemporaries. But they have bestowed it on worldly people to get thereby some of their worldly goods, and have been despised by them. I heard your Prophet say, "If anyone makes the care of his eternal welfare the sum total of his cares God will protect him from worldly care, but if he has a variety of cares consisting of matters related to this world God will not be concerned in which of its wadis he perishes.” Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman from Ibn ‘Umar beginning with "If anyone makes the care.”