Adab al-Ilm

Etiquettes of Knowledge

قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالٰی : لٰكِنِ الرّٰسِخُوْنَ فِی الْعِلْمِ مِنْهُمْ وَالْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ يُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِمَا اُنزِلَ اِلَيْكَ وَمَا اُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ ۔ (النساء - آیت ١٦٢) وَفِی الْقُرْاٰنِ الْمَجِيْدِ : قَالُوْا سُبْحٰنَكَ لَاعِلْمَ لَنَآ اِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَآ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَلِيْمُ الْحَكِيْمُ ۔ (البقرۃ - آیت ٣٢)

Lughaat: لٰكِنِ; but, however. لٰكِنِ الرّٰسِخُوْنَ فِی الْعِلْمِ; but those firm in knowledge. مِنْهُمْ; from among them. رَاسِخُوْنَ (plural of رَاسِخ); firm. يُؤْمِنُوْنَ; they believe. بِمَا; in what. اُنْزِلَ; was sent down. اِلَيْكَ; to you (towards you). مِنْ قَبْلِكَ; before you. وَمَااُنْزِلَ; and what was sent down.

Translation: Allah Most High states: But the distinguished scholars and believers from among them believe in that (book) which has been sent down towards you and (also believe in those books) which have been sent down before you.

Translation: And in the Glorious Quran it is: (The angels) said, You are pure from our objection, we have only as much knowledge as You have given us, undoubtedly You are All-Knowing and All-Wise.

عَنْ أَبِي هَارُونَ الْعَبْدِيِّ قَالَ كُنَّا نَأْتِيْ اَبَا سَعِيْدِ الْخُدْرِيَّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ فَيَقُوْلُ مَرْحَبًا بِوَصِيَّةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ قَالَ لَنَا - إِنَّ النَّاسَ لَكُمْ تَبَعٌ وَ إِنَّ رِجَالًا يَأْتُونَكُمْ مِنْ أَقْطَارِ الْأَرْضِ يَتَفَقَّهُونَ فِي الدِّيْنِ فَإِذَا أَتَوْكُمْ فَاسْتَوْصُوْا لَهُمْ خَيْرًا - أَخْرَجَهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَضَعَّفَهُ ۔

Lughaat: نَأْتِيْ; we used to come. فَيَقُوْلُ; then he (Abu Saeed) used to say. مَرْحَبًا; welcome. بِوَصِيَّةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ; those whom the Messenger of Allah ﷺ advised about. تَبَعٌ; followers. أَقْطَارِ (plural of قُطْر); regions, sides. يَتَفَقَّهُونَ; they think, understand. فِي الدِّيْنِ; in the matters of religion. اِسْتَوْصُوْا; advise them, leave a will for them.---

Translation: Harun Abdi (RA) narrates that he said, when we used to present ourselves to Abu Saeed Khudri (RA), he would say: Welcome O you concerning whom the Messenger of Allah ﷺ advised! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told us: People will certainly follow you and certainly people will come to you from the corners of the world and will reflect and ponder in the matters of the Deen, they will think. Then when they come to you, advise them well and instruct them. (Tirmidhi narrated this and termed it Zaeef)

عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيْهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ قَالَ سَمِعَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَوْمًا يَتَدَارَءُ وْنَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا هَلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ بِهٰذَا ضَرَبُوا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ بَعْضَهُ بِبَعْضٍ - وَإِنَّمَا نَزَلَ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ يُصَدِّقُ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضًا - فَلَا تُكَذِّبُوا بَعْضَهُ بِبَعْضٍ فَمَا عَلِمْتُمْ مِنْهُ فَقُوْلُوْا وَمَا جَهِلْتُمْ فَكِلُوْهُ إِلَى عَالِمِهِ ۔ (رواہ احمد و ابن ماجۃ - مشکوٰۃ)

Lughaat: يَتَدَارَءُ وْنَ; they are putting on each other. تَدَارَءَ، يَتَدَارَءُ، تَدَارُءًا وَدَرْءًا; to differ with each other, to argue baselessly. هَلَكَ; destroyed. جَهِلَ; did not know. (يَجْهَلُ جَهْلًا). كِلُوْا; leave it. وَكَلَ - يَكِلُ - وَكَالَةً; to leave.

Translation: Amr bin Shu'aib narrates from his father, meaning Shu'aib, and he from his grandfather, he said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard some people blaming each other, contradicting each other regarding the Quran, so You ﷺ said: Those who were before you were destroyed by this very blaming. They struck parts of the Book of Allah against other parts. God has sent down the Quran in such a way that some of it confirms some other parts, so O people! Do not refute some parts of the Quran with other parts, do not belie it, whatever you know, speak it, and whatever you do not know, leave it to the one who knows it.

Friends! Reflect a little on this hadith, what is emerging from it. Contradicting verses of the noble Quran, speaking falsehoods, all this is impermissible. From this hadith, it is also emerging that the ignorant should do Taqlid of the scholars. Due to foolishness, do not consider yourself a scholar despite having no knowledge.

عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ قَالَ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْقُرَّاءِ اسْتَقِيْمُوْا فَقَدْ سَبَقْتُمْ سَبْقًا بَعِيْدًا وَ إِنْ أَخَذْتُمْ يَمِيْنًا وَشِمَالًا لَقَدْ ضَلَلْتُمْ ضَلَالًا بَعِيْدًا ۔ (رواہ البخاری - مشکوٰۃ)

Lughaat: مَعْشَرَ; group, those who live life together. قُرَّاء; plural of Qari. اِسْتَقِيْمُوْا; remain upright, remain steadfast. سَبَقْتُمْ; you took the lead.

سَبْقًا بَعِيْدًا; you went very far ahead. وَ إِنْ أَخَذْتُمْ; if you adopt. يَمِيْنًا; right side. شِمَالًا; left side. ضَلَلْتُمْ; you went astray. ضَلَالًا بَعِيْدًا; great misguidance.

Translation: Hudhaifah bin Yaman (RA) narrates, he said O congregation of Quran reciters! Remain on the straight path, because you have gone far ahead of others. So then if you adopt a path this way or that, right or left, then you will certainly go far astray.

Companions! Here Quraa does not mean those who read the Quran without meaning, but rather it means those who read the Quran with understanding, and by this is meant the scholars. If the scholars deviate, their misguidance will certainly be very great because their misguidance will affect thousands of ignorant people.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَعَوَّذُوْا بِاللَّهِ مِنْ جُبِّ الْحُزْنِ قَالُوْا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! وَمَا جُبُّ الْحُزْنِ ۔ قَالَ : وَادٍ فِى جَهَنَّمَ يَتَعَوَّذُ مِنْهُ جَهَنَّمُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ أَرْبَعَ مِائَةِ مَرَّةٍ قِيلَ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللَّهِ! وَمَنْ يَّدْخُلُهَا - قَالَ : الْقُرَّاءُ الْمُرَاؤُنَ بِأَعْمَالِهِمْ - رواہ الترمذی وَكَذَا ابْنُ مَاجَة وَزَادَ فِيهِ ۔ وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَبْغَضِ الْقُرَّاءِ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى الَّذِينَ يَزُورُونَ الْأُمَرَاءَ قَالَ الْمُحَارِبِيُّ يَعنِى الْجَوَرَةَ ۔ (مشکوٰۃ ٣٨)

Lughaat: تَعَوَّذُوْا; seek refuge. جُبِّ; pit. حُزْنِ; grief. أَرْبَعَ مِائَةِ; four hundred. مَرَّةٍ; times. الْمُرَاؤُنَ; show-offs, ostentatious ones. يَزُورُونَ; they visit, meet. جَوَرَةَ; plural of جَائِر, cruel, oppressor.

Translation: Abu Huraira (RA) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: O people! Seek refuge with Allah from the "Pit of Grief". People asked, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! What is the Pit of Grief? You ﷺ said: It is a valley in Hell from which Hell itself seeks refuge four hundred times every day. It was asked, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Who will enter it? You ﷺ said: Those Qari, meaning scholars, who do deeds with ostentation. They only intend to show off. Tirmidhi has narrated it and Ibn Majah has also narrated similarly, and in their narration there is this much addition, and among the Quraa (scholars), the most hated near Allah Most High are those people who go to the wealthy. Muharibi said that by this is meant the cruel rulers.

Companions! In the light of this hadith, just think what will be the condition of the ostentatious scholars? Looking at their punishment, the people of Hell will be seeking refuge. Being present in the gatherings of worldly people means destroying the Deen according to the hadiths, so---

they are deserving of severe punishment. Remember! Whoever sits near the blacksmith's furnace, sparks will fly on him and will burn his clothes. Sitting near a fire and escaping its heat is impossible.

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ مِنْ حَقِّ الْعَالِمِ أَنْ لَا تُكْثِرَ عَلَيْهِ السُّؤَالَ - وَأَنْ لَا تُلِحَّ عَلَيْهِ إِذَا أَعْرَضَ وَلَا تَأْخُذَ بِثَوْبِهِ إِذَا كَسَلَ وَلَا تُشِيْرَ إِلَيْهِ بِيَدِكَ وَأَنْ لَا تُغْمِزَهُ بِعَيْنِكَ وَأَنْ لَا تَسْأَلَ فِى مَجْلِسِهِ وَأَنْ لَا تَطْلُبَ زَلَّتَهُ وَإِنْ زَلَّ تَأَنَّيْتَ أَوْبَتَهُ وَقَبِلْتَ فَيْئَتَهُ وَأَنْ لَا تَقُولَ قَالَ فُلَانٌ خِلَافَ قَوْلِكَ وَ أَنْ لَا تُفْشِيَ لَهُ سِرًّا وَأَنْ لَا تَغْتَابَ عِنْدَهُ أَحَدًا وَأَنْ تَحْفَظَهُ شَاهِدًا وَغَائِبًا وَأَنْ تَعُمَّ الْقَوْمَ بِالسَّلَامِ وَتَخُصَّهُ بِالتَّحِيَّةِ - وَأَنْ تَجْلِسَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ حَاجَةٌ سَبَقْتَ الْقَوْمَ إِلَى خِدْمَتِهِ وَأَنْ لَا تَمَلَّ مِنْ صُحْبَتِهِ - إِنَّمَا هُوَ كَالنَّخْلَةِ تَنْتَظِرُ مَتَى يَسْقُطُ عَلَيْكَ مَنْفَعَتُهُ وَأَنَّ الْعَالِمَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الصَّائِمِ الْمُجَاهِدِ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللَّهِ فَإِذَا مَاتَ الْعَالِمُ انْثَلَمَتْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ ثُلْمَةٌ لَا تُسَدُّ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيٰمَةِ - وَطَالِبُ الْعِلْمِ يُشَيِّعُهُ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفًا مِّنْ مُقَرَّبِى السَّمَاءِ ۔ (المرھبی و ابن عبدالبر فی العلم کنز ٣٢٢/٥)

Lughaat: تُكْثِرَ; to do much. أَكْثَرَ - يُكْثِرُ - إِكْثَارًا; to do much. تُلِحَّ; to be stubborn, to persist, to insist. أَعْرَضَ; to turn away, to turn the face. ثَوْب; cloth. كَسَلَ; to be lazy. تُشِيْرَ; to point. أَشَارَ يُشِيْرُ إِشَارَةً; to point. تُغْمِزَ; to point with the eye. From this comes ghamzah. زَلَّ; slipped. تَأَنَّيْتَ; you gave respite. تَأَنَّى; to give respite. أَوْبَتَهُ; to return. To recover, to return from a mistake. أَوَّاب; one who returns, one who repents. قَبِلْتَ; you accepted. فَيْئَتَهُ; to return. فَاءَ يَفِيْءُ فَيْئًا; to return. تُفْشِيَ; to spread, reveal. سِرًّا; secret (plural أَسْرَار). لَا تَغْتَابَ; neither to backbite, nor to speak ill behind the back. تَعُمَّ; to say generally. تَخُصَّ; to say specifically. تَحِيَّةِ; prayer for life. لَا تَمَلَّ; neither be bored, nor be tired. مَلَّ يَمَلُّ مَلَالًا; to be bored. تَنْتَظِرُ; you are waiting for it. يَسْقُطُ; falls. مَنْفَعَتُهُ; here it means dates. Its benefit. اِنْثَلَمَتْ; a gap appears, a breach occurs. ثُلْمَةٌ; a gap, defect, loss. لَا تُسَدُّ; that is not closed. Its compensation does not happen. سَدَّ، يَسُدُّ، سَدًّا; wall, to stop. يُشَيِّعُ; they reach. It is the opposite of istiqbal. Going ahead is istiqbal. To go to drop someone off is tashayyu'.

Translation: Hazrat Ali (RA) narrated, he stated that among the rights of a scholar, it is also this that you should not ask too many questions from him, and do not persist and insist on this when he is turning away, and do not grab his clothes to pull him when he is tired, and do not point towards him with your hand, and---

do not show to people with your fingers and do not make signs with your eyes (do not indicate his weakness to people with your eyes) and in his gathering do not ask others (do not ask from others) and do not be in search of his mistake. If he makes a slip, give him a chance to recover, give him time to return (it is not like saying "You said this before!"). When he returns towards the true statement, then you accept it, and never say in front of the scholar that you are saying this whereas other revered people say against your statement. Do not reveal his secret in front of anyone and do not backbite anyone near him and whether present or absent be mindful of him, generally offer salutations to the people and specifically pray for a long life for the teacher. Sit in front of him in his gathering (never sit beside him). If he needs anything, run before people to serve him. Do not be disgusted or bored with his company, for his example is like a date tree. You are waiting for when dates will fall from it upon you. The rank of a scholar is like a fasting person who also strives in the path of God. When a scholar dies, a gap appears in Islam which will not be filled until the Day of Judgment. The seeker of knowledge goes, then the near angels of the sky, seventy (70) thousand, go with him, dropping him off.

Companions! Just look at the gatherings of the present time. How clearly Amir al-Mu'minin Ali ibn Abi Talib is explaining the etiquettes of company. The ruin of Muslims is happening due to such disrespects. From a scholar, disrespect, boldness with him, is to destroy oneself. A student's job is to listen. To argue uselessly is absolutely far from the dignity of a student. Disrespectful is unfortunate, respectful is fortunate.

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قِرَاءَ تُكَ عَلَى الْعَالِمِ قِرَاءَ تُهُ عَلَيْكَ سَوَاءٌ ۔ (الدینوری و الدیلی ٥/٢٣٢ ايضاً)

Lughaat: سَوَاءٌ; is equal - is parallel.

Translation: Hazrat Ali (RA) narrates. You said, "Your reading in front of the scholar and the scholar's reading in front of you are both equal, meaning recitation and listening are both equal."

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ تَعَلَّمُوا الْعِلْمَ فَإِذَا عَلِمْتُمُوهُ فَاكْظِمُوا عَلَيْهِ وَلَا تَخْلِطُوهُ بِضَحِكٍ بَاطِلٍ فَتَمُجُّهُ الْقُلُوبُ ۔ (عم فی الزھد - الخط فی الجامع کنز ٥/٢٢٢)