Fazl al-Ilm

Excellence of Knowledge and the Scholar

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

قَالَ اللّٰهُ تَبَارَکَ وَتَعَالٰی : قُلْ ہَلْ یَسْتَوِی الَّذِیْنَ یَعْلَمُوْنَ وَالَّذِیْنَ لَا یَعْلَمُوْنَ ۔ (زمر ۔ آیت ۹)

Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said: Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" (Az-Zumar, Verse 9)

Vocabulary: قَالَ ; said. تَبَارَکَ ; Blessed. وَ ; and. تَعَالٰی ; High and Exalted. قُلْ ; say (O Messenger), you tell them. ہَلْ ; is/are (used for asking questions). یَسْتَوِیْ ; are equal, are on par. الَّذِیْنَ ; those who (plural of اَلَّذِیْ). یَعْلَمُوْنَ ; they possess knowledge, they know. وَالَّذِیْنَ ; and those who. لَا ; no/not. لَا یَعْلَمُوْنَ ; they do not have knowledge.

Translation: Allah, the Possessor of Blessing and Exaltation, said: You say! Can those who possess knowledge and those who do not possess knowledge be equal? (Can the possessor of knowledge and the ignorant both be equal?)

وَقَالَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی : وَعَلَّمَ اٰدَمَ الْاَسْمَآءَ کُلَّہَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَہُمْ عَلَی الْمَلٰٓئِکَۃِ فَقَالَ اَنْۢبِئُوْنِیْ بِاَسْمَآءِ ہٰٓؤُلَآءِ اِنْ کُنْتُمْ صٰدِقِیْنَ ہ قَالُوْا سُبْحٰنَکَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَآ اِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا اِنَّکَ اَنْتَ الْعَلِیْمُ الْحَکِیْمُ ہ قَالَ یٰٓاٰدَمُ اَنْۢبِئْہُمْ بِاَسْمَآئِہِمْ فَلَمَّآ اَنْۢبَاَہُمْ بِاَسْمَآئِہِمْ قَالَ اَلَمْ اَقُلْ لَّکُمْ اِنِّیْٓ اَعْلَمُ غَیْبَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضِ وَاَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُوْنَ وَمَا کُنْتُمْ تَکْتُمُوْنَ ہ (البقرۃ ۔ آیت ۳۱ تا ۳۳)

And Allah the Exalted said: And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful." They said, "Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise." He said, "O Adam, inform them of their names." And when he had informed them of their names, He said, "Did I not tell you that I know the unseen of the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing?" (Al-Baqarah, Verses 31 to 33)

وَقَالَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی ; and Allah the Exalted said. عَلَّمَ ; He taught. الْاَسْمَآءَ ; names (plural of ism). کُلَّہَا ; all of them. ثُمَّ ; then. عَرَضَہُمْ ; He presented them. عَلَی ; upon (preposition, meaning a letter that gives kasra). الْمَلٰٓئِکَۃِ ; angels (plural of مَلَکْ ; angel).

فَ ; then. فَقَالَ ; then He said. اَنْۢبِئُوْنِیْ ; describe to me, inform me. نَبَاٌ ; news. نَبِیٌّ ; one who gives news. بِ ; is extra, it increases the emphasis of the sentence. بِاَسْمَآءِ ; the names. ہٰٓؤُلَآءِ ; of these, plural of hadha. اِنْ ; if (conditional particle). کُنْتُمْ ; you all were (plural) but here it means you are. صٰدِقِیْنَ ; truthful (plural of sadiq, truthful). قَالُوْا ; they (the angels) said. سُبْحٰنَ ; is pure. سُبْحٰنَکَ ; You are pure, no objection can be raised against You. لَنَآ ; for us. لِ ; for, for the sake of. اِلَّا ; except, save. مَا ; what. عَلَّمْتَنَا ; You taught us. عَلَّمْتَ ; You taught. اِنَّکَ ; indeed You. اِنَّ ; indeed (this particle gives fatha, zabar, nasb to the mubtada and damma, pesh to the khabar. For example, اِنَّ زَیداً قَائِمٌ). عَلِیْمٌ ; the Knowing. حَکِیْمٌ ; the Wise, the One who does the appropriate action. یَا ; O (vocative particle used for calling out. They call out through it). فَلَمَّا ; then when. لَمَّا ; when. اَ ; what?. لَمْ ; did not. لَمْ اَقُلْ ; I did not say. اَلَمْ اَقُلْ لَّکُمْ ; did I not tell you. اَعْلَمُ ; I know. غَیْبَ ; unseen, hidden word or thing. السَّمٰوٰتِ ; many heavens (plural of سَمَآءٌ - heaven). اَرْضٌ ; earth. تُبْدُوْنَ ; you reveal. بَدَا - یَبْدُوْ - بَدْوًا ; to become apparent. تَکْتُمُوْنَ ; you hide. کَتَمَ - یَکْتُمُ - کِتْمَانًا ; to hide.

Translation: And Allah the Exalted said: And Allah taught Adam the names of all the things, completely, then He presented the things of those names before the angels. Then He said, tell Me their names, reveal their reality if you are truthful. The angels submitted, You are free from our objection, we only have as much knowledge as You gave us. Indeed You are the Knowing and the Wise. Allah the Exalted said, O Adam! Tell them their names. When Adam told them the names of those things, Allah the Exalted said (to the angels), did I not say that I know the hidden things of the heavens and the earth, and I know well what you reveal and what you conceal.

وَقَالَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی : اِنَّمَا یَخْشَی اللّٰہَ مِنْ عِبَادِہِ الْعُلَمٰؤُا ۔ (فاطر ۔ آیت ۲۸)

And Allah the Exalted said: Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge. (Fatir, Verse 28)

Vocabulary: اِنَّمَا ; indeed, nothing except this. یَخْشٰی ; fears. خَشِیَ - یَخْشٰی - خَشْیَۃً - fear. مِنْ ; from (it is a preposition. Meaning it gives kasra to the noun after it, for example مِنْ عِبَادِہٖ ; from His servants. عِبَادٌ ; servants (plural of عَبْدٌ ; servant). عُلَمَآءٌ ; those with knowledge (plural of عَالِمٌ).

Translation: And Allah the Exalted said: Only those fear Allah who possess knowledge, the scholars.

O friends! As much as there is knowledge, so much will be the fear of God. Honor and reverence are in proportion to Marifa. Look! The angels had said, why do You create humans. Every angel is for a task and is aware of his task. It is this honorable human whose knowledge has no limit or measure. For this reason, his honor and his status are also the highest. Remember this fact! Total manifestation (Tajalli) is upon the human, it is not upon the non-human. For this reason, the human is better than the angels. When Adam's exam and competition occurred with the angels, the angels had to lose and Adam's

superiority was proven. Adam won in this examination and competition. There is as much difference between other sciences and the knowledge of theology (Ilahiyyat) as there is between God and the servant and other things. Therefore, read a hundred thousand philosophies, become acquainted with a thousand sciences and arts, what comes of it? Where are you and where is God, where is the knowledge given by God. Remember! People of Marifa are close to God and people of righteous deeds are deserving of Paradise, they eat well, they dress well, they live in comfort, but proximity is in proportion to Marifa.

عَنْ اَبِیْ اُمَامَۃَ رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْہُ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ ﷺ مَنْ خَرَجَ فِیْ طَلَبِ الْعِلْمِ فَہُوَ فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰهِ حَتّٰی یَرْجِعَ ۔ اَخْرَجَہُ التِّرْمِذِی ۔ وَفِیْ اُخْرٰی لَہُ عَنْ سَخْبَرَۃَ مَرْفُوْعًا مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمَ کَانَ کَفَّارَۃً لِّمَا مَضٰی ۔ (تیسیر ۹۲)

It is narrated from Abu Umamah (RA) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Whoever goes out in search of knowledge, he is in the path of Allah until he returns." Tirmidhi transmitted it. And in another narration of his, from Sakhbarah, raised (marfu'an): "Whoever sought knowledge, it is an expiation for what has passed." (Taysir 92)

Vocabulary: خَرَجَ ; went out. فِیْ ; in. (This is a preposition. The prepositions are a total of seventeen (17)). طَلَبَ ; to seek. سَبِیْلٌ ; path, way. حَتّٰی ; until. یَرْجِعَ ; he returns, comes back. یَرْجِعُ رُجُوْعًا ; to return. رَجَعًا ; to return. کَفَّارَۃٌ ; expiation/recompense (there are two meanings of the verbal noun of this verb. رُجُوْعًا ; to return. رَجْعًا ; to return).

Translation: It is narrated from Abu Umamah, he said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, whoever goes out in the pursuit of knowledge, his going out is in the path of God until his return (this was narrated by Tirmidhi) and in another narration of Tirmidhi itself, it is from Hazrat Sakhbarah raised (Marfu'an), meaning he (Sakhbarah) reached this Hadith to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, meaning in this Hadith it is قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهِ عَلَیْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ. Whoever sought knowledge, it will be an expiation (recompense) for those wrongdoings which occurred before (it).

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ الْفَقِیْہُ فِی الدِّیْنِ اِنِ احْتِیْجَ اِلَیْہِ نَفَعَ وَاِنِ اسْتُغْنِیَ عَنْهُ اَغْنٰی نَفْسَہٗ ۔ (رواہ رزین ۔ مشکوٰۃ ۳۶-۲)

It is narrated from Ali (RA), he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "What a good man is the one who has understanding of the Din! If he is needed, he gives benefit, and if he is dispensed with, he enriches his own soul." (Narrated by Razin. Mishkat 36-2)

Vocabulary: نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ ; what a good man. اَلْفَقِیْہُ ; understanding person. اِنِ ; if. اِحْتِیْجَ اِلَیْہِ ; he is needed, if people have need of him. نَفَعَ ; gives benefit. وَاِنِ اسْتُغْنِیَ عَنْهُ ; and if he is not needed, if he is ignored. اَغْنٰی نَفْسَہٗ ; he makes himself independent, he benefits himself, he enriches himself.

Translation: It is narrated from Hazrat Ali (RA) that the Master ﷺ said, what a good man is the one who possesses understanding of the Din. If people need him, he benefits them, and if people become independent of him, he benefits himself, he makes himself self-sufficient (Ghani). (This Hadith was narrated by Hazrat Razin and is also in Mishkat)

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَرَّ بِمَجْلِسَيْنِ فِيْ مَسْجِدِهِ فَقَالَ كِلَاهُمَا عَلَى خَيْرٍ وَأَحَدُهُمَا أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ أَمَّا هَؤُلَاءِ فَيَدْعُونَ اللَّهَ وَيَرْغَبُونَ إِلَيْهِ فَإِنْ شَاءَ أَعْطَاهُمْ وَإِنْ شَاءَ مَنَعَهُمْ وَأَمَّا هَؤُلَاءِ فَيَتَعَلَّمُوْنَ الْفِقْهَ أَوِ الْعِلْمَ وَيُعَلِّمُونَ الْجَاهِلَ فَهُمْ أَفْضَلُ وَإِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ مُعَلِّمًا ثُمَّ جَلَسَ فِيهِمْ ۔ (رواہ الدارمی - مشکوٰۃ ٣١)

Lughaat: مَرَّ; passed by. بِمَجْلِسَيْنِ; two gatherings. كِلَاهُمَا; both of them. أَمَّا; but, however. يَدْعُونَ; they are calling, praying (they all). دُعَاء، دَعْوٰى، يَدْعُو; to call, to ask. يَرْغَبُونَ; they desire, wish. رَغِبَ - يَرْغَبُ - رَغْبَةٌ; to desire, want. شَاءَ; desired. مَشِيْئَةٌ; to desire. أَعْطَاهُمْ; He will give them. أَعْطَى يُعْطِى إِعْطَاءً; to give. بُعِثْتُ; I was sent, appointed. بَعَثَ يَبْعَثُ بَعْثًا وَبِعْثَةً; to send, appoint as a messenger. جَلَسَ; sat. فِيهِمْ; among them.

Translation: Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by two gatherings in His mosque. Then Hazrat ﷺ said: Both gatherings are engaged in good work, but one gathering is superior to the other. As for these (worshippers), they are praying to God and presenting their requests and desires. If God wills, He gives them, and if He does not will, He withholds. And as for this other gathering (the group of learners), they are understanding and learning necessary issues, and teaching the ignorant. Therefore, they are superior. (Meaning the rank of a scholar is superior and higher than that of a worshipper). I have been sent as a teacher. Then the Messenger of God ﷺ sat among them, meaning in the gathering of scholars. (This hadith is narrated by Darimi and also in Mishkat).

عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّيْنِ وَإِنَّمَا أَنَا قَاسِمٌ وَاللَّهُ يُعْطِيْ مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ ۔

Lughaat: مَنْ يُرِدْ; whoever He desires. اَرَادَ، يُرِيْدُ، إِرَادَةً; to desire, intend. قَاسِمٌ; distributor. قَسَمَ يَقْسِمُ قِسْمَةً; to distribute. يُعْطِيْ; gives, grants.

Translation: Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whomever God intends good for, He grants him understanding of the Deen. I am only the distributor and God is the One who gives.

عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا حَسَدَ إِلَّا فِي اثْنَيْنِ رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللهُ مَالًا فَسَلَّطَهُ عَلَى هَلَكَتِهِ فِي الْحَقِّ وَرَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللهُ الْحِكْمَةَ فَهُوَ يَقْضِيْ بِهَا وَيُعَلِّمُهَا مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ ۔ (مشکوٰۃ ٣٢)

Lughaat: حَسَدَ; jealousy, envy, overpowering. اِثْنَيْنِ; two (2). اٰتَاهُ; He gave him. اٰتٰى يُؤْتِى إِيْتَاءً; to give. سَلَّطَ; to overpower, make dominant. هَلَكَتِهِ; his spending, consuming.

Translation: Hazrat Abdullah bin Masud (RA) narrates, he said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: There is no (justified) envy and overpowering except for two people. One is the person whom God has granted wealth and given him the ability to spend it in the path of God. And the second person is the one whom God has blessed with wisdom and knowledge, and he judges according to it and teaches it to people. (This hadith is Muttafaq Alayh, meaning Hazrat Bukhari and Hazrat Muslim narrated it, and it is also in Mishkat).

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ النَّاسُ مَعَادِنُ كَمَعَادِنِ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ إِذَا فَقُهُوا ۔ (رواہ مسلم - مشکوٰۃ)

Lughaat: اَلنَّاسُ; people. مَعَادِنُ; plural of مَعْدَنٌ; mine. ذَهَبٌ; gold. فِضَّةٌ; silver. خِيَارٌ; plural of خَيْر; good. إِذَا; when. فَقُهُوا; they gained understanding and insight. فَقِهَ - يَفْقَهُ - فِقْهًا; to develop understanding.

Translation: Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) narrates, he said that the Noble Prophet ﷺ said: People are like mines of gold and silver. Those who were good in the days of ignorance, they will also be good in Islam, when they engage in reflection, thought, and deep understanding (fiqh). (Muslim narrated this hadith and it is also in Mishkat).

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَثَةٍ إِلَّا مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُولَهُ ۔ (رواہ مسلم - مشکوٰۃ)

Lughaat: مَاتَ; died. مَاتَ - يَمُوْتُ - مَوْتًا; to die. اِنْقَطَعَ; stopped, cut off. عَنْهُ; from him. عَمَلُهُ; his action. Meaning when a person dies, his actions also end. The progress of it stops. صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ; continuous charity, like building a mosque, inn, digging a well. As long as people benefit from it, he will continue to receive reward. يُنْتَفَعُ; benefit is derived. بِهِ; with it. وَلَدٍ; a son or a daughter, this word applies to both (plural اَوْلَادٌ). صَالِحٍ; righteous, good. يَدْعُو; prays. دَعٰى - يَدْعُوْ - دُعَاءً; to pray.

Translation: Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When a person dies, his actions end, and they are stopped. Except for three (they continue from him): (1) continuous charity (2) that knowledge from which benefit is derived (like a school and the chain of students) (3) a righteous child who prays for him. (Muslim narrated it) A righteous child prays for parents and the person who has died, his reward continues to increase due to these things.