Question
Why is it important to know the virtue of something before embarking on the journey of practicing it?
Well since we are talking about ibadah, or anything related/concerned with the deen, it is of the outmost importance that we do it correctly according to the Qur’an and Sunnah of the prophet. We don’t want to be doing it wrong since it is a matter of life and death, the matter of being successful not only in this life but the hereafter as well.
- Nothing of true value comes easy for free. You have to work for it. You have to give your time, energy attention to it. That’s why it’s so valuable. So, having motivation through knowing the virtue of something allows us to keep going. To endure the hardships.
- You are only concerned with the reward that is with Allah alone. It helps you stay sincere.
- We are created to Worship Allah alone. What is Often neglected is that we cannot worship Allah alone without knowledge.
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- You can only worship Him through knowing more about Him.
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- Allah created the whole universe for us so that we may know Allah. So that we know that He alone is capable of creation.
- You knowing Allah is a fundamental part of your existence. The more you know Allah, the more you are filling your purpose in this life to worship Him alone without partner.
- Knowledge is why Allah created the heavers and the earth. The more you know Allah, the greater your worship of Him will be.
Examples of the virtues of knowledge:
- Allah mentioned His testimony, the Angels, and the people of knowledge. What an amazing group to be included in.
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- It causes the person’s status to be raised in ranks. In the eyes of the people what is considered to be ‘high status’ would be, wealth, lineage, and beauty. But in the eyes of Allah, knowledge is the what separates you from the rest.
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He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: If anyone travels on a road2 in search of knowledge, (1) Allah will cause him to travel on one of the roads of Paradise. (2) The angels will lower their wings in their great pleasure with one who seeks knowledge, (3) the inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth and the fish in the deep waters will ask forgiveness for the learned man. (4) The superiority of the learned man over the devout is like that of the moon, on the night when it is full, over the rest of the stars. (5) The learned are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets leave neither dinar nor dirham, leaving only knowledge, and he who takes it takes an abundant portion.
Link to original - The easiers path to Jannah
- The means for those in the heavens and on earth to ask for your forgiveness
- The virtue of the scholar over the abid worshipper Is like the moon over the stars in the sky. He is not comparing them to the abid over the fasiq. He is comparing them to the abid. Why?
- The scholar is able to worship properly due to the knowledge they posseses that makes them khushoo.
- The scholar benefits others
- The inheritance of the prophets After Muhammad, there are no other prophets, so what is the legacy left behind to continue? No other than knowledge. How many of today’s people would travel to the other side of the world if they know they have the chance to inherit something from the prophet?
- The only people who really fear Allah are those who have knowledge.
Having fear of Allah is part of ibadah. So is knowing how Allah deserved to be feared.
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- Allah told the prophet to ask for more knowledge even when He has given everything there is to know to convey to the people.
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- A sign that Allah wants good for you
Mu’awiyah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ” To whomever Allah wills goodness, He grants him understanding of the religion. Verily, I am only a distributor, but Allah is the giver. Those within this nation will continue to establish the commandments of Allah. They will not be harmed by anyone who opposes them until the decree of Allah has come.”
Link to original
The advice from the noble companions
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Ali Ibn Abi Thalib ‘s advice to Kumayl ibn Ziyad
Advice of 'Ali, The - SunnahOnline.com
Kumayl ibn Ziyad said: ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib took hold of my hand and took me off towards the desert. When we reached it, he sat down, took a deep breath and then said:
“O Kumayl ibn Ziyad! The hearts are receptacles, so the best of them is the one which preserves the best. So memorise what I say to you.
“The people are of three (types): the Scholar who is rabbani (The Scholar who acts in accordance with his knowledge and has insight into the condition of the people - so that he raises them upon the primary matters of knowledge before the more detailed and difficult matters.) the one learning being upon the path of salvation, and the confused rabble who follow everyone who calls out - bending along with every wind - they are not enlightened by the light of knowledge, nor do they lean upon a firm support.
“Knowledge is better than wealth. Knowledge is a protection for you, whereas it is you that has to protect wealth. The zakat of knowledge is action, whereas spending decreases wealth. And love of the Scholar is part of the Religion. Knowledge brings about obedience for the Scholar in his own lifetime and causes him to have good repute after his death, whereas the benefit of wealth ceases when it passes away. The hoarders of wealth have died even though they are still alive, whereas the Scholars remain for as long as time remains - their persons are lost, but their examples remain in the hearts.
“Here, indeed here - (and he pointed to his chest) - there is knowledge, if only I could find carriers for it. But instead I have found them quick to comprehend, but not trustworthy. They use what pertains to the Religion for worldly ends. They seek to use Allah’s proofs against His Book, blindly following the people of truth, but having no insight regarding receiving it.
“Doubt pierces their hearts when anything problematic arises. They are neither this nor that. They do not know where the truth lies, and if they are mistaken then they do not know why. They are ardently in love with something the true state of which they do not know - so they become a trial for others.
“And indeed, the utmost good is for the one to whom Allah grants understanding of the Religion And it is enough ignorance for a person that he does not know about his Religion. Such a person is passionately addicted to pleasures, accustomed to following desires, or is one given to amassing wealth and piling it up. Such people are not from the callers to the Religion rather they are more like the grazing cattle. And thus knowledge passes away with the passing away of those who carry it.
“Oh Allah, yes! The earth will not be without one who stands upright for Allah, with proof - so that Allah’s proofs and clear signs are not abolished. They are the ones who are few in number, but having the most value to Allah. With them, Allah asserts His proofs amongst their contemporaries and cultivates them in the hearts of those similar to them. With them, knowledge assaults and comes upon the true state of affairs, so that which those accustomed to easy living find difficult therein, they find easy; and they are at home with that which causes consternation to the ignorant ones. They live in this world with their bodies, whereas their souls are attached to higher things. They are Allah’s ambassadors in His land and the callers to His Religion. Oh how I would like to see them, and I seek Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you. If you wish then you may leave.”
The statement of ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, was reported by Abu Nu’aym in Hilyatu’l-Awliya (1/79-80), Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi in Al-Faqih wa’l-Mutafaqqih (1/49-50) and Ibn Kathir in Al-Bidayah wa’n-Nihayah (9/47). This translation is from Al-Istiqaamah Magazine, Issue No. 6, Dhu’l-Qa’dah 1417H / March 1997CE.
Link to original- Takeaways:
- Knowledge protects you when you have to protect your wealth.
- Giving knowledge increases you in knowledge whereas when you give out your wealth, your wealth decreases.
- The benefit of wealth goes away when its gone. When you give knowledge to the people, the benefit increases.
- In this life time, knowledge brings about obedience to Allah, and after he dies, causes him to have good reputations