Many learners today fail in ascertaining where their learning should start from.
There are some learners who out of their ignorance look down upon some books of knowledge such as Usool Thalaathah and Ar'baoon Nawawiyyah, you rather see them carrying voluminous books such as Majmoo Fataawa of Ibn Taymiyyah, Silsilah Ahadeeth Saheehah of Shaykh Al-Albaanee, etc, about while they are yet to understand what is in the other books.
This is a misplaced priority and it is usually a bane in learning.
Many learners crashed along the path before they could reach their destination.
The Salaf did not learn the way many people learn today. The Salaf used to be patient at learning by starting from where it is the most fundamental to where it is more cumbersome but the learners of today are too hasty. They want to adorn themselves with the cloak of scholarship at all cost within a very short time.
Abu Ja'far said he entered upon Al-Imaam Ahmad and he was asking him about if he could perform ablution with water mixed with certain plants. Al-Imaam asked him: 'Do you know what to say when you want to enter the masjid and when you want to come out from it?' Abu Ja'far was speechless (because he did not know it). Al-Imaam Ahmad said: 'Go and learn this first.' (Tabaqaat Al-Hanaabilah: 1/41)
A man came to the sitting of Al-Aamash in the garb of a big scholar but when he wanted to ask a question he asked him about a minor matter regarding Salah. Al-Aamash then faced the people and said: 'See this fellow, his beard looks like someone who has memorized about four thousand hadeeth but is here asking questions pupils in the beginning class ask.' (Siyar: 6/238)
Al-Imaam Ibn Wahb came to Al-Imaam Maalik bn Anas and said: 'What can you say about seeking knowledge?' He replied: 'This is good but consider what is more imperative upon you when you wake till you go to sleep; it is things that have to do with that that you must first learn.' (Siyar: 8/97)
To be continued inshaa Allaah.
