Said Al-Imaam Yoosuf bn Abdillaah bn Muhammad bn ‘AbdilBarr An-Namree Al-Qur’tubee Al-Maalikee, Aboo Umar, Haafidh Al-Maghrib; in his book: ‘Jaamiu Bayaanil’Ilm Wa Fadlu-hu [A Comprehensive Explanation of Knowledge and Its Excellence], Chapter 50: Dispraising the Sinful Scholars and Those Who Learn To Pride Over The Scholars, Or For Worldly Price.
On the authority of Jaabir bn Abdillaah (RadiyaLlaahuan’hu), the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahualahyiwasallam) said:
لا تعلموا العلم لتباهوا به العلماء أو تماروا به السفهاء و لا لتجترئوا به المجالس فمن فعل ذلك فالنار النار
‘Do not learn to pride over the scholars or to argue with the fools, or to gather [faces at] sittings. Whoever does that, fire will be his lot.’
[Recorded by Ibn Maajah and others; authenticated by ash-Shaykh al-Albaanee in Saheeh Jaami, 7370].
This serious warning is with respect to whomever does not desire any good with his knowledge. Allaah indeed forgives and punishes whomever He wishes.
‘Abdullaah bn Mas’ood (RadiyaLlaahuan’hu) said: ‘If the people of knowledge could protect their knowledge and rightfully place it where it should be, they will control the people of their time with it. But they [the people of knowledge]rather waste it with the people of the world to gain the world from them thus they became useless with the people. Indeed I heard your Prophet (sallallahualahyiwasallam) say:
من جعل الهموم هما واحدا هم آخرته كفاه الله هم دنياه ومن تشعبت به الهموم في أحوال الدنيا لم يبال الله في أي أوديتها هلك
‘Whoever makes all his concerns to be one, Allaah will safeguard him about the concern of the Hereafter, but whoever is tossed around by the concerns of the world, Allaah will not mind which valley hefalls into.’’
[Recorded by Ibn Maajah and others; as Shaykh Al Albaanee authenticated the one attributed to the Prophet in the report; Al-Mishkaat, 263].
Muhammad bn Yahya bn Hibbaan (RahimahuLlaah) said: A man from the people of Iraq narrated to me that they walked by Aboo Dhār and they asked him to narrate hadith for them, he told them: ‘Know certainly that these narrations with which the pleasure of Allaah is sought should not be learnt by anyone that wants to desire the world with it; if he does so, he will never smell the fragrance of Jannah.’
Yazeed bn Qoodar (RahimahuLlaah) said: ‘Some men will soon learn and show mutual rivalry over what they learn as the sinners do over a woman (each of them wants to copulate with); that (rivalry) will be their portion.’
Ayyoob as-Sakhtiyaanee (RahimahuLlaah) said: Aboo Qilaabah (RahimahuLlaah) told me: ‘If Allaah were to endow you with any knowledge then try to create worship for it. Do not be concerned with mere narrating it to the people.’
‘Abdullaah bn Mas’ood (RadiyaLlaahuan’hu) said: ‘How shall you be when a tribulation come upon you wherein the young will grow further while the old will go senile; innovations will become the norm adopted wholly by the people such that when anything changes in it, people will say, ‘You have changed the Sunnah!’’
Abdullaah bn Mas’ood (RadiyaLlaahuan’hu) was asked: ‘When shall that be, O Abu AbdirRahmaan?’ He replied: ‘When you Qur’aan memorizers are many among you while the jurists are few, and your rulers amass and store wealth, when there are few trustworthy ones, and the world is sought by the deed of the Hereafter, and people learn reason other than acting with.’
Sufyaan bn ‘Uyaynah (RahimahuLlaah) said, ‘It came to me from Ibn ‘Abbaas that he said: If the bearers of knowledge had done with knowledge as it ought to be, Allaah, the angels, the righteous slaves and the people would love them but they seek the world with their knowledge so Allaah become angry with them thus they become useless with the people.’
Aboo ‘Aaliyah (RahimahuLlaah) said: ‘It is written with the scholars in the Old Scrolls: O son of Adam, teach free as you were taught free.’
That is, the way you did not suffer any indebtedness when Allaah taught you so do not take price (for what you teach).
On the authority of Aboo Hurairah (RadiyaLlaahuan’hu), the Messenger of Allaah (salaLlâhu alayhi wasallam) said:
من تعلم علما مما يبتغى به وجه الله لا يتعلمه إلا ليصيب به عوضا من الدنيا لم يجد عرف الجنة يوم القيامة
‘Whoever learns knowledge among what should be used to seek Allah’s Face; and he learns it for a worldly price, he will never smell the fragrance of Jannah on the Day of Resurrection.’ [Saheeh Jaami, 6159]
Hasan bn Saalih (RahimahuLlaah) said: ‘You will not attain knowledge until you do not care about those who have the world.’
Abdullaah bn Abee Saalih (RahimahuLlaah) said, [Prophet] Eesa (alahyi salaam) said: ‘O assembly of knowledge memorizers, and scholars, how did you go astray after your knowledge? How did you become blind after you had sight because of this fleeting world and disgraceful desire? Woe upon you for that.’
It was asked: What is hidden desire? [The reply came thus:] A man who learns so that people can afterwards sit before him.
Ibraheem At-Taymee (RahimahuLlaah) said: ‘Whoever learns because of Allaah – the Mighty and Most sublime – Allaah will provide for him what will suffice him.’
Sufyaan Ath-Thauree (RahimahuLlaah) said: ‘Beautify knowledge, do not get beautified with it.’
He also said: ‘Knowledge is sought to fear Allaah with; knowledge is rated over other things because Allaah is feared with it.’
‘Abdullaah bn Al-Mubaarak (RahimahuLlaah)said: ‘Seek protection with Allaah from a corrupt scholar and an ignorant worshipper; the tribulation of the duo is for all.’
Al-Fudayl bn Iyaad and Asad bn Al-Farraat (RahimahuLlaah) both said: ‘It came to us that the transgressors among the scholars and the bearers of the Qur’aan shall be first punished on the Day of Resurrection even before the worshippers of idols.’ Fudayl said: ‘This is because he that knows is not like he who does not know.’
Al-Hasan (RahimahuLlaah) said: ‘The punishment for a scholar is dead heart.’ He was asked: ‘what is dead heart?’ He said: ‘Seeking the world with the deed of the Hereafter.’
A line of poem comes thus:
O student of knowledge court al-Wara' (avoiding doubtful matters)
shun sleep and run away from over feeding.
Indeed Allaah did rebuke some people in His Book, those who command people with goodness but will fail to carry it out themselves; Allaah severely rebuked them in a way that their matter will continued to be recited until the Day of Resurrection. He the Mighty said:
أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
Enjoin you Al-Birr (piety and righteousness and each and Every act of obedience to Allâh) on the people and You forget (to practise it) yourselves, while You recite the Scripture [the Taurât (Torah)]! Have you then no sense? [2:44]
Aboo Al-Itaahiyyah (RahimahuLlaah)said:
You described piety as if you are its person
but breeze of sins glow from your canines.
Salm bn ‘Amr (RahimahuLlaah) said:
How bad is a person who exhorts others to take little in the world
he tells the people to shun the world while he takes the world to himself.
Aboo Al-Itaahiyyah (RahimahuLlaah) also said:
O you who exhort the people, you are alleged
if you blame them for the same sins you do.
‘Abdullaah bn Ur’wah (RahimahuLlaah) said:
They cry with the Deen for Dunya and its glows
custodians of Deen who have become predators of Dunya.
He also composed:
O you who teach others
be a teacher for yourself first.
I see you pollinate our intellect with guidance
but you are found wanting of guidance yourself.
Aboo Al-Itaahiyyah (RahimahuLlaah) also said:
When you condemn an act do not approach it
a wise person will shun what he condemns.
Mansour al-Faqeeh (RahimahuLlaah) said:
Hey! Some people command us on piety
which they themselves do not practise.
They are mad even though
they have not been thrown on ground by their fits.
