Friday 29 December 2006

The Superiority Of Sacred Knowledge Over Devotion

Allah Most High questions in the Qur'an:

"Say, Are those who know and those who do not know equal?" (Surah 39: Ayat 9)

And Allah informs:

"Only the knowledgeable of His slaves fear Allah." (Surah 35: Ayat 28)

And Allah has honoured:

"Allah raises those of you who believe and those who have been given knowledge whole degrees." (Surah 58: Ayat 11)

Further more, this honour has been confirmed many times by the Prophet Muhammad SAW, as preserved in Ahadith. Among them:

Hadith 01:

"Whoever Allah wishes well, He gives knowledge of religion."

Hadith 02:

"The superiority of the learned Muslim over the devotee is as my superiority over the least of you."

Hadith 03:

"Allah and His angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earths, even the ant in its anthill and the fish, bless for those who teach people what is good."

Hadith 04:

"When a human being dies, his work comes to an end except for three things: ongoing charity, knowledge benefited (from him), or a pious son who prays for him."

Hadith 05:

"A single learned Muslim is harder on the Shaytaan than a thousand worshippers."

Hadith 06:

"Whoever travels a path seeking knowledge, Allah makes easy for him a path to Paradise.

Hadith 07:

"Angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge out of pleasure in what he seeks."

Hadith 08:

"Those in the heavens and the earth, and the very fish in the water ask Allah to forgive the person endowed with Sacred Knowledge."

Hadith 09:

"The superiority of the learned Muslim over the devotee is like the superiority of the moon over all the stars."

Hadith 10:

"The learned are the heirs of the prophets. The prophets have not bequeathed dinar nor dirham, but have only left Sacred Knowledge, and whoever takes it has taken an enormous share."

Hadith 11:

"He who calls others to guidance shall receive the like of the reward of those who follow him without this diminishing their own reward in the slightest. And he who calls others to misguidance shall bear the like of the sins of those who follow him without this diminishing their own sins."

Hadith 12:

"He who goes forth to seek Sacred Knowledge is in the pathof Allah until he returns."

Hadith 13:

"This world and what is in it are accursed except for the remembrance of Allah, that which Allah loves, someone with Sacred Knowledge or someone learning it."

And our Pious Predecessors i.e. the Sahabah RA, the Tabi'in RA and the Tabi-Tabi'in RA have further informed on the superiority of Sacred Knowledge - its learning, its practice and its teaching.

Saiyidina Ali RA said:

"The religious scholar is greater in reward than the fighter in the way of Allah who fasts the day and prays the night."

Abu Darda RA said:

"Teaching Sacred Knowledge for a brief time is better than spending a night in prayer."

Yahya ibn Abi Kathir RA said:

"Studying Sacred Knowledge is a prayer."

Sufyan al-Thawri RA and Imam Shafi'i RA said:

"There is nothing after what is obligatory that is superior to seeking Sacred Knowledge."

HOWEVER, MOST IMPORTANTLY - A KNOWLEDGABLE PERSON IS ONE WHO PRACTICES WHAT HE KNOWS.

SOMEONE WHO HAS IN HIS MIND PLENTY KNOWLEDGE BUT DOES PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE IS NOT AN 'AALIM. INSTEAD HE IS A JAHIL.

SEVERE PUNISHMENT AWAITS IN AKHIRAH.