Part 1

al-Hafiz ibn Rajab al-Hanbali

The EXCELLENCE of KNOWLEDGE

The Virtue of the Sa/af over the Khalaf being a translation of his Fad/ ‘I/m al-Salaf ‘ala’l-Khalaf

KNOWLEDGE The Virtue of the Sa/afover the Khalaf

Translated from the original Arabic by Abi Rumaysah

THE AUTHOR Hafiz Abi’l-Faraj ibn Rajab al-Hanbali

11 Beneficial Knowledge 1.2 Non-Beneficial Knowledge 1.3. The Division of Knowledge in the Sunnah

24 Branches of Non-Beneficial Knowledge

2.2 Genealogy and Astronomy

2.3 Delving into the Minutiae of Permissible sciences

2.5 Discussing the Dhat of Allah

2.6 The Rationalisation of the People of Opinion

2.7 Debating About the Religion

2.8 The Way and Wisdom of the Salaf

2.9 The ‘Inner Sciences’

2.10 Beneficial Knowledge with regards the ‘Inner Sciences’

2.11 The Foundation of Knowledge

2.12 The Signs of Beneficial and non-beneficial Knowledge

2.13 All Goodness lies in Traversing the Way of

2.14 Bear this Life with Patience!

3.1 The People of the Book and their Hard Hearts

PLATES OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTS INDEX OF SECTS

INDEX OF ARABIC WORDS TRANSLATORS BIBLIOGRAPHY NOTES

initial: unexpressed medial and final:

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long: lea gta Gol diphthongs: gs aw

Hafiz Aba’l-Faraj ibn Rajab al-Hanbali

He is the Imam and Hafiz, Zaynu’l-Din ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Ahmad ibn ‘Abdir-Rahman ibn al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Abi- |-Barakat Mas‘td al-Sulami al-Hanbali al-Dimashqi. His agnomen was Abi’l-Faraj, and his nickname was Ibn Rajab, which was the nickname of his grandfather who was born in that month.

He was born in Baghdad in 736H and was raised by a knowledgeable and pious family. He died on a Monday night, the fourth of Ramadan, 795H in al-Humariyyah, Damascus.

He learned and took knowledge from the greatest scholars of his time. In Damascus, he studied under Ibn al-Qayyim, Zaynwl-Din al-‘Iraqi, ibn al-Naqib, Muhammad ibn Ismi‘il alKhabbaz, Dawid ibn Ibrahim al-‘Attar, ibn Qati al-Jabal and Ahmad ibn ‘Abdu-l-Hadi al-Hanbali. In Makkah, he heard from al-Fakhr ‘Uthmin ibn Yisuf al-Nuwayri. In Jerusalem, he heatd from alHafiz al-‘Ala’i. In Egypt, he heard from Sadru’l-Din Abi’l-Fath al-Maydimi and Nasiru’l-Din ibn al-Mulik.

Many students of knowledge came to him to study under him. Amongst the most famous of his students were: Abi’l-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Aba Bakr ibn ‘Ali al-Hanbali; Abw’l-Fadl Ahmad ibn Nasr ibn Ahmad; Dawid ibn Sulayman al-Mawsili; ‘Abdu’lRahman ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Mugri’; Zayni’l-Din ‘Abdw’l-Rahman ibn Sulayman ibn Abi’l-Karam; Abi Dharr alZarkashi; al-Qadi ‘Al#’a’1-Din ibn al-Laham al-Ba‘li; and Ahmad ibn Sayfi’l-Din al-Hamawi.

Ibn Rajab devoted himself to knowledge and spent the vast majority of his time researching, writing, authoring, teaching, and giving legal rulings.

Many scholats praised him for his vast knowledge, asceticism and expertise in the Hanbali school of thought. Ibn Qadi Shuhbah said of him, ‘He read and became proficient in the various fields of science. He engrossed himself with the issues of the madhab until he mastered it. He devoted himself to the occupation of knowledge of the texts, defects and meanings of the hadith.”

Ibn Hajr said of him, ‘He was highly proficient in the science of hadith in terms of the names of reporters, their biographies, their paths of narration and awareness of their meanings.”

Ibn Muflih said of him, ‘He is the Shaykh, the great scholar, the Hafiz, the ascetic, the Shaykh of the Hanbali madhab and he authored many beneficial works.”

‘Ibn Qadi al-Shuhbah, Tarikb, vol. 3, p. 195. ibn Hajr, Inba'u'l-Ghamr, vol. 1, p. 460. 3 ql Magsad al-Arshad, vol. 2, p. 81.

THE EXCELLENCE OF KNOWLEDGE

He wrote many beneficial works, some of them outstanding such as a/-Qawa‘id al-Kubra fi'l-Furi‘about which it was said, ‘It is

one of the wonders of this age.* His commentary to Al-Tirmidhi is said to be the most extensive and best ever written so much so that al-‘Iraqi; about whom ibn Hajr said, ‘He was the wonder of

his age’; would ask for his help when compiling his own commentary to the same book.

= Moreover he has many valuable monographs explaining various ahadith such as: Sharh Hadith Ma Dhi’bani fai‘an Ursila Ji Ghanam, Ikhtiyar al-Awla Sharh Hadith [khtisam al-Mala’ alAla; Nur al-Igtibas fi Sharh Wasiyyah al-Nabi li ibn ‘Abbas, and Kashfu'l-Kurbab fi Wasfi Hali Abli-l-Ghurbab.

= In exegesis his works include: Tafsir Sarah al-Ikblas, Tafsir seerah al-Fatibah; Tafsir seerah al-Nasr, and al-Istighna’ bi’lQuran.

= In hadith his works include: Sharh Tal al-Tirmidhi, Fatbu'lBari Sharh Sabib al-Bukhari, and Jami‘ al-Ulim wa'l-Hikam.

= In figh his works include: a/-Jstikhraj fi Abkam al-Kharaj, and al.Qawa'td al-Fighiyyah.

* In biographies his works include the monumental Dhay/ ‘ala Tabagati’'l-Hanabilah.

= In exhortation his works include: Lafa’if al-Ma‘anf and al-Takhwif min al-Nar.

“ibn ‘Abdu'l-Hadi, Dhay/ ‘ala Tabagat ibn Rajab, p. 38.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah. May Allah extol and shower abundant blessings of peace upon Muhammad, his Family, and Companions.

These are some brief words about the meaning of knowledge (4m) and its classification into that which is beneficial and that which is not; as well as a note regarding the excellence of the knowledge of the Salaf over that of the Khalaf. So we say, seeking Allah’s aid, and there is no strength or ability except with Him:

In His Book, Allah sometimes mentions knowledge in a praiseworthy way; referring to beneficial knowledge, and at other times in a blameworthy way; referring to knowledge that is not beneficial.

> Refer to ibn ‘Abdu'l-Bars, jam‘ Bayan al-‘Iim, vol. 1, pp. 622+; and ibn alQayyim, a/-Fawdid, pp. 127, 154.

THE EXCELLENCE OF KNOWLEDGE

As for the first category, its example lies in the sayings of Allah, Exalted is He,

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Allah bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped save Him, and so do the angels and those firmly endowed with knowledge, upholding justice.”

And say: My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.*

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ltl ase Saal AALS] It is only the learned amongst His servants who truly fear Allah.”

7 Ali Imran (3): 13

It also lies in what Allah, Glorious is He, recounts of the story of Adam. He taught him the names of all things and then presented them to the angels, who said,

veg cree an Cee Rime een Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except that which You have given us. You alone are the Knowing, the Wise.”

Further mention of it can be seen in what Allah, Glorious and Exalted is He, recounts of the story of Musa (‘alayhis as-salam) who asked Khidr,

OBC, ish Gs Ja May I follow you so you may teach me the rightguidance which you have been taught?!'

this being none other than beneficial knowledge.

Moreover we have been informed about a people who were recipients of knowledge but their knowledge was of no avail. This knowledge, in and of itself, is beneficial, but the one to whom it was granted was not benefited by it. Allah, Exalted is

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"” gl-Bagarah (2): 32

THE EXCELLENCE OF KNOWLEDGE

The likencss of those who were entrusted the Torah and who did not carry out its requirements is like that of a donkey ladened with books."

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And recite to them the tale of him who We gave Our Signs but he sloughed them off, so Satan overtook him and he became of those who were deceived. If We had wanted to, We would have raised him up by them, but he gravitated towards the earth and pursued his whims and base desires.’

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And after them came a people who inherited the Book. They took the goods of this lowly life, saying, ‘We will be forgiven for it.’ Yet if a similar chance came to them again, they would seize it.'*

GLA Taf 1): 169

So Allah allowed him to stray despite knowledge."

One of the explanations of this verse is that Allah sent him astray in spite of his knowledge.

As for the second category of knowledge, the category that Allah mentioned by way of censure, examples of it can be found in His mention of magic (sthr),

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'S al-Jathiyah (45): 23 ' al-Bagarab (2): 102

THE EXCELLENCE OF KNOWLEDGE

And when their messengers brought them clear proofs, they exulted in the knowledge that they already had, but they were soon overtaken by that which they had mocked.”

They know the outer things of the life of this world, but are heedless of the Hereafter.’

1.3 The Division of Knowledge in the Sunnah

It is for this reason that the Sunnah also divides knowledge into that which is beneficial and that which is not, directing us to take refuge from knowledge that is not beneficial and to ask for knowledge that is.

Muslim records on the authority of Zayd ibn Arqam that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, used to say,

DEES Yipes ey EY i ey CY Allah! I take refuge with You from knowledge that does not benefit; from a heart that has no feat; from

a soul that is never content; and from an invocation (da‘wah) that is not responded to.”

1.3 The Division of Knowledge in the Sunnah

The compilers of the Sunan” also recorded this via a number of different routes, from the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him. In some of them there occur the words,

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from a supplication (d#‘a) that is not heard. and in others there is the additional wording,

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I take refuge with You from these four.

Nasa’i records on the authority of Jabir that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, used to supplicate,

pe ot th sly bot We GLI sl poe Allah! I beseech You for knowledge that benefits and

I take refuge with You from knowledge that does not benefit.”

This was also recorded by ibn Majah, his wording being that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said, “Ask Allah for beneficial knowledge and take refuge with Allah from knowl-

7! Itis not to be found in Nasa’i, Sughra or Kubra. This wording is recorded by

ibn Hibbin #82 and Haythami, Majma' al-Zawd’d, vol. 10, p. 181, said that its isnad was hasan,