Part 8

2.12 ‘The Signs of Beneficial and non-Beneficial Knowledge

The sign of knowledge that does not benefit is pride, arrogance, and conceit. Such a person seeks high position and ranking in this world and competes for it. He debates with the scholars with the aim of defeating them, and argues with the foolish with the aim of directing their attention towards him. It is reported from the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, that whoever seeks knowledge for this purpose, “for him is the Fire, the Fire!”""*

“6 Thr Majah #254 and ibn Hibban #290 on the authority of Jabir.

Basayri, a/-Zawd’id said, ‘Its narrators are trustworthy and precise.’ It was declared sahih by ‘Iraqi, vol. 1, p. 52; and likewise Albani, Sahih al-Jami‘

2.12 The Signs of Beneficial and non-beneficial Knowledge

It is possible that some who possess this type of knowledge claim to have gnosis of Allah and that they only desire Him and nothing else. Their purpose behind this claim is naught but the desire for precedence in the hearts of people such as kings and others, that people think well of them, and that they enjoy a large, dedicated following.

The sign of this is that they will openly make the claim of wilayah just as was the habit of the People of the Book, and later, the practice of the Qaramita, the Batiniyyah and those like them.'"” This is the exact opposite of the state of the Salaf who used to think little of themselves, both inwardly and outwardly. ‘Umar said, ‘Whoever says, “I am a scholar” is an ignoramus, whoever says, “I am a believer” is a disbeliever and whoever says, “I am in Paradise” is in Hellfire.’

A further sign of this is that such a person will not accept the truth or submit to it. He will act arrogantly towards those who speak the truth, especially if they are seen to be of a lesser stature than him in the eyes of the people. This person will persist upon his falsehood simply out of fear that the hearts of people may become averse to him by his accepting the truth and therefore changing his stance. Perhaps such people may even outwardly censure themselves and show that they think little of themselves in front of an audience so that people believe that they are humble and thereby praise them. This is from the more subtle forms of showing off (riya’) as pointed out by the Successors and those scholars who came after them. These people will openly accept praise and encourage it in a way that negates truthfulness (sidg) and sincerity (‘kb/as). The truthful person will always fear falling "” Referto ibn al-Jawzi, Muntazam, vol. 5, p. 110; and Baghdadi, al-Farg bayna alFirag, p. 281.

THE EXCELLENCE OF KNOWLEDGE

ptey to hypocrisy and meeting an evil end. The truthful person is always trying to avoid praise and always trying to avoid willing acceptance of it if it comes to him.

to us from ibn ‘Umar.'?

Each time the People of this beneficial knowledge increase in knowledge, they inctease in humility before Allah, fear of Him, and submission to Him. Some of the Salaf said, ‘It is desirable that the scholar sprinkle dust on his head out of humility before his Lord.’ Each time he increases in knowledge and cognisance of his Lord, he increases in fear and love of Him, as well as humility and submission.

with a da‘if isnad.

2.12 The Signs of Beneficial and non-beneficial Knowledge

to flee from the worldly effects, the greatest of which is the desire for leadership, fame, and praise. It will teach one to avoid these and to expend effort in staying away from them. If any of this does occur, without his choice or desire, he is in a state of extreme fear of his end because it could just be a divine plan and a means of gradually leading him to perdition (éstidraj). It was because of this that Imam Ahmad used to be in a state of fear when he became famous.

From the signs of beneficial knowledge is that one does not lay claim to having knowledge or become boastful of it. He does not accuse others of ignorance unless they oppose the Sunnah and its people, in which case he speaks against him out of anger for the sake of Allah, not out of personal anger or the desire of gaining ascendancy over him.

As for he whose knowledge is not beneficial, he has no concern but to show his supremacy over the rest of the people by means of his knowledge, to accuse them of ignorance, and to demean them. This is from the meanest of traits to be found in people! It is possible that this person even accuse the scholars who came before him of ignorance and negligence; such a person loves his self and desires to promote it, he has a good opinion of himself and a bad opinion of those who came before him.

The People of beneficial knowledge are the exact opposite; they have a bad opinion of themselves and have a good opinion of the scholars of the past. Their hearts accept the nobility and excellence of their predecessors and their inability to come close to their ranks, let alone actually reach them! Excellent indeed is the saying of Aba Hanifah when he was asked as to which of the two was better, ‘Alqamah or al-Aswad, ‘By Allah we are not even

THE EXCELLENCE OF KNOWLEDGE

deserving of mentioning them let alone determining which of them is better!’

When the manners of the Salaf were mentioned to him, ibn alMubarak would say the following lines of poetry,

Do not mention us in the same context as them The healthy, when walking, are not like the decrepit.

Whoever’s knowledge is not beneficial and deems himself better than those who preceded him in his stances and his elaborate, laborious speech, will also deem himself better than them in knowledge or ranking in the Sight of Allah. He will look down upon those who came before him and mock them for having little knowledge. This pauper does not realize that the lack of speech arising from the Salaf was because of their wara‘ and fear of Allah, had they wished to lengthen or detail their discussions, they were fully capable of doing so. When ibn ‘Abbas heard some people debating about the religion he said, ‘Do you not know that to Allah belong certain servants, though they are fully able to respond and are not dumb, the fear of Allah has silenced them and given them tranquillity. They are the true scholars, the eloquent ones, the intelligent, the noble; scholars of the Days of Allah, except that when they brought to mind the greatness of Allah, their minds were overcome, their hearts split for the fear of Allah, and their tongues were silenced. When they recovered from this state they rushed to performing righteous deeds thinking themselves to be amongst those who were negligent when in reality they were the sagacious, those of strong determination; thinking themselves to be oppressors and sinners when in reality they were pious worshippers, free of oppression and sin. They did not think that abundant worship was too much for Him; they

2.12 The Signs of Beneficial and non-beneficial Knowledge

were not content with little worship, and they did not look down on any actions of worship. Wherever you were to meet them you would find them sombre, solicitous, in a state of dread and fear of their Lord.’ Reported by Aba Nu‘aym and others.'”"

Imam Ahmad and Tirmidhi record the hadith of Aba Umamah that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said, “Modesty and cautiously withholding the tongue (a/-‘ayy) are two branches of faith. Lewdness and eloquent speech are two branches of hypocrisy.” It was declared hasan by Tirmidhi and also recorded by Hakim who declared it sahih.'”

Ibn Hibban records the hadith of Aba Hurayrah that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said, “Clear speech is from Allah and a/-‘gyy is from Satan. Clear speech does not come about by a great deal of speech, rather it comes about by decisively stating the truth. a/-‘4yy does not mean little speech but it means to make a mockery of the truth.”

Amongst the mursal reports of Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazi from the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, is that he said, “There are three matters which would cause the servant loss in this world, but he will find that which is greater than them

"2 Abu Nu‘aym, vol. 1, p. 400 #1149; and ibn al-Mubarak, a/-Zuhd #1495.

' Tbn Hibban #5796 and its isnad contains ‘Utbah ibn al-Sakan who is matrik.

Itis also recorded by Daylami #5215 and Munwi, vol. 5, p. 356, mentioned that its isnad contained weak narrators.

THE EXCELLENCE OF KNOWLEDGE

in return in the Hereafter: joining the ties of kinship, modesty, and withholding the tongue.”

“Awn ibn ‘Abdullah said, ‘Three matters are from faith: modesty, chastity, and withholding; withholding the tongue, not withholding the heart or actions. These are things which cause gain in the Hereafter and loss in this life but what is gained in the Hereafter is greater than what is lost in this world.” This has also been reported from the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, but is weak.!5