Part 7

[89] Abul-Farj 'Abdus-Salaam bin 'Abdil-Wahhaab Al-Qurshee informed us in Asbahaan: Sulaymaan bin Ahmad bin Ayoob At-Tabaraanee reported to us: Matlab bin Shu'ayb Al-Azdee narrated to us: 'Abdullaah bin Saalih narrated to us, saying: AlLayth narrated to me, saying: At-Tabaraanee said: Abuz-Zinbaa' Rawh bin Al-Farj narrated to us: Yahyaa bin Bakeer narrated to us: Al-Layth narrated to us from Ibraaheem bin Abee 'Ablah from Al-Waleed bin 'Abdir-Rahmaan Al-Jurshee that Jubair bin Nufair said: 'Awf bin Maalik Al-Ashja'ee narrated to me that the Messenger of Allah looked up at the sky one day and said:

"This is the time when knowledge will be uplifted." So a man from the Ansaar, known as Ziyaad bin Lubayd, said: "O Messenger of Allaah, (how) will knowledge be uplifted when it has become firmly settled and retained in the hearts?" The Messenger of Allaah H replied to him: "I used to consider you to be from amongst the most knowledgeable of the people of Madeenah." He then mentioned how the Jews and the Christians went astray even though they had the Book of Allaah in their hands. Later, I encountered Shaddaad bin Aws and narrated to him the hadith of 'Awf bin Maalik, so he said to me: "'Awf has spoken the truth. Shall I not inform you of what will be the first thing from it (i.e. knowledge) that will be uplifted?" I said: "Of course!" He said: "It will be khushoo' (submissiveness) - to the point that you won't see any person with khushoo' (submissiveness, i.e. in prayer)." 49

[90] Abu 'Abdillaah Ahmad bin Muhammad bin 'Abdillaah, the Scribe, reported to us, saying: Abu Muslim 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin Muhammad bin 'Abdillaah bin Mihraan narrated to us, saying: I read to Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Muhammad As-Sub'hee: Abu Rajaa Muhammad bin Hamdawaih bin Moosaa narrated to us: Ahmad bin Jameel narrated to us, saying: Hafs bin Humaid reported to us that Ibn AlMubaarak said:

"There was once a man with lots of money who never heard about a scholar except that he went to visit him in order to gain knowledge from him. One time he heard that in such and such place there was a scholar, so he embarked on a ship to go visit him. Aboard the ship was a woman who asked him: 'What are you doing here?' He replied: I have a deep love for knowledge, so when I heard that in such and such a place there

49 Authentic hadith: Reported by Ahmad and Al-Haakim and authenticated by him and AdhDhahabee. Its chain of narration is audientic according to the standards of Muslim.

29 increase in knowledge, you must also increase in actions? Are you going to increase your knowledge while your actions are at a standstill?' So the man reflected on this and then turned back (homeward) and began to do actions."

[91] The Judge, Abul-'Alaa Muhammad bin 'Alee Al-Waasitee informed us saying: Abul-Faf h Muhammad bin Al-Husayn Al-Mawsilee informed us 'Abdullaah bin 'Alee Al-'Umaree narrated to us: Al-Fat'h bin Shakhraf narrated to us: 'Abdullaah bin Khubaiq narrated to us: 'Abdullaah bin As-Sundee reported to us that Ibraaheem bin Adham said:

"A man once set out to seek knowledge when he came upon a large rock that was blocking the road. Engraved upon this rock were the words: 'Move me and you will see something amazing and reflect.' So he moved the rock, when behold there was written on it: 'You do not act upon what you (already) know, so how can you seek after what you don't know?' So the man turned back."

[92] 'Ubaydullaah bin Abil-Fat'h Al-Faarisee informed us, saying: Muhammad bin Al- 'Abbaas Al-Kharraaz informed us, saying: Ja'far bin Muhammad As-Sanadlee narrated to us, saying: Al-Hasan bin Muhammad bin As-Sabaah: Muhammad bin Yazeed bin Khunais narrated to us, saying: 'Umar bin Qubais said: 'Ataa narrated to me, saying:

"There was a young boy that would often go to the Mother of the Believers, 'Aa'ishah, and ask her questions, so she would narrate hadith to him. One day, he went to her and asked her some questions, so she said: 'My dear child! Did you act upon what you heard from me (previously)?' He said: 'No, by Allaah, dear mother.' So she said: 'My dear child! Then why do you seek to gain more of Allaah's proofs against us and you?'"

[93] Al-Hasan bin Muhammad Al-Khallaal narrated to me: 'Umar bin Ibraheem bin Katheer Al-Muqree narrated to us: Ja'far bin Muhammad As-Sanadlee narrated to us: Abu Hafs 'Umar bin Ukht Bishr bin Al-Haarith narrated to us, saying: I heard Bishr say: Al-Fudayl said:

"That this man didn't hear this hadith is better for him than if he were to hear it and not act upon it."

[94] Abu Bakr Ahmad bin 'Alee bin Yazdaad Al-Qaaree informed us saying: Abu Muhammad 'Abdullaah bin Muhammad bin Ja'far bin Hayyaan Al-Asbahaanee narrated to us: Muhammad bin Yahyaa, who is Ibn Mandah, narrated to us: Muhammad bin 'Isaam narrated to us from his father from Sufyaan that Abu Haazim said:

"The people are pleased when one acts on his knowledge and they are pleased when one does what he says."

[95] Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Rizq informed us, saying: 'Uthmaan bin Ahmad AdDaqaaq reported to us: Hanbal bin Ishaaq narrated to us saying: Abu 'Abdillaah, i.e. Ahmad bin Hanbal, narrated to me, saying: Abu Qatan narrated to us, saying: I heard Ibn 'Awn say:

Abu Qatan said: Shu'bah said:

"I am not established upon something that I fear will cause me to enter the Hellfire more than this (i.e. the hadith)."

[96] Muhammad bin Abee Nasr An-Nursee informed us, saying: Muhammad bin 'Abdillaah bin Al-Husayn Ad-Daqaaq informed us saying: 'Abdullaah bin Muhammad bin 'Abdil-'Azeez narrated to us Muhammad bin Ziyaad bin Farwah Al-Baladee narrated to us: Abu Shihaab narrated to us from 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Abdillaah from Al-Qaasim bin 'Abdir-Rahmaan that Ibn Mas'ood said:

"Indeed, I truly believe that an individual forgets knowledge that he used to know due to a sin that he commits."

[97] Abu 'Abdillaah Ahmad bin 'Abdillaah bin Al-Husayn bin Ismaa'eel AlMuhaamilee informed us: 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin Al-'Abbaas bin 'Abdir-Rahmaan bin Zakariyaa Al-Bazaaz narrated to us, saying: 'Abdullaah, i.e. Ibn Abee Ziyaad, narrated to us: Siyaar narrated to us from Ja'far that Maalik (bin Deenaar) said: I read in the Torah:

"Verily, when the scholar doesn't act on his knowledge, his admonition slides off from the hearts just as the drops of rain slide off from the stone."

[98] Abu Sa'eed Al-Hasan bin Muhammad bin 'Abdillaah bin Hasanwaih AlAsbahaanee informed us: Ahmad bin Ja'far bin Mu'bad As-Simsaar narrated to us: Abu Bakr bin An-Nu'maan narrated to us: Zayd bin 'Awf narrated to us: Ja'far bin Sulaymaan narrated to us that Maalik bin Deenaar said:

"The scholar that doesn't act on his knowledge is like a stone that when raindrops fall on it, they slide off."

[99] Abdul-Husayn Muhammad bin 'Abdil-Waahid bin 'Alee Al-Bazaaz informed us, saying: Abul-Qaasim 'Umar bin Muhammad bin Sayf, the Scribe, recited to us, saying: Muhammad bin Al-'Abbaas Al-Yazeedee recited to us, saying: Abul-Fadl ArRiyaashee recited the following poetic verses to us:

"An individual that conveys knowledge and doesn't act on it Thus refraining from the corruption of desires, is not knowledgeable Until he acts upon what he has knowledge of By doing righteous deeds, for then he would be free of blame Very rarely do you find a person who is upon correctness Whose actions are those that are not in accordance with the truth."

31 and Debate with Others, to Fulfil Personal Goals, and to Receive Compensation from it

[100] Al-Hasan bin Abee Bakr informed us, saying: Abu Sahl Ahmad bin Muhammad bin 'Abdillaah bin Ziyaad Al-Qattaan informed us: Muhammad bin Ghaalib bin Harb narrated to us: Bishr bin 'Ubayd Ad-Daarimee narrated to us: Muhammad bin Saleem narrated to us from 'Ataa bin As-Saa'ib from 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin Yazeed from his father that Hudhaifah said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah say:

"Whoever seeks knowledge in order to compete with the scholars or to debate with the foolish or so that people's faces can turn towards him, he will have the Hellfire because of his knowledge." 50

[101] Abul-Hasan 'Alee bin 'Abdil-'Azeez At-Taahiree informed us, saying: Abu Bahr Muhammad bin Al-Hasan bin Kawthar informed us: Muhammad bin Yoonus narrated to us: Abu Yoosuf Ya'qoob bin Al-Qaasim At-Talhee narrated to us: 'Uthmaan bin Matr narrated to us: Abu Haashim Ar-Ramaa'ee narrated to us that Anas bin Maalik said: The Messenger of Allaah said:

"Whoever seeks knowledge in order to debate with the foolish or to outnumber the scholars or to turn the people's faces towards him, then let him find his seat in the Hellfire." 51

[102] Abul-Hasan Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Rizq informed us, saying: Abu 'Umar, the Ascetic, Muhammad bin 'Abdil-Waahid informed us, saying: Ahmad bin Ziyaad Al-Bazaar narrated to us: Suraij bin An-Nu'maan narrated to us: Fulaih, i.e. Ibn Sulaymaan, narrated to us from Abu Tawaalah from Sa'eed bin Yasaar that Abu Hurairah said: The Messenger of Allaah said:

"Whoever acquires knowledge - by which the face of Allaah is sought-not learning it except to achieve some worldly gain will not perceive the fragrance of Paradise on the Day of Judgement." 52

[103] Abu Bakr Muhammad bin 'Abdil-Malik bin Muhammad bin 'Abdillaah bin Bishraan Al-Qurshee informed us, saying: Abul-Fadl 'Ubaydullaah bin 'AbdirRahmaan Az-Zuhree informed us, saying: 'Alee bin Al-Muhsin At-Tanookhee reported to us, saying: 'Abdullaah bin Ahmad bin Maahbradh Al-Asbahaanee narrated

50 Its chain of narration is very weak. Its defect lies in this "Ad-Daarimee." Ibn 'Adiyy said "His hadith from the Imaams are rejected. He is clearly very weak" Al-Azdee declared him a liar. 51 Its chain of narration is weak due to 'Uthmaan bin Matr. Adh-Dhahabee said in ad-Du'afaa: "They have declared him weak." 52 Authentic hadith: Ahmad reported it (2/338): Yoonus and Suraij bin An-Nu'maan both said: Fulaih narrated it to us: it was also reported by Abu Dawood, Ibn Maajah Ibn Hibbaan (89 - Mawaarid), Al-Haakim and Ibn 'Abdil-Barr in al-Jaami' (1/190) from the path of Fulaih. Al-Haakim said: "It is authentic upon the standards of Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim" and Adh-Dhahabee agreed with him. And it is as they said it is, with the exception that even though the two Shaikhs (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim) relied on Fulaih, there is weakness in his memory. However, the narration was used as a supplement by Ibn 'Abdil-Barr along with the supporting evidence, which was before it, from Anas. It also has other supporting narrations in at-Targheeb (1/68).

32 'Abdillaah bin Shaaboor informed us: Abu Nu'aim Al-Halabee narrated to us: Mukhlid bin Al-Husayn narrated to us, saying: Hishaam bin Hassaan narrated to us, saying: I heard Al-Hasan say:

"Whoever seeks knowledge, desiring by it the Hereafter, will attain it (i.e. Paradise). And whoever seeks knowledge, desiring by it the worldly life, that (i.e. worldly life) will be his share from it."

Az-Zuhree said: "Meaning: That is his portion from it."

[104] Abu Muhammad Al-Hasan bin Ahmad Al-Harbee, the Khateeb, informed us, saying: Ahmad bin Ja'far bin Hamdaan informed us that Al'Abbaas bin Yoosuf AshShaklee narrated to us: Muhammad bin Maahaan narrated to us: Muhammad bin Yazeed bin Khunais narrated to us, saying: I heard Wuhaib bin Al-Warad say: The parable of an evil scholar was given, so it was said:

"The example of an evil scholar is like that of a large rock that was pushed into an irrigation canal. So it neither absorbs the water nor does it allow it to pass in order to bring life to the trees. And if only the scholars of evil were to be sincere to Allaah with regard to His servants by saying: 'O servants of Allaah! Listen to what we will inform you from your Prophet and the pious amongst your predecessors, then act upon it and do not look at our worthless actions, for we are afflicted people', they would have truly been sincere to Allaah in advising His servants. However, they only desire to call the servants of Allaah to their vile actions, thus causing them to commit them along with them."