- Islamic Biography / Prophetic Biography
- /
- The prophet's exemplary behaviour
The connection between Paradise and knowledge:
Dear brother, there are important events in some people's life. For instance, someone might meet a person and become rich because of this meeting, for they may become partners and establish a business which brings him great wealth, so this richness and prosperity is the result of meeting this person. Another person might study a certain major at the university without realizing the important nature of his specialty, and after he graduates, he finds out that it is one of the best and rare specialties and the reason of having hefty income in his life. A merchant might choose a commodity without noticing its real value, but after selling it, he becomes rich and leads a luxurious life because of it.
These good chances and relations, which have a happy ending according to worldly measures, are mere coincidences. However, the Prophet, peace be upon him, made it clear to us that when someone treads the path in search of knowledge, like going to the Masjid only to seek religious knowledge ( having no mundane purpose) and to study the Quran, the Prophetic Sunnah, Fiqh rulings or the Prophetic biography, this very path will lead you to Paradise. Therefore, the Prophet, peace be upon him, made a connection between Paradise, for which man is created, and seeking Islamic knowledge. Man is created for a Paradise which is as wide as the heavens and the earth. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Except him on whom your Lord has bestowed His Mercy (the follower of truth - Islamic Monotheism) and for that did He create them ﴿
Thus, every path, which leads to Paradise, should start with seeking Islamic knowledge and any other path will be closed and won't lead to it.
Gaining the worldly life and the Hereafter through seeking knowledge:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
((…he who treads the path…))
[Muslim, by Abi Hurairah]"Who" in this Hadith is included in a conditional sentence, and the conditional sentence consists of two parts, the conditional clause (protasis) and the consequential (apodosis). The apodosis will not happen unless the protasis is fulfilled since they are interconnected. Therefore, entering Paradise will not take place unless seeking Islamic knowledge is fulfilled. It was said, "If you want to gain the worldly life, seek Islamic knowledge, if you want to gain the Hereafter, seek Islamic knowledge, and if you want to gain them both, then seek Islamic knowledge as well." According to Imam Al-Ghazali, you can't acquire some of Islamic knowledge unless you are entirely devoted to seeking it.
Man has daily activities, such as going to work to make a living through which he fulfills his own and his household's basic needs. Hence, performing man's job whether he is a handcrafter, an employee, a businessman, a pharmacist, an architect or a teacher, is one of the most important activities of man, because it is the source of his livelihood, and through it man suffices his own, his family and his children's needs. In other words, working is one of the most important activities in man's life. Sleeping is one of man's activities as well, and unless he gets enough sleep, he will be exhausted. Sleeping helps man restore his energy, and it is a constant behavior in man's life. Therefore, man needs five hours of sleep, needs time to spend with his family and needs time for a social life in which he builds relations through meetings, picnics and other social activities.
Going to the doctor for treatment is a basic activity in life also. Though activities, like medical treatment, studying and working, are important in man's life, there is one crucial activity which has to do with the purpose of man's existence, and that is seeking Islamic knowledge. I repeat again, man needs to sleep enough in order to restore his energy, and he needs to eat as well. Do you know anyone who never eats? Almost all people need to have three meals every day. Thus, all people sleep, eat, lead a social life. Moreover, people work in order to make a living, but the most crucial and exalted activity at all, which is connected to your existence, the purpose of your existence, your safety and your happiness, is seeking Islamic knowledge. The reason is that when you seek Islamic knowledge, you become a human being, while performing other activities keeps you in a lower humane level. Everyone, with no exceptions, eats, drinks, sleeps, gets married, produces children and works, but when man seeks Islamic knowledge, he does so, because he is a human being. This is one of the most important As7adeth at all:
((…he who treads the path…))
Man should periodically increase his knowledge
You must have a knowledge source and reference, and you should periodically increase your knowledge:
((…he who treads the path in search of knowledge…))
The word "knowledge" here is indefinite, indicating that this knowledge could be acquired by learning the Quran, the Sunnah, the Sirah (biography) or the Aqeedah (creed).
((…he who treads the path in search of knowledge…))
The path you take to reach the Masjid or to reach an institute for understanding and memorizing the Quran is the same path which leads you to Paradise. Before taking such a path, you put on your best cloths and you drive your car or take a bus to arrive, and it might take you one hour to get there if it is far from your home. Thus, the path you take and which require spending all this time to get where you can learn the Islamic knowledge, is the same path which leads you to Paradise.
The glamorous results of reciting and studying Quran in one of Allah's houses:
((…He who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah makes that path easy, leading to Jannah for him; the people who assemble in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah, learning it and teaching, there descends upon them the tranquility, and mercy covers them, the angels flock around them, and Allah mentions them in the presence of those near Him…))
There are four glamorous results of reciting and studying the Quran in one of the houses of Allah (Masajid). Hence, attending a session in the Masjid for the purpose of comprehending, reciting, and interpreting the Quran and getting aware of its rulings, is one of the most exalted activities (in man's life). Let me mention these results one by one:
((the angels flock around them))
Man swings between Satan's whispers and the angel's inspiration, so whoever cuts himself off Allah, is totally under the control of Satan's whispers. Satan keeps tempting him to sin, to take other's rights unlawfully and to indulge in sins and faults, whereas the angel keeps encouraging him to obey Allah, to offer a good deed and to spend money on the needy. Thus, the first characteristic of knowledge seekers in Masajid is that the angels will surround them. They might have been affected by Satan's whispers, but now the angel is inspiring them. Therefore, when you become a knowledge seeker, you will always have the angels' inspiration and guidance which urge you to obey Allah, to spend Sadaqah on the needy and to seek knowledge.
((there descends upon them the tranquility, and mercy covers them, the angels flock around them))
Tranquility and serenity soothe the soul. There are sentiments within the soul like anxiety, fear, anger and dissatisfaction, and some of these sentiments are burdensome, whereas sh3er bring happiness such like security, tranquility and being pleased with the Almighty Allah. In fact, one of the results of attending religious sessions is having your feelings exalted. Accordingly, the one, who has worries, will attain tranquility, the one who is disturbed, will gain serenity, the one who is confused, will feel at ease and the one who uses to be unsatisfied, will be pleased with the Almighty Allah.((there descends upon them the tranquility, and mercy covers them, the angels flock around them))
Tranquility, serenity, peace and mercy are sentiments which bring happiness to the heart of man.
((and Allah mentions them in the presence of those near Him))
Allah will raise high the fame of that man. Man is naturally fond of food and drink, and he is attracted to the opposite sex. Besides, he longs to be remembered after death which is achieved by acquiring loftiness in his life after confirming his own self-esteem. Having fulfilled his basic needs such as eating and getting married, man longs to be a prominent person in his society, to be a beacon, to be successful, to be famous, to be valuable and to be influential. All these aspirations are related to man's self-esteem. The believer's self-esteem is gained too, but through lawful ways (unlike the disbeliever).
He, who treads the path in search of knowledge, will be exalted by Allah:
((and Allah mentions them in the presence of those near Him))
When man treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah will exalt him, the proof of that is in the following Ayah:
﴾ And raised high your fame? ﴿
The believer has a lofty rank which isnot acquired from his job or his wealth, but rather it is resulted from his religious status. All of you heard that a notable Da'iyah passed away a week ago, and a lot of people were deeply affected by his death. The former head of Al-Azhar died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, and he was a very good man. Hundreds of millions of Egyptian Pounds were at his disposal, yet he lived in a 100 square meter house in the fourth floor. He had rheumatism, his desk was a Formica table and his books were stacked in cardboard boxes (not in a bookcase). However, six million people attended his funeral. Whenever a land was donated to him, he used to establish religious institute on it, and though he could have become the richest man in thousands ways, he died poor owning nothing, but six million people attended his funeral. His exaltation was the result of seeking Islamic knowledge.
((Verily, Allah elevates some people with this Quran and abases sh3er.))
Allah exalts people because of their Islamic knowledge. The scholar who died a week ago once traveled to a country in the Arab Golf to be treated there, and the Prince of that country welcomed him himself, which was unusual according to the protocols there. When he got ill, four royal planes were at his disposal for his treatment. What did make him so exalted? The Quran exalted him, for he spent his long life in learning, teaching and interpreting it. The death of people like this scholar will be a marvelous end, because the entire Ummah is moved by it. Hence, as I said earlier Islamic knowledge exalts people:
﴾And raised high your fame? ﴿
What really counts is to leave the worldly life loaded with offered good deeds:
((Verily, Allah elevates some people with this Quran and abases sh3er.))
While this deceased scholar was in London to have an operation, he got many phone calls and letters, and upon being asked on the radio about the secret behind this high position which Allah has bestowed upon him, he said, "It is because of my connection with Allah". What a great answer! He didn't get this position because of his relationship with anyone on earth, but he got it because of his connection with Allah, though he might think that he is not up to that position.
People now get their importance from taking the side of this or that person or by belonging to this or that party. Also, the majority of people take pride in their worldly relationships. This late scholar said, "It is because of my connection with Allah." The effect of Islamic knowledge is amazing.. I know few detailed events in the biographies of previous late scholars. Az-Zaher Papirs once said, "By Allah, my rule has never been settled until Al- Izz Ibn Abdul Salam died". It means that the high religious position of this devoted scholar was at the top of all other positions in the society. He had such a supreme position due to renouncing all worldly pleasures, dispensing with people and offering good deeds. This is the path of Islamic knowledge.
When one of Damascus scholars, who happened to be the head of the Qurra' of the Quran (those who reauthors the Quran), died, a million people attended his funeral. Believe it or not, he was a coffeepot maker, but the Quran elevated his position. Another notable scholar is a butcher, and now he is considered the best Qari' (the singular of Qurra') of the Quran in Damascus. There are many other notable scholars, Qurra', interpreters of Quran and Sunnah and Hadith specialists. Hence, you should know that this knowledge exalts man, and because of the Islamic knowledge, you achieve all your goals even the mental ones.
Man's nature urges him to become exalted on earth, but the more humble man is to Allah, the more he is exalted and his fame is raised high by the Almighty Allah. Rich people leave behind a luxurious house, a beautiful car and life pleasures after they died, but the one who leaves Islamic knowledge to benefit people after he died will be in the Hereafter loaded with good deeds. This is what really counts.
The prudent is whoever does what benefits him in the Hereafter:
You should always do the things you will take with you to your grave. The luxurious house will be left behind, so as the beautiful wife and the social position, but what will accompany you to the Hereafter is your Da'wah to Allah, the Islamic knowledge you seek and the good deeds you offer. Man's success lies in performing the deeds which will be the reason of his exaltation in the Hereafter, so his real success has nothing to do with having tangible earnings which will stay in the worldly life and will be left behind after his death.
I was once paying respects to the family of a deceased man who lived in one of the richest neighborhoods in Damascus. The house was worth 150 million Liras, but the owner is in Bab Sagheer cemetery. After he died, people were able to see how luxurious his house was, and they were taken by the guest rooms, the decorations, the chandeliers and the carpets. The house was 400 square meters, and it had an outstanding view of a beautiful garden. The cost of its furniture was as much as half of the total price of the house, but after all, the owner of this house is in grave. This is life. Thus, it is a strategic error to put all your gains in the worldly life only. A famous proverb goes as follows, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket", but unfortunately, people of the worldly life put all their eggs in one basket, and so when they leave the worldly life they leave it penniless.
I would like to highlight the fact that whoever seeks the Islamic knowledge, teaches it and then dies will leave great influence on people after his death. Such death is longed for, because the deceased will leave behind milestones, and he will leave loyal people. Unlike this man, there are people who will make sh3er relieved when they die, "He is the one to find relief and the one with (the departure of him) other will find relief". Some Qurra', died, but their recordings of the Quran stayed for years after their death. On the other hand, there are singers who died and left behind recordings of their songs, but the Qurra' left something people will make use of till the Day of Resurrection and left what will exalt them in the Hereafter, whereas the singers will regret their singing after their death till the Day of Resurrection. Life is crystal clear in this respect.
The following Hadith is considered one of Usul AlHadeeth (The Methodology of Hadith Evaluation):
((…He who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah makes that path easy, leading to Jannah for him; the people who assemble in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah, learning it and teaching, there descends upon them the tranquility, and mercy covers them, the angels flock around them, and Allah mentions them in the presence of those near Him; and he who lags behind in doing good deeds, his noble lineage will not make him go ahead.))
