Question:
I pray you are in the best of health and Iman.
Sayyidi, there are some scholars who I admire and love a great deal. I am very staunch in defending them as well as quoting their verdicts on specific issues. However, it seems that my attachment towards them causes annoyance to people and I usually end up arguing with them. Would it be wise of me to just stop?
Answer:
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The silent are saved.” The only thing a seeker of knowledge should discuss and debate are issues related to what hes studying, and then only with fellow seekers of knowledge as part of “mutual study” (mudarasa).
As for spreading knowledge and becoming a mini-know-it-all there is great harm in this for both one’s seeking of true knowledge, and in one’s relationship with Allah, as it hurts one’s sincerity; one’s turning to Allah; one’s salamat al sadr (keeping ones heart free of rancor); one’s unconcern for other’s opinions; one’s humility and good character and much more.
The above was an answer given to me by one of my beloved teachers. May Allah bless him and grant him success beyond imagination.
Another saying of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) that comes to mind when thinking of the above is:
“From the excellence of a man’s Islam is leaving that which does not concern him”
Mulla ‘Ali Qari in his commentary on Mishkat Al Masabih explained this beautifully. In brief, he said (s: I am taking this from SunniPath) that the reality of “leaving that which does not concern him” is that which is not needed for a worldly or next-worldly necessity, and does not aide one in attaining his Lord’s good pleasure, such that it is possible to live without it.
This includes excess acts and unnecessary speech. This hadith may well be taken from Allah Most High’s saying, “And who shun all vain things.” (Qur’an 23: 3 – Shaykh Faraz notes: Vain things is ‘lagw’is, which Imam Baydawi explains in his commentary as being: ‘that which does not concern them of speech and actions’).
And Allah knows best
Wasalam
4 Comments
January 22, 2006 at 9:43 pm
nice.
‘mini-know-it-all’
January 22, 2006 at 11:56 pm
nice post, we all need to be reminded of this…
btw whos this ‘usma’ person?
January 23, 2006 at 12:08 am
Salamu ‘Alaykum
Jazakallah for the comments. It is actually an essential point most people forget (including me).
Barakallah Feekum
Wasalam
January 23, 2006 at 2:23 pm
eh..no one important