قال ابن القيم رحمه الله:

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have Mercy on him) said:

إنّ شرف العلم بحسب شرف المعلوم به، وقوّة أدلّته وثباتها، ومدى الحاجة إليه، ومقدار نفعه.

“The nobility of knowledge is in accordance with the nobility of what is learned from it, how strong and firm its proofs are, how necessary such knowledge is, and how beneficial it is.

ولا شك أن أجلَّ العلوم وأعظمها موضوعًا هو الله، الذي لا يستحق العبادة سواه، رب العالمين، ومدبّر السماوات والأرض، والملِك، الحقُّ المبين، المتّصف بكمال الصفات، المنزَّه عن كل نقص وعيب، المتفرِّد عن كل مماثلة في كماله. ولا شك أن معرفة الله، وأسمائه، وصفاته، وأفعاله، هي أشرف العلوم وأجلّها، كما أنه سبحانه أشرف من كل ما يمكن أن يُعلم ويُدرس. وكما أن معرفته أشرف العلوم كلها، فهو أصلها وأساسها؛ فكما أن كل موجود يتوقف بقاؤه ووجوده على الملِك الحق المبين، فإن كل نوع من أنواع العلم يتوقف على الله على نحو مماثل. فمعرفته إذن أصل كل علم، لأنه الرب والمالك والمدبّر لكل شيء.

And there is no doubt that the loftiest and greatest subject of knowledge is Allah - besides Whom none deserves to be worshipped, the Lord of the worlds, the Sustainer of the heavens and the Earth, the King, the Clear Truth, the One described with complete perfection, the One free of all fault and deficiency, and free of all resemblance in His perfection – and there is no doubt that knowledge of Allah, His Names, Attributes, and actions is the noblest and loftiest of knowledge, just as He is the Noblest of all in comparison to anything else that can be known and studied. Just as knowledge of Him is the noblest of all knowledge, He is the basis of all knowledge. Just as everything in existence depends on the King and Clear Truth for its own survival and existence, every type of knowledge depends on Him in a similar fashion. So, knowledge of Him is the basis of all knowledge since He is the Lord, Owner, and Sustainer of everything.

لا شك أن العلم التام بالمخلوق يستلزم العلم بخالقه، كما أن العلم بالمصنوع يستلزم العلم بصانعه. وكل ما سوى الله قائم بوجوده على الله، كما أن المصنوع قائم بصانعه، والفعل قائم بفاعله. فمعرفة الله وصفاته وأفعاله تستلزم معرفة ما سواه، وذلك لأنه ربّ كل شيء ومالكه، ومعرفته هي الأصل والمصدر لكل معرفة أخرى. فمن عرف الله عرف ما سواه، ومن جهل الله جهل ما سواه، كما قال الله تعالى:

There is no doubt that complete knowledge of something created requires knowledge of the one who created it, just as knowledge of something that was brought about requires knowledge of what brought that thing about. Everything that exists besides Allah depends for its existence on Him - just like a product depends on its producer, and an action depends on the one carrying out the action. So, knowing Allah, His Attributes, and actions means that one will automatically come to know what exists besides Allah. This is because He is the Lord and Owner of everything, and knowledge of Him is the basis and source of all other knowledge. So, the one who knows Allah will know other than Allah, and whoever is ignorant of Allah will be ignorant of anything besides Him, as Allah Said:

{"وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنْسَاهُمْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ…"}119

{“And do not be like those who forgot Allah, and He then caused them to forget themselves…”}119

تأمَّلْ في هذه الآية تجد فيها معنىً عظيمًا شريفًا، وهو أنّ مَن نسي ربَّه أنساه نفسَه، فلم يعرف حقيقةَ نفسه ولا مصالحَها، فأُنسي ما يُصلحه ويُفلحه في حياته، وصار عاجزًا تائهًا ضالًّا كالحيوان البهيم، بل ربما كانت البهائم أعلمَ بمصالحها منه، لأنها ثابتةٌ على ما أُلهمته من الهداية التي وفّرها لها خالقُها، أمّا هو فقد تمرّد على الفطرة التي فُطر عليها ونسي ربَّه، فأُنسي نفسَه وروحَه وصفاتِها، وما يكمّلها، وما يزكّيها، وما يُرضيها في حياتها، وقد قال الله تعالى:

Reflect upon this verse and you will find that it contains a great and noble meaning, and this is that whoever forgets his Lord will end up forgetting himself, and will not know the reality of himself or his interests. He will be made to forget what leads to his health and success in life, and will end up becoming incapacitated and lost, just like a wild animal. In fact, the animals might even be more aware of what is in their interests than him due to the fact that they remain firm upon the bit of guidance that was provided to them by their Creator. He, on the other hand, rebelled against the fitrah that he was formed on and forgot his Lord, and was thus made to forget himself, his soul, its characteristics, what completes it, what purifies it, and what satisfies it during its life, and Allah Said:

{وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًا}120

{“…and do not obey he whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his own lusts, and whose affair has been lost.”}120

نَسِيَ رَبَّهُ، فَضَاعَ أَمْرُهُ وَقَلْبُهُ، فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يُدْرِكَ مَا فِيهِ مَصْلَحَتُهُ، أَوْ مَا يُكَمِّلُ قَلْبَهُ وَرُوحَهُ وَيُزَكِّيهِمَا. بَلْ يَتَشَتَّتُ قَلْبُهُ، وَيَتَحَيَّرُ، وَيَضِلُّ، وَيَتِيهُ.

He forgot his Lord, and therefore lost his affair and his heart. So, he is unable to grasp what is in his best interests, or what completes and purifies his heart and soul. Instead, his heart is divided, and he is confused, lost, and misguided.

المقصود أنّ معرفة الله هي أساس كل علم، وهي الأساس الذي يعرف به العبد ما يُسعده ويُكمله ويُتمّ له في هذه الحياة والآخرة. والجهل به يؤدي إلى جهل الإنسان بنفسه، ومصالحه، وما يكمّله ويزكّيه، وما يقوده إلى الفلاح. فمعرفته سعادة له، والجهل به شقاء وعذاب.

The point is that knowledge of Allah is the foundation of all knowledge, and it is the foundation for the slave knowing what will make him happy, complete, and fulfilled in this life and the next. Ignorance of Him leads to one being ignorant of himself, his interests, what completes and purifies him, and what leads him to success. So, knowledge of Him is happiness for him, and ignorance of Him is pain and anguish.

وليس للعبد شيءٌ أفضلُ ولا أحلى ولا أنعمُ ولا أطيبُ لقلبه وروحه من محبةِ خالقه، ودوامِ ذكره، والسعيِ في مرضاته. وهذا هو الكمالُ الذي لا يمكن للعبد أن يبلغه بغيره، ولأجله خُلقت المخلوقات، وأُنزلت الكتب، وأُرسلت الرسل، وقامت السماوات والأرض، وأُعدّت الجنة والنار، وشُرعت الشرائع، وبُني البيت الحرام وجُعل مثابةً للناس، وهو مظهرُ محبته والرضا عنه والتقرّب إليه. ولأجله شُرع الجهاد، وضُربت أعناقُ من كفر به وآثر عليه غيره، وأُعدّ لهم دارُ العقاب الأبدي والعذاب. وبهذا الأمر العظيم قامت العقيدة، وشُرعت القبلة، وعليه تدور جميعُ شؤون الخلق.

And there is nothing for the slave that is better, sweeter, or more relaxing or delightful to his heart and livelihood than loving his Creator, constantly remembering Him, and striving to Please Him. This is the completeness that the slave cannot achieve otherwise, and this is why the Creation was Created, the Revelation was revealed, the Messengers were sent, the heavens and Earth were established, Paradise and Hell were put forth, laws were legislated, the Sacred House was built and made a place of pilgrimage – which is a manifestation of loving and being pleased and pleasing to Him – and this is why Jihad was commanded, the necks were struck of those who rejected and preferred others to Him, and an abode of eternal punishment and torture was prepared for them. And this great matter is why the Creed was established, the Qiblah was ordained, and it is what all the affairs of the Creation revolve around.

لَيْسَ هُنَاكَ طَرِيقٌ لِلدُّخُولِ إِلَى كُلِّ هَذَا إِلَّا مِنْ بَابِ الْعِلْمِ، إِذِ الْمَحَبَّةُ لِشَيْءٍ فَرْعٌ عَنِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ بِهِ، وَأَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ مَحَبَّةً لِلَّهِ أَعْرَفُهُمْ بِهِ. فَمَنْ عَرَفَ اللَّهَ أَحَبَّهُ، وَمَنْ عَرَفَ هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا وَأَهْلَهَا زَهِدَ فِيهِمْ. فَالْعِلْمُ هُوَ الَّذِي يَفْتَحُ هَذَا الْبَابَ الْعَظِيمَ، وَهُوَ سِرُّ الْخَلْقِ وَالْأَمْرِ.121

There is no way to enter all of this except through the door of knowledge, as love of something is an extension of knowledge of it, and those who love Allah most are those who know Him best. So, whoever knows Allah will love Him, and whoever knows this dunya and its people will lose interest in them. So, knowledge is what opens this great door, which is the secret of the Creation and Ordainment.”121

فَيَنْبَغِي لِطَالِبِ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ يَبْدَأَ بِمَا هُوَ أَحْوَجُ إِلَيْهِ وَسَيَظَلُّ أَحْوَجَ مَا يَكُونُ إِلَيْهِ، وَهُوَ مَعْرِفَةُ اللهِ تَعَالَى وَأَسْمَائِهِ وَصِفَاتِهِ وَأَفْعَالِهِ. فَإِذَا نَالَ نَصِيبَهُ مِنْ مَعْرِفَةِ اللهِ، انْتَقَلَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ إِلَى عِلْمِ الْقُرْآنِ وَالسُّنَّةِ عَلَى مَنْهَجِ السَّلَفِ الصَّالِحِ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ (رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ)، لِيَتَمَكَّنَ مِنْ أَنْ يَنْقُلَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ نَقْلًا صَحِيحًا.

So, the student of knowledge should start with what he is and always will be most in need of – knowledge of Allah, His Names, Attributes, and actions. So, if he receives his share of knowledge of Allah, he is then to move on to knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah upon the methodology of the first generation of this Ummah (may Allah be Pleased with them), so that he would be able to properly relay from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

قال ابن القيم أيضاً:

Ibn al-Qayyim also said:

ونقلُ الروايةِ عن رسولِ اللهِ ﷺ على نوعين: بواسطةٍ، وبغيرِ واسطة. وقد أخذ الصحابةُ – وهم السابقون – علمَهم بغيرِ واسطة، فثبتوا على امتداد الزمن، فلا يَطمعُ أحدٌ من الأمةِ أن يلحقَهم أبدًا. أما الفائزُ فهو من سلك الطريقَ المستقيمَ الذي كانوا عليه، وسار على منهجهم الراسخ، واجتنب كلَّ ما قد يصرفه عن هذا الطريق يمينًا أو شمالًا، فإن ذلك يُوقعه في الضلالِ والهلاكِ في صحراءَ مليئةٍ بالمهالكِ والفخاخ. فأيُّ خيرٍ يمكنُ أن يتأخرَ عنه مَن هذا حالُه؟

“Relaying on behalf of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is of two types: through a mediator, and without a mediator. The Companions - those who were foremost – took their knowledge without a mediator, and they withstood the test of time. So, nobody from the Ummah can ever hope to catch up to them. However, the successful one is he who follows the same straight path they were on, traverses their firm methodology, and stays away from anything that can drag him off of this path left or right, as this will cause him to wander in loss in a desert of deadly traps. So, what possible good thing can such people not be the first to rush to?

والله لقد شربوا الماء الأعذب والأحلى والأصفى من عين الحياة، وأقاموا دعائم الإسلام، ولم يتركوا شيئاً غير مبيَّن لمن جاء بعدهم. فافتتحوا قلوب الناس بعدل القرآن وإيمانه، وفتحوا البلاد بسيوف الجهاد وأسنّته، ونقلوا إلى التابعين ما تلقّوه خالصاً من نور النبوة. وكان إسنادهم في ذلك إلى النبي ﷺ، عن جبريل، عن رب العالمين، وكان أعلى الأسانيد صفةً وأصحّها. فقالوا: «هذه أمانة نبيّنا التي تركها عندنا، وقد سلّمناها إليكم، وهذا ما أمر به ربنا وأوجبه على نبينا ﷺ وعلينا، ونحن نُسلّمه إليكم ونُوجبه عليكم».

By Allah, they drank the best, sweetest, and purest water from the fountain of life, and they supported the foundations of Islam. They did not leave anything unexplained for those who came after them. The opened people’s hearts with the justice of the Qur’an and faith, and they conquered regions with the swords and spears of Jihad, and they transmitted to the Tabi’in that which they received in pure form from the light of Prophethood. Their isnad in this was from the Prophet (peace be upon him), from Jibril, from the Lord of the worlds, and it was the highest isnad in quality and authenticity. They said ‘this is the trust of our Prophet left with us, and we have given you this trust, and this is what our Lord has entrusted and obligated upon our Prophet and us, and we will entrust it and obligate it upon you.

فَاتَّبَعَ التَّابِعُونَ أُولَئِكَ بِإِحْسَانٍ عَلَى مَنْهَجِهِمُ الْمُتِينِ، وَسَلَكُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ الْقَوِيمِ. ثُمَّ سَلَكَ أَتْبَاعُهُمْ ذَلِكَ السَّبِيلَ مِنَ الْهِدَايَةِ، فَهُدُوا إِلَى أَحْسَنِ الْكَلَامِ وَأَحْمَدِ الصِّفَاتِ. وَكَانُوا بِالْقِيَاسِ إِلَى مَنْ قَبْلَهُمْ كَمَا قَالَ الصَّادِقُ الْمَصْدُوقُ ﷺ:

So, those Tabi’in followed them in good upon their firm methodology, and they followed in their footsteps upon the straight path. Then, their followers traversed the same path of guidance, and were guided to the best words and praiseworthy traits. In comparison to those who came before them, they were as the Most Truthful Said:

{"وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ، وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنَ الْآخِرِينَ."}

{“A multitude of those will be from the first generations, and a few of those will be from the later times.”}122

ثم جاء كبار العلماء من القرن الرابع المبارك، وذلك وفقًا لإحدى الروايتين الصحيحتين عن أبي سعيد، وابن مسعود، وأبي هريرة، وعائشة، وعمران بن حصين. فقد اتبعوا آثارهم في كل شيء، وورثوا عن نورهم المتألق، وكان دين الله أعظم قدرًا في قلوبهم وأرواحهم من أن يقدّموا عليه رأيًا عقليًا، أو تقليدًا أعمى، أو قياسًا. فاشتهروا في العالم بأحسن الذكر، وأعطاهم الله لسان صدق في الآخرين.

Then came the leading scholars from the fourth blessed century, according to one of the two narrations authentically related from Abu Sa’id, Ibn Mas’ud, Abu Hurayrah, ‘A’ishah, and ‘Imran bin Husayn. So, they followed in their footsteps in everything, inherited from their shining light, and the religion of Allah was too valuable in their hearts and souls for them to put over it a logical opinion, blind following, or analogy. So, they became known the world over in the best light, and Allah gave them a truthful tongue amongst all other people.

ثم سار على آثارهم وإثرهم جيلُهم الأول من التابعين، فنهضوا على منهجهم القويم وطريقهم الراشد. لم يكن لهم اهتمامٌ بالتعصب للأشخاص، بل قنعوا بالحجج والبراهين، وسافروا على سفينة الحق حيثما جرت، ولزموا الرأي الصحيح أينما دار. فإذا أثّر فيهم الدليل الواضح، هرعوا إليه أفرادًا وجماعات. وإذا دعاهم الرسول ﷺ إلى شيءٍ، أقبلوا عليه بكل اهتمامهم ولم يسألوا عن مزيدِ بيان، وكانت كلماته ﷺ أغلى في قلوبهم من أن يقدّموا بين يديها قولَ أحدٍ من الناس، أو يعارضوها برأيٍ أو قياسٍ.123

Then, their first generation of followers proceeded in their footsteps and rose up upon their firm and rightly guided methodology. They showed no interest in partisanship to individuals, were satisfied with proofs and evidences, traveling on the boat of truth wherever it sailed, and sticking with the correct opinion wherever it roamed. If a clear proof worked its wonders on them, they flew to it as individuals and groups. If the Messenger called them to something, they paid full attention and did not ask for further clarification, and his words were so dear to their hearts that they would never put in front of it the word of a single person, or contradict it with an opinion or comparison.”123

فَعَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا الطَّالِبُ لِلْعِلْمِ أَنْ تُوَجِّهَ كُلَّ اهْتِمَامِكَ إِلَى عُلُومِ الْقُرْآنِ وَالسُّنَّةِ، فَإِنَّ الْعِلْمَ بِهِمَا هُوَ الْعِلْمُ الْحَقِيقِيُّ، وَأَمَّا الْجَهْلُ بِغَيْرِهِمَا فَلَنْ يَضُرَّكَ ضَرَرًا حَقِيقِيًّا.

So, as a seeker of knowledge, you should turn all of your attention to the sciences of the Qur’an and Sunnah, as knowledge of them is the real knowledge, and to be ignorant of anything else will not really harm you.

قال ابن القيّم: هذه نصيحةُ صديقٍ مُشفِق، يُرسِلها إليك مُغلَّفةً بحرصه على خيرك، وفي أبلغ العبارات وأسحرها.

Here is the advice of a concerned friend, who sends it to you clothed and shaded in his desire to see good for you, and in the most eloquent and magical of words. Ibn al-Qayyim says:

يا من يريد أن ينجو بنفسه * استمع إلى كلمات ناصحٍ محب؛ في جميع أمورك، تمسّك بالوحي بقوة * ولا تتبع الأوهام المرغوبة؛ وانصر كتاب الله والسنن * التي جاءت من المرسَل بالفرقان ﷺ؛ واضرب كل منكرٍ بسيف الوحي * كما يضرب المجاهد بأطراف الأصابع؛ واستمر بغيرةٍ صادقة * على منهج المخلصين الشجعان المتفانين لله؛ واثبت بالصبر تحت راية الهدى * وإن أصابك الأذى في ذلك، فهو لرضا الرحمن؛ واجعل كتاب الله والسنن الصحيحة أسلحتك * وقوِّ روحك؛ فمن يقاتل ويقدّم نفسه * أو يتنافس في ميادين القتال؟

O you who seeks to save himself * Listen to the words of a loving advisor; In all of your affairs, hold tightly to Revelation * And not to desirable hallucinations; And give victory to the Book of Allah and the traditions * That came from the one sent with the Criterion; And strike every denier with the sword of Revelation * Just like the Mujahid would strike over the fingertips; And carry on with truthful zeal * The way of the sincere and brave who are dedicated to Allah; And remain firm with patience under the banner of guidance * And if you are harmed in the process, it is for the Pleasure of the Merciful; And make the Book of Allah and authentic traditions your weapons * And strengthen your soul; Who will fight and present himself * Or compete on the battlefields?

اجْهَرْ بِمَا جَاءَ بِهِ الرَّسُولُ * وَلَا تَخَفْ قِلَّةَ النُّصَرَاءِ؛ وَاجْتَنِبْ ثَوْبَيْنِ يَلْبَسُهُمَا مَنْ * يُعَابُ وَيُهْلَكُ؛ ثَوْبُ الْجَهْلِ الَّذِي يَأْتِي مَعَ * ثَوْبِ الْعَصَبِيَّةِ – يَا لَهُ مِنْ لِبَاسٍ شَنِيعٍ! وَتَزَيَّنْ بِالْإِنْصَافِ وَالْعَدْلِ * فَهُوَ أَحْسَنُ ثَوْبٍ يُزَيِّنُ الصَّدْرَ وَالْكَتِفَيْنِ؛ وَاجْعَلْ شِعَارَكَ تَقْوَى اللهِ وَنَصِيحَةَ الرَّسُولِ ﷺ * وَانْتَصِرْ لِهَذَيْنِ الْأَمْرَيْنِ؛ وَاعْتَصِمْ بِحَبْلِهِ وَوَحْيِهِ * وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَيْهِ كَمَا يَسْتَحِقُّ… وَرَحِمَ اللهُ الشَّافِعِيَّ، إِذْ قَالَ:

Openly preach what the Messenger came with * And do not fear the lack of helpers; And avoid two garments whose wearers * Will be censured and destroyed; The garment of ignorance that comes with * The garment of partisanship – what terrible clothes! And decorate yourself with fairness and justice * The best garment to beautify the chest and shoulders; And make your motto the fear of Allah and advice of the Messenger * And champion these two matters; And hold firmly to His rope and Revelation * And depend on Him as He deserves… And may Allah have Mercy on ash-Shafi’i, as he said:

كل علمٍ غير القرآن شغلٌ * إلا الحديثَ والفقهَ؛ فالعلمُ ما كان فيه: «حدثنا…» * وما سوى ذلك فهو وسوسةُ الشيطان… وقال ابنُ القيّم:

Every knowledge other than the Qur’an is a distraction * Except for Hadith and Fiqh; Knowledge is whatever begins with ‘It was narrated to us…’ * And everything else is the whispering of Satan… And Ibn al-Qayyim said:

العلمُ ما قالَهُ اللهُ، وقالَ رسولُهُ ﷺ، وقالَ الصحابةُ، فهم أعلمُ بالعلمِ؛ والعلمُ ليسَ مخالفاتٍ جاهلةً للرسولِ ﷺ بِرأيِ شخصٍ... فمن طلبَ العلمَ الحقَّ بعيدًا عمّا في القرآنِ والسنّةِ، فإنه يطلبُ المحالَ. ومن طلبَ الاكتفاءَ بالأخذِ من غيرِهما، فقد ضلَّ عن الطريقِ. وهما الطريقُ إلى التحررِ والشفاءِ من الجهلِ، ورحمَ اللهُ العلّامةَ ابنَ القيّمِ، إذ قال:

Knowledge is what Allah, His Messenger * And the Companions said, as they are the most knowledgeable; And knowledge is not foolish oppositions * To the Messenger with the opinion of a person… So, whoever seeks true knowledge away from what is in the Qur’an and Sunnah, he is seeking the impossible. Whoever seeks satisfaction by taking from anything else, he has strayed from the path. They are the way to free and cure yourself from ignorance, and may Allah have Mercy on the ‘Allamah Ibn al-Qayyim, as he said:

الجهلُ داءٌ قاتلٌ * وشفاؤه في أمرين متكاملين؛ نصٌّ من القرآن أو السنّة * وعالمٌ مربٍّ يُحلّيهما؛ والعلمُ ثلاثةُ أنواعٍ لا رابعَ لها * والحقُّ ما يُبيّنه؛ علمُ الصفاتِ وأفعالِ الإلهِ * وأسماءِ الرحيمِ؛ وأوامرِ ونواهي هي دينُه * والجزاءُ الذي يُعطيه يومَ المَعاد؛ وهذا كلُّه في القرآنِ والسنّةِ * اللذَيْنِ جاءا به من أُرسلَ بالفُرقان؛ وواللهِ ما يتكلّم أحدٌ بغيرِهما * إلا وهو يهذي… وما أعظمَ قولَه:

Ignorance is a deadly disease * And its cure is in two complimentary things; A text from the Qur’an or Sunnah * And a nurturing scholar to sweeten them; And knowledge is of three types, with no fourth * And the truth is what clarifies; Knowledge of the Attributes and actions of the Deity * And the Names of the Merciful; And the commands and prohibitions that are His religion * And the reward He gives at the Meeting Day; And this is all in the Qur’an and Sunnah * That came from the one sent with the Criterion; And by Allah, nobody speaks with other than them * Except that he is hallucinating… And how great is the saying:

يَا مَنْ يَسْتَيْقِظُ لِطَلَبِ الْعِلْمِ! * كُلُّ الْعُلُومِ عَبْدٌ لِعِلْمِ الرَّسُولِ ﷺ؛ أَتَطْلُبُ الْفَرْعَ لِتُصَحِّحَ أَصْلًا * فَكَيْفَ تَغْفُلُ عَنْ أَعْظَمِ الْأُصُولِ؟

O you who wakes up to seek knowledge! * All knowledge is a slave to the knowledge of the Messenger; You seek the branch to correct a principle * How can you be heedless of the greatest of principles?

فَإِنَّ أَصْلَ كُلِّ عِلْمٍ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَمَا جَاءَ فِي الْوَحْيِ الثَّانِي، وَهُوَ سُنَّةُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ، فَاسْتَمْسِكُوا بِهِمَا مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ، فَإِنَّهُمَا طَرِيقُ السَّلَامَةِ وَالْحَلَاوَةِ وَالرَّاحَةِ، وَظِلُّ الْيَوْمِ الْحَارِّ، وَأَفْضَلُ الْجَائِزَةِ وَالثَّوَابِ.

So, the crux of all knowledge is the Book of Allah and what came in the second Revelation, and that is the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). So, stick as firmly as you can to them both, as they are the path to safety, sweetness and relaxation, the shade on a hot day, and the best prize and reward.

ينبغي لطالب العلم أن يجتهد في اختيار شيخٍ له.

The student of knowledge should make an effort to choose a shaykh.

"ينبغي له أن يختار الأعلم والأحوط والأحكم، كما اختار أبو حنيفة (رحمه الله) حمّاد بن سليمان. فبعد التفكير والتأمل قال: «وجدته شيخًا حادّ الذهن، رقيق القلب، صبورًا». وقال: «لازمتُ حمّاد بن سليمان، فتقدّمتُ في العلم»."124

“He should choose the one most knowledgeable, cautious, and wise, just as Abu Hanifah (may Allah have Mercy on him) chose Hammad bin Sulayman. After thinking and pondering, he said: “I found him to be a sharp, soft-hearted, and patient shaykh.” And he said: “I stayed with Hammad bin Sulayman, and I became advanced in my knowledge.””124

وفي مقدمة "صحيحه" روى مسلم أن محمد بن سيرين قال: "إن هذا العلم دين، فانظروا عمّن تأخذون دينكم."125

And in the introduction to his ‘Sahih,’ Muslim reported that Muhammad bin Sirin said: “This knowledge is religion. So, look to who you take your knowledge from.”125

قال ابن جماعة:

Ibn Jama’ah said:

على طالب العلم أن يستخير الله تعالى في من يتعلم منه، وأن يسعى إلى اكتساب الأدب والخلق ممن يختاره. وإن استطاع فليختر من يكون متأهلاً للتعليم تأهلاً تاماً، حريصاً على طلابه، ذا مروءة، معروفاً بالصيانة، حسن السمعة، جيد الأسلوب في التدريس، سهل العبارة. ولا ينبغي لطالب العلم أن يطلب من هو أعلم الناس فحسب، وقد يفتقر إلى الورع والتقوى وحسن الأدب. وقد قال بعض السلف: «هذا العلم دين، فانظروا عمن تأخذون دينكم». وعليه أيضاً أن يحذر من أن يقصر نفسه على المشاهير، فقد عدّ الغزالي وغيره ذلك من الكبر على العلم، وعدّوه من أدنى الصفات، لأن العلم ضالة المؤمن، فيأخذه من حيث وجده، ويقبل البركة ممن أراد أن يعطيه إياها. يفرّ من الجهل كما يفرّ من الأسد، والهارب من الأسد يقبل العون ممن عرض عليه طريق النجاة.

“The student should look forth and consult Allah in regards to who to learn from, and he should seek to gain good manners and character from whoever he chooses. If he can, he should find one who is completely qualified to teach, concerned with his students, displays manhood, is known to be pure, has a good reputation, has a good teaching style, and is easily understood. The seeker of knowledge should not just seek out the one who is most knowledgeable, and who might lack caution, piety, and good manners. Some of the Salaf said: “This knowledge is religion. So, look who you take your religion from.” You should also beware of restricting yourself to those who are famous, as al-Ghazzali and others counted this as arrogance towards knowledge, and considered it to be from the lowest of traits. This is because knowledge is the prize of the believer, and he should take it from wherever he finds it, and should take the blessing from whoever wants to give it to him. He runs from ignorance just as he runs from a lion, and the one running from a lion will accept help from whoever offers him a way to escape.