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Tag: Salaf

[1] Reminders From [Virtue of the Knowledge of the Salaf over the Knowledge of the Khalaf] -By Imaam Ibn Rajab [rahimahullaah]

Written by Jallow Abdullah on . Posted in Calling To Islam - 'Da'wa', Methodology - 'Manhaj', Scholars of Islam, The Salaf - Pious Predecessors.

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Imaam Ibn Rajab [rahimahullaah] said: All praises and thanks be to Allaah, the Lord of Aalameen [mankind, jinns and all that exists]. And may Allaah exalt and grant Muhammad a lot of peace, his family and Sahaabah. To proceed:

These are brief statements regarding the meaning of knowledge and its categorization into ‘Beneficial knowledge’, ‘Unbeneficial knowledge’, Blameworthy knowledge’ and a notification regarding the virtue of the knowledge of the Salaf [i.e. the pious predecessors] over the knowledge of the khalaf [i.e. those who came after the Salaf]. Therefore, I say- and Allaah’s aid is sought, I place my trust in Him and there is neither strength nor power except with Allaah.

The Meaning of Knowledge and Its Categorization

Indeed, Allaah mentioned-sometimes- knowledge in His Book with praise and that is [in reference to] ‘Beneficial Knowledge’.  And at other times, He mentioned knowledge with dispraise and that is [in reference to] ‘Unbeneficial knowledge’. As for the first type [i.e. Beneficial Knowledge], then its example is mentioned in the statement of Allaah [The Most High]:

[قُلۡ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِى ٱلَّذِينَ يَعۡلَمُونَ- Are those who know equal to those who know not? [39:9]

And the statement of Allaah [The Most High]: [شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُ ۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ وَأُوْلُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ   – Allah bears witness that La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness) [3:18]

And the statement of Allaah [The Most High]: [وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدۡنِى عِلۡمً۬ا   -And say: “My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.” [20:114]

And the statement of Allaah [The Most High]: [إِنَّمَا يَخۡشَى ٱللَّهَ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِ ٱلۡعُلَمَـٰٓؤُاْۗ – It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah. [35:28]

And what Allaah has stated regarding the story of Aadam- when Aadam was taught the names of those things and were then presented to the Angels, so the Angels – [as Allaah informed us] – said: [سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ لَا عِلۡمَ لَنَآ إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمۡتَنَآ‌ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ – Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us. [2:32]

And what Allaah [The Most High] has stated regarding the story of Moosaa [alayhis-salaam] and Khidr- that Moosaa said to him: [هَلۡ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمۡتَ رُشۡدً۬ا – “May I follow you so that you teach me something of that knowledge (guidance and true path) which you have been taught (by Allah)?” [18: 66]

This is beneficial knowledge

To be continued…InShaaAllaah

[Fadl Ilmis Salaf Alaa Ilmil Khalaf’ pages 42-43. Slightly paraphrased]

If Speech is Silver, Then Silence is Gold – Ibnul Mubaarak [rahimahullaah] Explains

Written by Masjid Al Furqan on . Posted in Morals and Manners - 'Akhlaaq', Scholars of Islam, The Salaf - Pious Predecessors.

Ibnul Mubaarak [rahimahullaah] was asked about the statement of Luqmaan [alayhis-salaam] to his son: ‘’If speech is from silver, then silence is from gold.” So he said: ‘’It means that if speech in obedience to Allaah is from silver, then silence [in order to refrain from] disobedience to Allaah is gold.”

[Jaami-ul Uloom Wal-Hikam: page: 155]

Our Salaf – Eagerness to Learn Meanings of The Aayaat of The Qur’aan

Written by Masjid Al Furqan on . Posted in Qur'aan, Scholars of Islam, The Salaf - Pious Predecessors, Worship - 'Ibaadah'.

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Imaam Ibn Katheer [rahimahullaah] stated: Ibn Abee Haatim [rahimahullaah] narrated with his own chain of transmission from Amr Bin Murrah [rahimahullaah], who said: I did not come across an Ayah from the Book of Allaah and did not understand it, except that it grieved me.’ [That] is because I heard the statement of Allaah [The Most High]:

[وَتِلۡكَ ٱلۡأَمۡثَـٰلُ نَضۡرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ‌ۖ وَمَا يَعۡقِلُهَآ إِلَّا ٱلۡعَـٰلِمُونَ- And these similitudes We put forward for mankind, but none will understand them except those who have knowledge (of Allah and His Signs, etc.).”[29:43]

[Tafseer Ibn Katheer 4/424]

The Religion [Ordained By Allaah] Would Have Vanished Had Allaah Not Placed a Righteous Group Amongst The Previous Nations – By Imaam as-Sadi [rahimahullaah]

Written by Jallow Abdullah on . Posted in Calling To Islam - 'Da'wa', Scholars of Islam, The Salaf - Pious Predecessors, Worship - 'Ibaadah'.

 In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Allaah [The Most High] said:

فَلَوۡلَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرُونِ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ أُوْلُواْ بَقِيَّةٍ۬ يَنۡہَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡفَسَادِ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً۬ مِّمَّنۡ أَنجَيۡنَا مِنۡهُمۡ‌ۗ وَٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مَآ أُتۡرِفُواْ فِيهِ وَكَانُواْ مُجۡرِمِينَ

If only there had been among the generations before you, persons having wisdom, prohibiting (others) from Al-Fasad (disbelief, polytheism, and all kinds of crimes and sins) in the earth, except a few of those whom We saved from among them. Those who did wrong pursued the enjoyment of good things of (this worldly) life, and were Mujrimun.. [11:116]

After Allaah mentioned the destruction of the nations that belied the Messengers [in Surah Hud Aayaat 25 – 115] and that the majority of them ifwere deviants, [including] even those who received the Scripture, then all of this necessitates that the religion [ordained by Allaah] would have vanished had Allaah not placed a righteous group amongst the pervious nations,  who called to guidance and forbade [the people] from mischief, and thus the benefit they left behind preserved parts of the religion. However, these people were very few. They were saved due their adherence to the way of the Messengers [of Allaah] and established what the Messengers established. As for the wrong doers, they carried on enjoying the good things of the worldly life [i.e. whilst persisting in wrongdoing], so they deserved punishment.

This Ayah compels the Muslim Ummah to have in place those who rectify the affairs when people become corrupt-those who will establish the religion ordained by Allaah and call the misguided people to guidance, whilst exercising patience due to the harm they will receive [in the path of rectification and calling to the path ordained by Allaah]. This is a high station desired by those who desire [good] and the person upon such a path becomes an [upright and rightly guided] leader in the religion  [ordained by Allaah] if he performs this deed sincerely for the sake of Allaah. [Ref 1]

The Scholars Are the Rectifiers of the Affairs

Shaikh Abdullah Bukhaari [may Allaah preserve him] said:

It is obligatory to attach the Ummah to the Rabbaani Scholars- those who are well known for their goodness, steadfastness, leadership and sound advice to the Ummah, and they are those who teach the smaller affairs of knowledge before the greater affairs.  Therefore, their status must be made known amongst the people because the scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets, as reported in the narration from the Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam]. Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said in his explanation of this hadith: This is from the greatest virtues of the people of knowledge. And because the Prophets are the best of the creation, so their inheritors are the best after them. And when it is the case that everyone who is inherited from passes on inheritance to his inheritor, then the inheritors are those who take the place of those they inherit from. And none will take the place of the Messengers in propagating what they have been sent with, except the Scholars. They are the most worthy of their inheritance. [Ref 2]

[Ref 1: Source: Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan’ by Imaam As-Sadi  (rahimahullaah). Abridged & slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 2: Source:المقالات الشرعيّة page 15-16. slightly paraphrased]