”If my morning is like that of the foolish and my night is like that of the ignorant,
then what will I do with the knowledge I wrote down?”
[Source: Akhlaaq Al-Ulamaa’ of Imaam Al-Aajurree. Page: 44]
Al-Hasan Al-Basri (rahimahullaah) said:
”When a man used to seek knowledge, it did not take long before (the effect) was seen in his eyesight; in his fear of Allaah; on his tongue; on his hands; in his prayer and his abstinence from the lawful but unnecessary worldly things.”
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Ibn Sadi (rahimahullaah) said:
The one whose aim in his supplication is to seek nearness to Allaah as well as obtain what he asks for, then indeed he has perfected a lot of (affairs) contrary to the one who only seeks after what he asks for, and such is the case with the majority of the people. Indeed this is a deficiency and a loss (for a person) in this tremendous virtue. So with regards to the likes of this affair, then let all the competitors (i.e. for good deeds and perfection in Iman) compete. This is from the fruits of beneficial knowledge, for indeed ignorance prevents many of the creation from lofty goals and the beautiful pathways (to success in this life and the next). [Al-Fataawaa As-Sadiyyah page 43]
Hammaad Bin Zayd said, ”I said to Ayyoub (As-Sakhtiyaanee): Is there more knowledge today or in the past?” So he (Ayyoub) said: ”There is more speech today and more knowledge in the past.”
Ibn Abee Dunyaa (rahimahullaah) narrates from Ad-Dahhaak (rahimahullaah) who said:
”I met a people who used to learn about Wara (i.e. acquainting themselves and being apprehensive about those things which they feared will ruin the affairs of their afterlife and avoiding them); but today they (i.e. the people) learn rhetoric.”
Concerning the statement of Allaah (The Most High): [وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَان] – ”And has made disbelief, wickedness and disobedience (to Allah and His Messenger) hateful to you.” [Al-Hujuraat. Ayah 7] Al-Fusooq and Al-Faasiqoon have been mentioned several times in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, so what is Fusooq and how can a Muslim be careful of becoming from a people who are Faasiqeen?
Answer:
Concerning Allaah’s (The Most High) statement: [وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَان]- ”And has made disbelief, wickedness and disobedience (to Allah and His Messenger) hateful to you”; He (Glorified Be He) mentioned the three types of acts of disobedience in this noble Ayah:
(A) The type of disobedience that removes a person from the fold of Islaam, such as Kufr (Akbar) and Shirk (Akbar).
(B) The major type of disobedience which is lesser than Kufr (Akbar) and Shirk (Akbar) and it does not remove a person from the Religion but it decreases one’s Imaan—a manifest decrease–; such as fornication, theft, drinking alcohol and other than that of the major sins. They are referred to as Fusooq (wicked deeds) and the person who commits them is referred to as a Faasiq (wicked sinner) because Fisq means removing oneself from obedience to Allaah (The Mighty and Majestic].
(C) Then He (The Most High) mentioned the type of disobedience that is lesser than the major sins and are not tantamount to Fisq, and they are the minor sins.
So Allaah (Glorified Be He) informed (us) that He has made all these three types of disobedience hateful to the people of Imaan and make them have a love for the various types of acts of obedience and righteous actions that draws them close to their Lord.
[Source: Al-Muntaqaa Min Fataawaa Fadeelatish Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan Vol 1 page 244. Fatwa Number 142]
The Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) was sent (during) circumstances about which a Muslim cannot say, ”Indeed, the circumstances in which we live in (today) are eviler and more depraved in its depravity than (the state of affairs in which the people lived when the Prophet was sent).” (This is) because the Prophet (salal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) was sent to a disbelieving people and he guided them through one way. He directed them towards one path—the worship of one Lord; the only true God; The Perfect Lord and Master upon Whom all the creation depends and He is self-sufficient; The Unique One in His Names, Attributes and Actions. There is neither another true God (worthy of worship) besides Him nor another true Lord (i.e. Creator, Provider and Controller of the affairs of the creation) besides Him.
So the path [of Prophet (Salal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) in calling to Allaah in those circumstances] was one, and it was the (path) the Messengers came with. The Prophet (salal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) called the Ummatud Dawah (i.e. the nation that had not yet accepted the message of Islaam) to that which is obligatory for today’s Ummatul Ijaabah (i.e. the nation that has already accepted the call of Islaam) to call to.
[For further details see: Mataa Ta’oodu Ilaynaa Falasteen: page: 12-13]
