What does a student of knowledge begin with, and which texts does he memorize?

Question : Honorable Shaykh, there are many questions about how to seek knowledge, with what one who wants to seek knowledge should begin, with which texts he should begin memorizing, and what is your guidance for these students? May Allah reward you with good?

Answer : First, before I mention the guidance for these students, I direct the students to receive knowledge from a Shaykh, from a scholar, because receiving knowledge from a scholar has two great benefits. The first benefit is that it is easier to grasp, because the scholar has insight and knowledge, and he gives you the knowledge in a mature and easy form. Second, seeking knowledge from a scholar is closer to correctness, meaning that the one who seeks knowledge from someone who is not a scholar will have deviations and anomalous opinions far from the truth. This is because he has not read from a scholar who is firmly established in his knowledge to raise him according to the method he chooses. So what I see is that a person should strive to have a Shaykh in seeking knowledge. It is well known that if he has a Shaykh, he will give the guidance he sees as suitable for him. As for the answer in general terms, we say that it is preferable for a person to memorize the Book of Allah before anything else, because this was the practice of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). They did not move past ten verses until they learned them and the knowledge and action contained in them. The speech of Allah is the most noble of all speech. Second, he takes from the concise texts of hadith what will be a store for them in using the Sunnah as evidence, such as *Umdat al-Ahkam*, *Bulugh al-Maram*, the *Forty Hadith*, the *Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi*, and the like.
Third, he memorizes from the texts of Islamic jurisprudence what is suitable for him. One of the best texts we have memorized is *Zad al-Mustaqni* in the abridgment of *al-Muqni*, because this book has been served by its commentator Mansur ibn Yunus al-Bahuti, and by those after him who served this commentary and text with many marginal notes. Fourth, grammar. And what do you know about grammar? The grammar that few of the students know, to the point that you see a man who has graduated from the college and he knows nothing about grammar. He breaks it, and he quotes the poet: "May Allah not bless grammar or its people, since it was attributed to al-Nafatawi, may Allah burn him with half his name and make the rest a cry against him." Why did he say this? Because he was unable to handle grammar, he was unable to handle it. But I say that the gate of grammar is of iron and its corridors are of reeds, meaning it is severe and difficult at the beginning of entering it, but if the door opens for its student, the rest becomes easy for him with all ease, and it becomes easy for him. So much so that some students of knowledge who started with grammar became enamored with it. If you address them with ordinary speech, he will parse it for you to practice parsing. So these are the foundations upon which the seeking of knowledge should be built. As for the knowledge of tawhid (the oneness of Allah), the books in this are many. Among them is the book *al-Tawhid* by the Shaykh of Islam Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him), and among them is *al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah* by the Shaykh of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. They are many and well known, praise be to Allah. Yes. Which texts of grammar are among the best? *al-Ajrumiyyah*. *Al-Ajrumiyyah* is a concise book, divided and highly focused. For this reason, I advise the one who begins seeking the knowledge of grammar to begin with this book. Yes.
The general advice for the student of knowledge is that the effects of his knowledge should be upon him: taqwa (mindfulness of Allah) of Allah the Exalted and Majestic, performing His obedience, good character, and excellence in worship toward creation in teaching and guidance, and striving to spread knowledge by all means, whether that is in newspapers, in magazines, in books, in letters, in bulletins, or otherwise. I also advise the student of knowledge not to be hasty, not to be hasty in judging a thing, because some of the beginning students of knowledge are found to be hasty in issuing fatwas and in rulings. Perhaps the great scholars err, and he is far below them. So much so that some people say: "I debated a person from the beginning students of knowledge, and I said to him: This is the saying of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. He said: And who is Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal? Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal is a man, and we are men. Subhan Allah. It is true that Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal is a man and you are a man, but you are equal in manhood. As for knowledge, there is a great difference between you. Not every man is a man in terms of knowledge." So I say that the student of knowledge should be well-mannered with humility and not be pleased with himself. And he should know his own worth. Then, among the manners of the student of knowledge is also that he should not be one who frequently refers to the sayings of the scholars. Because if you frequently refer to the sayings of the scholars and you look at, for example, *al-Mughni* in Islamic jurisprudence by Ibn Qudamah, *al-Majmu'* by al-Nawawi, and the large books that mention scholarly disagreement and discuss it, you will waste your time. As we said first, begin with the concise texts, little by little, until you reach the goal. And as for wanting to climb the tree from its branches, this is a mistake. Yes.
The general advice for a student of knowledge is that the effects of his knowledge should be evident in him, through the fear of Allah the Exalted, the fulfillment of His obedience, good character, and excellence in dealing with creation through teaching, guidance, and striving to spread knowledge by all means, whether in newspapers, magazines, books, letters, bulletins, or otherwise. I also advise the student of knowledge not to be hasty, not to be hasty in judging matters, because some beginning students of knowledge are found to be hasty in issuing fatwas and rulings, and they may err where the great scholars, who are far above them, do not. Indeed, some people say, "I debated a person from the beginning students of knowledge, and I told him that this is the statement of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, so he said, 'And who is Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal? Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal is a man, and we are men.' Glory be to Allah! It is true that Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal is a man and you are a man, but you are equal only in manhood; as for knowledge, there is a great difference between you. Not every man is a man in terms of knowledge. So I say that the student of knowledge must be well-mannered with humility and without self-admiration, and he must know his own worth. Also, among the etiquettes of the student of knowledge is that he should not frequently refer to the opinions of scholars. If you frequently refer to the opinions of scholars and, for example, look into al-Mughni in fiqh by Ibn Qudamah, al-Majmu' by al-Nawawi, and the large books that mention and discuss scholarly disagreement, you will waste your time. As we said, start first with the concise texts, step by step, until you reach the goal. As for wanting to climb the tree from its branches, that is a mistake. Yes.