Advice on Making the Most of the Summer Vacation
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His Eminence the Shaykh: I want to guide the youth during this vacation and offer advice, especially to the brother teachers during this break. Is it better for them to travel to support their brothers in the East and the West with aid and the like? Or is it better for them to join the summer educational centers to preserve the youth? Or to go to the scholars and benefit from the educational lessons that are found everywhere? And what is the advice for those who waste their time in matters other than these three?
First: I do not think we should call this vacation a "holiday"; because there is no holiday in the days of a believing Muslim man, nor for the non-believer. Everyone works,Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Shu'ara: 6] Yes, it is a break from regular schooling, but if you call it a "vacation" instead of a "holiday," that is good.
Second: Regarding what you asked: Is it better for the professors to go here and there to help their brothers, or to devote themselves to seeking knowledge, or to guiding the youth, or to calling people to Allah? This varies according to the people and according to the needs. We say to the man who is a vessel of knowledge in terms of memorization, understanding, and comprehension: The best thing is for him to remain in seeking knowledge;Because seeking knowledge, as Imam Ahmad said: Nothing is better than it. It is better than jihad in the path of Allah if jihad is not specifically obligatory;Because Allah the Exalted said in His Book: [At-Tawbah: 122] Meaning: and a group remains, (so that they may gain understanding) Meaning: the group that remains, [At-Tawbah: 122] So Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, made remaining to gain understanding in the religion equivalent to going out for jihad in the path of Allah, and it is better than it; because jihad is needed at some times more than others,And people need knowledge in all affairs of life: in acts of worship, morals, and transactions.
As for jihad in the path of Allah, people need it either to defend their religion and their Islamic homelands, or so that the word of Allah is the supreme one; because jihad is either defensive or offensive, but it is in a specific aspect of life. As for knowledge, it is in all aspects,Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Knowledge is not matched by anything for the one whose intention is sound.
As for the man who is not a vessel for knowledge, and even if he sits in the circles he does not understand or comprehend anything, but he is keen on the conditions of jihad, strong in body, and strong in resolve, the best thing is for him to go out and fight in jihad. And as for a third man who is not capable of this or that, but he has persuasion and style in calling and admonition; he attracts hearts with his eloquence and admonition, and he softens hearts and makes eyes weep,So we say to this: Travel around and call people in the lands; because our lands need students of knowledge and callers to make the people understand and teach them. Indeed, many of the remote areas—as has reached us—have much ignorance and they need students of knowledge to teach them.
So some students traveled during the spring vacation to the southern region, and the people rejoiced greatly with these students, and they started following them everywhere, receiving from them and taking from them. This is while they are students, so what if one who is higher in status than them went? He would have a great benefit without a doubt.
As for the youth, I advise the youth to be keen to preserve their time and not to get accustomed to laziness and lethargy, and to stick to the people of good who guide them with sound guidance and preserve their religion and morals for them,For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (The example of the good companion is like the carrier of musk: either he gives you some, or you buy some from him, or you find a pleasant smell from him. And the example of the bad companion is like the bellows of the blacksmith: either he burns your clothes, or you find a foul smell from him) And it is narrated from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: (A man follows the religion of his close friend, so let one of you look at whom he befriends) .
So my advice to the youth is to be keen to accompany the people of good, the people of intellect, and the people of deliberation and caution, and to beware of bad companions, for bad companions are like fire that burns the garment bit by bit until it reaches the body and consumes it. And they should join the summer centers that are run by men who are trustworthy in religion, morals, thought, and guidance, or join the circles for memorizing the Qur'an, so that perhaps in this vacation they memorize something of the Book of Allah. Indeed, the best book and the most deserving of care is the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. And we ask Allah for everyone success, and that He make us among those who preserve their time in what pleases Allah, Mighty and Majestic.
First: I do not think we should call this vacation a "holiday"; because there is no holiday in the days of a believing Muslim man, nor for the non-believer. Everyone works,Allah the Exalted said:
O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet it.
يَا أَيُّهَا الإِنْسَانُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَدْحاً فَمُلاقِيهِSecond: Regarding what you asked: Is it better for the professors to go here and there to help their brothers, or to devote themselves to seeking knowledge, or to guiding the youth, or to calling people to Allah? This varies according to the people and according to the needs. We say to the man who is a vessel of knowledge in terms of memorization, understanding, and comprehension: The best thing is for him to remain in seeking knowledge;Because seeking knowledge, as Imam Ahmad said: Nothing is better than it. It is better than jihad in the path of Allah if jihad is not specifically obligatory;Because Allah the Exalted said in His Book:
And it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once. For there should separate from every division of them a group
وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنْفِرُوا كَافَّةً فَلَوْلا نَفَرَ مِنْ كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌin the religion and warn their people when they return to them that they might be cautious.
فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنْذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَAs for jihad in the path of Allah, people need it either to defend their religion and their Islamic homelands, or so that the word of Allah is the supreme one; because jihad is either defensive or offensive, but it is in a specific aspect of life. As for knowledge, it is in all aspects,Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Knowledge is not matched by anything for the one whose intention is sound.
As for the man who is not a vessel for knowledge, and even if he sits in the circles he does not understand or comprehend anything, but he is keen on the conditions of jihad, strong in body, and strong in resolve, the best thing is for him to go out and fight in jihad. And as for a third man who is not capable of this or that, but he has persuasion and style in calling and admonition; he attracts hearts with his eloquence and admonition, and he softens hearts and makes eyes weep,So we say to this: Travel around and call people in the lands; because our lands need students of knowledge and callers to make the people understand and teach them. Indeed, many of the remote areas—as has reached us—have much ignorance and they need students of knowledge to teach them.
So some students traveled during the spring vacation to the southern region, and the people rejoiced greatly with these students, and they started following them everywhere, receiving from them and taking from them. This is while they are students, so what if one who is higher in status than them went? He would have a great benefit without a doubt.
As for the youth, I advise the youth to be keen to preserve their time and not to get accustomed to laziness and lethargy, and to stick to the people of good who guide them with sound guidance and preserve their religion and morals for them,For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (The example of the good companion is like the carrier of musk: either he gives you some, or you buy some from him, or you find a pleasant smell from him. And the example of the bad companion is like the bellows of the blacksmith: either he burns your clothes, or you find a foul smell from him) And it is narrated from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: (A man follows the religion of his close friend, so let one of you look at whom he befriends) .
So my advice to the youth is to be keen to accompany the people of good, the people of intellect, and the people of deliberation and caution, and to beware of bad companions, for bad companions are like fire that burns the garment bit by bit until it reaches the body and consumes it. And they should join the summer centers that are run by men who are trustworthy in religion, morals, thought, and guidance, or join the circles for memorizing the Qur'an, so that perhaps in this vacation they memorize something of the Book of Allah. Indeed, the best book and the most deserving of care is the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. And we ask Allah for everyone success, and that He make us among those who preserve their time in what pleases Allah, Mighty and Majestic.