Advice for the Beginner Student
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
What is your advice for a new student of knowledge in his pursuit of knowledge?
My advice, may Allah bless you: First: Sincerity of intention for Allah (Mighty and Majestic). This is the most important thing; that he does not seek in his pursuit of knowledge anything other than removing ignorance from himself and from others, and preserving the Shari'ah and defending it. He should not seek fame, nor status, nor a salary.
Second: That he acts upon what he has learned. Even if he learns only one issue a day, he should apply it immediately so that he benefits. As for accumulating knowledge without acting upon it, becoming like a copy of a book, the common outcome for such a person is that he is not successful.
Third: That he chooses a shaykh (scholar or teacher) in whom he trusts regarding his knowledge and his integrity,So there must be two conditions: his knowledge and his integrity. Because one in whose knowledge you do not trust may speak out of ignorance, and one in whose integrity you do not trust may speak about religious innovations and misguidance, intending thereby to mislead people, may Allah protect us from that.
Then, let him choose the smallest of the sciences, meaning, if he wants to read in Islamic jurisprudence, he should look at the concise books in Islamic jurisprudence and progress step by step. Because if a person wants to climb to the roof, the first step he takes is via the stairs, one step, then the second, then the third, until he reaches the roof. And this is with the success of Allah for the servant.
My advice, may Allah bless you: First: Sincerity of intention for Allah (Mighty and Majestic). This is the most important thing; that he does not seek in his pursuit of knowledge anything other than removing ignorance from himself and from others, and preserving the Shari'ah and defending it. He should not seek fame, nor status, nor a salary.
Second: That he acts upon what he has learned. Even if he learns only one issue a day, he should apply it immediately so that he benefits. As for accumulating knowledge without acting upon it, becoming like a copy of a book, the common outcome for such a person is that he is not successful.
Third: That he chooses a shaykh (scholar or teacher) in whom he trusts regarding his knowledge and his integrity,So there must be two conditions: his knowledge and his integrity. Because one in whose knowledge you do not trust may speak out of ignorance, and one in whose integrity you do not trust may speak about religious innovations and misguidance, intending thereby to mislead people, may Allah protect us from that.
Then, let him choose the smallest of the sciences, meaning, if he wants to read in Islamic jurisprudence, he should look at the concise books in Islamic jurisprudence and progress step by step. Because if a person wants to climb to the roof, the first step he takes is via the stairs, one step, then the second, then the third, until he reaches the roof. And this is with the success of Allah for the servant.