The benefits of patience in learning.

The Shaykh : I also advise students of knowledge regarding another matter: patience. Patience with what? First, patience with knowledge, through perseverance and continuity, and by recording the gems of benefits that pass by you. You might say to yourself, "That's it, I understood and memorized this." But you will soon forget it. Record the benefits, especially the rules and principles, so that they remain with you. Never be negligent with them. Do not rely on your own memory when hearing them, because when you hear them in that state, you say, "That will not be erased from my mind." But it will soon be erased. Record them. The students of knowledge who preceded us in seeking knowledge would have a notebook in their pocket, and whenever something occurred to them, they would record it, because a person sometimes reflects and thinks about a verse, a hadith, or the words of scholars. Then he realizes great benefits. If he does not record them, they fly away, and he gains no benefit from them. Therefore, I advise you to be patient in seeking knowledge, to persevere, and to record. Know that recording knowledge is one of the causes of memorization. In our time of seeking knowledge, if we wanted to memorize something, we would write it down. Writing undoubtedly aids memorization. One writing is worth twenty repetitions. So be patient. Be patient in seeking knowledge. Do not get bored. Do not say, "I have not achieved anything." We have people who came to knowledge and were in the study circles. When they first came, they were not at anything, but with perseverance, they became among the best of the students in knowledge, memorization, and understanding. So be patient and do not be annoyed. If you want to study with more than one scholar, that is good. There is no harm in it. But if you seek a specific thing from one scholar, do not seek it from another. For example, in 'aqidah, if you have directed yourself to a specific shaykh who teaches you 'aqidah, do not go to another, because he might bring things that differ in presentation, not in depth. He might differ from the first shaykh, and then you will waver, you will waver. Likewise, you study with a scholar in fiqh, do not study with another scholar in fiqh, because their opinions, the opinions of the two men, might differ, and you will fall into a problem. Strive to have your study with scholars. If you love to be a student of more than one scholar, let each of them have a specific discipline so that you do not waver. After you grow older and your knowledge expands, review the words of the scholars, review the words of the scholars, and compare their opinions. And then you can judge by what you see to be the truth.