Advice for Students of Knowledge.

The questioner : We want you, O Shaykh, may Allah reward you with good and bless your life, to give us advice regarding our studies... perhaps Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) will guide us through it... ?

The Shaykh : ... And by Allah, I do not know what to advise you with, because my own self is in need of someone to advise it. But if I must offer you advice, then I advise you, and myself first, to have taqwa (mindfulness of Allah), and then to follow some of what branches out from taqwa of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). Therefore, first, seek knowledge purely for the face of Allah, not seeking any reward, gratitude, job, or position behind it, nor seeking to lead gatherings. Rather, the goal is to reach the rank that Allah has distinguished for the scholars when He said: .
And second: avoid the pitfalls in which some students of knowledge fall, among which is that pride and arrogance quickly take control of them. One of them rushes to think he is self-sufficient, and even sufficient for others, in what appears to him, without seeking the help of the people of knowledge, especially the righteous Salaf who have passed away and left us this bright heritage to help us dispel these darknesses that have accumulated over the ages, and we have lived in deep darkness. Seeking help with the sayings and opinions of the Salaf helps us dispel these darknesses when we return to the understanding of the Book and the Sunnah, and the authentic Sunnah.
The Shaykh : Because I lived in a time when I realized two contradictory matters:
The Shaykh : The first matter: where all the Muslims: scholars and students, general and specific, were living in the heart of taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence) and following not only the madhahib (schools of jurisprudence) but also the fathers and grandfathers. I lived in this time while we were calling for a return to the Book of Allah and the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). We were here and there in various Islamic lands, and always and forever there were individuals who were the strangers (ghuraba) described by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in some well-known hadiths, among which is: . It came in some narrations that he (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked who the strangers are? He said (peace and blessings be upon him): . And in another narration: . We lived in that time, and then the good effect of the call of the stranger reformers among the ranks of Muslim youth began to become clear. We saw this youth standing firm on the straight path in many Islamic lands, and striving to adhere to the Book and the Sunnah wherever it was authentic with them. But our joy with this awakening that we felt in the last few years did not last until we were surprised by a reversal that occurred in some of this youth in some lands, which nearly destroyed the effects of this good awakening. And what was the cause of that? Here is the lesson and the advice. Either pride and arrogance struck them because of what became clear to them that they had reached some correct knowledge, not only among the lost mass of Muslim youth, but even among many scholars of knowledge. They felt that they had surpassed the people of scholarly authority and knowledge spread throughout the Islamic world with this awakening. So they did not thank Allah (Mighty and Majestic) who guided them to this correct knowledge, but they became arrogant and harsh. They thought they had knowledge, so they began issuing crude fatwas (scholarly legal rulings) not based on fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) of the Book and the Sunnah, but rather they were immature opinions that appeared to them to be the knowledge taken from the Book and the Sunnah. So they went astray and led many astray. It is not hidden from you what has been witnessed of the effects of the existence of a group in some Islamic lands who began declaring takfir (declaring someone a disbeliever) of all Muslim groups, with philosophies that there is no room now to delve into. And we are only saying a word now by way of advice and reminder. Therefore, I advise our brothers, the people of the Sunnah and the people of the Hadith, in all lands of Islam, to be patient in seeking knowledge and not to be deceived by the knowledge they have acquired.
The Shaykh : They should only follow the path and not rely on their mere understandings or what they call their ijtihad (independent legal reasoning). And I have heard many of our brothers, my brother, what is this? He says with simplicity, with total indifference, my brother... I have done ijtihad. Well, what knowledge did you rely on? What are the hadiths you resorted to? What are the concepts you understood? Which scholars did you seek help from to understand these understandings you are stating?
The Shaykh : Nothing other than that this understanding appeared to him, so he became the greatest mufti (a scholar who issues fatwas). The cause of this, in his belief, is pride and arrogance. Therefore, I find in the Islamic world today a very strange phenomenon that has appeared in some writings. So one who was an enemy of the Hadith writes on the science of Hadith. Why? So that it can be said: he wrote on the science of Hadith. And if you return to what he wrote on the science of Hadith, you will find it is a collection of quotes he gathered from here and there and compiled into a book. What is the motive for this? The love of showing off. And true is the one who said: the love of showing off cuts off showing off. Therefore, I advise our brothers.
The Shaykh : First: as I said: with taqwa of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Second: with continuing in the seeking of knowledge. And third: that they avoid every trait that is not Islam, and among that is that they do not be deceived by the knowledge they have been given, and that pride does not overcome them, and that they advise people with what is best, and avoid harsh and severe methods. Because we all believe that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) when He said: [Surat al-Nahl: 125], that is only because the truth is heavy upon people in itself, heavy upon human souls, and therefore they are arrogant about accepting it except what Allah wills. If this is added to the heaviness of the truth upon the human soul, another excuse and another heaviness, which is harshness in the call, that becomes a repulsion of people from the call instead of us calling them to it. And you all know the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): . And in conclusion, I ask Allah (Mighty and Majestic) not to make us among those who repel, but rather to make us wise, acting upon the Book and the Sunnah. And we seek forgiveness from Allah all together, and peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.