The Shaykh’s Admonition to Muslims Regarding the Obligation of Sincerity

The Shaykh : The other point, which encompasses or is directed to all Muslims in general, is that it is obligatory for them all that their return to the religion and their practice of it be pure for the face of Allah the Most Generous. This is because the religion does not become a religion unless it is pure, as in the noble verse: We know that this awakening has been accompanied by another awakening, which is not the practice of Islam, but rather knowledge and understanding of Islam. However, there is something that must be addressed, because the desire to understand and learn Islam has been accompanied in our present age by something that invalidates the fruit and benefit of this desire, namely the lack of sincerity accompanying it. If the seeking of knowledge is not accompanied by two things, the first of which is what we mentioned earlier, that knowledge is part of the religion, and the religion must be pure for the Lord of the worlds, then if one seeksThe student : knowledge without seeking thereby the face of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, the ignorant person regarding that knowledge is less sinful than thisThe student : scholar. As it was reported from some of the Companions, “Woe to the ignorant person once, and woe to the scholar seven times.” This is because the ignorant person may be excused for his violation of the Shari'ah, whereas the scholar finds no means or excuse for violating what he has learned of his religion. Therefore, that noble Companion said, “Woe to the ignorant person once, and woe to the scholar seven times.” So we advise the students of knowledge to seek, behind their pursuit, the face of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He. They should not seek behind it any reward or gratitude, nor any jobs, livelihood, salaries, or anything else. Otherwise, if they seek knowledge for the sake of any of the debris of this world, it will be a calamity for its owner, as I mentioned earlier. Undoubtedly, among the things that fall under seeking knowledge for other than the face of Allah is being an employee, whether as a preacher, an imam, or any other religious position. If one seeks knowledge for the sake of this employment, his work is rendered void and he loses his reward with Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He. And I do not wish to prolong this, lest we waste time, or rather, lest you waste time. Therefore, we advise our brothers present, on the condition that the absent listener is informed, to seek beneficial knowledge above all else, which is the Book and the Sunnah, and according to the methodology of the righteous Salaf. And they should seek, in their pursuit, the face of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, and not seek thereby anything from the debris of this world. Then, after that, I am glad to tell you, I am glad to tell them, that what will come to them from this world, despite its nose, is better than what would come to them if they sought it with their knowledge and their Hereafter. Perhaps in this is a reminder, and the reminder benefits the believers. Sulayman raises his finger.