If one's job compels him to seek knowledge, does this affect his intention?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : If this is his seeking of knowledge, or if this job compels him to seek knowledge, then it is one of the causes of his seeking knowledge.
The Shaykh : The word "compels" is a word I fear may be a booby trap, but in any case.
Al-Halabi : Shaykh, we have mine-clearing machines here.
The Shaykh : How?
Al-Halabi : We have mine-clearing machines - the students andThe Shaykh : they are laughing -
The Shaykh : The point here is that your question reminds me of the approach Imam al-Ghazali took in his book *Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din*. It is actually a good book in terms of treating the diseases of the soul, but it contains some deviation, to say nothing of Sufism, and to say nothing of Ash'arism. He addresses the topic of sincerity in knowledge and in other things, such as standing in prayer at night while people are sleeping, and the like. Often, the person who worships Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with knowledge is surrounded by many motives. Here, he treats the subject with precision and says that the criterion is what predominates in this person. If what predominates in him is seeking the Face of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), then he is rewarded, even if from another angle it may please him that people see him, or that they talk about him, or the like. In this case, the criterion is what predominates in his own self, in the depths of his heart. If worshipping Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) predominates, then he is sincere, but to the extent of that predominance. If the opposite is the case, then it is exactly the opposite, and he is not sincere. Therefore, regarding your question, we cannot say that he is of this type or that type, because his account is with Allah, who knows the secret and what is even more hidden. He is our Lord (Mighty and Majestic), who alone knows whether what compelled him to knowledge, for example, was fifty-five or sixty percent livelihood, salary, or job, or the like, or the hope for the favor of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and His reward. According to what predominates in his intention, he is rewarded for that, either with good or with evil.
The Shaykh : The word "compels" is a word I fear may be a booby trap, but in any case
Verily, deeds are by intentions
فإنما الأعمال بالنياتAl-Halabi : Shaykh, we have mine-clearing machines here.
The Shaykh : How?
Al-Halabi : We have mine-clearing machines - the students andThe Shaykh : they are laughing -
The Shaykh : The point here is that your question reminds me of the approach Imam al-Ghazali took in his book *Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din*. It is actually a good book in terms of treating the diseases of the soul, but it contains some deviation, to say nothing of Sufism, and to say nothing of Ash'arism. He addresses the topic of sincerity in knowledge and in other things, such as standing in prayer at night while people are sleeping, and the like. Often, the person who worships Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with knowledge is surrounded by many motives. Here, he treats the subject with precision and says that the criterion is what predominates in this person. If what predominates in him is seeking the Face of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), then he is rewarded, even if from another angle it may please him that people see him, or that they talk about him, or the like. In this case, the criterion is what predominates in his own self, in the depths of his heart. If worshipping Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) predominates, then he is sincere, but to the extent of that predominance. If the opposite is the case, then it is exactly the opposite, and he is not sincere. Therefore, regarding your question, we cannot say that he is of this type or that type, because his account is with Allah, who knows the secret and what is even more hidden. He is our Lord (Mighty and Majestic), who alone knows whether what compelled him to knowledge, for example, was fifty-five or sixty percent livelihood, salary, or job, or the like, or the hope for the favor of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and His reward. According to what predominates in his intention, he is rewarded for that, either with good or with evil.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.