A man seeks knowledge for the sake of Allah, then is appointed as an imam or a preacher; does this harm him?

The Shaykh : The other point, which applies to or is directed at all Muslims in general, is that it is obligatory for them all to ensure that their return to the religion and their practice of it is pure for the sake of the Noble Face of Allah. 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, which is 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 the Face of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, then the one who is ignorant of 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 an excuse may be found for the ignorant person in his violation of the Shari'ah, whereas the scholar finds no means and no excuse for violating what he knows 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 the Face of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, in their pursuit of knowledge, and not to seek any reward or gratitude in return, nor to seek 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, seeking knowledge for other than the Face of Allah includes 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 want to prolong this, lest we waste time, or rather, lest you waste time. So 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 the Face of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, in their pursuit of it, and not seek 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.

The questioner : O Shaykh, if a person seeks knowledge before, for example, becoming an imam, and before becoming a preacher, and he seeks that knowledge for the sake of Allah, is that correct?

The Shaykh : The question was not completed, even though it was understood.

The questioner : I mean, if he seeks knowledge before becoming an imam or before becoming a preacher, does this person fall under the statement I spoke about?

The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. Indeed, actions are by intentions. Whether one seeks knowledge before that, during that, or after that, the important thing is that he seeks knowledge for the Face of Allah. I mean, he sought knowledge before he was employed, and he died before he was employed, and he died without being employed. Does that mean it was for the Face of Allah? Does the mere fact that he was not employed mean that his seeking of knowledge was for the Face of Allah? Of course not. So the issue of seeking knowledge is not related to what is before the job or after it, but rather to what he intended during the seeking of knowledge, what he intended by it. Because we said, as our Lord, Mighty and Majestic, said: And as we said, knowledge is part of the religion If that is the case, then it is not only the job and seeking it through knowledge that scratches the intention of thisThe student : person. Rather, there are many things. For example, he seeks knowledge to compete with scholars, and his effort is wasted. He seeks knowledge to take the lead in gatherings, and his knowledge is in vain. He seeks knowledge to be said, "What Allah willed, so-and-so is a scholar like no other." For this reason, that terrifying hadith came in Sahih Muslim that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was in a gathering of Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan during his caliphate. A hadith that Abu Hurayrah had narrated once had reached Mu'awiyah or someone else, and they asked him to recite it to the attendees in Mu'awiyah's gathering. He gathered his thoughts, his mind, and his heart to narrate that terrifying hadith to them. Because of its terror, he could not immediately speak the hadith, for the terror of the hadith overcame him, and weeping overcame him. Then he controlled himself and prepared to speak the hadith, but he could not do so until the third time. Finally, may Allah be pleased with him, he was able to gather himself and said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Here is the point So this person did not seek a job. The issue is not limited to seeking knowledge to be an imam, a preacher, a mufti, a judge, and so on. The important thing is that he intends the Face of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, with it. Otherwise, the things that divert from sincerity in worship are many and very numerous. Among them is what was mentioned in this hadith and refuge is sought in Allah. The scholar, whose right, as Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: his right is to be in the high ranks of the Gardens. But this one was thrown into the Fire. Why? Because he did not make his learning of knowledge and teaching it to people sincere for Allah, Mighty and Majestic. As for why? What is the worldly goal? They are many and very numerous. One of them was mentioned in this hadith. Our Lord, Mighty and Majestic, says to this scholar on the Day of Resurrection: "What you sought behind your spreading of knowledge, you have obtained it." That is, people said, "What Allah willed, so-and-so is a scholar." And for this reason, I sometimes say, and I hope you will pay attention, that I am sometimes pleased with some fabricated hadiths. Why? Because they are sometimes true regarding some people. Among those hadiths is what is said: And I do not know about the saying In the end, it says: The truth is that the sincere are in danger. Why? Because the temptations, if I may use the expression, for this scholar and the incentives are many and very numerous. It is enough to just imagine him as a student of knowledge for Allah first, then a spreader of knowledge for Allah—may Allah have mercy on you. I want now to quote from that fabricated hadith because it is Arabic, and this spreader of knowledge for Allah is in danger. Why? Because he is pointed to with the finger. If he is pointed to with the finger, here remains the fear that his foot may slip, except for those whom Allah protects, and they are few. Therefore, it is a very, very confirmed obligation on every one who engages in seeking and spreading knowledge that his psychological state be, as they say in some Syrian countries, like one who walks on eggs. How does one who wants to walk on eggs want to walk?

The questioner : Like one who walks on one foot.

The Shaykh : Yes, he fears that his foot may slip, so he is truly in danger. What about one who begins seeking knowledge not for the sake of knowledge? What about one who spreads knowledge not for... and I retract my word "for knowledge" and put its alternative "for Allah." Because "knowledge for knowledge" is a foreign expression, because they do not have anything they seek for the Face of Allah, but only for knowledge. So this is a slip of the tongue, we withdraw it and retract it, and we say its alternative is "for Allah." So the one who seeks knowledge for Allah and spreads it for Allah is in danger, because he will be pointed to with the finger. And it has come in some hadiths what indicates this danger. I do not know if any of you can remind us of a hadith with the meaning that he is obscure and not pointed to with the fingers. Do you remember such a hadith?

The questioner : In a hadith, "Indeed, Allah loves the hidden servant."

The Shaykh : This is correct. But I do not think this one includes being pointed to with the finger Yes. But there is a hadith, truly terrifying, where one is pointed to with the fingers. So the point is, I think you got the answer to your question?

The questioner : Yes, yes, but there is a continuation to the question.

The Shaykh: Go ahead.