The people of Madinah welcoming the Shaykh
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The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. In truth, O honorable Shaykh, many students of knowledge welcome you and wish that you would stay longer in Madinah. What is your response?
The Shaykh : Yes, my response to this is that I also welcome meeting you, just as they welcome meeting us. And praise be to Allah, I am pleased with what I have seen of people’s eagerness for knowledge and their attendance at circles of knowledge, whether in our circles or in those of others. This is a blessing from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). People’s turning to Islamic sacred law is a matter that delights every believer. However, it is obligatory for every student of knowledge, when he learns a matter in the Shari'ah of Allah, to act upon it, rather than to learn theoretical knowledge that has no effect on his religion, his morals, or his dealings. And this is the important aspect of knowledge: that it be a means to rectify action and worship. Allah the Exalted said:[Sad 38:29].
As for frequently coming to Madinah, I agree with them on this, and I love to come to Madinah often. First: because I have seen, praise be to Allah, an intense eagerness for knowledge among its people.
Second: it is Taybah, the place of migration of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madinah, he said: This indicates that the Messenger disliked the city being called Yathrib, because it is from *tathrib*, which is blame. As for His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Ahzab 33:13] This is the saying of the hypocrites: [Al-Ahzab 33:13]. It is Taybah and Tabah, and the Prophet’s city, and similar words that befit this land. So I love this, but our many engagements do not allow us to give ourselves what they wish.
The questioner : May Allah assist you, O Shaykh, and may Allah reward us with good for your sake.
The Shaykh : Yes, my response to this is that I also welcome meeting you, just as they welcome meeting us. And praise be to Allah, I am pleased with what I have seen of people’s eagerness for knowledge and their attendance at circles of knowledge, whether in our circles or in those of others. This is a blessing from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). People’s turning to Islamic sacred law is a matter that delights every believer. However, it is obligatory for every student of knowledge, when he learns a matter in the Shari'ah of Allah, to act upon it, rather than to learn theoretical knowledge that has no effect on his religion, his morals, or his dealings. And this is the important aspect of knowledge: that it be a means to rectify action and worship. Allah the Exalted said:
[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.
كتاب أنزلناه إليكم مبارك ليتدبروا آياته و ليتذكر أولو الألبابAs for frequently coming to Madinah, I agree with them on this, and I love to come to Madinah often. First: because I have seen, praise be to Allah, an intense eagerness for knowledge among its people.
Second: it is Taybah, the place of migration of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madinah, he said:
They say, "Yathrib," but it is Taybah, or he said, "It is Tabah, which expels impurity"
يقولون يثرب وهي طيبة أو قال وهي طابة تنفي الخبثO people of Yathrib, there is no stability for you
يا أهل يثرب لا مقام لكمAnd when a faction of them said, "O people of Yathrib, there is no stability for you
وإذ قالت طائفة منهم يا أهل يثرب لا مقام لكمThe questioner : May Allah assist you, O Shaykh, and may Allah reward us with good for your sake.