(Ibn al-Qayyim’s description of the muqallid) And knowledge is knowing the guidance by its evidence *** What is that, and is following a scholar without knowing his evidence equal to it? We have been distressed by you, and by Allah, you are not with the *** scholars
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Then he explained true knowledge, saying:
"Knowledge is knowing the guidance by its evidence ***" What Allah willed, this knowledge means that you know the guidance, meaning the truth, by evidence; otherwise, you are not a scholar.
"*** What is that, and is following a scholar without knowing his evidence equal to it?"
"We have been distressed by you ***" meaning that you have confused us; we do not know what you are.
"And by Allah, you are not with the *** scholars who submit to the proof"
Because the scholar, in reality, is the one who submits to the truth wherever he finds it.
"No, nor are you students ***" Not scholars, nor students.
"So who do you see *** you call?" What should we call you? He said:
"*** We consider you to be among the oxen" This is the best description of you; we should say you are oxen. Then he said:
"But they ***" meaning the oxen.
"By Allah, are more beneficial to you *** to the earth in plowing and in treading"
Plowing is clear, and treading is threshing. They used to tread the grain with cows. Do you know this? Yes, they would place a wooden post standing upright in the middle of the grain, then tie the cows to it like this, then drive the cows to circle around this post and tread the grain until it becomes a kernel. So he says they are better than you in plowing and in treading.
"They have brought good to the earth ***" meaning the earth.
"And from you they have taken *** the customary oppression and aggression"
"And from you they have taken *** the customary oppression and aggression"
"So who is better and more beneficial to the people, *** you or the oxen, by the proof?"
The student: ... the oxen.
The Shaykh : Yes, the oxen. Yes, yes.
The student: The plural of ox.
The Shaykh : ... The plural of ox. Yes, Glory be to Allah.
"Knowledge is knowing the guidance by its evidence ***" What Allah willed, this knowledge means that you know the guidance, meaning the truth, by evidence; otherwise, you are not a scholar.
"*** What is that, and is following a scholar without knowing his evidence equal to it?"
"We have been distressed by you ***" meaning that you have confused us; we do not know what you are.
"And by Allah, you are not with the *** scholars who submit to the proof"
Because the scholar, in reality, is the one who submits to the truth wherever he finds it.
"No, nor are you students ***" Not scholars, nor students.
"So who do you see *** you call?" What should we call you? He said:
"*** We consider you to be among the oxen" This is the best description of you; we should say you are oxen. Then he said:
"But they ***" meaning the oxen.
"By Allah, are more beneficial to you *** to the earth in plowing and in treading"
Plowing is clear, and treading is threshing. They used to tread the grain with cows. Do you know this? Yes, they would place a wooden post standing upright in the middle of the grain, then tie the cows to it like this, then drive the cows to circle around this post and tread the grain until it becomes a kernel. So he says they are better than you in plowing and in treading.
"They have brought good to the earth ***" meaning the earth.
"And from you they have taken *** the customary oppression and aggression"
"And from you they have taken *** the customary oppression and aggression"
"So who is better and more beneficial to the people, *** you or the oxen, by the proof?"
The student: ... the oxen.
The Shaykh : Yes, the oxen. Yes, yes.
The student: The plural of ox.
The Shaykh : ... The plural of ox. Yes, Glory be to Allah.