Is it permissible for students of knowledge to delay from the front rows due to attending lessons?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on what students of knowledge do, which is leaving the front rows in the mosque and praying in the place where the lesson is held, where it is mentioned in the hadith: Sunan Ibn Majah 978Sahih (Darussalam)?
The Shaykh : We say that their attendance at the lesson and the gatherings of dhikr is undoubtedly among the best of deeds, until Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Knowledge is not matched by anything for one whose intention is sound". They said: How is the intention sound? He said: "He intends to remove ignorance from himself and from people". And there is no doubt that advancing to the first row is better than delaying. So now there is a conflict between two benefits: the benefit of knowledge and its acquisition, and the benefit of advancing in the first row. Knowledge is better than advancing to the first row because knowledge is jihad in the path of Allah, so a person's striving for it is better than his striving to be in the first row. And if it is possible to combine the two matters, so that he is in the first row or what follows it, and he attends the lesson in a way that he benefits from his attendance, then this is undoubtedly more complete. It is not hidden from you all that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2646Sahih (Darussalam).
If people continue to lag behind, Allah will put them back.
لا يزال قوم يتأخرون حتى يؤخرهم اللهThe Shaykh : We say that their attendance at the lesson and the gatherings of dhikr is undoubtedly among the best of deeds, until Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Knowledge is not matched by anything for one whose intention is sound". They said: How is the intention sound? He said: "He intends to remove ignorance from himself and from people". And there is no doubt that advancing to the first row is better than delaying. So now there is a conflict between two benefits: the benefit of knowledge and its acquisition, and the benefit of advancing in the first row. Knowledge is better than advancing to the first row because knowledge is jihad in the path of Allah, so a person's striving for it is better than his striving to be in the first row. And if it is possible to combine the two matters, so that he is in the first row or what follows it, and he attends the lesson in a way that he benefits from his attendance, then this is undoubtedly more complete. It is not hidden from you all that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: