A word by the Shaykh encouraging the seeking of Islamic knowledge.

The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
As for what follows:
This is the thirteenth session after the hundredth of the Open Door sessions.
The student: Two hundred.

The Shaykh : After the two hundred sessions known as the Open Door sessions, which take place every Thursday. This Thursday is the twenty-ninth of the month of Jumada al-Ula in the year 1420. We open this session with what we should open this academic year with. This academic year is when people begin their academic work, from primary school to postgraduate studies. And what is required in welcoming it is
First, to be sincere in one's intention for Allah the Mighty and Majestic, so that a person intends by his seeking of knowledge the pleasure of Allah the Mighty and Majestic and obedience to His command, for Allah commanded knowledge and encouraged it. He the Exalted said: And Allah the Exalted said: Encouraging something implies commanding it. And there is no doubt that this Islamic Shari'ah is established upon knowledge and action, and Allah the Exalted made knowledge equivalent to jihad in His cause. He the Exalted said: So Allah the Exalted made it clear that it is not possible for the believers to all go out for jihad in the cause of Allah. And this indicates that jihad in the cause of Allah cannot be an individual obligation for every person, like the prayers, for example. Rather, it is necessary that every aspect of the Islamic Shari'ah have its people who carry it out. He said: From every group, a faction. Not every group from the tribes or countries, but a faction, so that those who remain behind may gain understanding in the religion. For the meaning of the verse is: "Why should not there go out from every group of them a faction, and remain a faction, to gain understanding in the religion, and to warn their people when they return to them, so that they may guard themselves." So if you know that seeking knowledge is equivalent to jihad in the cause of Allah, then know that it is jihad in the cause of Allah. And in some cases, jihad is not possible except through knowledge. For example, the hypocrites cannot be fought with weapons, because when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked for permission to kill them, he refused and said: And because hypocrisy is concealed. And we are commanded to deal with people according to what appears of their state in this world, while in the Hereafter, their affair is with Allah. So the hypocrite, for example, cannot be fought with weapons, but rather with knowledge, and argument in the best manner, and warning, and the like.
Second, that the student of knowledge should be adorned with what he has learned of knowledge, for he is the first one responsible for representing or applying his knowledge. For knowledge is either for you or against you, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And there is nothing in between, neither for you nor against you. Rather, it is for you when? When you act upon it. And it is against you if you do not act upon it. So you, if you are a student of knowledge, are holding a weapon. Either it is aimed at your chest, or it is for you to defend yourself with it. So it is obligatory for the student of knowledge, when he learns something of the matters of the religion, to be the first to act upon it. If it is a command, he does it. If it is a prohibition, he avoids it. And because when a person acts upon his knowledge, Allah blesses him in his work, preserves it for him, and increases him in it. As He the Exalted said: And because when the student of knowledge acts upon his knowledge, people trust him, and he becomes a model for the Muslims in his speech and his actions. And how many there are who imitate the scholar in his action more than his speech. And how many there are who criticize the scholar more and more when they see that he does not apply his knowledge. For they say, "If he were truthful in his knowledge, he would be the first to act upon it." So upon you, my brother, is the duty to act upon what you have learned, so that Allah may bless you in your knowledge and benefit people through you more. And the student of knowledge should call to Allah the Exalted with his knowledge. Rather, it is obligatory for him to call to Allah with his knowledge, for when Allah the Exalted teaches you knowledge, He has taken a covenant from you to make it clear and to call to Allah with it. Allah the Exalted said: And a man who does not call people with his knowledge is worse than a book, for the book may benefit people in the future, while this one who does not call is a useless stone. So it is obligatory for everyone to whom Allah has given knowledge to convey it, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Do not say, "I have not reached the level of ijtihad." When you know a matter and are certain of it, teach it to the people and convey it to them. And do not belittle yourself. For if you teach a person and he benefits, and he teaches another and he benefits, you will have a share of their rewards. For the one who points to good is like the one who does it. But in this case, it is necessary to be certain of the knowledge, for some people call while they think they are scholars, but they are not. So it is obligatory to be certain, either from a scholar you trust, or if you have the ability to understand the matters from the books, then do so. And the student of knowledge should strive to spread his knowledge in every opportunity, in gatherings, in societies, in newspapers and magazines, in pamphlets, in letters. The important thing is that he spreads his knowledge as much as he can, for if he does that, he will gain much good, and his good will be better than the good of the merchant who spends his money day and night for those who benefit from it. And knowledge has no cost in its spreading and clarification, and it does not decrease by being given, but rather it increases. As it was said about knowledge:
"It increases with much spending of it *** And decreases if you hold it back tightly"
And the student of knowledge should record what he has learned, especially the rules, guidelines, and rare issues, so that he does not lose them. For often a person recalls a rare issue that is not close at hand, which a person can grasp with the slightest reflection, and then he relies on his memory and says, "This, if Allah wills, I will not forget," and he forgets it quickly. So record the issues, especially the rare ones, or the rules, or the guidelines, so that you have a reserve. And it was said: "Record knowledge with writing" And it was said: "Knowledge is a hunt, and writing is its tether"
"... *** Tether your hunts with strong ropes
So it is foolishness to hunt a gazelle *** and then leave it free among the people
And the student of knowledge should respect his teacher and place him in the position of a father. For if the father feeds you with what sustains the body, this one feeds you with what sustains faith and action. So respect the teacher as much as possible. And respecting the teacher leads to productivity, for if the teacher sees that his students respect him, he respects them and increases in his productivity and in teaching them. But if the matter is the opposite, the matter is reversed. That is, if the professor sees from his students that they do not respect him, he does not respect them and does not strive for their benefit. Rather, he teaches them while hating to meet them. So respect the teacher. And if he makes a mistake and you are certain of his mistake, do not stand up before the students to refute him, for this is not appropriate, and this leads to diminishing the teacher. And if the students diminish the teacher, they do not benefit from him. Rather, you can leave it until he leaves the place of the lesson, and then speak to him calmly, and clarify to him what you saw of his mistake. For perhaps you are the one who is mistaken. So if understanding is reached, it is necessary to arrive at the truth with good intention. So if the professor retracts his mistake in the next meeting, that is what is required. And if he does not retract it, then at that time you have an excuse to stand up and raise an objection. Do not raise a teaching, meaning do not stand up as if you are his teacher, saying, "Professor, you made a mistake," for example. But raise an objection, saying, "If someone said such and such," so that the matter is completed in the required manner with respect for the teacher or the scholar. I ask Allah the Exalted to make this year a year of good and blessing, and to grant us the ability to act upon what we have learned with sincerity and following. Indeed, He is capable of all things. And now to the questions, and we start from the right. And each person has one question.