Is it permissible for students of Islamic knowledge to miss some lectures on the pretext of studying for an exam (reviewing) in another subject, and is there any advice for the student?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : We conclude this session with a question from a female listener, M.S. from Imam University. She asks: Is it permissible for students of Islamic knowledge to miss some lectures on the pretext of studying for an exam in another subject, especially if the student is negligent at the beginning when the exams or the semester end approach, so that he misses lectures to study? And is there any advice for the student of knowledge and a recommendation to give knowledge its due? I ask you to provide us with information?
The Shaykh : As for the issue of permissibility and impermissibility, I am unable to issue a ruling on it with certainty. A person is the best judge of his own state, and I do not know if a person is deducted from his grade for missing a lecture, whether he should miss it or not.
As for the advice, my advice to every person who enters a university where Islamic knowledge and the supporting sciences are sought is to be sincere to Allah the Exalted in seeking knowledge by intending thereby to remove ignorance from himself and from other Muslims, and by intending thereby to preserve the Shari'ah of Allah and protect it from its enemies, and to defend it to the best of his ability with his speech and his pen, until he fulfills what is obligatory upon him. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "There is nothing that surpasses knowledge for one whose intention is sound". They said, "How is that, O Abu 'Abdullah?" He said: "He intends thereby to remove ignorance from himself and from others". And he said (may Allah have mercy on him): "Studying with others one night is more beloved to me than staying up in worship". This indicates the virtue of seeking knowledge, but with the condition of sincerity. Even if there were no virtue in knowledge other than the fact that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, made the scholars witnesses to His oneness of worship and His tawhid (the oneness of Allah) in His saying:[Ali 'Imran 3:18].
The scholars are the heirs of the prophets. They inherited from them in knowledge, and they inherited from them in action, and they inherited from them in morals, and they inherited from them in calling to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. So let a person give this inheritance its due and fulfill his obligation, so that he may be with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favor, from among the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous.
We ask Allah the Exalted to make us among them.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : And to gather us with them in the Gardens of Pleasure.
The questioner : O Allah, amen. Thank you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : As for the issue of permissibility and impermissibility, I am unable to issue a ruling on it with certainty. A person is the best judge of his own state, and I do not know if a person is deducted from his grade for missing a lecture, whether he should miss it or not.
As for the advice, my advice to every person who enters a university where Islamic knowledge and the supporting sciences are sought is to be sincere to Allah the Exalted in seeking knowledge by intending thereby to remove ignorance from himself and from other Muslims, and by intending thereby to preserve the Shari'ah of Allah and protect it from its enemies, and to defend it to the best of his ability with his speech and his pen, until he fulfills what is obligatory upon him. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "There is nothing that surpasses knowledge for one whose intention is sound". They said, "How is that, O Abu 'Abdullah?" He said: "He intends thereby to remove ignorance from himself and from others". And he said (may Allah have mercy on him): "Studying with others one night is more beloved to me than staying up in worship". This indicates the virtue of seeking knowledge, but with the condition of sincerity. Even if there were no virtue in knowledge other than the fact that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, made the scholars witnesses to His oneness of worship and His tawhid (the oneness of Allah) in His saying:
Allah witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge
شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لا إِلهَ إِلّا هُوَ وَالمَلائِكَةُ وَأُولُو العِلمِThe scholars are the heirs of the prophets. They inherited from them in knowledge, and they inherited from them in action, and they inherited from them in morals, and they inherited from them in calling to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. So let a person give this inheritance its due and fulfill his obligation, so that he may be with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favor, from among the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous.
We ask Allah the Exalted to make us among them.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : And to gather us with them in the Gardens of Pleasure.
The questioner : O Allah, amen. Thank you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you.