What are the matters that help the student of knowledge in understanding? And the matters that help him in balance and weight?

The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you. What are the matters that help the student of knowledge specifically, and the Muslim generally, in weight and balance, meaning leaving off lightness? What are the practical matters that help in that? And what are the matters that help him in understanding as well?

The Shaykh : Regarding what?

The questioner : Understanding, understanding the texts, and these things.

The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. As for the matter of understanding, it is a favor from Allah that He grants to whom He wills. Therefore, when "Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked: Did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) leave you with anything? He said: He did not leave us with anything except understanding, which Allah the Exalted grants to a servant in His Book, or what is in this sheet". His saying "except understanding" indicates that people differ greatly in understanding, and that is indeed the case. Some people read a verse from the Book of Allah and extract many rulings from it, while others read it and extract nothing from it. Yes. And look at "'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) when the Ansar said to him: O Commander of the Faithful, how do you bring Abdullah ibn Abbas, who is one of the young people, and leave our sons? So he was silent, and one day he gathered them and said to them: What do you say about the saying of Allah the Exalted:

⁽¹⁾ When the victory of Allah has come and the conquest, ⁽²⁾ And you see the people entering into the religion of Allah in multitudes, ⁽³⁾ Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.

إذا جاء نصر الله والفتح ورأيت الناس يدخلون في دين الله أفواجاً فسبح بحمد ربك واستغفره إنه كان توابا

[An-Nasr 110:1-3]

What do you say about it? What do you say? They meant they interpreted it by its apparent meaning. They said: Allah commanded His Prophet that when victory and opening come, he should seek forgiveness from Allah and glorify Him with His praise. So he said: What do you say, O Ibn Abbas? He said: I say that it is the end of the Messenger of Allah, meaning that Allah said to him: when this happens, nothing remains for you except to conclude your life with seeking forgiveness and glorification. He said: By Allah, I did not understand from it except this". So understanding is not something that can be strictly controlled, but there is no doubt that if a person practices reflection and comprehension, it increases, because this is an instinct, and instincts increase with acquisition. All instincts increase with acquisition. As for the matter of deliberation and discipline in action and speech, this is also achieved through flexibility. It is also a nature, both innate and acquired. Some people, by their nature, are calm, to the point that it is as if they cut off speech abruptly. So when they address you, you say: why is this person not speaking quickly? And some people are the opposite; there is lightness in their speech, their actions, and their mind. So it is a favor from Allah that He grants to whom He wills, but all these matters can be achieved through practice and acquisition.

The questioner : O Shaykh, these means that help in acquisition, is there...

The Shaykh : Flexibility. A person trains himself.

The questioner : For example,

The Shaykh : If he rushes one day, he thinks: how did I not deliberate? Why do I speak? Then, if the matter turns to an action between leaving it and doing it, he gives preference to the side of leaving it, because if you leave it, you are safe, except for what necessity requires rushing in, and that is another matter. Yes.