What is your advice to the brother teachers regarding how to make use of the vacation, and is it better to go to the summer centers or to travel to support their brothers abroad?
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The questioner : May Allah preserve you, O honorable Shaykh. We need guidance for the youth during this vacation, especially those among them who are teachers.
The Shaykh : Especially what?
The questioner : What is the advice for the brother teachers during this break? Is it better for them to travel to support their brothers in the East and the West with aid and the like?
The Shaykh : Yes, or is it better
The questioner : Or is it better for them to join the summer centers to preserve the youth, or to go to the scholars and benefit from the scholarly lessons that are found everywhere?
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : Then advice for those who waste their time during this break other than in these three ways.
The Shaykh : First, I do not think we should call this break a vacation, because there is no vacation in the days of a believing person, nor even for a non-believer; everyone works:[Al-Inshiqaq 84:6] Yes, it is a vacation from regular schooling, but if it were called a break instead of a vacation, that would be good.
Second: regarding what you asked, is it better for the teachers to go here and there in the land of Allah to help their brothers, or to devote themselves to seeking knowledge, or to guiding the youth, or to calling people to Allah in the east, south, north, and west of the Saudi country? This varies according to the people and according to the needs.
So, for the man who is a vessel of knowledge in memorization, understanding, and comprehension, we say it is better for him to remain in seeking knowledge, because seeking knowledge, as Imam Ahmad said, has nothing to compare to it; it is better than jihad in the path of Allah if jihad is not individually obligatory, because Allah the Exalted said in His Book:[At-Tawbah 9:122] meaning, and a group remained that is, the group that remained [At-Tawbah 9:122].
So Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, made remaining to gain understanding in the religion equivalent to going out for jihad in the path of Allah, and it is better than it, because jihad is a branch of it, since jihad is not possible without knowledge. People need knowledge in all aspects of life: in worship, in morals, and in transactions. As for jihad in the path of Allah, people need it either to defend their religion and their Islamic homelands, or so that the word of Allah is the highest. Jihad is either defensive or offensive, but it is in a specific aspect of life, whereas knowledge is in all aspects. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Knowledge has nothing to compare to it for the one whose intention is sound." And if the man is not a vessel [of knowledge], that is one case. For the man who is a vessel of knowledge, we said it is better for him to remain in seeking knowledge. For the man who is not a vessel of knowledge, even if he sat in the circles, he would not understand or grasp anything, but he is aware of the conditions of jihad, strong in body, and strong in resolve, we say it is better for him to go out and fight in jihad.
A third man is not able to do either this or that, but he has persuasion and a style in calling and admonition; he attracts hearts with his eloquence and his admonition, he softens hearts, and he makes eyes weep. So we say to this man: travel and call people in the countries, because our country, we Saudis, needs students of knowledge to make the people understand and teach them.
For many of the outlying areas of the country have, as has reached us, much ignorance; they need students of knowledge to teach them. And we have tried this; some students traveled during the spring break to the southern region, and the people rejoiced greatly with these students, and they started following them everywhere, receiving from them and taking from them. And these are students, so how much more so if one who is higher in status than them went? He would have a great benefit.
As for the youth, I advise the youth to be keen to preserve their time and not to become accustomed to laziness and lethargy, and to stick to companions who are people of good, who guide them with sound guidance and preserve their religion and morals for them. For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And it is narrated from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Al-Mustadrak lil-Hakim 33:79.
So my advice to the youth is to be keen to accompany people of good, people of intellect, and people of deliberation and reflection, and to beware of bad companions, for bad companions are like fire that burns the garment bit by bit until it reaches the body and consumes it. And they should join the summer centers that are run by men who are trustworthy in religion, morals, thought, and guidance, or join the circles for memorizing the Qur'an, so that perhaps in this break they will memorize from the Book of Allah what they will memorize. For the best book and the most deserving book of care is the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. And we ask Allah for everyone success, and that He make us among those who preserve their time in what pleases Allah, Mighty and Majestic.
The Shaykh : Especially what?
The questioner : What is the advice for the brother teachers during this break? Is it better for them to travel to support their brothers in the East and the West with aid and the like?
The Shaykh : Yes, or is it better
The questioner : Or is it better for them to join the summer centers to preserve the youth, or to go to the scholars and benefit from the scholarly lessons that are found everywhere?
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : Then advice for those who waste their time during this break other than in these three ways.
The Shaykh : First, I do not think we should call this break a vacation, because there is no vacation in the days of a believing person, nor even for a non-believer; everyone works:
O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet it.
يا أيها الإنسان إنك كادح إلى ربك كدحا فملاقيهSecond: regarding what you asked, is it better for the teachers to go here and there in the land of Allah to help their brothers, or to devote themselves to seeking knowledge, or to guiding the youth, or to calling people to Allah in the east, south, north, and west of the Saudi country? This varies according to the people and according to the needs.
So, for the man who is a vessel of knowledge in memorization, understanding, and comprehension, we say it is better for him to remain in seeking knowledge, because seeking knowledge, as Imam Ahmad said, has nothing to compare to it; it is better than jihad in the path of Allah if jihad is not individually obligatory, because Allah the Exalted said in His Book:
And it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once. For there should separate from every division of them a group
وما كان المؤمنون لينفروا كافة فلولا نفر من كل فرقة منهم طائفةto gain understanding
ليتفقهواin the religion and warn their people when they return to them that they might be cautious.
في الدين ولينذروا قومهم إذا رجعوا إليهم لعلهم يحذرونSo Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, made remaining to gain understanding in the religion equivalent to going out for jihad in the path of Allah, and it is better than it, because jihad is a branch of it, since jihad is not possible without knowledge. People need knowledge in all aspects of life: in worship, in morals, and in transactions. As for jihad in the path of Allah, people need it either to defend their religion and their Islamic homelands, or so that the word of Allah is the highest. Jihad is either defensive or offensive, but it is in a specific aspect of life, whereas knowledge is in all aspects. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Knowledge has nothing to compare to it for the one whose intention is sound." And if the man is not a vessel [of knowledge], that is one case. For the man who is a vessel of knowledge, we said it is better for him to remain in seeking knowledge. For the man who is not a vessel of knowledge, even if he sat in the circles, he would not understand or grasp anything, but he is aware of the conditions of jihad, strong in body, and strong in resolve, we say it is better for him to go out and fight in jihad.
A third man is not able to do either this or that, but he has persuasion and a style in calling and admonition; he attracts hearts with his eloquence and his admonition, he softens hearts, and he makes eyes weep. So we say to this man: travel and call people in the countries, because our country, we Saudis, needs students of knowledge to make the people understand and teach them.
For many of the outlying areas of the country have, as has reached us, much ignorance; they need students of knowledge to teach them. And we have tried this; some students traveled during the spring break to the southern region, and the people rejoiced greatly with these students, and they started following them everywhere, receiving from them and taking from them. And these are students, so how much more so if one who is higher in status than them went? He would have a great benefit.
As for the youth, I advise the youth to be keen to preserve their time and not to become accustomed to laziness and lethargy, and to stick to companions who are people of good, who guide them with sound guidance and preserve their religion and morals for them. For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The example of a good companion is like a carrier of musk: either he gives you some, or he sells it to you, or you find a pleasant scent from him. And the example of a bad companion is like a bellower of the bellows: either he burns your clothes, or you find a foul smell from him.
مثل الجليس الصالح كحامل المسك إما أن يحذيك أو يبيعك أو تجد منه رائحة طيبة ومثل الجليس السوء كنافخ الكير إما أن يحرق ثيابك وإما أن تجد منه رائحة خبيثةA man follows the religion of his close friend, so let one of you look at whom he befriends.
المرء على دين خليله فلينظر أحدكم من يخاللSo my advice to the youth is to be keen to accompany people of good, people of intellect, and people of deliberation and reflection, and to beware of bad companions, for bad companions are like fire that burns the garment bit by bit until it reaches the body and consumes it. And they should join the summer centers that are run by men who are trustworthy in religion, morals, thought, and guidance, or join the circles for memorizing the Qur'an, so that perhaps in this break they will memorize from the Book of Allah what they will memorize. For the best book and the most deserving book of care is the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. And we ask Allah for everyone success, and that He make us among those who preserve their time in what pleases Allah, Mighty and Majestic.