He asks: What is the meaning of this hadith, which is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "When a person dies, his deeds are cut off except for three," and he mentioned among them knowledge that is benefited from?
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The questioner : He asks: What is the meaning of this hadith, which is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1376Sahih (Darussalam) and he mentioned among them
The Shaykh : The principle is that if knowledge is not benefited from, it becomes harmful, because knowledge is a weapon, either for you or against you, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 2437Sahih (Darussalam) So if the student does not benefit from the knowledge and it does not benefit others, then there is no reward for the one who taught it. This is because the reward of the teacher who died is a branch of the reward of the student who benefited from his knowledge. So if he did not benefit from his knowledge and it was not benefited from, where is the reward? But the question is: Is the deceased burdened with sin because the knowledge he taught this person was not benefited from by the person, but rather he was harmed by it? We say: No, the deceased is not burdened with sin in this case, because the deceased who taught intended with his knowledge to benefit creation.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So if they did not benefit from it, then he bears none of the burden of their sin. In any case, the hadith indicates that the deceased is not rewarded except with knowledge that is benefited from after him. As for knowledge that is not benefited from after him, he does not benefit from it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Just as His saying:Sahih Ibn Hibban 3:33 The restriction here may be to clarify the reality, because if a man teaches and his knowledge remains among the people, it is inevitable that someone will benefit from it. It may not be that everyone who learned from him benefits from it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But some of them benefit from it, so this restriction is not a restriction that excludes what is beyond it, but rather it is a restriction that clarifies the reality.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : You have done well. Also, the sender from Unaizah says:
When a person dies, his deeds are cut off except for three
إذا مات الميت انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاثKnowledge that is benefited from
علم ينتفع بهThe Shaykh : The principle is that if knowledge is not benefited from, it becomes harmful, because knowledge is a weapon, either for you or against you, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
and the Qur'an is proof, either for you or against you
والقرأن حجة لك أو عليكThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So if they did not benefit from it, then he bears none of the burden of their sin. In any case, the hadith indicates that the deceased is not rewarded except with knowledge that is benefited from after him. As for knowledge that is not benefited from after him, he does not benefit from it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Just as His saying:
Knowledge that is benefited from after him
علم ينتفع به من بعدهThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But some of them benefit from it, so this restriction is not a restriction that excludes what is beyond it, but rather it is a restriction that clarifies the reality.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : You have done well. Also, the sender from Unaizah says: