Explanation of the author's statement: "…and beneficial knowledge encompasses every knowledge that brings good and well-being to the Muslim community in this world and the Hereafter"
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : He said: "And beneficial knowledge encompasses every knowledge that brings good and well-being to the Muslim community in this world and the Hereafter". What is meant by this world?
The student: This world
The Shaykh : This world is the worldly life, and the Hereafter is the afterlife. "And the first thing that falls under this is knowledge of the names of Allah, His attributes, and His actions". This is the first thing that falls under it, for the most beneficial thing by which one learns these three matters is the names of Allah, His attributes, and His actions. This is more important than knowing about Paradise and Hell and the like, because it is not possible for a person to worship Allah while not knowing His names or His attributes. How can he worship? Does he worship something unknown? That is impossible.
The author, Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), presented this introduction to serve as a preamble for refuting those who deny the divine attributes who said, "The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not clarify the truth regarding the names of Allah and His attributes, and He left that to our minds". We, who say that this is obligatory for Allah and that is impossible, the Messenger did not state this. We say this is incorrect. Guidance and the religion of truth, the first thing that falls under guidance is knowledge of the names of Allah, His attributes, and His actions. This is the first thing that falls under it and the most worthy of falling under the beneficial knowledge brought by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The student: This world
The Shaykh : This world is the worldly life, and the Hereafter is the afterlife. "And the first thing that falls under this is knowledge of the names of Allah, His attributes, and His actions". This is the first thing that falls under it, for the most beneficial thing by which one learns these three matters is the names of Allah, His attributes, and His actions. This is more important than knowing about Paradise and Hell and the like, because it is not possible for a person to worship Allah while not knowing His names or His attributes. How can he worship? Does he worship something unknown? That is impossible.
The author, Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), presented this introduction to serve as a preamble for refuting those who deny the divine attributes who said, "The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not clarify the truth regarding the names of Allah and His attributes, and He left that to our minds". We, who say that this is obligatory for Allah and that is impossible, the Messenger did not state this. We say this is incorrect. Guidance and the religion of truth, the first thing that falls under guidance is knowledge of the names of Allah, His attributes, and His actions. This is the first thing that falls under it and the most worthy of falling under the beneficial knowledge brought by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).