The benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: << ولقد ءاتينا داوود وسليمان علما وقالا الحمد لله الذي فضلنا على كثير من عباده المؤمنين >
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Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Naml: 15].
It is derived from this verse: an explanation of what Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) bestowed upon Dawud and Sulayman, as He said: [Surat al-Naml: 15].
It also contains evidence of Allah the Exalted praising Himself, because His self-praise for granting Dawud and Sulayman knowledge is a form of praise. Is this praiseworthy for the creation, that a person praises himself for his own excellence, or is it not?
This is not praiseworthy unless there is a benefit for others in it, not just for yourself. As for Allah the Exalted, He praises Himself to praise Himself. But you do not do this. However, if there is a benefit for others, such as a person mentioning something about himself so that people may follow him in good, then there is nothing wrong with it. Or if it is so that people may benefit from what he has, then there is nothing wrong with that either.
Even Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "If I knew that someone the camels call more knowledgeable than me in the Book of Allah, I would go to him".
And the scholars have always praised their books. Ibn Malik says:
It brings the farthest near with concise wording
And it demands satisfaction without anger
And it expands generosity with a fulfilled promise
Surpassing Ibn Ma'it's Thousand Verses
The student: When did he say "Surpassing..."?
The Shaykh : The important thing in any case is that such a thing is not for the person's own benefit; it is for the benefit of others, so that they may benefit from this author, for example.
The student: ...?
The Shaykh : In any case, we are talking about what is not in ... although in reality, a person may strive no matter what, but ... meaning, if he rectifies his relationship with his Lord, he does not care about people.
The important point in this verse is evidence of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) praising Himself with what He bestowed upon His servants, as He said: [Surat al-Naml: 15].
The third point: Did we mention the virtue of Dawud and Sulayman?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : The virtue of Dawud and Sulayman, ... the virtue of Dawud and Sulayman, and that they were worthy of this blessing, because Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) says: [Surat al-An'am: 124]. So no favor that Allah gives to a servant is given out of place, because Allah is Wise.
The student: .....
The Shaykh : Yes. And it contains evidence of the virtue of knowledge, as He said: [Surat al-Naml: 15].
And there is no doubt in the virtue of knowledge. Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Zumar: 9]. But the question remains: what is the knowledge that is praised? This is what people are currently debating: what is the knowledge that is praised?
What is meant by it is the knowledge of the Shari'ah. This is the knowledge that is praised. As for anything other than the knowledge of the Shari'ah, it is not praised except where it leads to something praiseworthy. Anything other than the Shari'ah is not praised except where it leads to a praiseworthy matter.
This is the opposite of what people are like today. Many ignorant people praise knowledge other than the Shari'ah. Some people, and may Allah protect us from that, think that the knowledge of the Shari'ah has lagged behind, and that the knowledge of nature has advanced. For this reason, these scholars praise crafts and the layers of the earth... and so on. You will find, for example, someone praising it by saying: "This is the origin of knowledge," or "This is the knowledge..." and the like. Or if he sees strange crafts, he says: "Yes, knowledge... knowledge." Meaning: there is no doubt that today this era is preferred over the era of the Companions. This is not what is intended.
Whenever Allah praises knowledge, this is not what is intended. Rather, what is intended is the knowledge of the Shari'ah, because the knowledge of the Shari'ah is what benefits the creation. Even the knowledge of the Shari'ah is what guides them to these sciences that they praise, because Allah commands us to strive in the earth [Surat al-Mulk: 15], [Surat al-A'raf: 185], and the like.
So the conclusion is: the knowledge that Allah bestowed upon Dawud and Sulayman and praised them for is the knowledge of the Shari'ah. And so is all the praise of knowledge in the texts; it is the knowledge of the Shari'ah, because it is the one that is praised for its own sake. As for what else, when is it praised?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : If it leads to a praiseworthy matter. Otherwise, if it leads to a blameworthy matter, it is blameworthy. And if it leads to a matter that is neither praised nor blamed, then it is neither praised nor blamed...
And We had certainly given to David and Solomon knowledge, and they said, "Praise [is due] to Allah, who has favored us over many of His believing servants."
وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا دَاوُدَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ عِلْمًا وَقَالا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي فَضَّلَنَا عَلَى كَثِيرٍ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَIt is derived from this verse: an explanation of what Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) bestowed upon Dawud and Sulayman, as He said:
And We had certainly given to David and Solomon knowledge
وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا دَاوُدَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ عِلْمًاIt also contains evidence of Allah the Exalted praising Himself, because His self-praise for granting Dawud and Sulayman knowledge is a form of praise. Is this praiseworthy for the creation, that a person praises himself for his own excellence, or is it not?
This is not praiseworthy unless there is a benefit for others in it, not just for yourself. As for Allah the Exalted, He praises Himself to praise Himself. But you do not do this. However, if there is a benefit for others, such as a person mentioning something about himself so that people may follow him in good, then there is nothing wrong with it. Or if it is so that people may benefit from what he has, then there is nothing wrong with that either.
Even Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "If I knew that someone the camels call more knowledgeable than me in the Book of Allah, I would go to him".
And the scholars have always praised their books. Ibn Malik says:
It brings the farthest near with concise wording
And it demands satisfaction without anger
And it expands generosity with a fulfilled promise
Surpassing Ibn Ma'it's Thousand Verses
The student: When did he say "Surpassing..."?
The Shaykh : The important thing in any case is that such a thing is not for the person's own benefit; it is for the benefit of others, so that they may benefit from this author, for example.
The student: ...?
The Shaykh : In any case, we are talking about what is not in ... although in reality, a person may strive no matter what, but ... meaning, if he rectifies his relationship with his Lord, he does not care about people.
The important point in this verse is evidence of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) praising Himself with what He bestowed upon His servants, as He said:
And We had certainly given to David and Solomon knowledge
وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا دَاوُدَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ عِلْمًاThe third point: Did we mention the virtue of Dawud and Sulayman?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : The virtue of Dawud and Sulayman, ... the virtue of Dawud and Sulayman, and that they were worthy of this blessing, because Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) says:
Allah is most knowing of where He places His message
اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُThe student: .....
The Shaykh : Yes. And it contains evidence of the virtue of knowledge, as He said:
And We had certainly given to David and Solomon knowledge
وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا دَاوُدَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ عِلْمًاAnd there is no doubt in the virtue of knowledge. Allah the Exalted said:
Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?"
قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لا يَعْلَمُونَWhat is meant by it is the knowledge of the Shari'ah. This is the knowledge that is praised. As for anything other than the knowledge of the Shari'ah, it is not praised except where it leads to something praiseworthy. Anything other than the Shari'ah is not praised except where it leads to a praiseworthy matter.
This is the opposite of what people are like today. Many ignorant people praise knowledge other than the Shari'ah. Some people, and may Allah protect us from that, think that the knowledge of the Shari'ah has lagged behind, and that the knowledge of nature has advanced. For this reason, these scholars praise crafts and the layers of the earth... and so on. You will find, for example, someone praising it by saying: "This is the origin of knowledge," or "This is the knowledge..." and the like. Or if he sees strange crafts, he says: "Yes, knowledge... knowledge." Meaning: there is no doubt that today this era is preferred over the era of the Companions. This is not what is intended.
Whenever Allah praises knowledge, this is not what is intended. Rather, what is intended is the knowledge of the Shari'ah, because the knowledge of the Shari'ah is what benefits the creation. Even the knowledge of the Shari'ah is what guides them to these sciences that they praise, because Allah commands us to strive in the earth
It is He who made the earth tame for you - so walk among its slopes and eat of His
هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الأَرْضَ ذَلُولًا فَامْشُوا فِي مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا مِنْ رِزْقِهِDo they not look into the realm of the heavens and the earth
أَوَلَمْ يَنظُرُوا فِي مَلَكُوتِ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِSo the conclusion is: the knowledge that Allah bestowed upon Dawud and Sulayman and praised them for is the knowledge of the Shari'ah. And so is all the praise of knowledge in the texts; it is the knowledge of the Shari'ah, because it is the one that is praised for its own sake. As for what else, when is it praised?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : If it leads to a praiseworthy matter. Otherwise, if it leads to a blameworthy matter, it is blameworthy. And if it leads to a matter that is neither praised nor blamed, then it is neither praised nor blamed...