The Role of the Student of Sacred Knowledge in Society
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
How can the student of sacred knowledge fulfill his role in society; in terms of reform and guidance regarding problems at all levels of society?
Answer:
He must do what is within his capacity. Allah the Exalted says: [Al-Taghabun:16], and He says: [Al-Baqarah:286], and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 7288.
So the student of knowledge does not stop at a limit—as mentioned earlier—but rather he is among the reformers in his home, with his neighbors, and with others. He is among those who advise Allah and His servants wherever he is. He is among the guides in his mosque, in his home, while traveling by plane, at the airport, in the car, and in every place. He is among those who enjoin good and forbid evil wherever he is, with wisdom, good admonition, and gentleness—according to his capacity. However, he must be certain, and he must have knowledge and insight in what he calls to and what he forbids.
And he warns against speaking about Allah without knowledge; for that is among the greatest of major sins. Allah the Exalted has placed speaking about Him without knowledge in a rank above shirk (associating partners with Allah) in His saying in Surat al-A'raf: [Al-A'raf:33].
And He informed that Satan commands people to speak about Allah without knowledge, as Allah the Exalted said in Surat al-Baqarah:[Al-Baqarah 2:168] INDEED, HE ONLY COMMANDS YOU TO [COMMIT] EVIL AND [COMMIT] INDECENCY AND THAT YOU SAY ABOUT ALLAH WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW [Al-Baqarah:168-169].
And He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in Surat al-Fatir: [Fatir:6].
We ask Allah to guide all Muslims to everything that pleases Him, and to protect them from speaking without knowledge and from the whispers of Satan; indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the Near.
How can the student of sacred knowledge fulfill his role in society; in terms of reform and guidance regarding problems at all levels of society?
Answer:
He must do what is within his capacity. Allah the Exalted says:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْAllah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَاAnd if I order you to do something, then do of it as much as you can.
إذا أمرتكم بأمر فأتوا منه ما استطعتمSo the student of knowledge does not stop at a limit—as mentioned earlier—but rather he is among the reformers in his home, with his neighbors, and with others. He is among those who advise Allah and His servants wherever he is. He is among the guides in his mosque, in his home, while traveling by plane, at the airport, in the car, and in every place. He is among those who enjoin good and forbid evil wherever he is, with wisdom, good admonition, and gentleness—according to his capacity. However, he must be certain, and he must have knowledge and insight in what he calls to and what he forbids.
And he warns against speaking about Allah without knowledge; for that is among the greatest of major sins. Allah the Exalted has placed speaking about Him without knowledge in a rank above shirk (associating partners with Allah) in His saying in Surat al-A'raf:
Say, "My Lord has only forbidden immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed - and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know."
قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُواْ بِاللّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى اللّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَAnd He informed that Satan commands people to speak about Allah without knowledge, as Allah the Exalted said in Surat al-Baqarah:
O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُواْ مِمَّا فِي الأَرْضِ حَلاَلًا طَيِّبًا وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ And He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in Surat al-Fatir:
Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy. He only invites his party to be among the companions of the Blaze.
إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّا إِنَّمَا يَدْعُو حِزْبَهُ لِيَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِWe ask Allah to guide all Muslims to everything that pleases Him, and to protect them from speaking without knowledge and from the whispers of Satan; indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the Near.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.