How do we address the problem of society turning away from the student of knowledge?
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Question: One of the greatest problems faced by the student of knowledge is that society turns away from him and from his knowledge. He does not feel that he has a proper place in society, because the materialistic society of this age measures people only by the material gain obtained from any work. So, what is the cure in your esteemed opinion?
And how should the student of knowledge act? Should he be in a special community where he can learn and live? Or what should he do? I ask you to give us the advice you gained from your shaykhs, and which your shaykhs gained from their shaykhs.
Answer: What the questioner said is not correct. The correct view is that knowledge elevates the people of knowledge and raises their status in every society. If he goes to America, England, France, or anywhere else, his knowledge will elevate him among the Muslim minorities and among those he calls to Allah with clear insight, even among the polytheists themselves. This is because they will submit to the truth when they know it through its clear evidence and the noble morals of its people.
Islam is the religion of fitrah (the innate natural disposition), the religion of justice and morals, the religion of strength, the religion of activity, the religion of mutual support, and the religion of every virtue.
The student of knowledge who proceeds with clear insight, who knows the scriptural evidence and the rulings of Islam and acts upon them, holds his head high wherever he is and is respected wherever he resides. This is especially true among his community and the people of his land, if they know from him knowledge, sincere advice, truthfulness, and the absence of haste that has no justification. Rather, he should be a wise physician who calls to Allah with wisdom and gentleness.
Such a person holds his head high and is respected wherever he is, whether in a village, a tribe, or elsewhere, if he is adorned with knowledge in both speech and action, and stays away from the morals of open sinners and criminals. He and those like him are beloved to Allah and to His righteous servants, as long as he knows and acts, advises his brothers, shows compassion to them, and strives to benefit them with his knowledge, his morals, his wealth, and his status. Just as the prophets and the righteous did.
The statement that the student of knowledge has no place in society and that no one pays attention to him is a false statement in its generality, not in accordance with reality, as we have explained.
The student of knowledge who is clear-sighted in his religion and sincere in his advice to Allah and His servants holds his head high and is respected wherever he is, whether on a plane, in a train, on land or sea, or in any place, if he is sincere to Allah, displays knowledge and the call to Allah, and treats people with gentleness and kind words. For him is the glad tidings and a good outcome, good praise from society, and a great reward from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). As He the Exalted said: [Yusuf: 90] And as He the Exalted said: [Al-'Ankabut: 69] And He (Exalted and Majestic is He) addressed His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: [Hud: 49] And there are many verses in this meaning.
Then, if it is decreed that some of the callers to Allah do not get what they desire, and are even harmed and tested, do they not have a role model in the messengers who were harmed and tested, and whom people humiliated, even killing some of them! The student of knowledge has an example in them (peace and blessings be upon them) and in their endurance and patience.
Even if we assume that the student of knowledge does not find respect among people, that does not harm him. Because he did not seek knowledge for that reason, but rather he sought knowledge to save himself from ignorance and to bring people out of darkness into light. If they accept it from him and raise his status, praise be to Allah. Otherwise, he is in a good state, even if they kill him or humiliate him. He has an example in the messengers (peace and blessings be upon them) and in their seal, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), who was harmed and expelled from his land, Makkah, to al-Madinah.
The caller to Allah the Exalted who is truthful and sincere has the glad tidings of goodness, strength, honor, and a good outcome, if he follows the straight path and is of great character, guidance, and noble conduct, without violence, harshness, or entering into what does not concern him. He is in a great state of goodness, just as it was for the prophets and messengers (peace and blessings be upon them) and for their seal, the best of them, the leader of the callers and the mujahideen, our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and then what happened to those who followed them with excellence. And Allah is the guarantor of success.
And how should the student of knowledge act? Should he be in a special community where he can learn and live? Or what should he do? I ask you to give us the advice you gained from your shaykhs, and which your shaykhs gained from their shaykhs.
Answer: What the questioner said is not correct. The correct view is that knowledge elevates the people of knowledge and raises their status in every society. If he goes to America, England, France, or anywhere else, his knowledge will elevate him among the Muslim minorities and among those he calls to Allah with clear insight, even among the polytheists themselves. This is because they will submit to the truth when they know it through its clear evidence and the noble morals of its people.
Islam is the religion of fitrah (the innate natural disposition), the religion of justice and morals, the religion of strength, the religion of activity, the religion of mutual support, and the religion of every virtue.
The student of knowledge who proceeds with clear insight, who knows the scriptural evidence and the rulings of Islam and acts upon them, holds his head high wherever he is and is respected wherever he resides. This is especially true among his community and the people of his land, if they know from him knowledge, sincere advice, truthfulness, and the absence of haste that has no justification. Rather, he should be a wise physician who calls to Allah with wisdom and gentleness.
Such a person holds his head high and is respected wherever he is, whether in a village, a tribe, or elsewhere, if he is adorned with knowledge in both speech and action, and stays away from the morals of open sinners and criminals. He and those like him are beloved to Allah and to His righteous servants, as long as he knows and acts, advises his brothers, shows compassion to them, and strives to benefit them with his knowledge, his morals, his wealth, and his status. Just as the prophets and the righteous did.
The statement that the student of knowledge has no place in society and that no one pays attention to him is a false statement in its generality, not in accordance with reality, as we have explained.
The student of knowledge who is clear-sighted in his religion and sincere in his advice to Allah and His servants holds his head high and is respected wherever he is, whether on a plane, in a train, on land or sea, or in any place, if he is sincere to Allah, displays knowledge and the call to Allah, and treats people with gentleness and kind words. For him is the glad tidings and a good outcome, good praise from society, and a great reward from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). As He the Exalted said:
Indeed, he who fears Allah and is patient, then indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good."
إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَAnd those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَSo be patient; indeed, the [best] outcome is for the righteous.
فَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ الْعَاقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَThen, if it is decreed that some of the callers to Allah do not get what they desire, and are even harmed and tested, do they not have a role model in the messengers who were harmed and tested, and whom people humiliated, even killing some of them! The student of knowledge has an example in them (peace and blessings be upon them) and in their endurance and patience.
Even if we assume that the student of knowledge does not find respect among people, that does not harm him. Because he did not seek knowledge for that reason, but rather he sought knowledge to save himself from ignorance and to bring people out of darkness into light. If they accept it from him and raise his status, praise be to Allah. Otherwise, he is in a good state, even if they kill him or humiliate him. He has an example in the messengers (peace and blessings be upon them) and in their seal, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), who was harmed and expelled from his land, Makkah, to al-Madinah.
The caller to Allah the Exalted who is truthful and sincere has the glad tidings of goodness, strength, honor, and a good outcome, if he follows the straight path and is of great character, guidance, and noble conduct, without violence, harshness, or entering into what does not concern him. He is in a great state of goodness, just as it was for the prophets and messengers (peace and blessings be upon them) and for their seal, the best of them, the leader of the callers and the mujahideen, our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and then what happened to those who followed them with excellence. And Allah is the guarantor of success.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.