Explanation of the words of Ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy on him): "And if one brings forward what indicates it, that suffices *** Like knowledge, how excellent is the acquisition and the following."
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The Shaykh : The author says:
"And if one brings forward what indicates it, that suffices" "And if one brings forward what indicates it" means: bringing forward what indicates the specific noun suffices in place of mentioning the specific noun itself. For example: "Like knowledge, what Allah wills." This example is very delightful.
"Like knowledge, how excellent is the acquisition and the following" (may Allah have mercy on him), a great example. "Like knowledge, how excellent is the acquisition and the following" Yes, this is praise of knowledge. Yes, it is correct. How excellent is the acquisition, and by Allah, it is better than wealth. If a scholar and a merchant were to come, which is better in terms of what they have acquired? The scholar, without a doubt. The scholar, without a doubt. And this is a matter, Glory be to Allah the Great, that Allah has guaranteed.[Al-Mujadila 58:11] And those who were given wealth? They were given knowledge. They were given knowledge in degrees. For this reason, the scholars—may Allah make us and you among the rabban scholars—the scholars, their mention is elevated even after their death... But the people of wealth go away with their wealth, and their wealth is divided among the heirs and it ends. "Like knowledge, how excellent is the acquisition" Yes, this is the beneficial acquisition that is praised. "And the following" is also excellent, the one that is followed. And thus, the intended meaning is religious knowledge. Religious knowledge. As for knowledge that is not religious, it is according to what it is: if it is a means to good, it is good; and if it is a means to evil, it is evil. May Allah reward Ibn Malik with good for this example. It obligates the student of knowledge to strive to seek knowledge, because knowledge is a blessing that is acquired and followed. Where is the specific noun? The specific noun is knowledge. So we parse "knowledge" as the subject (mubtada'), "how excellent" (nima') as a past tense verb, and "the acquisition" (al-muqtana) as the doer (fa'il). The sentence consisting of the verb and the doer is the predicate (khabar) of the first subject. We say: the first? Is there a need for "the first"? The predicate of the subject. Yes. And "the following" (al-muqtafa) is conjoined to "the acquisition." Do we say: "Knowledge is how excellent the acquisition, knowledge"?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : No, and for this reason the author said: "that suffices". It suffices, so there is no need to mention it. "Like knowledge, how excellent is the acquisition and the following" Is that clear?
The student: What is the benefit of the letter kaf? It is not used here.
The Shaykh : Yes, and what indicates to you that knowledge is excellent in acquisition and following is Ibn Malik. When did he pass away?
The student: In Andalus.
The Shaykh : In Andalus, and he has been dead for hundreds of years. And now he is teaching us. Now he is teaching us. Where are the people of wealth of his time? Did they benefit us?
The student: We do not know them.
The Shaykh : We do not know them, let alone benefit from their wealth. Yes.
Now, there is a problem raised by the brother Salih. He says: The kaf is a preposition, and "knowledge" is a noun in the genitive case (majrur) by the kaf, and the sign of its genitive is a visible dammah at its end. It is confusing. We say: This kaf is entered upon the sentence as an example, so the sentence remains as it is. And we have mentioned that the grammarians have two positions regarding this. The grammarians have two positions. Yes, do not lose your way and the way of the pigeon. Two positions: One is that the kaf is a preposition, and "knowledge, how excellent is the acquisition and the following" is a noun in the genitive case by the kaf, because it is interpreted as saying: "Like this example." Like this example. And the second position: They say that the kaf is a preposition, and the genitive noun is omitted, and the estimation—peace be upon you—the estimation is: "Like your saying: Knowledge is how excellent the acquisition and the following." Is that clear, Salih? And I think we spoke about this.
The student: The previous lesson.
The Shaykh : Hm?
The student: The previous lesson.
The Shaykh : The previous lesson or the one before it. Close. Yes, the previous lesson. Parsing with explanation. Yes, is that clear?
The student: ... Yes, it remains as it is.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
The student: Shaykh, the parsing of the first position.
The Shaykh : Ah.
"And if one brings forward what indicates it, that suffices" "And if one brings forward what indicates it" means: bringing forward what indicates the specific noun suffices in place of mentioning the specific noun itself. For example: "Like knowledge, what Allah wills." This example is very delightful.
"Like knowledge, how excellent is the acquisition and the following" (may Allah have mercy on him), a great example. "Like knowledge, how excellent is the acquisition and the following" Yes, this is praise of knowledge. Yes, it is correct. How excellent is the acquisition, and by Allah, it is better than wealth. If a scholar and a merchant were to come, which is better in terms of what they have acquired? The scholar, without a doubt. The scholar, without a doubt. And this is a matter, Glory be to Allah the Great, that Allah has guaranteed.
Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees
يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍThe student: No.
The Shaykh : No, and for this reason the author said: "that suffices". It suffices, so there is no need to mention it. "Like knowledge, how excellent is the acquisition and the following" Is that clear?
The student: What is the benefit of the letter kaf? It is not used here.
The Shaykh : Yes, and what indicates to you that knowledge is excellent in acquisition and following is Ibn Malik. When did he pass away?
The student: In Andalus.
The Shaykh : In Andalus, and he has been dead for hundreds of years. And now he is teaching us. Now he is teaching us. Where are the people of wealth of his time? Did they benefit us?
The student: We do not know them.
The Shaykh : We do not know them, let alone benefit from their wealth. Yes.
Now, there is a problem raised by the brother Salih. He says: The kaf is a preposition, and "knowledge" is a noun in the genitive case (majrur) by the kaf, and the sign of its genitive is a visible dammah at its end. It is confusing. We say: This kaf is entered upon the sentence as an example, so the sentence remains as it is. And we have mentioned that the grammarians have two positions regarding this. The grammarians have two positions. Yes, do not lose your way and the way of the pigeon. Two positions: One is that the kaf is a preposition, and "knowledge, how excellent is the acquisition and the following" is a noun in the genitive case by the kaf, because it is interpreted as saying: "Like this example." Like this example. And the second position: They say that the kaf is a preposition, and the genitive noun is omitted, and the estimation—peace be upon you—the estimation is: "Like your saying: Knowledge is how excellent the acquisition and the following." Is that clear, Salih? And I think we spoke about this.
The student: The previous lesson.
The Shaykh : Hm?
The student: The previous lesson.
The Shaykh : The previous lesson or the one before it. Close. Yes, the previous lesson. Parsing with explanation. Yes, is that clear?
The student: ... Yes, it remains as it is.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
The student: Shaykh, the parsing of the first position.
The Shaykh : Ah.
