Sheikh Muqbil Ibn Haadee al-Waadiee, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said,
‘…So the cure is in returning to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah, may Allaah’s praise and His salutations be upon him and his household, and then by returning to the scholars. As Allaah says, ﴾ And when there came to them a matter concerning (public) security or fear, they announced it to the people. But if only they had referred it back to the Messenger or to those charged with authority amongst them, those who have the ability to derive a proper conclusion from it would have understood it. ﴿-(Surah an-Nisaa:83) Therefore it is an obligation upon us to turn to the scholars in our affairs: ﴾These are the parables that We send forth to the people, yet no one (truly) understands them except those with knowledge.’ ﴿-(Surah al-‘Ankaboot: 43)
But what you see is some of the people merely memorizing three or four subjects and then taking that to the masjids, thrusting themselves forward and confronting others. Then his companions designate him ‘Sheikh al-Islaam’! Is this to be considered knowledge?!?
Rather, the matter of knowledge is sitting upon a mat with your legs beneath you, being patient with the necessary hunger and poverty that comes with seeking knowledge. Consider the state of the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah, may Allaah’s praise and His salutations be upon him and his household, and what they were patient in the face of.
In addition, the people of knowledge- they are the ones who put matters in their proper places, as established in the previous noble verse where Allaah, the One free from imperfection and Exalted says,﴾ Verily, in that is a reminder to those who possess knowledge. ﴿-(Surah ar-Room: 22)’”‘
(From ‘Tuhfat al-Mujeeb ‘alaa Asilaat al-Hadhar wa Ghareeb’ pg. 181-182) 1
| From ‘Statements of the Guiding Scholars of Our Age Regarding Books and their Advice to the Beginner Seeker of Knowledge’ |