Alhuda Bolton

Authentic Adhkār from the Qur’an & Sunnah: Lesson 8

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alhudabolton
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Sat 10 Mar 2018

Lesson 8: Respecting the Scholars, and the Virtue of remembering Allah with his names and Attributes

  • Recap of virtues of Seeking knowledge (Lesson 6):
    • It is a form of remembrance in itself
    • You are learning about Allah, your creator, about the pillars of Islam and the rulings of our religion
    • There is no doubt in preoccupying oneself with seeking knowledge, knowing what is halaal and haraam, studying the Qur’an and pondering over it and understanding the Seerah (biography) and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم,) that type of knowledge is the best type.
    • The gatherings of knowledge are the best types of gatherings and superior to gatherings of standard remembrance
    • Explanation of Fardhu ‘Ain (obligation upon each Muslim) vs Fardh Kifaayah (obligation upon the Muslims as a collective)
    • The hadith of the virtue of the Scholar over the worshipper
  • Statements from the Scholars regarding the virtue of seeking knowledge:
    • Ath-Thawri (may Allah be pleased with him) said there is nothing better which that brings one closer to Allah than seeking knowledge, and Knowledge has not been sought at a better time than now (i.e. today, do not delay seeking Knowledge)
    • Maymoon Ibn Mahraan (may Allah be pleased with him) indeed the example of the Scholar in a country is like the example of a fresh spring of water
    • Al-Hasan Al-Basri (may Allah be pleased with him) said the Scholar is better than a Zaahid (i.e. someone who lives a humble life) in the worldly life, and the scholar is better than one who continues to strive to worship Allah. Why is this?
    • Imam Ash_Shaafi’i (may Allah be pleased with him) said seeking knowledge is superior to the superogatory (optional) prayers. Why is this?
    • Imam Ahmed (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked “Which is more beloved to you, that I should pray the superogatory night prayer or that or that I should sit down seeking knowledge. Imam Ahmed replied that if one would sit down and write about the Religion then that is more beloved to him. Imam Ahmed also said that nothing can be equated to knowledge.
  • The Prophet (saws) said: “He is not from us who doesn’t have mercy for our young, and respects our old and knows the right of our scholar.”” [Saheeh Al-Jaami’-us-Sagheer (no. 5443)]
    • Therefore me must respect the Scholars
    • There are some people who do not respect the Scholars and instead speak about them in a mocking and belittling way
    • This ideology of disrespecting the Scholars and learned people, this started in the early people of innovation and desires.
    • The people who belittle the scholars are of two types:
      • Type 1: Those on a sufi methodology, they make these disrepectuful statement as their priority in everything is their innovated acts, claiming they do it out of love. For such Sufis, they cannot be content with knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah being spread to the people or their followers seeking knowledge, instead they would like their followers to be as though they are dead bodies (i.e. in complete obedience and blind following)
      • Type 2: These are of the ideological, “intellectual”, “modernist” and philosophical type of people. Again, they cannot be content with the religion of Islam to be practiced in the way Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم,) and his companions practiced it. Their objective is to draw people to their own way of thinking and in order to do this, they belittle the Scholars
      • Type 3: These are the khawaarij, renegades. Their objective is to take political power for themselves, and in order to do this they attempt to distance and separate people from the Scholars, this reduces knowledge of how Islam is to be practiced, then they attempt to convince the people of their own way which has no basis in reality.

Next section: Specific means of making remembrance of Allah

  • The names and Attributes of Allah:
    • Indeed, from the most noblest and virtuous ways of making remembrance of Allah is to remember him through his perfect names and Attributes
      • These names and attributes carry great praise and Allah has praised himself with these names
    • Remembrance of Allah can generally be in two forms:
      • First: Remembrance of Allah through his names and attributes
      • Second: Remembrance of Allah through following his legislation and practicing your religion
    • Narrated Ibn `Umar: Allah’s Apostle said, “Once three persons (from the previous nations) were traveling, and suddenly it started raining and they took shelter in a cave. The entrance of the cave got closed while they were inside. They said to each other, ‘O you! Nothing can save you except the truth, so each of you should ask Allah’s Help by referring to such a deed as he thinks he did sincerely (i.e. just for gaining Allah’s Pleasure).’ So one of them said, ‘O Allah! You know that I had a laborer who worked for me for one Faraq (i.e. three Sas) of rice, but he departed, leaving it (i.e. his wages). I sowed that Faraq of rice and with its yield I bought cows (for him). Later on when he came to me asking for his wages, I said (to him), ‘Go to those cows and drive them away.’ He said to me, ‘But you have to pay me only a Faraq of rice,’ I said to him, ‘Go to those cows and take them, for they are the product of that Faraq (of rice).’ So he drove them. O Allah! If you consider that I did that for fear of You, then please remove the rock.’ The rock shifted a bit from the mouth of the cave. The second one said, ‘O Allah, You know that I had old parents whom I used to provide with the milk of my sheep every night. One night I was delayed and when I came, they had slept, while my wife and children were crying with hunger. I used not to let them (i.e. my family) drink unless my parents had drunk first. So I disliked to wake them up and also disliked that they should sleep without drinking it, I kept on waiting (for them to wake) till it dawned. O Allah! If You consider that I did that for fear of you, then please remove the rock.’ So the rock shifted and they could see the sky through it. The (third) one said, ‘O Allah! You know that I had a cousin (i.e. my paternal uncle’s daughter) who was most beloved to me and I sought to seduce her, but she refused, unless I paid her one-hundred Dinars (i.e. gold pieces). So I collected the amount and brought it to her, and she allowed me to sleep with her. But when I sat between her legs, she said, ‘Be afraid of Allah, and do not deflower me but legally. ‘I got up and left the hundred Dinars (for her). O Allah! If You consider that I did that for fear of you than please remove the rock. So Allah saved them and they came out (of the cave).” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
      • NOTE: They made dua directly to Allah
      • They also made their deeds as a form of Tawassul, i.e. they mentioned their deeds to Allah
      • Having knowledge of the names and attributes of Allah greatly increases your dua, in this case for example the three in the cave knew Allah was As-Samee’ (The All-Hearing) and Al-Baseer (The All-Seer).
      • Likewise knowing the names and attributes of Allah also benefits your daily actions as one knows Allah is All-Appreciative, yet also severe in punishment.
      • Therefore, knowing the names and attributes of Allah brings one closer to Allah
    • What are the importance of knowing the names and attributes of Allah?
      • This knowledge is the greatest type of knowledge there is, why is that so?
      • It increases your love for Allah as well as the recognition of the greatness of Allah and therefore the fear of Allah.
      • By knowing the names and attributes of Allah, you will know about your purpose in being here
      • It is a pillar of Eemaan (Belief), in fact it is part of the first pillar.
      • NOTE: The more knowledge of Allah you have, the more fearful of Allah you will be.
      • Knowledge of the names and attributes of Allah is the source for all other types of knowledge
    • Q&A:
      • What is the ruling on a menstruating woman attending the Masjid (Difference of opinion explained)
      • Can a woman in her menses touch the Qur’an? What is the ruling
      • What about touching a digital display, can a menstruating woman read the Qur’an via that?
      • What is the ruling on saying “Assalaamu Alaikum” when entering the masjid, is it permissible or impermissible, are there times when it is not preferred?