Important advice for those who may undertake the role of the student of knowledge – those who want to leave behind their homeland, perhaps family, jobs, homes, college studies, or important positions in their communities. [1]

In the Name of Allaah, the Most-Merciful, may His Salaah and Salaam be upon His final Messenger Muhammad, to proceed:

Verily from the most rewarding ventures a person can undertake is to pursue knowledge of Allaah’s Deen. The ones who are favored with understanding of the Religion, not only does Allaah want good for them, as the Prophet of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

“If Allaah wants good for someone, He gives him understanding
in the Religion.” [2]

But he inherits directly from the noble prophets of Allaah, as the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

“Verily the prophets do not leave behind deenaars or dirhams (money), rather they leave behind knowledge, so whoever gets hold of it, attains a great amount of good.”[3]

And he becomes like the full moon compared to the rest of the stars, as the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

“The example of the scholar compared to the worshipper is like the difference between the full moon and the rest of the heavenly bodies.” [4]

And he lives his life with the true fear of Allaah that He deserves, as Allaah says [5]:

( Verily the ones who (truly) fear Allaah from among His Servants are the scholars )

Upon hearing this verse, the Muslim who wants to fear his Lord and earn His Pleasure says to himself, “I want to be a scholar!”

The Intention of the Student of Knowledge

On the authority of ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, he heard the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) saying:

“Verily actions are only by their intentions, and every person shall have only what he intended.” [6]

The student of knowledge must intend to seek knowledge for Allaah’s Face, fearing His Punishment and seeking His Reward only. For if he seeks knowledge to become famous or to take a position leading the people, or to have the people speak well of him, then his intention is corrupted, his foundation is faulty, and his seemingly righteous actions will only be a source of agony in the Hereafter, even if it was partially for Allaah’s sake. Allaah says, in a hadeeth qudsee:

“I am free of needing an associate! Whoever does a deed (intending it) for Me along with someone else, I have abandoned him and his shirk.” [7]

And indeed the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) was very worried about members of his nation showing off, as he said:

“Verily what I fear most for you is minor shirk.”

The companions replied, “O Messenger of Allaah, what is minor shirk?”

He (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) answered:

“Ar-Riyaa’ (showing off), for verily Allaah, Blessed and Exalted, will say on the Day He rewards His Servants for their actions, ‘Go to those in the Dunyaa you used to show off for! See if you find any reward with them!’” [8]

This danger is present in all our deeds, so we can never put our guard down against a corrupt intention. We must take the time to inspect our heart, and re-inspect it time after time, especially when it comes to an affair as tremendous as seeking knowledge. For verily the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) knew about the dangers that the student of knowledge would encounter and warned us accordingly:

“Do not seek knowledge to compete with the scholars, nor to argue with the foolish people, nor to gain control of gatherings; for whoever does that – the Fire, the Fire!” [9]

So know, with certainty, the one who does not purify his intention, even if he seeks knowledge for 50 years and dies without getting the fame he intended, his place is the Fire! And all the hard work he did in his life will be a source of agony for him in the Hellfire! So take heed of this warning now and correct your intention in seeking this knowledge.

The student of knowledge should intend to:

1. Worship Allaah by seeking knowledge of His Deen, seeking His Pleasure alone.
2. Rid himself and others of ignorance, implementing what he learns without delay at every stage.
3. Command all those around him (his family, neighbors, fellow students, etc.) to perform the obligations in Islaam that he learns about, as he does them himself.
4. Recommend all those around him to practice the recommended deeds in Islaam that he learns about, as he does them himself.
5. Discourage those around him from doing the disliked deeds in Islaam that he learns about, as he avoids them himself.
6. Forbid those around him from doing the prohibited deeds in Islaam that he learns about, as he avoids them himself.
7. Be patient with the harms that reach him because of this work.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Written by Moosaa Richardson, originally published: 11-07-1421

[2] An authentic hadeeth collected by Al-Bukhaaree (71) and Muslim (1037) on the authority of Mu’aawiyah (may Allaah be pleased with him)

[3] An authentic hadeeth collected by Aboo Daawood (3641) and and At-Tirmithee (2683) on the authority of Aboo Ad-Dardaa’ (may Allaah be pleased with him), Al-Albaanee authenticated it in Saheeh Sunan Abee Daawood (2/407)

[4] From the same hadeeth mentioned in Footnote #2

[5] The meaning of Soorah Faatir (35):28

[6] An authentic hadeeth collected by Al-Bukhaaree (1) and Muslim (4904) on the authority of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him)

[7] An authentic hadeeth collected by Muslim (7400) on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)

[8] An authentic hadeeth collected by Ahmad #23630 (39/39) on the authority of Mahmood ibn Labeed (may Allaah be pleased with him), Al-Albaanee authenticated it in Silsilatul-Ahaadeethis-Saheehah (#951).

[9] An authentic hadeeth collected by Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan, and Al-Bayhaqee, on the authority of Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him), Al-Albaanee authenticated it in Saheeh At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb (#107).