The Virtue Of Scholars

ll praise be to Allah, Who has established throughout time, in every era of the Prophets, remnants of the learned, calling those who have strayed back to guidance, enduring hardships. They revive the dead through the Book of Allah, illuminating the blind with His light. How many have they brought back to life from the clutches of Satan, and how many lost souls have they guided? Their impact on the people is indeed profound. Yet, the ingratitude of some is bitter, as they seek to distort the Book of Allah, to manipulate it for their purposes, and to misinterpret it in ignorance.

I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, alone and without a partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, the master of the scholars and of his pure and noble family, as well as his esteemed and virtuous companions.

Now, O servants of Allah, what can you truly comprehend about the scholars? They are the leaders of guidance, the lamps in the darkness, the embodiments of mercy and satisfaction. They are the exemplars upon which others ought to reflect and emulate. How many seekers of knowledge have they taught? How many wayward souls have they guided back to the righteous path? How many lost have they illuminated, showing them the way to Allah?

Their presence among the people is a blessing and a mercy; their departure and passing mark a calamity and a punishment. This moment invites a brief reflection upon the virtues of scholars and their esteemed standing in the religion of Islam.

Listen, O servant of Allah, to the words of Allah as He extols the righteous scholars: “ Allah (Himself) is witness that there is no God save Him. And the angels and the men of learning (too are witnesses). Maintaining His creation in justice, there is no God save Him, the Almighty, the Wise.” (Aal-Imraan: 18). Thus, Allah the Exalted bears witness to the scholars of religious law in the most significant testimony, which is the affirmation of His Oneness.

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Moreover, the prophetic traditions affirm their status, for the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: “The worth of a scholar over a worshipper is like my worth over the least among you” (A statement authenticated by Al-Albani).

The Teachings of the Messenger

The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: “Whoever embarks on a path seeking knowledge, Allah will facilitate for him a path from the paths of Paradise. Indeed, the angels spread their wings in joy for the seeker of knowledge, and the scholar is forgiven by those in the heavens and those on the earth, even by the fish in the depths of the sea. The excellence of the scholar over the worshipper is like that of the full moon on the night of its perfection over all the stars. Scholars are the heirs of the Prophets; the Prophets did not bequeath dinars or dirhams, but they bequeathed knowledge. Whoever acquires it has attained a great share.” (Authenticated by Al-Albani).

These are just a few proofs attesting to the greatness of scholars. Therefore, they must hold a special place within our hearts, for Allah has exalted their status. He the Almighty says: “And when a matter comes to them concerning safety or fear, they disseminate it. But if they had referred it to the Messenger and to those in authority among them, they would have known it” (An-Nisaa: 83). Thus, Allah commands us to return all matters of confusion to those in authority, specifically the scholars who derive Allah’s rulings regarding unfolding events, for they are most deserving of correctness.

O servants of Allah, believers must love scholars, for love of them is obedience, a means of nearness to Allah, and a sign of faith. We cherish them for the Book of Allah that they have preserved, for the Sunnah of the Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, that they have understood, taught, and called others to embrace. We love them for the religion they safeguard, for their virtuous demeanour and for the noble banner they raise. We honour them for their immense sacrifices for the ummah and the good they have contributed. O Allah, magnify their rewards and weigh heavily their scales in the hereafter. Ameen.

O believers, the love of scholars is a mercy from Allah, for those who love the scholars are eager for their gatherings, attentive to their admonitions, committed to their call, and diligent in following their guidance. The words of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, are sufficient: “They are the people with whom their companion does not suffer.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari).

O Servants of Allah,

In recent times, it has become commonplace for anyone to speak on matters of religious knowledge and to challenge the teachings of Allah arrogantly. This is one of the gravest issues and, indeed, amongst the worst of actions. You will find journalists discussing the concept of Tawheed and its meaning, loyalty and disavowal, the lawful and the unlawful, whilst they themselves have neither sought knowledge nor engaged in learning. If a scholar were to prescribe medication to a patient incorrectly, or if he were to speak carelessly about gas production, he would be mocked and deemed a fool. What, then, can be said of those who talk about the religion of Allah, which is far greater and more significant?

Listen, O servant of Allah, to the words of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, “Any physician who treats a people without being previously recognised for his expertise and causes harm is liable for that harm.” Thus, if one engages in medicine and brings about harm, he is accountable; how much more serious is it for someone who speaks of Allah’s religion and misleads the people? Allah says: “Do not follow that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart – about all those, one will be questioned” (Al-Israa: 36). Ibn Kathir explained that Allah has forbidden speaking without knowledge. Thus, it is impermissible to discuss issues of Shar’i (Islamic) law without proper understanding.

Moreover, Allah warns those who speak of religion without knowledge, branding them as fabricators against Him, stating: “And do not say regarding that which your tongues invent, ‘This is lawful, and this is unlawful,’ to invent falsehood about Allah. Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allah will not succeed” (An-Nahl: 116).

The Discourse on Knowledge

The Imam Ibn Kathir stated: “This encompasses everyone who speaks a word without a legitimate religious basis, or who permits something that Allah has forbidden, or who forbids something that Allah has permitted, merely based on their personal opinion and whims.” The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, described the condition of such individuals in his saying: “Indeed, before the Hour, there will be deceptive years; in them, the liar will be believed, the truthful will be denied, the treacherous will be trusted, and the trustworthy will be betrayed. The insignificant one will speak concerning public affairs.” It was asked, “What is a Ruwaybidah?” He replied: “An insignificant person who speaks about matters of the public.” Ibn Kathir noted that its chain of narration is good. [Nihayat al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya: 1/87].

You will find an ignorant person engaging in discussion with a scholar who has dedicated a lifetime to knowledge and teaching, and this person claims: “There must be dialogue, freedom of opinion, this opinion and that opinion, transparency,” and other phrases repeated thoughtlessly and without understanding. While it is essential to discuss scholars politely and ask them for their evidence and sources,

O Muslims, he who follows the news or observes the newspapers these days will clearly see the persistent attack from their writers against the eminent scholars of Shari’ah—those who have spent decades acquiring knowledge, teaching it, authoring books in it, and calling to Allah. There is an evident derision of their persons and the principles they uphold, accusing them of ignorance and a lack of understanding of reality. They load their words with what they do not hold, and when faced with the futility of their arguments and with paths closing in on them, they claim deception and misguidance, persisting in rejecting the truth. They portray the statements of this scholar as nothing more than personal opinions and subjective interpretations.

O Servants of Allah,

If someone were to ask, “Describe for us the true scholars of Allah whom we should hold firmly to their words,” the answer would be: Many have donned the garb of knowledge, and now anyone who appears on a channel or has obtained a certificate speaks on matters of science. Yet, the true scholar is indeed rare.

As for their attributes, I will mention some of them:

Attributes of True Scholars

1. Aversion to Praise:

True scholars have an aversion to praise and are dissatisfied with it, for the prophetic method rejects flattery. This was exemplified by the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, who declined praise. Abdullah ibn al-Shakheer narrated: “I went with a delegation from Bani Amir to the Messenger of Allah, and we said: ‘You are our leader.’ He replied, ‘The Leader is Allah, Blessed and Exalted.’ We then said: ‘And the best of us in virtue and the most noble among us.’ He responded, ‘Say what you wish, but let not the devil tempt you.’” Authenticated by Al-Albani.

2. Deep Humility:

As a Muslim increases in his quest for knowledge, he recognises the true extent of his ignorance and the limited nature of his understanding. Thus, he humbles himself before Allah. When Ibn Mas’ud left the mosque, his students followed him, and he said: “Return to your places; by Allah if you knew the sins upon me, you would scatter dust upon my head.” [Narrated by Imam Ahmad in the Book of Zuhd]. Ayoub said: “A scholar should place dust upon his head in humility before Allah.” True humility means not seeing oneself as superior or of high status but rather recognising that Allah Almighty is the one who bestows all blessings.

3. Manifestation of Obedience:

You will see their submission evident in their actions; they pray, fast, and give charity, always quick to perform righteous deeds and to distance themselves from sins and wrongdoings. They even avoid the disliked and dubious matters. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: “Indeed, the lawful is clear, and the unlawful is clear, and between them are ambiguous matters that many people do not know. So whoever avoids the ambiguous has safeguarded his religion and honour, and whoever falls into the ambiguous has fallen into the unlawful.” [Narrated by Muslim].

4. Speaking the Truth and Declaring It

Allah, the Exalted, says: “And when Allah took the covenant from those who were given the Scripture, ‘You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it.’ But they threw it away behind their backs and exchanged it for a small price. So, wretched is what they purchased.” [Aal-Imran: 187].

As for those ignorant ones whose intentions have become corrupt, whose trustworthiness has been lost, and who are silenced by hypocrisy from declaring the truth, only to be vocal out of a desire for flattery and proximity, they are not true scholars of Allah but mere seekers of worldly gain.

A scholar may refrain from speaking certain truths for a legitimate purpose, yet he does not remain silent forever.

Imam, Professor Ilyas Usman wrote from National Mosque, Abuja