In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
There is an immense virtue and benefit of having people of knowledge around you and keeping their company, and an immense loss when they are no longer with us. Even ants in their burrows and fish in the sea, and the inhabitants of the heavens and earth weep at the death of a scholar. Why? Because they guide and teach people good, and when they die, that teaching stops.
Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al' As: I heard Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) saying, "Allah does not take away the knowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious scholars (ulama') till when none of the religious scholars remains, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray." [Sahih Bukhari]
Islam reveres the scholars because they are heirs to the Prophets (peace be upon them) who follow their way. It is in respect to their dignity and merit that Allah mentions them along with His Name and that of His Angels when He says:
شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمِ قَآئِمًۢا بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ﴿١٨(Qur’an, AleImran 3:18)
Allah witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge - [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (18)
It is a distinction for the scholar that Allah sends blessings to him; and His angels and the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth also beseech Allah to bless him.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Verily, Allah do send His blessings to him who teaches people good. Also, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even ants in their holes and fishes do ask Allah to bless him. (At-Tirmidhi)
True scholars are the friends of Allah; they are the ones who really fear Allah.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَٱلدَّوَآبِّ وَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَٰنُهُۥ كَذَٰلِكَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى ٱللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ٱلْعُلَمَـٰٓؤُا۟ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ ﴿٢٨[Qur’an, Fatir 35:28]
And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly. Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Forgiving. (28
They bear the knowledge with the fear of Allah, He then compensate them with great reward. Allah says:
جَزَآؤُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا ۖ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِىَ رَبَّهُۥ ﴿٨[Qur’an, Al-Bayyinah 98:8]
Their reward with Allah will be gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allah being pleased with them and they with Him. That is for whoever has feared his Lord. (8)
Ibn Al-Qayyim said: “Scholars of Islam and those around whose sayings revolves Fatwa (religious counseling) among people; those who are endowed with the ability to derive rulings from the (the Qur’anic and Hadith) texts and whose preoccupation is the regulation of the lawful and unlawful things are to the earth what the stars are to the heaven. It is through them that the confused get guidance and people’s need of them is greater than their need of food and drink.”
The scholars are the people’s refuge during calamities. Many a blind people have seen through them; many a Sunnah have been spread through them and many an innovation have been effaced through them.
Righteous scholars are leaders in piety; if they had wanted beauties and high positions of this world, it would have come to them submissively, but they live with their knowledge and meritorious deeds in a happiness that is far better than that of the people of worldly positions; that is because, their whole life revolves around no more than what Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) say. They do not learn knowledge for adornment purpose but to benefit from it. Their impact is so strong that, if they walk on a barren land it becomes fertile and if they step their feet on a territory full of darkness it becomes illuminated.
A scholar in the real sense of the word is not the holder of higher certificates and academic titles. He is rather the one who has a combination of knowledge, strong and deep Imaan, obedience to his Creator and constantly in acts of worship. These are the people of knowledge whom Allah describes as incomparable to others when He says:
أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَـٰنِتٌ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَآئِمًا يَحْذَرُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُوا۟ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِۦ ۗ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿٩[Qur’an, Az-Zumar 39:9]
Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding. (9)
It was asked: “How can a true knowledgeable man be recognized?” “He is the one who is ascetic in this world and occupies himself with the affairs of the Hereafter.”
Nevertheless, scholars should not be regarded as perfect beings who are free against any defects, errors or mistakes; for, this is quite impossible. However, one should not be looking for the mistakes of a knowledgeable man because he may have an excuse that is unknown to that or us, this mistake may have a reason, which cannot be perceived by us.
If the Prophets (peace be on them) have the right to be honored and revered, their inheritors should also have a share of that. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “The scholars are indeed the heirs of the Prophets.” (Abu Dawood and others)
It is therefore incumbent on us to love them, to obey them in good, to defend them and ask for Allah’s Mercy for those who are deceased among them. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with father and son) said whoever annoys a knowledgeable man has annoyed the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace); and whoever annoys the Messenger of Allah has annoyed Allah.
Death of a scholar is an irreparable loss to this Ummah. We beseech Allah to forgive the deceased among them and to benefit us with the knowledge of the living ones.
We just lost three great South East Asian scholars in the same day (Friday) -- Tok Guru Haji Salleh Musa of Kedah (Malaysia) and two scholars of Aceh (Indonesia), may Allah have mercy on them. Eyes do shed tears and hearts do get saddened. But if all of us shed our tears, that cannot change the situation nor prevent any harm. Actually, reaction of people of weak minds — after the death of a scholar — do not go beyond shedding tears and mere wailing and lamentations; but people of lofty aims and enlightened minds do go beyond that for, they know that sincere love for those scholars means to live according to their way; to die on their path; to be good example in knowledge and good deeds; to be leaders in piety and humbleness; to be models in patience and perseverance and to be pace-setters in generosity and sacrifice. Such are the characteristics of the Ulama' and such should be the characteristics of those who love them.
The Ulama' are not personalities whose virtues should merely be sung or written on pages without benefiting from their light. A father told his son, "Go to the Ulama', take knowledge from them and learn from their manners, characters and guidance; that is dearer to me than your learning of many Hadiths (without manners).”
May Allah Most High have mercy upon our scholars who have passed, accept their works, and continue their benefit, and grant their families, students, and others steadfastness and the success to continue on their noble examples, on the footsteps of the beloved Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace and upon his folk). May Allah Most High increase us in beneficial knowledge, and increase our love for His beloved Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and grant us his company in this world and in the Hereafter.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and He alone grants success.
Wassalaam
No comments:
Post a Comment