Golden Advice for Ulama and Students of Deen

Hazrat Shaikh Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned the following:

In today’s times, this problem is becoming quite common among the Ulama that they regard it necessary for them to learn a trade or profession (by acquiring a degree) in order for them to acquire a livelihood. When the Ulama hear negative comments from the worldly-class people, the issue becomes worse, as it causes them to lose heart and begin to think that it is vital for them to learn some trade or profession in order to earn a living. This problem is also found in some of our deeni madaaris (where a trade or profession is being taught side-by-side with imparting deeni education). However, learning a trade or profession (together with acquiring the knowledge of deen) is extremely detrimental to one’s deeni education.

Generally, (in the aim of proving the approach,) the examples of those pious predecessors are cited who also engaged in some trade or profession to earn a living together with engaging in the service of deen or imparting the knowledge of deen. Undoubtedly, if Allah Ta‘ala grants one the ability to duly fulfil both engagements correctly, then this will be most excellent.

However, keeping in mind people’s mental capacities, physical energies and current circumstances, generally it is not possible in today’s times for a person to do justice to two works and efforts at the same time.

Furthermore, such is the greed of our nafs and our love for the dunya that once the means to increase our wealth becomes available, then our nafs will not allow us to free more of our time for engaging in the work of Allah Ta‘ala, or to serve deen and the knowledge of deen. Instead, we will spend more time and effort trying to earn wealth compared to the time and effort we spend for deen.

The end result of this will be that in the beginning, we will engage in both efforts (the effort to serve deen and the effort to earn the dunya). However, eventually as time passes, the effort to earn the dunya will become dominant and the effort of deen will decrease – and this has been proven through experience time and time again.

(Qutbul Aqtaab Hazrat Sheikhul Hadith Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) pg. 353)