Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
The Twelve Qualities of the True Ulama - Third Quality (Part One)
3. Being Engaged in Acquiring Beneficial Knowledge, and Refraining from Knowledge which has no Benefit
The third sign of a true Alim is that he is always engaged in acquiring such knowledge that is beneficial for the Hereafter and motivates him to perform good deeds. He refrains from acquiring such knowledge which has little or no benefit for the Hereafter.
In fact, it is our naivety and foolishness that we also regard such knowledge to be ilm of which the purpose is only to earn the dunya, whereas such knowledge is actually sheer ignorance. The person who acquires such knowledge regards himself to be educated and thereafter does not show any importance to acquiring the knowledge of deen.
When a person does not have any education, then he at least realises that he is ignorant and makes an effort to learn deeni knowledge. On the contrary, the one who regards himself as knowledgeable – despite his ignorance in deen – is truly a loser.
Hazrat Haatim Asamm (rahimahullah) was a renowned saint and a favourite student of Hazrat Shaqeeq Balkhi (rahimahullah). Once, the Sheikh asked him, “Haatim, how long have you been here, in my company?” He replied, “Thirty-three years.”
The Sheikh asked, “What did you learn during these thirty-three years of remaining with me?” Hazrat Haatim (rahimahullah) replied, “I have learnt eight lessons.”
At this, Hazrat Shaqeeq (rahimahullah) (became very disappointed and) recited:
إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون
Hazrat Shaqeeq (rahimahullah) then said, “You remained here with me for so long, yet you only learnt eight lessons? (It seems that) I have wasted all my life with you!” Hazrat Haatim (rahimahullah) respectfully responded, “I have learnt only eight lessons, I cannot lie to you.”
The Sheikh said, “Tell me, what are those eight lessons?”
(a) First Lesson – Having Love for Good Deeds
Hazrat Haatim (rahimahullah) said, “I have found that everybody loves someone or something (wife, children, property, friends, etc.), but I know that as soon as he goes into the grave, the loved ones leave him.
“It is for this reason that I have decided to have love for good deeds so that when I go into the grave, then the thing that is beloved to me will also accompany me into the grave, and it will not leave me alone after my death.”
Hazrat Shaqeeq (rahimahullah) said, “You have done well!”
(b) Second Lesson – Restraining the Nafs from Haraam Desires
Hazrat Haatim (rahimahullah) then said, “I have read in the Qur’aan Majeed that Allah Ta‘ala says:
وَ اَمَّا مَنۡ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّہٖ وَ نَہَی النَّفۡسَ عَنِ الۡہَوٰی ﴿ۙ۴۰﴾ فَاِنَّ الۡجَنَّۃَ ہِیَ الۡمَاۡوٰی ﴿ؕ۴۱﴾
As for him who (in this world) feared standing before his Rabb (in the Hereafter) and restrained himself from (haraam) desires, then certainly, Jannah will be his home. (Surah Naazi’aat v. 40-41)
“I know that whatever Allah Ta‘ala says is true. Therefore, I have restrained my nafs from haraam desires, until it became firm and steadfast in His obedience.”
(Fazaa’il-e-Sadaqaat [English] pg. 433-435, [Urdu] pg. 479-481)
