17. SCHOLARS WHO ACT UPON KNOWLEDGE ARE CLOSEST TO ALLAH
If He who wishes to know the advantage of scholars (‘ulama) over people of asceticism (zuhhad). Then let him look at the virtue of the Angels Jibreel and Mika’eel, over the Angels whom Allah assigned to look after things pertaining to the creation, and the rest of Angels who are devoted only to worship (taabbud) just like how monks (rababan) dedicate themselves to worship in a monastery.
The former Angels were brought closer (taqrib) to Allah as per the knowledge they have with regards to Allah. Therefore if they notice the Angel of revelation is carrying some revelation to deliver, the dwellers of heavens (ahlu’l-sama) become anxious until they are informed of the revelation,
“Until when fear is banished from their (Angels’) hearts, they (Angels) say: What is it that your Lord has said?’ They say: The truth. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.’” [Saba’ (34):23]
Likewise, when an ascetic (zahid) hears a hadith he consults a scholar (‘alim) to explain its authenticity and meaning for him.
Glory is to Him who favoured some people with qualities that make them superior in virtue from their own kind! Indeed no quality is more virtuous (ashraf) than knowledge (V/w) to favour someone with, for it placed Adam in a higher rank since he possessed more of it and so made Angels prostrate to him; when Angels had less knowledge than Adam, they were the ones that prostrated.
This is because the closest people to Allah are the scholars.
It is not knowledge per se that is beneficial but rather what it entails that matters: The essence of knowledge is obtained through acquiring knowledge for the sake of acting upon it.
Each time knowledge points at a virtue, the student of knowledge works hard to attain this virtue. And each time knowledge points to something lowly, then the student works hard to avoid it. This is how knowledge reveals its secrets to a person and becomes a road that is easy to walk upon. It becomes like someone holding another by the hand and asking him to hurry.
By contrast, whoever does not act upon his knowledge will never be able to explore its secrets (sirr); hence he will end up pulling knowledge instead of knowledge pulling him.
You should comprehend this example and heed to its meaning and purify your intention (qasd). Otherwise never wonder.
(Source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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