25. THE BEST OF YOU IS WHO ACTS UPON HIS KNOWLEDGE
I pondered upon what is expected from mankind, and realised it is that they admit their humility (dhult) [before Allah] and acknowledge their weaknesses (taqsir) and inadequacy [and incapacity].
I have classified the learned [scholars] and the austere who act upon their knowledge into two categories; under the category of scholars (‘ulama) I have listed Imam Malik Ibn Anas, Imam Sufyan [al-Thawri], Imam Abu Hanlfah, Imam al-Shaffl and Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, and under the category of the practicing austere (‘ubad) I listed Malik Ibn Dinar, Rabfah, Ma’ruf al-Karkhl and Bishr Ibn al-Harith.
Each time these worshippers (‘ubad) increase their worship (‘ibadah) they reproach themselves saying, ‘The benefit of your worship does not reach out to anyone else except yourselves. It is the scholars whose benefit (nafa) extends to everyone else, and they are the heirs of the Prophets (;waratbul-Anbiya) and the appointed people from Allah on earth. They are virtuous (fad/) and the reference point of people in all aspects of their lives.’ To this understanding, they humble themselves and admit their shortcomings in this regard, and realise the reality of themselves.
Malik Ibn Dinar used to come to Al-Hasan al-Basri and say, ‘AlHasan is my teacher.’
And, every time scholars nodced their virtue due to their knowledge, they reproach themselves saying, ‘What is the purpose of knowledge film) if one does not act upon it?’
Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal said, ‘The purpose of knowledge is so we can be similar to Ma’ruf [in respect to his worship].’
And Sufyan al-Thawri said, ‘I wish my hand was cut and that I did not write down hadlth.’
Umm al-Darda’ (radiyAllahu ‘anha) asked a man: ‘Have you acted upon what you have learnt?’ He said ‘No.’ She replied: ‘Why do you seek of what Allah will use against you then?’ Abu’l-Darda’ (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) said, ‘Woe to the one who acts without knowledge once and woe to the one who knows but does not act upon it seventy times.’
Al-Fudayl said, ‘The ignorant is forgiven seventy sins before the learned is forgiven one sin.’
Thus Allah said,
“Are those who know equal to those who do not know?”
[al-Zumar (3 9): 9)
Sufyan visited Rabfah and listened to her speeches and benefited from her
Knowledge, therefore, pinpointed for scholars that the purpose of learning knowledge is so they can act upon it, and it is just an instrument and a means. This made them admit their shortcomings and become humble.
Each of them [practicing scholars and ascetics] reached the point at which they admitted their humility [before Allah] and acknowledged their shortcomings for not doing enough. Knowledge made them demonstrate the truthful meaning of slavery [to Allah] (‘ubudiyyah), which is the actual purpose of being commanded to perform what Allah ordained.
(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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