3. PEOPLE ARE BETWEEN IGNORANCE (JAHL) AND KNOWLEDGE(ILM)
When I observed people, I realised they are of two types; those ignorant [about religion] and the learned.
The former comprise different categories of people, namely the rulers (sultan) who were raised in ignorance (Jahl), which not only wore silk and drank alcohol but even their servants and workers were of their ilk. This type of ignorance is totally secluded from goodness.
The second category comprises the traders (tujjar) whose only concern is earning and collecting money. Most of them neither pay the obligatory alms (zakal) nor avoid usury (riba).
The third category is the shop owners who give less than due— and if they give by measure or by weight to them and they cause loss— they underestimate the value of people’s merchandise when they intend to buy it. They are also involved in usury and spend their day and night in the market, thinking of nothing except what they are in. When night falls, they sleep like a drunk as their energy only manifests when eating or fulfilling a desire, and they cannot remember the last time they prayed and if they do pray, they either combine them or they pray in a rush speeding through it. This category is in the rank of animals and beasts.
The fourth category lives a low life whose profession is either rubbish remover or toilet cleaner or a similar profession. This is a category of the low-ranked people.
The fifth category is made of those who desire and seek worldly pleasures but cannot afford to fulfil their desires; hence they steal and rob people. The people of this category are the idiots as they have no life at all. If they happen to enjoy a bite of food or a sip of drink and suddenly the wind moves a branch of a tree they will flee the scene and escape fearing the police. Besides, they do not live long as their end is being either killed or crucified, not to mention the burden of sin in the Hereafter.
The sixth category is villagers who are wrapped with ignorance and most of them do not abstain from filthy objects; hence they become living like cattle.
Ignorant women are also different in categories; there are the beautiful ones who work as flesh traders; there are the wives who steal from their husbands; and there are those who do not pray and know nothing about religion. This type will be the fuel of the fire. If they hear religious advice or a reminder, it will pass over their heart as water passes over a rock, and if Qur’an is recited it leaves no effect on them.
As for the novice scholars (‘ulama) and students of knowledge (tulab al-‘ilm) who hold an evil intention (niyya khabitha) as they seek knowledge (ilm) to show off and not to act upon it. They often commit sins in public or commit avoidable sins (fisq) because they presume that their knowledge shall safeguard them, when in fact, such knowledge shall be used as evidence against them.
Most intermediate and well-known people of knowledge happen to frequently visit the rulers and abstain from condemning wrongdoing.
Only a few scholars have a good intention (hasan niyya) and sound purpose (hnsn al-qasd) because if Allah wants good in someone, He makes him seek knowledge for the sound rightful purposes; to benefit others and benefit him and worry not about showing off his knowledge. Hence, he keeps himself far from the people whose concern is this worldly life and is careful while dealing with the common laypeople.
He is content with the little he has as he fears the danger of having too much of this worldly life, preferring solitude {‘uzla) as there is nothing like it to remind him of the Hereafter.
There is nothing more harmful to the people of knowledge than socialising and visiting with rulers and people of authority because such people beautify the worldly life in the eyes of people of knowledge and trivialise the seriousness of wrongdoings.
In fact, if he wanted to object or condemn wrongdoing he may not be able to. And if he is no longer content and starts seeking from this world what is beyond his needs, he shall not be saved from the harm of this worldly life as he is exposed to those who indulge in such worldly affairs.
A man walks in the marketplace for an hour and that is enough to make him forget what he knows from the amazement of what he sees there. So, how do you think the case will be if he combined all that with his frequent visits to the wealthy and having interest in possessing some of their wealth?
Solitude is the means whereby the heart returns [to its original state]. Then one can focus on the Hereafter, become able to consider the consequences, be prepared to depart [this life] and collect the provision for this journey. If contentment (qanaa) was combined with all that, he will assure himself the goodness.
Today, a scholar can only accompany a book relaying the gems of the righteous predecessors {salaf al-salihiri) because sitting with scholars today has become risky. Rarely is the topic of the Hereafter ever mentioned in most of their gatherings and assemblies.
For a scholar to sit with lay people will compromise his religiosity unless he is cautious, ensures none of them speak in his presence, that he is the only one to speak and advise, and leant a listening ear. After concluding he rushes to leave.
It cannot be possible however, for a scholar to seclude himself wholly unless he is able to rid himself of his desires and interest in this world. Which cannot be except with ensuring a source of income sufficing him from needing others— be it a little that you feel content with or a trade you have or a property that generates you some income.
Whenever he is in need he will no longer be focused on his Hereafter, so the only beneficial thing for the scholar is to detach himself from people and lose interest in them while dedicating his time to remembering the Hereafter
(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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