Reflections from some statements of Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi al-Mad’khali [9 of 80]

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

It has been reported in an authentic hadith -[in Al Bukhari and Muslim]- that “A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and thrown into the Fire, then his intestines will spill forth in the Fire and he will go around it as a donkey goes around a millstone. The people of Hell will gather around him and will say: ‘O So and so! What is the matter with you; did you not use to enjoin good and forbid evil?’ He will say: ‘Yes, I used to enjoin good, but did not do it; and I used to forbid evil and did it’”. [Al-Bukhari 3267 & Muslim 2989]

Indeed, there may be someone who is worse than this man, for he (i.e. the one worse than this man mentioned in this Hadith) enjoins evil and forbids good, so what will be his state?! Therefore, seeking knowledge should be for the sake of Allah and also to act, otherwise knowledge will be a cause of evil  and thus one remains in two situations- either in a situation where one is afflicted with the disease of ignorance or in a state where one is not benefited by knowledge, rather it becomes harmful knowledge. The knowledge Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him, brought is beneficial in and of itself, but if a person does not act, it will be a cause of evil and harm for him and he might harm others. Allah [The Exalted] said:

وَقُلِ اعْمَلُوا فَسَيَرَى اللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۖ وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

And say [O Muhammad] “Do deeds! Allah will see your deeds, and [so will] His Messenger and the believers. And you will be brought back to the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen. Then He will inform you of what you used to do. [at-Taubah. 105]

Act based on knowledge and know Allah by His Perfect Names and Attributes -from Allah’s Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger. Worship Allah based on that which the Messenger conveyed and based on the texts of the Qur’an. Neither worship Allah based on ignorance nor desires, rather worship Allah based on knowledge. That which is sought after from seeking knowledge is to act upon it, and acting cannot be (fulfilled) except after acquiring knowledge, just as Allah [The Blessed and Exalted] said:

فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ۗ

So know [O Muhammad] that Laa ilaaha ill-Allah [none has the right to be worshipped but Allah], and ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for [the sin of] believing men and believing women. [Muhammad. 19]

Imam Al-Bukhari wrote a chapter based on this verse , saying: Chapter: “Knowledge precedes speech and action”, because it is obligated on us to act based on knowledge and we are only to worship Allah based on knowledge. We do not worship Allah based on ignorance or desires.

Marhaban Yaa Talib Al Ilm. Pages 270-271