Reflections from some statements of Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi al-Mad’khali [14 of 80]

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

Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah preserve him, said:

The virtue of knowledge is very great indeed. It is obligated to the scholars to honour this knowledge, act upon it, be sincere to Allah about it, and the students of knowledge likewise. It is obligated to the scholars to give out the knowledge they possess; when they are asked, it is obligated to them to respond. Allah [The Most High] said:

 إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالْهُدَىٰ مِن بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّاهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْكِتَابِ ۙ أُولَٰئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّاعِنُونَ

Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidences and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers. [Al-Baqarah 159]

Also, it is obligated to them to act. Allah said:

 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ
كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ

O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do. [As-Saff. 2-3]

If a scholar urges people towards knowledge, action and sincerity, it is obligated to him to be the first person to hasten towards righteous deeds, sincerity to Allah and to sanctify this knowledge, lest this statement of Allah applies to him: [ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ – Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do].

Allah informed us that some of the Prophets said to their people: [وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَىٰ مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ – I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you]. [Hud. 88]. This was said by Shu’aib, peace be upon him, and every Prophet also said this. It is obligated to a scholar to refrain from desiring the worldly possessions of the people – neither desiring status nor position, neither authority nor to be put in charge of some workplace. [I] He should not desire anything through that knowledge except Allah’s Face.

It is obligated to him to call the people to the path of Allah and spread knowledge in the Ummah. Allah said:

  قُلْ هَٰذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ ۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي ۖ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

Say (O Muhammad): “This is my way; I invite unto Allah (i.e. to the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism) with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me (also must invite others to Allah i.e. to the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism) with sure knowledge. And Glorified and Exalted be Allah (above all that they associate as partners with Him). And I am not of the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah; those who worship others along with Allah or set up rivals or partners to Allah). [Yusuf. 108]

Allah said: [  ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ ۖ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ – Invite (mankind, O Muhammad) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur’an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better]. [An-Nahl.125]

Therefore, it is obligated to the scholar to be a caller to the path of Allah, The Blessed and Exalted. By Allah! Teaching is from the greatest means of calling to the path of Allah. The Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was the leader of the callers to the path of  Allah. The people used to come to him in the masjid and at his house. He was the greatest caller to the path of Allah and the greatest propagator of the religion (ordained) by Allah. It is obligated to us to convey. We are inheritors of the knowledge left behind by the Prophets. We are students of knowledge, and I do not say that we are from the scholars; but we have a share of what we have learnt from the inheritance of the Prophets; therefore, it is obligated to us to convey it. Let us be callers to the path of Allah – conveying from what Allah has revealed and from Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Propagating the message necessitates speech and action – calling to the path of Allah with speech and action. This is obligatory, thus let us strictly adhere to it, act upon it and fulfil it, and beware of opposing your statements with your actions. [An Excerpt from Marhaban Yaa Talib Al-Ilm page 132-136]

[I] https://salafidawah.uk/2019/10/sincerity-certificates-of-knowledge-and-the-purpose-behind-knowledge-by-shaikh-uthaymeen-rahimahullaah/