Manners of Scholars and Learners

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting in the mosque with his Companions when three men arrived. Two of them came in and the third left. One saw an empty space in the circle and sat in it. The other one sat behind the circle. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had finished his talk, he told his Companions about the three men. One of them sought refuge with Allah, and Allah gave him refuge, which means that he sat in the empty space that he found to listen to the mention of Allah. So, Allah blessed him with the virtue of sitting in that gathering. The second one felt shy, and Allah was shy towards him, which means that he did not jostle for the place and sat behind the circle. So, he was not denied the blessings of that gathering. The last one turned away, and so Allah turned away from him. This man left without any excuse. That is why he was denied the blessing of that gathering.

صحيح البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر، دار طوق النجاة، ط: الأولى، 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت. رياض الصالحين، للنووي، تحقيق ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير، دمشق -بيروت، ط: الأولى 1428هـ. نزهة المتقين، لمجموعة من المؤلفين، مؤسسة الرسالة، ط: الرابعة عشر،1407هـ. شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين، بإشراف مؤسسة الشيخ، دار الوطن للنشر، الرياض، ط: 1426هـ. بهجة الناظرين، لسليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي، السعودية، ط: الثالثة 1418هـ. تطريز رياض الصالحين، تأليف فيصل آل مبارك، تحقيق د. عبد العزيز آل حمد، دار العاصمة -الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1423هـ. صفات الله عز وجل الواردة في الكتاب والسنة: علوي بن عبد القادر السَّقَّاف، دار الهجرة الطبعة: الثالثة ، 1426هـ - 2006م.

Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he was a young boy when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was alive, and he used to memorize some of the Prophet's statements. However, he would not narrate what he had heard out of respect for the senior Companions who were present.

بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، سليم بن عيد الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي، الطبعة: الأولى 1418هـ. دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين، محمد علي بن البكري بن علان، اعتنى بها: خليل مأمون شيحا، دار المعرفة، بيروت، الطبعة: الرابعة 1425هـ. رياض الصالحين، للنووي، تحقيق: ماهر ياسين الفحل، دار ابن كثير، دمشق، بيروت، الطبعة: الأولى 1428هـ. كنوز رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين برئاسة حمد بن ناصر العمار، كنوز إشبيليا، الرياض، الطبعة: الأولى 1430هـ. صحيح مسلم، مسلم بن الحجاج القشيري النيسابوري، تحقيق محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت، الطبعة: 1423هـ.

A Bedouin came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to guide him to a deed that would make him enter Paradise. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered him saying that being admitted to Paradise and saved from Hellfire are contingent on observing the pillars of Islam, which include worshipping Allah alone without associating partners with Him, establishing the five prayers that Allah has made obligatory upon His slaves every day and night, paying Zakah due on your wealth that Allah has made obligatory upon you and giving it to those entitled to have it, and maintaining the fast during the month of Ramadān in its due time. The man said: By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, I shall not add any act of obedience to these obligatory acts, which I heard from you, or deduct anything therefrom. When the man left, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever is pleased to look at a man from the dwellers of Paradise, let him look at this Bedouin.

1. Singling Allah Almighty out with worship is the first thing to start with in calling people to Allah.
2. It is sufficient to teach the new converts to Islam what is obligatory.
3. Gradualism is necessary in calling others to Allah Almighty.
4. The man's keenness on learning his religion.
5. If a Muslim only performs what is obligatory, he will attain success. However, this does not mean taking the voluntary acts of worship lightly, for such voluntary acts make up for the shortcomings of obligatory acts.
6. Mentioning some specific acts of worship is a clear proof of their importance and a way of encouraging their observance; nevertheless, this does not mean that nothing else is obligatory.

صحيح البخاري (2/ 105) (1397). صحيح مسلم (1/ 44) (14). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (15/ 588). بهجة الناظرين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 349). نزهة المتقين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 861). منار القاري، لحمزة قاسم (3/ 5). مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، لعلي القاري (1/ 82).

The Companions asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) how to invoke Allah's blessings upon him after learning how to greet him in At-Tahiyyāt: "As-salāmu ‘alayka ayyuha an-nabiyy wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh (O Prophet, may the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you)..." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed them of the manner of invoking Allah's blessings upon him and its meaning: "O Allah, bestow Your grace upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad," i.e., mention him, as well as those who follow his religion and the believers from among his relatives, with good praise among the highest assembly of angels. "Just as You bestowed Your grace upon the family of Abraham." As You bestowed Your favor upon the family of Abraham (peace be upon him), namely Abraham, Ismā‘īl (Ishmael), Is-hāq (Isaac), and their offspring and their followers from the believers, so bestow Your favor upon Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). "Verily, You are Praiseworthy, All-Glorious," i.e., You are the Praiseworthy in Your essence, attributes, and acts; the All-Encompassing in Your greatness, sovereignty, and bounty. "O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad just as You blessed the family of Abraham," i.e., grant him the greatest of goodness and honor and increase it and establish it.

1. The righteous predecessors used to gift each other with knowledge-related matters.
2. It is obligatory to invoke Allah's blessings upon the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the last Tashahhud in prayer.
3. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Companions how to greet him and invoke Allah's blessings upon him.
4. This is the most perfect form of invoking Allah's blessings upon the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

صحيح البخاري (8/ 77) (6357). صحيح مسلم (1/ 305) (406). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لعبد الله البسام (ص208). تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين (2/ 270). الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (1/ 170).

An aspect of the humility of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is shown when a man came to him while he was delivering a sermon and told him that he was a stranger who wished to learn about the religion. The Prophet gave him attention; he stopped his sermon and walked toward him. Then he was brought a chair to sit on, and he started teaching the man, because this man came with a desire to learn his religion in order to act upon it. After teaching him, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) continued his sermon.

بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي. رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428هـ. شرح رياض الصالحين؛ للشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن-الرياض، 1426هـ. شرح صحيح مسلم؛ للإمام محي الدين النووي، دار الريان للتراث-القاهرة، الطبعة الأولى، 1407هـ. صحيح مسلم؛ للإمام مسلم بن الحجاج، حققه ورقمه محمد فؤاد عبدالباقي، دار عالم الكتب-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1417هـ. نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that whoever learns religious knowledge—which is originally meant to seek the pleasure of Allah Almighty—but learns it only to attain worldly gain or benefit, such as wealth or status, will not smell the fragrance of Paradise on the Day of Judgment.

1. The obligation of sincerity in seeking knowledge and encouraging this.
2. A stern warning against using religious knowledge for show off or as a means to attain worldly gain, as this is considered one of the major sins.
3. Whoever seeks knowledge for the sake of Allah and the worldly gains come to him as a result, it is permissible for him to take them, and it will not harm him.
4. As-Sindi said: His statement (the ‘Arf of Paradise) refers to its fragrance. This is an emphasis on the prohibition from Paradise, because whoever cannot even smell something certainly will not partake of it.
5. Whoever learns knowledge that is meant to be sought for the sake of Allah but does so for the sake of a job or other worldly aims must repent to Allah for that. And Allah will erase what resulted from the corrupt intention, for He is the Possessor of great bounty, Glorified and Exalted is He.
6. This warning is directed at the seeker of religious knowledge. As for someone who seeks knowledge of worldly sciences, such as engineering, chemistry, and the like, for the sake of worldly gain, then his intention is judged accordingly.

سنن أبي داود (5/ 504) (3664). سنن ابن ماجه (1/ 169) (252). مسند أحمد (14/ 169) (8457). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (2/ 477). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (16/ 507). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 957). بهجة الناظرين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 447). عون المعبود شرح سنن أبي داود، العظيم آبادي (10/ 70). حاشية السندي على سنن ابن ماجه، لمحمد التتوي (1/ 110).

This Hadīth carries a stern warning about the concealment of knowledge and that if a person is asked about something that concerns the questioner as regards his religious matters, and he is duty-bound to answer him, yet he fails to answer and clarify the matter to him, Allah, the Almighty, will punish him in the Hereafter by putting a bridle of fire over his mouth. However, if the questioner poses the question for some other reason, like testing the one he asks, the asked one has the choice to answer him or not, without falling under the warning set out in the Hadīth.

- الجامع الصحيح –وهو سنن الترمذي-؛ للإمام محمد بن عيسى الترمذي، تحقيق أحمد شاكر وآخرين، مكتبة الحلبي-مصر، الطبعة الثانية، 1388هـ. - رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428هـ. - شرح رياض الصالحين؛ للشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن، الرياض، 1426هـ. - مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح؛ تأليف ملا علي القاري، تحقيق صدقي العطار، دار الفكر-بيروت، الطبعة الأولى، 1412هـ. - مشكاة المصابيح؛ تأليف محمد بن عبدالله التبريزي، تحقيق محمد ناصر الدين الألباني، المكتب الإسلامي-بيروت، الطبعة الثانية، 1399هـ. - نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ. - سنن أبي داود, أبو داود سليمان بن الأشعث بن إسحاق بن بشير بن شداد بن عمرو الأزدي السِّجِسْتاني, المحقق: محمد محيي الدين عبد الحميد, المكتبة العصرية، صيدا – بيروت. - مسند الإمام أحمد بن حنبل، تحقيق: شعيب الأرنؤوط - عادل مرشد، وآخرون، نشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة: الأولى، 1421هـ - 2001م. - مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، لعلي بن سلطان الملا الهروي القاري، الناشر: دار الفكر، بيروت – لبنان، الطبعة: الأولى، 1422هـ - 2002م. - بهجة الناظرين, سليم بن عيد الهلالي، الناشر: دار ابن الجوزي ، سنة النشر: 1418 هـ- 1997م. - سنن ابن ماجه, ابن ماجه أبو عبد الله محمد بن يزيد القزويني، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي, الناشر: دار إحياء الكتب العربية - فيصل عيسى البابي الحلبي. - مرعاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، أبو الحسن عبيد الله بن محمد الرحماني المباركفوري, الناشر: إدارة البحوث العلمية والدعوة والإفتاء - الجامعة السلفية، بنارس الهند, الطبعة: الثالثة - 1404 هـ، 1984 م.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed for brightness, joy, and beauty in this world, and that Allah grants the person the radiance, bliss, and bloom of Paradise in the Hereafter for whoever hears his Hadīth and memorizes it to convey it to others. Perhaps the one to whom the Hadīth is conveyed understands it better, has deeper insight, and is more capable of deriving rulings than the one who originally transmitted it. The first excels in memorization and transmission, while the second excels in understanding and deduction.

1. Encouraging the memorization of the Prophetic Sunnah and its conveyance to people.
2. Highlighting the merit of the people of Hadīth and the honor of seeking such knowledge.
3. The merit of scholars, who are the people of deduction and understanding.
4. The merit of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), as they are the ones who heard the Hadīth of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and conveyed it to us.
5. Al-Munāwi said: He clarified here that comprehension is not a condition for the Hadīth narrator; rather, memorization is a condition. However, understanding and reflection are required from the jurist.
6. Ibn ‘Uyaynah said: No one who seeks Hadīth except that there is brightness in his face because of this Hadīth.
7. Memorization, according to the scholars of Hadīth, is of two types: memorization of the heart and mind, and memorization through writing in books and lines. Both types are included in the supplication mentioned in the Hadīth.
8. People vary in their level of understanding, for perhaps the one to whom knowledge is conveyed is better at understanding than the hearer, and perhaps the one carrying the knowledge of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) is not himself a jurist.

سنن الترمذي (4/ 394) (2657). سنن ابن ماجه (1/ 157) (232). مسند أحمد (7/ 221) (4157). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 476). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (5/ 446). فيض القدير شرح الجامع الصغير، لعبدالرؤوف المناوي (3/ 206). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (16/ 496). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 956).