HOW TO PURIFY THE INTENTION WHEN SEEKING KNOWLEDGE

How to Purify the Intention when Seeking Knowledge
With regards to how to attain ikhlaas(having purity of intention and sincerity) in your
seeking knowledge, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah states:
So if someone says to you: How does ikhlaas in seeking knowledge come about? It comes
about through a (number) of matters:
1 – It is that in doing that (seeking of knowledge), you have as your intention that you are
complying with Allaah’s command because Allaah, the Most High, commanded with that
(seeking of knowledge).
So He said:
Have knowledge that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah. And seek
forgiveness for your sin.
Soorah Muhammad (47) aayah 19 And he sall Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam encouraged (us)
upon knowledge; and encouraging upon a matter necessitates loving it and being pleased
with it and commanding with it.
2 – It is that in doing that, you intend to preserve the Sharee’ah of Allaah, because
preserving the Sharee’ah of Allaah occurs through learning, and it comes about through
preserving (it) in the chests (of people), and it comes about through writing down, writing
down the books.
3 – It is that in doing that, you intend to protect the Sharee’ah and defend it, because were it
not for the people of knowledge, then the Sharee’ah would not have been protected and no
one would have defended it. And therefore you find, for example, Shaykh ul Islaam ibn
Taymiyyah and other than him from the people of knowledge who resisted and blocked the
people of innovation and clarified the false and futile nature of their innovations, we see that
they (these people of knowledge) attained a great deal of good.
4 – It is that in doing that, your intention is to be following the Sharee’ah of Muhammad sall
Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam because you are not able to follow his Sharee’ah until you have
knowledge of this Sharee’ah.
The author (Imaam Al-Barbahaaree) rahimahullaah said:
And know, may Allaah have mercy upon you that knowledge is not in being able to narrate
much and in having many books, rather the scholar is the one who follows the knowledge
and the sunnahs (in some versions: the Book and the Sunnah) even if his knowledge and
his books are limited and whoever opposes the Book and the Sunnah then he is a person
of innovation, even if he narrates much and has many books.
Shaykh Saalih Al-Fowzaan hafizahullaah said in explanation of this point
His saying:
And know, may Allaah have mercy upon you, that knowledge is not in being able to narrate
much and in having many books.
`Ilm (knowledge) is not in knowing many things and reading much and having many
books. Knowledge is only through having fiqh (knowledge and understanding) and
through ittibaa’ (following) and in ‘amal (action upon it), even if the person has only a little
knowledge. So a small amount of knowledge along with righteous action and with correct
understanding of the religion is something that is much. Whereas having a lot of knowledge
with little action and without following, there is no benefit in it.
So the Jews have amongst them people of knowledge, they have rabbis and yet despite this
their knowledge does not benefit them and they became those upon whom there is anger
because they disobeyed Allaah upon knowledge and insight, so what is intended is not to
have a large amount of knowledge and to have read many things, what is intended is
action. This is what is intended by knowledge and this is the path of those upon whom
Allaah has bestowed his favour. Just as He the Most High said (the explanation of which is),
‘Guide us upon the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your
favour’ and they are the people of knowledge and action. ‘Not the path of those whom
You are angry with’ and they are those who possess knowledge without action. ‘Nor the
path of those who are astray’ [Sooratul-Faatihah, verses 6-7] and they are those who act
without knowledge.
So therefore knowledge will not benefit unless it is with action and action will not benefit
unless it is along with knowledge. So knowledge and action must be combined and this is
the path of those who have favour bestowed upon them.
His saying: And rather the scholar is just the one who follows (applies) the knowledge and
the sunnahs even if he only has a small amount of knowledge and of books. The scholar is
only the one who follows the Book and the sunnahs even if he has only acquired a small
amount of knowledge, contrary to the case of someone who has acquired a great deal of
knowledge or who has many and various books, however he does not act, then this there is
no benefit in it. Knowledge becomes much and it increases and it grows along with
righteous deeds. As for knowledge without action then it is stripped of blessing and it will
not remain.
And the people of knowledge are of two categories:
The first one: those who are scholars with the tongue only
The second one: those who are scholars with the tongue and with the heart and they are
the people of al-khashyah (fear of Allaah). He the Most High said (the explanation of which
is),
‘It is only those who have knowledge amongst His servants who fear Allaah’ [Soorah
Faatir, verse 28].
So having knowledge and fear (of Allaah), these two are al-`ilmus-saheeh , correct
knowledge. As for just knowledge of the tongue without fear of Allaah then this is the
knowledge of the hypocrites, we ask Allaah for safety and security…
…Allaah the Most High said with regard to the Jews (the explanation of which is),
‘The example of those who were given the duty of acting upon the Tawraat and then they
did not act upon it is just like the example of a donkey carrying volumes of
books.’ [Sooratul-Jumu’ah, verse 5].
So the person who has a huge library but he abandons action or he is an innovator, his
example is that of a donkey which carries books and does not benefit from them.
Taken from Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan’s explanation of Sharhus-Sunnah of Imaam Al-
Barbahaaree, translated by Aboo Talhah Daawood Burbank on 28th February 2011 during
his Monday ‘aqeedah lesson.
With regards to the students of knowledge leaving off argumentation and accepting the
Truth when it comes to them, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah
states:
And likewise (from the most important of matters) also is abandonment of argumentation
and disputing because argumentation and disputing are a door to blocking the correct path.
For argumentation and disputing incite a person to speak and try to support himself only;
even if the Truth is made clear to him, you will find him either rejecting it or else twisting it in
a detestable manner, seeking to support himself and trying to force his opponent to take his
statement.
So if you see argumentation and disputing from your brother, in that the Truth (in
that matter) is something clear but he does not follow it, then flee from him as you
would flee from a lion. And say, “I don’t have anything except this (information which I have
told you)” and leave him…
So from those matters of importance for the student of knowledge is that he leave off
argumentation and disputing and that he leave off those ideas which come to his mind;
leave these matters and don’t be obstinate. Make your knowledge be something simple and
easy – meaning (like) the Arab who came, he came upon his camel and asked the Prophet
sall Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam about matters of the Religion, then he (the Arab) departed
without arguing because he had nothing with him except tasleem (submission).
As for arguing and disputing and quarreling then this is something that harms the person.
And Allah knows best!
(Sharh hilyah taalib il ‘ilm p19 to 20 of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen
rahimahullaah )
Translated by Aboo ‘Abdir-Rahmaan Naasir ibn Najam