Etiquettes of Seeking Knowledge.pptx

Etiquettes of
Seeking Knowledge in Islam
Presentation by Dr. Mayeser Peerzada, drmayeser@gmail.com

Content

Definition
• According to the Oxford Dictionary the word ‘Knowledge’
means –
facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or
education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a
subject

Types of Knowledge
Beneficial
• Enhances ones
physical,
psychological or
spiritual being
Non-Beneficial
• Neutral or damages
ones physical,
psychological or
spiritual being
Usefulness Worldly
• To sustain oneself
and restrain from
any harm to
oneself
Religious
• To know Allah and
achieve success in
the hereafter
Content
A Muslim Must
Possess
Knowledge of All
the four types to
a considerable
degree

Significance of Knowledge
The word Ilm and its derivatives has come 161 times in 152 verses in the Quran
Knowledge made Adam (AS) superior to even the angels
The first verse of the Quran was to Read
The Prophet (pbuh) made obligatory on every Muslim
The Prophet (pbuh) said seek Knowledge from cradle to Grave
In the hereafter people will be accountable for the Knowledge they earned
Its dissemination is a source of Sawab-e-Jariyah

Sources of Knowledge
Books and
newsletters
Audio &
Videos
Institutes
Research

Etiquettes of Seeking Knowledge

Correct Intention

Correct Intention
Sincerely for the pleasure of Allah
Allah said “ I am the most self-sufficient that i do not need partners. So,
whoever does an action for Me in which he associates others with Me, I am
free from him , and will leave him for the one he associated with Me.”
“ Whoever seeks knowledge in order to compete with the scholars, to prove
himself superior to the ignorant, or to make the people look up to him, he
is in the fire.”
Example of the Scholar, Martyr and a generous person on the Day of
Judgement

Purification

Purification
Imam Shafi complained to his teacher Waki of bad memory
Knowledge is light
Knowledge is the inner means to gain nearness to Allah
Purify Heart from anger, blemishes, envy, self amazement etc.
Avoiding not only haraam but even makrooh
eg: garlic,leek and onions
Clean body and Clothes
Moderation in appearance

Free from obstacles

Free from obstacles
Shirk,
Bidaah
and Sin
The obstacle
of Shirk
overcome by
grasping into
Tawhid
The obstacle
of Innovation is
overcome by
grasping into
Sunnah The obstacle
of sin is
overcome by
true
repentance

• Ibn al-Qayyim ( may Allah have mercy upon him) said
“Getting what you want depends on cutting of habits and
attachment to anything else”
A Student of Knowledge should cut off all
distractions, because if one’s concentration is
spread here and there, he will miss out on
discovering many things

A beautiful example from the life of Abu
Hurayrah(RA)
Ibn Kathir reported from Sa’id bin Hind said
that Abu Hyrayrah (RA) said that Prophet
(pbuh) said to him,” Will you not ask me about
this war booty that your companions have asked me
about?” So. Abu Hurayrah said,
“ I ask you to teach me form what Allah has taught
you.”

The soul does not
abandon the object
it loves and desires
except to attach
itself to that which
is even more
beloved and
greater in
importance to it
than what it has
abandoned
The stronger its
connection
becomes to what it
seeks, the weaker
becomes its
connection to
anything else.

Moderation

Moderate Eating
Ibn Qudamah ( May Allah have
mercy on him) siad’
“ The desire for eating is the most
destructive of all, and it is what
caused Adam to exit Paradise and
from the desire of the stomach
comes the desire for sex and
wealth. These lead to many
problem all the results of
satisfying ones appetitete”

Moderate Sleep
More eating leads to
more sleep and less
intelligence
Surah Dhariyat 51:15-
16 Allah describes the
righteous people are
those who sleep little

Moderate speech
Either speak good or remain silent
Stay away from things that do not concern us
Paradise promised to those who control their
tongue
Abu ad-Darda (RA) said,”Use your ears more than
your mouth, as you were given two ears and one
mouth so that you listen more than you talk.”

Remembrance of Allah

Remembrance of Allah
The Rusted heart
needs polishing and
the human rusted
heart is polished by
the remembrance of
Allah.

Right friends

Right Friends
Greatest Loss – to
be preoccupied
with one who
brings nothing
but loss of time,
weakening your
energy and
dispersing your
attention.
Treat a non-
beneficial friend
like the one
whom you met on
the road towards
your destination
or he will act as a
highway robber

Ibn Qudamah ( may Allah have mercy
upon him) said
Friend must have five characteristics
Intelligent
• An idiot will
harm you
Well-
Mannered
• Simply
intelligent
may
overcome by
anger
Not a Fasiq
• For he
doesn’t fear
Allah
Not an
innovator
• You can be
overcome by
his
innovation
Not eager
for Dunya
• Will be
materialistic

Right Start

Right Start
Know the Basics before the advance
Be a learner at every stage
Choose the right teacher, method and course
Always have the attitude to learn more
Compare your knowledge with the knowledge of the
world and you will find yourself nowhere
Best is to seek knowledge without a mediator – directly
from the source
Being punctual and disciplined

Respect the Teacher

Respect the Teacher
Ibn Abbas (RA) said, “ I humbled myself as a student. So I became
honourable as a teacher.”
Maymun bin Mahran said,” Do not argue with the one who is more
knowledgeable than you, because if you do, he will keep his
knowledge from you, and you will not harm him in the least.”
One should thank and compliment ones teacher for the praises him as
well as for pointing at his shortcomings
One should sit in front of the teacher with humility and calmness,
facing him completely and giving complete attention to his words,
and should not turn from him until the need to do so.

Retention of Knowledge

Retention of Knowledge
Umar (RA) took eight years to memorise Surah Baqarah – did not
proceed with the next verse until implement it
Revision of what learned
Disseminating - The more more you spread the more you will gain
for knowledge increases by giving and wealth decreases by
distributing
Avoid sinning for it leads to poor memory

Jazakallahukhair

Etiquettes of Seeking Knowledge.pptx

More Related Content

What's hot

Similar to Etiquettes of Seeking Knowledge.pptx

More from Dr. Mayeser Peerzada

Recently uploaded

Etiquettes of Seeking Knowledge.pptx