Virtue of Knowledge and Its People, by Shaikh 'Ubaid al-Jaabiree and Shaikh Falah Isma'eel

[Maher.ibn.Ahmad.Attiyeh]

Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah

Amma ba'd Virtue of Knowledge and Its People, by Shaikh 'Ubaid al-Jaabiree and Shaikh Falah Isma'eel, via notes taken from 'In Defense of Salafi Manhaj' Conference (not verbatim) The following is - wa lillaah il Hamd - the combined efforts of two scholars of Ahlul-Sunnah wal Jama'ah: Shaikh 'Ubaid al-Jaabiree and Shaikh Falah ibn Isma'eel (hafidhahumullaah). After delivering khutbat al-hajjah, Shaikh 'Ubaid (hafidhahullaah) began with the lecture: Virtue of Knowledge and Its People [The shaikh had a brief introduction that included the following: 'Ilm as related to Islaam is the legislated (Sharee'ah) knowledge. Understanding the Qur`an and Sunnah upon the Fahm of the salaf-us-Saleh (Prophet and sahaaba, and those who followed them). The Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: Khairun-Nas Qarni, Thummal-Ladheena Yaloonahum, Thummal-Ladheena Yaloonahum (The Best Generation is my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them.) ... Then the shaikh said he will give us one ayah and one hadeeth to show us the Virtue of Knowledge and its People.] Allaah said (what means): Allaah bears witness that La ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge who are upright and just (also give this witness); (He is always) maintaining His creation in Justice. La ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. (Alee 'Imraan, ayah 18) Those bearing witness are three: 1- Al-Haqq (Allaah, Himself), and this is sufficient 2- The noble angels 3- People of knowledge ---------> This is a tazkiyah for them Abu Darda (radiallaahu 'anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: Whoever seeks a path to knowledge, Allaah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. Indeed, the angels lower their wings being pleased with the one who seeks knowledge. Whoever is in the heavens and on earth, even the fish in the sea, ask for forgiveness for the scholar. The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like that of the moon over all other heavenly bodies. The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets, for the Prophets did not leave behind Dinars and Dirhams, but they left behind knowledge; and whoever receives it, receives an abundance of good fortune. (Ahmad, Abu Dawud; authentic) In this hadeeth, there are six virtues and characteristics of the people of knowledge. 1- The Promise of Jannah, wherein is what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and has never come across the heart of mankind. 2- The angels are pleased with the seeker of knowledge, traveling to seek knowledge, and teaching people that knowledge. 3- All the creation seeks forgiveness for them, even the fish on the bottom of the ocean. 4- The superiority of the scholars over everyone else. They worship Allaah upon baseerah, and teach people through actions upon baseerah. 5- The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets; this is only for the scholars. The Prophets did not leave anything behind except 'ilm. 6- Have diligence in seeking 'ilm, and acting upon and teaching the Sunnah, disseminating knowledge, refuting bid'ah. The scholars are rewarded for their 'ilm, and the 'ilm of those they teach, and the actions of those who act upon it, because the Messenger (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: 'Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. And whoever calls to misguidance will carry the burden of the sin similar to the sin of the one who follows him, without the sins of either of them being lessened at all.' (Muslim) Shaikh 'Ubaid concluded - it was nearly 2:00 AM in Madinah, maa sha` Allaah, may Allaah reward him and the rest of the righteous scholars of the Sunnah, and may Allaah have mercy on those scholars of the Sunnah who have died and preserve those scholars of the Sunnah still living. Then Shaikh Falah ibn Isma'eel, who was in attendance and had earlier exchanged salaams with Shaikh 'Ubaid, asked those in attendance: What is the condition in this hadeeth regarding the scholars? The answer is from the Prophet's own statement in this hadeeth. [One person answered correctly, and the shaikh was pleased.] The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets. In his sharh (explanation) of this hadeeth, Imam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said: "The last the Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) mentioned in the hadeeth is the condition of this hadeeth.." All the virtues are for (Warath al-Anbiyaa`), those who inherit from the Prophets. This is not for any scholar except for the one who inherits from the Prophets. The angels lowering their wings is for the one who inherits from the Prophets. All of creation seeking forgiveness for them is for those who inherit from the Prophets. [Then the shaikh set out to show us who is truly an inheritor of the Prophets, via a scale - he called it a barometer - by bringing this hadeeth in harmony with another hadeeth to show us.] The Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "The stars are the guardians of the sky. If the stars are gone, then that which is promised to the sky will befall it. And I am a guardian of my companions. If I die, then that which is promised to my companions will befall them. And my companions are guardians of my Ummah. If they are gone, then that which is promised to befall my Ummah will occur." What we learn from this hadeeth are: The companions are the scholars of this Ummah. So the Prophet is the star in the time of the sahaaba. And the companions is the star for this Ummah. They are the true stars. Today, even wicked, lude people claim to be stars: the singers, dancers, ballplayers, belly-dancers... Shaikh Hammad al-Ansaree said: The Qur`an is explained, first and foremost, by the Qur`an itself. From the Qur`an, we see that a star is used for three purposes: 1- (huda) guidance ------> The proof is Allaah's statement (which means): It is He Who has set the stars for you, so that you may guide your course with their help through the darkness of the land and the sea. We have (indeed) explained in detail Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, Revelations, etc.) for people who know. (Al-An'aam, ayah 97) 2- (zina` a sama) --------> beautification, adornment 3- (rujum ash-shayaateen) --------> missiles that kill devils. The Proof for these last two are Allaah's statement (which means): And indeed We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made such lamps (as) missiles to drive away the Shayaateen (devils), and have prepared for them the torment of the blazing Fire. (Al-Mulk, ayah 5) [Qatadah (rahimahullaah) said: "These stars were only created for three purposes: Allaah created them as adornment for the heaven (sky), as missiles for the devils, and as signs for navigation. Therefore, whoever seeks to interpret any other meanings for them other than these, then verily he has spoken with his own opinion, he has lost his portion and burdened himself with that which he has no knowledge of." (Ibn Jareer recorded this with his chain of narration; so did Ibn Abi Hatim)] So when the Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) sat with the sahaaba, Prophet Muhammad (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was: 1- the zina, adornment 2- guided them to the truth, taught them 3- killed falsehood: refuted bid'ah, shirk, exposed hypocrites, even the small matters he did not ignore, nor compromised. Prophet Muhammad divided between the truth and falsehood (and exposed falsehood, and its difference from the truth), such that people within a single family were separated by this distinguishment. 'Amr ibn al-'Aaas (radiallaahu 'anhu) stopped near Egypt, where he encountered a big army. 'Amr ibn al-'Aaas sent to 'Umar (radiallaahu 'anhu) a message, asking for reinforcement. 'Umar sent 1,000 people. 'Amr ibn al-'Aaas wondered and asked 'Umar (is this sufficient)? 'Umar said: Among them are four [meaning four sahaaba], each one of them equals one thousand. Likewise, the scholars today. They are the: 1- the zina (adornment) 2- people are guided by them 3- they are missiles against the shayaateen, by refuting Ahlul Bid'ah wa Ahlul Baatil (People of Hersey and people of falsehood) The true Salafee today is distinguished because he refutes Ahlul Bid'ah (the devils among mankind). The graves of the sahaaba: are they only in Makkah and Madina? No, they are in 'Iraq, Sham, etc... Because they spread the Deen. Would you like to be from Warath al-Anbiya` (the inheritors of the Prophets)? Yes! Then, 1- Enjoin the good and forbid the evil with gentleness, mercy; don't lie, don't backbite (in reference to the haram backbiting). This is Zina (adornment, beautification). 2- Constantly guide people to the truth. This is guidance. 3- If you saw a munkar, stop it. This is missiles against the devils. Those who will inherit from the Prophets are those closest to them. Aboo Hurayrah (radiallaahu 'anhu) once passed by the market in Madinah. He stopped at the market and said: "O people of the market, how incapable you are!" They said, "And how is that Aboo Hurayrah?" He replied, "Over there, the inheritance of Allaah's Messegner (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) is being distributed and you are here! Won't you go and take your share?" "Where is it?" they asked. He replied, "In the Masjid." So they hurried to the Masjid, and Aboo Hurayrah waited for them until they returned. When they came back, he said, "What’s the matter?" They replied, "Aboo Hurayrah! We went to the Masjid, but we didn't see anything being distributed." Aboo Hurayrah asked them, "And you didn't see anyone in the Masjid?" They replied, "Indeed we did; we saw people praying, others reciting Qur`an and others studying the regulations of halal and haram." So Aboo Hurayrah said, "Woe to you! That is the inheritance of Muhammad, salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam." [Reported by at-Tabaraani in al-Aswaat, with a hassan chain of narrators; Al-Albanee also graded it hasan in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa Tarheeb, Vol 1, pg. 19.]