٢٢. عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:
«مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَجْلِسُ يَسْمَعُ الْحِكْمَةَ ثُمَّ لَا يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ صَاحِبِهِ إِلَّا بِشَرِّ مَا يَسْمَعُ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ أَتَى رَاعِيًا فَقَالَ: يَا رَاعِي أَجْزِرْنِي شَاةً مِنْ غَنَمِكَ قَالَ: اذْهَبْ فَخُذْ بِأُذُنِ خَيْرِهَا فَذَهَبَ فَأَخَذَ بِأُذُنِ كَلْبِ الْغَنَمِ».
22. Abu Huraira (r.a.) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“The similitude of a person who joins a scholarly gathering and listens to words of wisdom, but then narrates the bad parts of what he heard to his friends is the following:
A person comes to a shepherd and says:
«–O shepherd, give a sheep from your herd to me for me to sacrifice».
The shepherd says:
“Go, get the best one and bring it to me!”
The man goes and picks the dog among the huge herd.” (Ibn Majah, Zuhd, 15; Ahmad, II, 353, 405, 508; Baihaqi, Shuab, II, 268; Haythami, I, 128)
Explanations:
First of all, a Muslim tries to benefit from his knowledge and puts it into practice. Then, he tries to acquire beneficial knowledge that will help him to continue a life which can help him be a good servant of Allah and gain His contentedness. He also prays to Allah to bless him with such knowledge and advance his knowledge.
The best indicator of benefitting from one’s knowledge is paying extra attention to commands of religion with devotion. Those who benefit from their knowledge put their knowledge into practice and live a pious life because they are afraid of divine torment.
As a matter of fact, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“For sure I am the best in piety (taqwa) to Allah and I know Him the best!” (Bukhari, Iman, 13; Adab, 72)
Therefore, as knowledge increases the level of piety (taqwa) increases as well. Since the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) is the one who knows Allah the best, he is also the one who is best in piety.
As good knowledge benefits people in this world, it is also useful after death as capital in the Hereafter. Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) informs us that a believer who leaves beneficial knowledge behind has an unclosed Book of Deeds. Through his students and works will not be closed up, but rather the rewards of this knownledge will continue to be recorded into his book even after he dies. (Muslim, Wasiyyah, 14)
Therefore, we must seek useful knowledge not only to benefit from it but also to put it into service of others, rather than wasting our time with unnecessary things. Indeed, the spiritual state experienced by Ibn Sirin proves this:
He narrates:
“I entered into the praying room and saw that Samir b. Abdurrahman was narrating a story and Humaid was giving a lesson. While I was thinking about which one of them to join, I fell asleep. Someone came to my dream and said:
“You are still thinking about which one to join. If you want, let me show you the place of Gabriel who sits right next to Humaid!” (Darimi, Muqaddimah, 32)
That is to say that even the prominent angels join the gatherings of those who are busy with useful knowledge. This is more than enough to prove the virtue of being busy with useful knowledge.
On the other hand, knowledge is an endless ocean. To get the entire knowledge is outside of human capacity. Therefore, humans should acquire useful knowledge first and turn away from the things that are not beneficial. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“Learn your names (your kin) well enough to visit them and give up the rest! Learn Arabic well enough to understand the Holy Book of Allah and give up the rest! Learn astronomy well enough to find your way in the sea darkness of sea or land and give up the rest!” (Baihaqi, Shuab, II, 269-270)
Salman al-Farisi (r.a.) advised to Hudhaifa:
“Knowledge is a deep ocean and life is short. In respect to your religion, learn as much as you need and leave the rest behind; don’t tire yourself out for nothing!” (Abu Nuaym, Hilya, I, 189)
While Salman (r.a.) was taking a walk on the coast of Tigris, his friend bent down and drank some water.
Salman (r.a.) said:
“Go ahead, drink some more!”
His friend answered:
“I am done!”
Salman asked:
“Can you say that anything lessened from the river?”
His friend said:
“No”
This time Salman (r.a.) advised:
“Knowledge is like this river, it does not diminish. Therefore, get the knowledge that will be useful to you!” (Abu Nuaym, Hilya, I, 188)
Wasting time with knowledge that is not useful makes one tired for nothing and it is a huge waste in every aspect. For this reason, in the second hadith the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) took refuge in Allah from knowledge that does not mature the heart, discipline the self, and beautify manners. That is because knowledge that is not useful will not bring happiness neither in this world nor in the Hereafter.
There are also unfortunate people who do not acquire useful knowledge and also spread the worst part of whatever they learn. Those who act in this way are surely the most unfortunate and deprived ones of all people. Such people get busy with unnecessary and even harmful things by turning away from useful knowledge. In time, they are the ones who will face with the harm of their acts.
Such people look for and find harmful things while they could learn useful knowledge and perform many good deeds. As in the example given in our third hadith, it is compared to finding a dog whose meat cannot be eaten while it is possible to pick one of the hundreds of sheep in the herd. That dog will soon bite or even tear him into pieces. In order words, that person picked the hardest and most harmful way.
Another important issue is that the person who acquires useful knowledge must share his knowledge with others. This is because the important thing is to spread the knowledge by explaining and to ensure others have access to it as well. It is a big sin to hide theological information that everyone should know. Those who do this will have to face the divine torment in the Hereafter. It is expressed in the Qur’an that:
“Those who conceal the clear (Signs) We have sent down, and the Guidance, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, on them shall be Allah’s curse, and the curse of those entitled to curse.” (Al-Baqarah; 2:159)
The warning of the Prophet on this issue is as follows:
“He who is asked about something he knows and conceals it will have a bridle of fire put on him on the Day of Resurrection.” (Abu Dawud, Ilm, 9/3658. Also see Tirmidhi, Ilm, 3/2649; Ibn Majah, Muqaddimah, 24)
On the other hand, man should not acquire knowledge only to gain worldly benefits and satisfy himself. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“If anyone acquires knowledge of things by which Allah’s contentedness is sought, but acquires it only to get some worldly advantage, he will not experience even the scent of Paradise.” (Abu Dawud, Ilm, 12/3664. Also see Ibn Majah, Muqaddimah, 23)
Such a person acts insincerely and anticipates the rewards of his efforts not from Allah but from others. These rewards are given in this world, so he will not receive anything for it in the Hereafter.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said the following about those who acquire knowledge for anything other than Allah’s contentedness:
“If anyone acquires knowledge only to discuss it with scholars, to debate with the scoundrels, and to gain people’s appreciation, Allah will put him into Hell.” (Tirmidhi, Ilm, 6/2654; Ibn Majah, Muqaddimah, 23)
“If anyone acquires knowledge for anything other than Allah, or wants anything else other than Allah with his knowledge, he should prepare for his place in the fire!” (Tirmidhi, Ilm, 6/2655; Ibn Majah, Muqaddimah, 23)
However, a scholar may gain worldly benefits because of his knowledge that he acquired for Allah’s pleasure. This is Allah’s blessing to him. There is no harm to acquire knowledge which is not oblıgatory in order to receive honest earnings. However, if one acquires theological knowledge just to earn worldly benefits, he stays away from paradise in the hereafter and will not be among those who enter there first.