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How to be a student of the Qur’aan
~ Ustaadh Jamal Abdinasir حفظه الله
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
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There were four companions at the Ka’bah, after the time of the Prophet ﷺ each of them were told to make a Du’a. Three of these companions were brothers:
‘Abdallah ibn Zubayr
‘Urwa ibn Zubayr
Mus’ab ibn Zubayr
The fourth companion was the son of ‘Umar ibn Khattab, ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Umar.
Abdallah ibn Zubayr’s Du’aa: “I hope to be a leader and govern the muslim land” And Allah fulfilled his wish; during the last 10 years of his life he ruled all of the muslim lands.
‘Urwa ibn Zubayr’s Du’aa: “I hope to be a reference in Islamic knowledge” And Allah fulfilled his wish; he became from the greatest scholars of Madinah.
Mus’ab ibn Zubayr: “I hope to be the governor of Basra” And Allah fulfilled his wish; when his older brother became the leader of all the muslim lands, he gave basra to his younger brother Mus’ab.
‘Abdallah ibn ‘Umar’s Du’aa: “I desire for Allah to forgive me”
The three brothers all asked for worldly gain, however ‘Abdallah asked for something that is not achievable in this world directly; he can be forgiven in this world if Allah wills, but the reality of it will only be seen in the hereafter.
Imaam Dhahabi رحمه الله mentions that the first three companions were granted what they wanted and they wanted worldly things, and ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Umar wanted something pertaining to the Akhriah. If Allah granted the brothers their worldly wishes, then we have great hope that Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى will grant ‘Abdallah that which he wanted in the hereafter. {Siyaru A’lam Al-Nubala’i}
Important for a student of knowledge to set himself goals and rely upon Allah in order to be successful.
Imaam Shaafi’ رحمه الله:
(lines of poetry - Advice for the aspiring student of knowledge)
أَخي لَن تَنالَ العِلمَ إِلّا بِسِتَّةٍ
سَأُنبيكَ عَن تَفصيلِها بِبَيانِ
ذَكاءٌ وَحِرصٌ وَاِجتِهادٌ وَبُلغَةٌ
وَصُحبَةُ أُستاذٍ وَطولُ زَمانِ
“O my brother/sister, you will never attain knowledge until you possess six qualities, I will inform you of these in detail and with clarity:
Sharpness of the mind ~ Be someone who is intelligent; you will not be able to understand, memorise and absorb knowledge without intellect.
Eagerness to learn~ Be someone who is dedicated; if you have all the intelligence in this world but you are not eager and you don’t want the knowledge from your heart, then you will not be able to attain and grasp the knowledge.
Sacrifice time ~ Be someone who puts effort in; you need to put in time and effort into attaining this knowledge.
Have a means ~ You should have an amount of money; your books, your travels etc all require finances.
Company of a scholar ~ Have a companionship with a teacher; Imaam mentions ‘companionship’ which shows that attaining this knowledge requires more than just reciting to your teacher and attending their classes.
Length of time ~ Knowledge is not attained overnight, or in a few weeks or months but rather a length of time.
Important for a student of knowledge to possess all of these qualities and the Qur’aan is from the best of Knowledge that a person can attain
Virtues of the Qur’aan:
When Allah mentions to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ the blessings that He gave him, he never mentioned anything except the Qur’aan:
Allah says, “And We have certainly given you, [O Muhammad], seven of the often repeated [verses] (i.e Surah Fatiha) and the great Qur’an. Do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [certain] categories of the disbelievers, and do not grieve over them. ” {Surah Al-Hijr 15:87-88}
and Allah says, “O mankind, there has to come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers. Say, “In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy – in that let them rejoice; it is better than what they accumulate.” {Surah Yunus 10:57}
The Qur’aan is better than anything a person can busy themselves with.
Allah says, “If We had sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of Allah . And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give thought.” {Surah al-Hashr 59:21}
*Despite how strong the mountain is, and how long it’s been around, The Qur’an will cause this mountain to break apart and crumble. Are our hearts harder than this?
Allah says, “Say, [O Muhammad], “It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened and said, ‘Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur’an.“
*The jinn were affected by the Qur’aan; the creation at large are affected by the speech of Allah.
Strange that the Qur’aan was revealed to mankind, yet sometimes you see they’re the only creation who are not affected by it.
Imaam Ahmad: “I saw Allah in a dream ninety nine times and if i were to see Allah for the hundredth time, i would have asked Allah a question. And so i saw Allah for the hundredth time in a dream and i asked my question: i said “o my lord, what is the greatest thing your servant can come closer to you by?” and it was said to him: “My speech, o Ahmad” and Imaam ahmad said “with understanding or without?” and it was said to him “with and without understanding”
*There is nothing better than the Qur’aan – even for someone who reads and does not understand.
Shaykh al Islaam ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله: “If you have seen Allah in a dream, what you have seen is not how He really is, because there is nothing like unto Allaah.”
Allah says, “Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do.” {Surah Al ‘Ankabut 29:45}
Narrated from Abu Darda: The Prophet ﷺ said: “Shall I not tell you of the best of your deeds, the most pleasing to your Sovereign, those that raise you most in status, that are better than your gold and silver, or meeting you enemy (in battle) and you strike their necks and they strike your necks?” They said: ” What is that, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Remembering Allah (Dhikr).” {Sunan Ibn Maajah}
*Allah describes the disbelievers as being lifeless and dead. He سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى gave them the dunya to move around but they have no life in them because they don’t remember Allah…
“And is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge therefrom? Thus it has been made pleasing to the disbelievers that which they were doing.” {Surah al An’aam 6:122}
Prophet ﷺ said: “He who remembers his Lord and he who does not remember his Lord are like the living and the dead.” {Al Bukhaari}
*The greatest type of remembrance, is the remembrance of the Qur’aan; no remembrance better than the Qur’aan
*Reciting the Qur’aan alone is an ‘Ibaadah. Some of the scholars even say that opening the mushaf and just looking into the pages is an ‘ibaadah.
Important for a student of knowledge to know the importance and the virtue of the Qur’aan
Advices:
Make Du’aa and rely upon Allah because without Him, you are weak. Allah loves the servant who calls upon him, and requires the servant to call upon Him in a state of humilty, as Allah says, “Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors.” {Surah al A’raaf 7:55}
If you are a person of the Qur’aan, then in this world Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى will make you from the most noble of people. And the prophet ﷺ said: “The best of you are those who learn the Qur’aan and teach it” {Al Bukhaari}
The prophet ﷺ said: “Verily Allah has His own people among mankind.” They (Sahaabah) said: O Messenger of Allah, who are they? He said: “They are the people of the Qur’an, Allah’s own people and those who are closest to Him.” {Sunan Ibn Maajah}
3. Anything you benefit from the Qur’aan or from the deen of Allah, convey it to others – share the light that Allah has blessed you with to others; beginning with your family and those closest to you.
The prophet ﷺ said: “Convey from me, even if it is one verse.” {Sahih Al Bukhaari}
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تمت بحمد الله