وَرَوَىand narratedContextual glossبَعْضُهُمْsome of themContextual glossحَدِيثًاa hadithContextual glossفِيinContextual glossهَذَاthisContextual glossالْبَابِchapterContextual glossعَنْfromContextual glossرَسُولِthe Messenger ofContextual glossاللهِAllahContextual glossصَلَّىblessings and peaceContextual glossاللهُof AllahContextual glossعَلَيْهِupon himContextual glossوَسَلَّمَand peaceContextual glossأَنَّهُthat heContextual glossقَالَ:said:Contextual glossمَنْwhoeverContextual glossلَمْdoes notContextual glossيَتَوَرَّعْguard himself scrupulouslyContextual glossفِيinContextual glossتَعَلُّمِهِhis learningContextual glossابْتَلَاهُAllah tries himContextual glossاللهُAllahContextual glossتَعَالَىMost HighContextual glossبِأَحَدِwith one ofContextual glossثَلَاثَةِthreeContextual glossأَشْيَاءَ:things:Contextual glossإمَّاeitherContextual glossأَنْthatContextual glossيُمِيتَهُHe take his lifeContextual glossفِيinContextual glossشَبَابِهِ،his youth,Contextual glossأَوْorContextual glossيُوْقِعَهُHe drop himContextual glossفِيintoContextual glossالرَّسَاتِيقِ،the rural districts,Contextual glossأَوْorContextual glossيَبْتَلِيَهُtry himContextual glossبِخِدْمَةِwith service toContextual glossالسُّلْطَانِ؛the sultan;Contextual glossفَكُلَّمَاso the moreContextual glossكَانَwasContextual glossطَالِبُthe seeker ofContextual glossالْعِلْمِknowledgeContextual glossأَوْرَعَscrupulousContextual glossكَانَwasContextual glossعِلْمُهُhis knowledgeContextual glossأَنْفَعَ،more useful,Contextual glossوَالتَّعَلُّمُand learningContextual glossلَهُfor himContextual glossأَيْسَرَeasierContextual glossوَفَوَائِدُهُand its benefitsContextual glossأَكْثَرَ.greater.Contextual gloss
Some of them related a hadith in this chapter on the authority of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings upon him, that he said: Whoever does not practice scrupulousness in his learning, Allah Most High will try him with one of three things: either He causes him to die young, or He casts him into country districts (for tax duty), or He tries him with service to rulers. The more scrupulous the seeker is, the more beneficial his knowledge, the easier learning becomes for him, and the greater its fruits.
Perfect scrupulousness includes guarding against satiety, too much sleep, and pointless chatter; and avoiding market food when possible — for market fare is likelier to be filthy and corrupt, further from remembering Allah and closer to heedlessness; and because poor people's eyes fall on it though they cannot afford it, so they are hurt and its blessing departs.
It is related that the eminent Imām Shaykh Muḥammad ibn al-Faḍl, while studying, would not eat market food. His father lived in the rural districts, prepared food for him, and would visit him on Friday; one day he saw market bread in his son's house and, angry with his son, did not speak to him. The son apologized and said: I did not buy it nor approve it — my companion brought it. His father said: Had you been cautious and scrupulous about such things, your companion would not have dared do that.
Ruling119
وَهَكَذَاand thusContextual glossكَانُواthey wereContextual glossيَتَوَرَّعُونَscrupulousContextual glossفَلِذَلِكَso for thatContextual glossوُفِّقُواthey were granted successContextual glossلِلْعِلْمِin knowledgeContextual glossوَالنَّشْرِand spreading itContextual glossحَتَّىuntilContextual glossبَقِيَremainedContextual glossاسْمُهُمْtheir nameContextual glossإلَىtoContextual glossيَوْمِthe day ofContextual glossالْقِيَامَةِ.Resurrection.Contextual gloss
Thus they used to be scrupulous; therefore they were granted success in knowledge and dissemination until their names endure to the Day of Resurrection.
A jurist among the ascetic scholars advised the seeker of knowledge to avoid backbiting and sitting with chronic talkers, saying: Whoever talks much steals your lifetime and wastes your hours.
Scrupulousness also means shunning people of corruption, sin, and idle folly; [and living near the righteous], for neighborhood has strong effect; sitting facing the qibla and adhering to the Prophet's Sunna, peace and blessings upon him; accepting invitations of the righteous; and avoiding invitations of the wronged (lest one share their burden).
It is related that two men set out as partners for knowledge in a foreign land; after years they returned home and one had mastered fiqh while the other had not. The jurists of the town considered their states, lesson repetition, and seating and reported that the one who gained fiqh during lessons sat facing the qibla and toward the city where knowledge was obtained [where knowledge was acquired], while the other sat with his back to the qibla and his face away from that city. Scholars agreed the jurist succeeded by the blessing of facing the qibla — the Sunna in sitting except when necessary — and by Muslims' supplication, for a great city is not empty of worshippers and folk of virtue and renunciation; so plainly some devout man prayed for him by night.
So the seeker of knowledge must not be lax about good manners and Sunna ways: whoever is lax about manners is deprived of Sunna; whoever is lax about Sunna is deprived of obligatory duties; whoever is lax about duties is deprived of the Hereafter. Some of them cited a hadith to this effect from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings upon him.
The following was recited concerning Shaykh Imām, the eminent ascetic al-Ḥajjāj Najm al-Dīn ʿUmar ibn Muḥammad al-Nasafī: / Be keeper of commands and prohibitions; / Assiduous and watchful in prayer. / Seek the sciences of the Sharīʿa — strive and seek help; / Through wholesome ways you become a preserving jurist. / Ask your God, desiring protection of your memorization; / From His bounty — Allah is the best guardian.
He said, may Allah have mercy on him: / Obey, show zeal, and do not slack — you shall return to your Lord. / And do not lie down (overmuch): the best of folk / Rest but little in the night.
Ruling123
وَيَنْبَغِيand it is fittingContextual glossأَنْtoContextual glossيَسْتَصْحِبَcarry alongContextual glossدَفْتَرًاa notebookContextual glossعَلَىinContextual glossكُلِّeveryContextual glossحَالٍconditionContextual glossلِيُطَالِعَهُ.to consult it.Contextual glossوَقِيلَ:and it is said:Contextual glossمَنْwhoeverContextual glossلَمْdoes notContextual glossيَكُنِhaveContextual glossالدَّفْتَرُthe notebookContextual glossفِيinContextual glossكُمِّهِhis sleeveContextual glossلَمْdoes notContextual glossتَثْبُتِsettleContextual glossالْحِكْمَةُwisdomContextual glossفِيinContextual glossقَلْبِهِ.his heart.Contextual gloss
He should keep a notebook with him always to review. It is said: If the notebook is not in his sleeve, wisdom does not settle in his heart.
There should be blank paper in the notebook, and he should carry ink to write what he hears from the scholars. We have already mentioned the hadith of Hilāl ibn Yasār.
