All praise and thanks are due to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds; and the good end is for the pious. Prayers and peace be upon His Slave and Messenger; the best of His creation, the faithful to His revelation, our Messenger and Leader, Muhammad the son of Abdullaah; upon his family, his Companions and whoever follows his way until the Day of Judgement. To proceed: Indeed the virtues and merits of knowledge (ilm) are well known to everyone. It is the most noble thing that one can ask for, and the best thing a seeker can strive to attain. Knowledge consists of many branches, but according to the scholars of Islaam: What is meant by knowledge in the absolute sense is Islamic knowledge. This is the intended meaning of knowledge in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). In the absolute sense, it is knowledge regarding Allaah, His names and attributes, knowledge of His rights over His creation, and what He, the One free from all defects, the Most High, has prescribed for them. It is the detailed knowledge of the path that leads to Allaah; knowledge of the purpose of our creation; and the end which the slave will result in, in the Hereafter. This Islamic knowledge is the best of sciences worth acquiring because through it Allaah is recognized and acknowledged, and by it He is worshipped. One who possesses this knowledge knows what Allaah has made lawful for him and what He has prohibited him from; what pleases Him and what evokes His anger. With this knowledge a person knows his result with Allaah and his end. From amongst the people, those who have taken upon themselves to observe the precepts of the Religion will result in Paradise and bliss, and the rest (which are the majority) will result in a place of disgrace, humiliation and misery. The people of knowledge have cautioned us about this and explained that knowledge is confined to this meaning. Amongst the scholars who indicated this is al-Qaadi ibn Abil Izz 1 (commentator of Aqeedatut Tahaawiyyah) at the beginning of his commentary. Others have also referred to it, such as Ibn Qayyim, Shaykh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah 2 and a number of others. It is very clear that the merits and virtues of knowledge vary depending on the extent of ones adherence to it. The greatest and most excellent knowledge is that which pertains to Allaah, His names, and His attributes, and this knowledge is known as aqeedah (belief). Indeed to Allaah, the Exalted and Supreme, belongs the best example, which is the highest description in every aspect of His essence, names, attributes and actions.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 03:54:29 +0000
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