20 STRESSORS FOR THE

STUDENT OF KNOWLEDGE
TEAM AL-MADRASATU-AL-UMARIYYAH

09-06-1439
25 FEBRUARY 2018
Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 2
The importance of the heart ............................................................................................................... 2
Types of stress..................................................................................................................................... 3
Aspects that predispose the slave towards stress .............................................................................. 3
The people’s hearts with regards to stress ......................................................................................... 6
The cure for the illness........................................................................................................................ 6
Religiously-based cures ................................................................................................................... 6
Medically-based cures .................................................................................................................... 7
Stressor One: Sincerity ........................................................................................................................... 8
Stressor Two: Ignorance of the path ..................................................................................................... 9
Stressor Three: The complication of knowledge ................................................................................. 10
Stressor Four: Numerous beneficial teachers ..................................................................................... 12
Stressor Five: Numerous sciences........................................................................................................ 13
Stressor Six: Numerous lessons ........................................................................................................... 14
Stressor Seven: Whether to memorise or understand ....................................................................... 14
Stressor Eight: The lengthy path of seeking knowledge ..................................................................... 16
Stressor Nine: Not feeling the effects of knowledge .......................................................................... 17
Stressor Ten: Gathering books ............................................................................................................. 18
Stressor Eleven: Academic studies ...................................................................................................... 20
Stressor Twelve: Demands ................................................................................................................... 20
Stressor Thirteen: Weak efforts in calling to Allāh ............................................................................. 21
Stressor Fourteen: Provision and Income ........................................................................................... 22
Stressor Fifteen: Marriage and seeking knowledge ............................................................................ 24
Stressor Sixteen: Rectification of children .......................................................................................... 24
Stressor Seventeen: This world ........................................................................................................... 27
Stressor Eighteen: Situation of the Muslims ....................................................................................... 29
Stressor Nineteen: Taking a position before reaching the goal ......................................................... 29
Stressor Twenty: To go out and benefit .............................................................................................. 29
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................ 30
 Introduction
The importance of the heart
Allāh ( ‫ )ﷻ‬created the human in the best form, as Allāh (‫ )ﷻ‬says:
ْ ‫نسا َن ِِف أ‬
﴾‫َح َس ِن تَ ْق ِو مي‬ ِْ ‫﴿لََق ْد َخلَ ْقنَا‬
َ ‫اْل‬
“We have certainly created man in the best of stature”1

Allāh ( ‫ )ﷻ‬also says:

﴾‫ك‬
َ َ‫اك فَ َع َدل‬
َ ‫س َّو‬ َ ‫﴿الَّ ِذي َخلَ َق‬
َ َ‫ك ف‬
“Who created you, proportioned you, and balanced you”2

These verses show that Allāh ( ‫ )ﷻ‬created the humans in the best of forms. One of
the great matters regarding this creation is that our body has a leader, something
that controls its affairs, and that is the heart.

Al-Nu’mān Ibn Bashīr (‫ )رضى هللا عنه‬narrated that the Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬said:
َ َّ َ َ َ
َ ِ ‫ أ َال َو‬.‫ َوإ َذا َف َس َد ْت َف َس َد ْال َج َس ُد ُك ُّل ُه‬،‫ت َص َل َح ْال َج َس ُد ُك ُّل ُه‬
ْ َ َ َ َ ً َ ْ ُ َ َ ْ
‫ه‬‫ي‬ ِ َْْ
‫ح‬ ‫ل‬‫ص‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ذ‬‫إ‬ِ ‫ة‬ ‫غ‬‫ض‬‫م‬ ‫د‬
ِ ‫س‬‫ج‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ف‬‫أال و ِإ ي‬..."
ِ ‫ن‬
ُ
"‫القلب‬
“…Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good the whole body becomes good,
but if it becomes spoilt the whole body becomes spoilt, and that is the heart”3

Abū Hurayrah (‫ )رضى هللا عنه‬said, and this is what he extracted from the speech of the

Prophet ( ‫)ﷺ‬:
‫ وإذا خبث الملك خبثت‬، ‫ فإذا طاب الملك طابت جنوده‬، ‫ واألعضاء جنوده‬، ‫"القلب ملك‬
"‫جنوده‬
“The heart is a king and the other members of the body are its soldiers. Hence, if the heart is good,
so also will its soldiers be; and if the heart is full of evil and malice, its soldiers will be likewise”

So when the Qur’ān states that Allāh ( ‫ )ﷻ‬created us in the best of forms it is due to
the fact that there is a heart in us, which if we protect, will lead to the whole body
being protected.
Allāh told us in the Qur’ān:

﴾ ‫ْب َسلِ ميم‬

‫اَّللَ بَِقل م‬
َّ ‫إََِّل َم ْن أَتَى‬ ٌ ‫﴿يَ ْو َم ََل يَن َف ُع َم‬
‫ال َوََل بَنُو َن‬

1
Al-Ṭīn [95:4]
2
Al-Infiṭār [82:7]
3
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 52
 “The day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children (88) But only one who comes to
Allāh with a sound heart (89)”4

Since this heart; is the place Allāh ( ‫ )ﷻ‬observes, and it is the place where
steadfastness, success and entering Jannah is connected to. The Scholars gave
importance to it by writing books on it; some of which have become volumes. The
Scholars went into details regarding these Āyāt and ahādīth, but what is the best in

this regard and suffices us, is the Qur’ān and the Sunnah of the Messenger ( ‫)ﷺ‬.
Ibn al-Qayyim says in his “Nūniyyah”:

‫الت *** جاءت عن المبعوث بالفرقان‬

‫والكل يف القرآن والسن ي‬
‫وهللا ما قال امرؤ متحذلق *** بسواهما إال من الهذيان‬
“And everything in the Qur’ān and the Sunnah *** came from the one sent with the criterion

By Allāh an individual doesn’t say *** other than it except it has no value”5

The reason why I am speaking about the heart is that stress, grief, and sorrow
originates and springs from the heart.

Types of stress
The Scholars mention that the word ((‫ ))هم‬in the Arabic language is of two types:

1. Eustress6: A type of stress that is positive; it strengthens the soul, elevates

the person, and allows them to reach their goals.
2. Distress: A type of stress that is negative, weakens the soul, debases the
person, and does not allow them to reach their goals.
In this series, we will be focussing on the second type and specifically in the
context of seeking knowledge.

Aspects that predispose the slave towards stress

Allāh ( ‫ )ﷻ‬when he created us he placed us in hardship. Allāh says in the Qur’ān:
﴾‫نسا َن ِِف َكبَ مد‬ ِْ ‫﴿لََق ْد َخلَ ْقنَا‬
َ ‫اْل‬
“We have certainly created man into hardship.”7

‫ )) َكب م‬here means hardship.

The Scholars of Tafsīr mention that ((‫د‬ َ

Mu’āwiyah Ibn Abī Sufyān (‫ )رضى هللا عنه‬narrated that the Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬said:

4
Al-Shu’arā [26:88-89]
5
Nūniyyah by Ibn al-Qayyim 1/266
6
The Scholars refer to this as: ‘High aspirations’; and this not our topic of discussion.
7
Al-Balad [90:4]
 ٌَْ َ َ َّ ْ ُّ َ َ َ َ
"‫"ل ْم ي ْبق ِمن الدن َيا ِإال بال ٌء َو ِفتنة‬
“There is nothing left of this world except trials and tribulations”8

This world is a land of trials and tribulation, it is a place where you will go through
stress. It was created in that way.
One of the poets, Abī al-Ḥasan at-Tahami (‫)رحمه هللا‬, said9:
ً ْ ُ
‫طبعت عىل كدر وأنت تريدها *** صفوا من األقذار واألكدار‬
ٌ ّ ُ
ُ ‫كل‬
‫تطلب يف الماء جذوة نار‬ ‫ف األيام ضد طباعها *** ُم‬ ‫وم‬
“Its nature [was created] for distress but what you want [is] *** [for it to be] pure from impurity and
distress

And obligating [from the] days [what is] against its nature *** [Is like] searching in water [for] a
burning log”

Therefore, however much this world seems to glitter and glimmer, it is always a
prison for you [i.e. the believer]. A prison is not a place that you enjoy. A prison is a
place which is stressful.

Abū Hurayrah (‫ )رضى هللا عنه‬narrated that the Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬said:

َ ْ ُ َّ َ ْ ْ ُ ْ ْ ُّ
"‫"الدن َيا ِسجن ال ُمؤ ِم ِن َوجنة الك ِافر‬
“The world is a prison for a believer and paradise for a disbeliever”10

Even if everything is given to you in this world and you never go through any
hardship it is still a prison for the believer, in comparison to what awaits them on
the other side.

One of the statements that amazed me was that of Fatḥ al-Mawṣilī - one of the
righteous worshippers -, he said:

‫الت‬
‫ فليس لنا إال الهم والحزن حت نرد إىل الدار ي‬، ‫"كنا قوما من أهل الجنة فسبانا إبليس إىل الدنيا‬
"‫أخرجنا منها‬
“We were a nation from the people of Jannah, then Iblīs brought us as captives to this world, so
there is nothing for us except stress and sadness, until we return to the land that we were brought
out of”

This is for us to understand that we are bound to suffer from stress, and what is
going to be mentioned will only reduce this stress.

Ibn al-Qayyim took this statement of Fatḥ al-Mawṣilī and made it into a line of
poetry, he said:

8
Sunan Ibn Mājah 4035
9
Ibn Taymiyyah used to repeat these lines of poetry on a regular basis as he went through a lot of difficulty.
10
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2956
 َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ َّ َ َ َ َّ
‫المخ َّي ُم‬ ‫وفيها‬ ‫وىل‬ ‫األ‬ ‫نا‬ ‫ل‬
‫ناز‬ ‫م‬ *** ‫ها‬ ‫فإن‬ ‫دن‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ات‬
ِ ‫ن‬ ‫فح عىل ج‬
ِّ ُ َ َ َ ِ َ ُ َِ َ َ َ ٍ ِّ ُ َّ ‫َ ي‬
ُ‫سلم‬ ‫ولكننا َس يت اللعدو فهل ترى *** نعود إىل أوطاننا ون‬
َ ُ
“Then come to Gardens of Eternity, for they are *** our first dwelling places and they contain many
pavilions

But we are prisoners in the hands of enemies, do you think *** we shall return to our lands and have
peace”11

In addition to this world, your own Nafs is made in a way to consistently stress, as
Allāh says:

﴾ ‫وعا‬
ً ُ‫اْلَ ْْيُ َمن‬ َّ ‫َوإِ َذا َم‬
ْ ُ‫سه‬ ‫وعا‬
ً ‫الش ُّر َج ُز‬ َّ ‫إِ َذا َم‬
َّ ُ‫سه‬ ً ُ‫نسا َن ُخ ِل َق َهل‬
‫وعا‬ ِْ ‫﴿إِ َّن‬
َ ‫اْل‬
“Indeed, mankind was created anxious (19) When evil touches him, impatient (20) And when good
touches him, withholding [of it] (21)”12

The way Allāh created the nature of the human is to be a stressful individual.
Also, what this lecture cannot eliminate is the role that Shayṭān plays in making a
person be stressed, consistently in grief and sorrow.
Allāh says:

ِ ُ ‫الشيطَا ُن ُُيَ ِو‬ ِ

﴾ُ‫اءه‬
َ َ‫ف أ َْولي‬ ْ َّ ‫﴿إِ ََّّنَا َٰذَل ُك ُم‬
“That is only Satan who frightens [you] of his supporters”13

The people of Tafsīr say: that iblīs uses his allies and his soldiers to place fear in
the hearts of the humans. So he always wants you to be stressed.
Also, Allāh says:

﴾‫ش ِاء‬
َ ‫الش ْيطَا ُن يَِع ُد ُك ُم الْ َف ْق َر َو ََي ُْم ُرُكم ِِبلْ َف ْح‬
َّ ﴿
“Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality”14

When you are striving to do good Shayṭān is going to come to you and try to make
you fear poverty. Once you walk away from that which is good then he will push
you towards immorality.
Another aspect that brings about stress is when a person does not accept the
reality and lives in a fantasy world. If the world does not fit in with your fantasy
view you become stressed. Therefore, the person has to realise that this has to be
taken into account.

11
Ḥādī al-Arwaḥ ilā bilād al-Afrāḥ by Ibn Al-Qayyim p.11
12
Al-Ma’ārij [70:19-21]
13
Āl ‘im’rān [3:175]
14
Al-Baqarah [2:268]
The people’s hearts with regards to stress
Everybody goes through stress, but the hearts of the people are different when it
comes to; stress, grief, and sorrow. The way they differ is in accordance to their
Imān. The higher an individual’s Imān is, the less stress they go through and vice
versa. As Ibn Al-Qayyim goes through, in details, in his book: “Badā’i al-Fawāid”.

The cure for the illness

What we need to remember is that there is not an illness on this earth except that
Allāh has made a cure for it. The one who knows it knows it and the one who is
ignorant of it is ignorant of it.
The people of knowledge divided the cure of illnesses into two types:
1. Religiously-based cures: Cures that have been prescribed by the Shari’āh.
2. Medically-based cures: Cures that are prescribed by those who have
specialised and have experience in the field e.g. doctors.

Religiously-based cures
I will mention 15 cures for stress15, as this is the topic of discussion, but it can also
be applied to other than it:
1. Tawhīd and to exalt Allāh from oppression.
2. The slave acknowledges that he is deficient in regards to the rights of his
creator and has not done what is required of him.
3. The slave seeks intercession to Allāh with his names and attributes.
4. The slave seeks helps and refuge in Allāh.
5. The slave goes towards the book of Allāh. Reads it and ponders over the
verses.
6. The slave seeks repentance and asks Allāh to forgive them for their
shortcomings and wrongdoings.
7. The slave fights with himself and his nafs – first and foremost -.
8. The slave runs to the prayer, as the Prophet said: The prayer was made the
warmth of my eyes.
9. The slave frees from himself any strength and ability and affirms that all
strength and ability is in the hands of Allāh.
10. The slave comes with Imān and righteous actions.
11. The slave supplicates to Allāh.
12. The slave constantly remembers Allāh; so much so that their mouth never
becomes dry from the remembrance of Allāh.
13. Preoccupancy with that which benefits and turning away from that which
brings no benefit [i.e. that which has passed]. The Salaf used to say:
Dwelling on the past is like trying to bring the dead out of their graves. By
doing this you are going against Allāh’s universal signs. Everything goes
forward, nothing goes backward, therefore don’t busy yourself with that.
14. Having good thoughts about Allāh.
15. The slave testifies with unwavering conviction that this hardship is a form of
expiation.

15
All of these have evidences but due to the short time they were not mentioned.
These 15 are religiously-based cures for stress, extracted from the Qur’ān and
Sunnah.

Ibn al-Qayyim has a beneficial book titled: “Zād al-Ma’ād”, these 15 points were
taken from the fourth volume.

Medically-based cures
1. Never delay what you are doing. Whatever is required of you at that
particular time do it, and leave the future clear.
2. Get rid of the desire to be rewarded for what you do.
3. Choose the best of actions.
4. Train the Nafs to not seek gratitude except from Allāh.
5. Have knowledge that the people's harm – whether by statement or action –
will not harm you, rather it will harm them.
6. Remember that this world is very short.
7. Training the Nafs to accept the bitterness of the decree and to have patience
upon it.
These were taken from “Al-Wasā’il al-Mufīdah Lil-Ḥayāt al-Sa’īdah” by Abd al-
Rahmān al-Si’dī.
8. Using equipment that is yellow as these bring happiness to the person and
rid them of depression. Abū Ḥayyān al-Andalusi mentions this in his book
“Baḥr al-Muḥīṭ”, which he also has an evidence for,
Allāh says:

ِ َّ ِ
َ ‫س ُّر النَّاظ ِر‬
﴾‫ين‬ ُ َ‫ص ْف َراءُ فَاق ٌع ل ْو ُُنَا ت‬
َ﴿
“Yellow, bright in colour – pleasing to the observers”16

9. Taking medications which a doctor prescribes.

10. Intimate spousal relations. Many young people who are not married, due to
the presence of desires, it causes them a lot of stress. Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī
spoke about it in his “Majmū’ al-Rasā’il”.
11. Archery helps remove tension, stress, and grief. Ibn al-Qayyim spoke about
it in details in his book “Al-Furūsiyyah Al-Muḥamadiyyah”.
12. Wearing silver. Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned it in his book “Zād al-Ma’ād”.
13. Travelling to the forests, countryside and observing nature. al-Suyūṭī
mentions it in his book “Al-Shamā’il Al-Sharīfah”.

16
Al-Baqarah [2:69]
 Stressor One: Sincerity
When a person wants to seek knowledge they fear the concept of showing off. This
leads a person to begin contemplating whether or not they should seek knowledge.
The person who finds themselves asking this question, then remember the
statement of Ibn al-Qayyim:

"‫"ال يعرف الرياء إال المخلصون‬

“No-one is aware of showing off except those who are sincere”

Ibn al-Qayyim mentions that the cure for this is to remember the intent of seeking
knowledge, and these are four:
1. To remove yourself from misguidance.
2. To benefit the people around you.
3. To preserve the sciences from dying out.
4. To implement that which you have attained.
Quote Poem!
Anyone who realises that this is the intent of knowledge then his intention is good.
Sometimes some of the pious predecessors embarked upon seeking knowledge
without an intention, but they wouldn’t stop seeking knowledge. Ma’mar Ibn
Rāshid said:
‫َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ ْ ْ ُ َ َّ َ ُ َ ه‬ ‫َّ َّ ُ َ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ ْ َ َ ْ ه‬
"‫َّلل‬
ِ ِ ‫ فيأب علي ِه ال ِعلم حت يكون‬، ‫اَّلل‬
ِ ‫الرجل يطلب ال ِعلم ِلغ ْ ِي‬ ‫" ِإن‬
“A man would seek knowledge for other than Allāh, but knowledge will overpower him until it is
only for Allāh”

Imām al-Dhahabī said, after transmitting this statement:

ْ َ َ َ ْ ُّ ُ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ُّ ُ َ ْ ْ ُّ ُ ُ َ ُ َ ْ َ ً َّ َ ُ ُ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ
‫ َونح ُو‬، ‫ف‬ ‫ائ‬ ‫ظ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ح‬ ‫و‬ ، ‫ه‬ ‫ن‬‫ع‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ه‬‫ج‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ة‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ز‬ ‫إ‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ح‬ ‫و‬ ، ‫م‬ ‫ل‬‫ والح ِامل له حب الع‬، ‫ يطلبه أوال‬، ‫"نعم‬
ِ ِ
ْ َ َ َ ُ َ َْ َ َ َ َ َ َِ َ
ِ
َّ ِّ ِ َ ْ َ َِ ِ َ ْ ْ َ ُ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َ ََْ َ َ
‫ وخاف ِمن‬، ‫ حاسب نفسه‬، ‫ ف ِإذا ع ِلم‬، ‫ال ِصدق الني ِة‬ ‫و‬ ، ‫يه‬
ِ ‫ف‬
ِ ‫ص‬‫ال‬ ‫ ولم يكن ع ِلم وجوب اْلخ‬.‫ذ ِلك‬
ُ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َّ ْ ُ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ ُّ ُ ُ َ ِ َّ ُ َّ ِ ِّ ُ ُ َ َ ْ َ ‫َو َب‬
"‫اسد ِة ويندم‬ ِ ‫ وقد يتوب ِمن ِني ِت ِه الف‬، ‫ فت ِجيئه النية الص ِالحة كلها أو بعضها‬، ‫ال قص ِد ِه‬ ِ
“Yes, at the beginning he will seek it [i.e. knowledge] due to the love of knowledge, and the love of
removing ignorance from himself, and the love of a position, and other than this. [At this point]
there is no knowledge of the obligation of sincerity in it [i.e. seeking knowledge], and having
truthfulness in seeking knowledge, but as he learns, he accounts himself, and fears from his evil
intent, then the good intention will come – all of it or some of it -, and he will repent from his evil
intention and regret [over it]”17

Therefore it is not correct to stop seeking knowledge if you have a bad intention.
Rather what Allāh wants for you is to persevere. As Allāh says:

﴾‫اَّللَ لَ َعلَّ ُك ْم تُ ْفلِ ُحو َن‬

َّ ‫صابِ ُروا َوَرابِطُوا َواتَّ ُقوا‬
َ ‫اصِِبُوا َو‬
ْ ‫آمنُوا‬
َ ‫ين‬
ِ َّ
َ ‫﴿ ََي أَيُّ َها الذ‬

17
Siyar A’lām al-Nubalā by Imām al-Dhahabī
 “O you who have believed, persevere and ensure and remain stationed and fear Allāh that you may
be successful”18

In another verse Allāh says:

﴾‫َّه ْم ُسبُ لَنَا‬ ِ ِ ِ َّ

ُ ‫اه ُدوا فينَا لَنَ ْهديَن‬
َ ‫ين َج‬
َ ‫﴿ َوالذ‬
“And those who strive for Us – we will surely guide them to our ways”19

Sufyān al-Thawrī said:

ُ ‫ إ َّن َها َت َق هل‬، ‫ىل م ْن ن َّيت‬
َّ َ ‫ب َع‬ َّ َ َ َّ َ َ ً ْ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ
"‫ىل‬ ‫ي‬ ِ ‫"ما عالجت شيئا أشد ع ي ِ ِ ِ ي‬
“I have never dealt with anything more difficult than my intention, it keeps changing on me”20

In one sitting the intention changes four – five times. It started off for the sake of
Allāh, then later it changes. The Salaf used to say: In one sitting we would renew
our intention many times.

In conclusion, the issue of sincerity is very stressful, but it should not make you
stop seeking knowledge. Carry on seeking knowledge and continue working on the
intention.

Stressor Two: Ignorance of the path

Ibn al-Qayyim said in his book “Al-Fawā’id”:
َ َْ ْ َ َّ ُ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َّ ْ َ ْ
‫كثي َم َع الف ِائدة‬
ْ ‫يق وآفاتها والمقصود يوجب التعب ال‬
ِ ‫"الجهل ِبالط ِر‬
"‫القليلة‬
“Ignorance of the path, its obstacles, and the intent/goal leads to extreme fatigue with little
benefit”21

For many years this person has been seeking knowledge but because he is ignorant
of; the path, the obstacles and the goal, he doesn’t benefit much.

A parable can be made to an individual trying to reach a destination e.g.

Birmingham. If you ask someone who has knowledge they can tell you that if you
take route A it will take X minutes to arrive, if somebody doesn’t tell you the things
you have to do, even if you know the road, but you don’t know the obstacles that
may arise, then you will definitely become tired. The third aspect is the intent; why
are you going Birmingham for? If there is no goal then it will also lead to tiredness.
Knowing the path, obstacles and goal are three aspects that if you possess you will
not feel as tired as many people are. It will also allow you to leave with a lot of
benefits.

The cure for this is to take guidance from those who know; the path, obstacles, and
goals. If you find that person of knowledge it will save you a lot of time, you will be

18
Āl ‘im’rān [3:200]
19
Al-‘Ankabūt [29:69]
20
Al-Jāmi’ li-al-Akhlāq al-Rāwī wa Ādāb al-Sāmi’ by al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī 1/317
21
Al-Fawā’id by Ibn al-Qayyim 1/171
less tired and you will come out with a lot of benefits. This is because he will inform
you about shortcuts where he was stuck himself.

‘Abdullāh Ibn ‘Abbās (‫ )رضى هللا عنه‬narrated that the Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬said:
ُ ْ ْ ُ ُ ْ ُ َ َ
"‫"ت ْس َم ُعون َوي ْس َم ُع ِمنك ْم َوي ْس َم ُع ِم َّمن َس ِم َع ِمنك ْم‬
“You hear [from me], and others will hear from you, and people will hear from them who heard from
you”22

The principle is: ((‫المخاطبن‬

ْ ‫))العية بعموم الخطاب ال بخصوص‬. The lesson is in the
generality of the addressing not specific to those being addressed. Even though the
Prophet is speaking about the companions it is not restricted to them. This is until
the day of judgement where knowledge will be taken – generations from generations
-.
A poet said:

‫بغي شيخ *** يضل عن الرصاط المستقيم‬ ْ ‫ومن رام العلوم‬

‫وتلتبس العلوم عليه حت *** يكون أضل من توما الحكيم‬
‫تصدق بالبنات عىل رجال *** يريد بذاك جنات النعيم‬
“When you aim for the sciences without a Shaykh *** you stray from the straight path

And the sciences become dubious to you until *** you become more astray than Tawma al-Hakīmī

[He] Gave his daughters as charity to men *** intending by it the pleasures of Jannah”

This indicates compounded ignorance because he didn’t take his knowledge from a
Shaykh. Therefore, the way that you can save yourself from this is that you take
the knowledge from one who can guide you through the path of seeking knowledge.
What books to read, what to stay away from. When they guide you it is from their
own experience, where the mistakes occurred for them and this will save you a lot
of time, tiredness and will allow you to leave with more benefit.

Stressor Three: The complication of knowledge

The foundation of this great knowledge is that it is easy and not very hard.
Allāh says:

﴾‫لذ ْك ِر فَ َه ْل ِمن ُّم َّدكِ مر‬

ِ ِ‫سرََن الْ ُقرآ َن ل‬
ْ ْ َّ َ‫﴿ َولََق ْد ي‬
“And We have certainly made the Qur’ān easy for remembrance, so is there any who will
remember?”23

Knowledge becomes difficult due to external factors, not because it is hard in and
within itself. These can be due to:

22
Sunan Abī Dāwūd 3659
23
Al-Qamar [54:17]
 1. The teacher who you are studying under. If they do not know the science
then they cannot make it easier for you to understand.
2. Not taking the correct methodology to seek knowledge.
The cure for this stress is to start with the most important summarised books,
before looking at the detailed and large books.
The Arabs say:

"‫"طعام الكبار سم الصغار‬

“The food of the adult is poison for the child”

So an individual does not look into the big books, rather he concentrates on the
simple summarised books. By memorising them and learning them from a teacher
who is teaching you correctly.
Allāh says:

ِ
﴾‫وَل‬
ً ‫ث َر ُس‬
َ ‫َّت نَ ْب َع‬ َ ِ‫﴿ َوَما ُكنَّا ُم َعذب‬
َٰ َّ ‫ني َح‬
“And never would we punish until we sent a messenger”24

The reason that Allāh punishes them is due to the fact that he sent a messenger to
them to convey a message. Therefore the message has to be easy for them to
understand. If it was complicated and they couldn’t understand the message then
why would Allāh punish them [i.e. hold them to account]?
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
ُ
“‫”إذ لو كان العلم صعب الستبعدت الرحمة اْللهية وضعفت الحجة الرسالية‬
“If knowledge was difficult, [people would] despair in the mercy of Allāh, and [it would] weaken the
proof [of the] divine message”

This is especially the case for the sciences that are individual obligations.
He also said:

ٰ
“‫”وأوىل العلم باليرس الذي يلزم كل أحد من الناس‬
“The simplest knowledge is that which is obligatory on every person”

Tawhīd is not hard [in and within itself], but if you are studying “The three
fundamental principles” and someone brings you the different beliefs of the
misguided groups, then this is the problem.

‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib has a powerful statement, he said:

‫”العلم نقطة ر‬
“‫كيها الجاهلون‬
“Knowledge was a dot, the ignorant ones increased it in number”

24
Al-Isrā [17:15]
Knowledge was one dot; Allāh said this leave it there. But then an ignoramus
comes and claims Allāh didn’t mean it like that, then numerous books have to be
written on the issue, which causes it to become complicated.
Overall, knowledge is not complicated, but it becomes hard if:

1. It is not taken from the correct people.

2. The methodology taken is incorrect.

Stressor Four: Numerous beneficial teachers

There are many beneficial teachers – Alhamdulillāh – teaching, educating and
purifying the people. Doing what the Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬came to do, as Allāh says:
‫اب َوا ْْلِ ْك َمةَ َوإِن َكانُوا ِمن‬ ِ ِ ِ ِِ ‫وَل ِم ْن هم ي ْت لُو َعلَي ِهم‬
َ َ‫آَيته َويُ َزكي ِه ْم َويُ َعل ُم ُه ُم الْكت‬
َ ْ ْ َ ْ ُ ً ‫ني َر ُس‬
ِ َ ‫﴿ ُه َو الَّ ِذي بَ َع‬
َ ِ‫ث ِِف ْاْلُمي‬
﴾‫ني‬ َ ‫قَ ْب ُل لَِفي‬
‫ض ََل مل ُّمبِ م‬
“It is he who sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them his verses
and purifying them and teaching them the book and wisdom – although they were before in clear
error -”25

Alhamdulillāh, there are a large number of people who are educating and purifying
the concepts and belief of the people.
This is a stressor for the student of knowledge because these Scholars and
students of knowledge who are teaching have different methods of teaching. The
student of knowledge becomes impressed with each one and is unsure from whom
he should learn from. This confusion and stress exacerbate if the teachers are
prescribing different methodologies in seeking knowledge. This weakens the efforts
and ability of the student of knowledge.
Before mentioning the cure, first of all, we can say that the fact Allāh has increased
the number of Scholars and students of knowledge that are teaching is a blessing
from the blessing of Allāh. This brings joy to the heart of the believer, as we never
believe that the Scholars or students of knowledge are enough for the Ummah, they
are still too little [in number].

The cure for this matter is that Allāh distinguished between his slaves and did not
make them all the same.
A student of knowledge uses two criterions to evaluate who he will benefit from:
1. Al-Ifādah: A teacher who is well-known to have sought knowledge in a
classical manner and is equipped with strength in the particular field.
2. Al-Naṣīhah: A teacher who can be taken as a role-model and has the ability
to convey the message to the students in a good manner.

These are mentioned in lines of poetry by Muḥammad Murtaḍā ibn Muḥammad al-
Zabidī, he says:

25
Al-Jumu’ah [62:2]
 ‫فما حوى الغاية يف ألف سنة *** شخص فخذ من كل فن أحسنه‬
‫بحفظ من جامع للراجح *** تأخذه عىل مفيد ناصح‬
“The goal cannot be attained in 1000 years *** [by] an individual [so] take the best of every science

By memorising a preferred comprehensive text *** taking it from a beneficial advisor”

These two characteristics are not the same in every person, and Allāh uses these to
distinguish between the Scholars. Anybody who you believe fulfils these criteria
better than another, then go forward with them.

Another aspect to take into account [which will also indirectly affect the two
aforementioned criteria’s] is the age of the teacher. If both a younger and older
teacher is present, then you should learn from the one that is older, as:

“Blessings are with the elders”

This is because they; have learnt the sciences for a long time, are grounded [in
knowledge], have a complete understanding, are steadfast due to being distant
from the glitters and glimmers of this worldly life. Whereas these may not be
present with the younger one.

Stressor Five: Numerous sciences

As there are numerous sciences to study, the heart of the student of knowledge
may not be able to absorb all of this knowledge. This weakens the drive of the
student of knowledge, leading to stress and depression.

The cure for this stressor is for the student of knowledge to gather their efforts
towards one goal.

Imām al-Zabidī mentioned in “Sharḥ al-Iḥyā” from the author of the book “al-
Dharī’ah” regarding the verse of Allāh:

﴾‫اب يَ ْت لُونَهُ َح َّق تََِل َوتِِه‬ ِ

َ َ‫اه ُم الْكت‬
ُ َ‫ين آتَ ْي ن‬
ِ َّ
َ ‫﴿الذ‬
“Those to whom we have given the book recite it with its true recital”26
ً ً
‫غي إخالل يف‬ ‫ ال يتجاوزون فنا ي‬:‫"أي‬
ْ ‫حت يحكموه علما وعمال فيجب أن يقدم األهم فاألهم من‬
"‫اليتيب‬
“Meaning: To not leave the field until they have mastered it in terms of; knowledge and
implementation, therefore it is obligatory to prioritise what is most important without harming the
set order of study”

The Salaf would not leave Usūl al-Fiqh until they had mastered it in terms of;
knowledge and action.

One of the great lines of poetry commonly mentioned by the Shanāqiṭah is:
ْ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ٍّ َ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ
‫يل فن ت ِّم َمه *** َوعن ِس َواه ق ْب َل ِاالن ِته ِاء َمه‬‫وإن ت ِرد تح ِص‬

26
Al-Baqarah [2:121]
 َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ
‫است َبقا لن يخ ُرجا‬ ‫ان‬ َ ‫َوف َت َر ُادف ْال ُع ُلوم ْال َم ْن ُع َجا *** إ ْن َت ْو َأ‬
‫م‬
ِ ِ ِ ‫ِي‬
“If you want to attain mastery of a field complete it *** and do not enter into any other until you
finish it

[because] in the [studying of] sciences synonymously has come prevention *** Like two children
attempting to leave the womb at the same time, they cannot exit”27

Stressor Six: Numerous lessons

Another stressor can occur when classes are happening at the same time.
Sometimes you are studying under a particular Shaykh and a poster is released
about another lesson that is taking place at the same time. This is a common
stressor for many students of knowledge.

Firstly, what we have to repeat is that the abundance of lessons benefits the
Shari’ah, and it is a blessing to see so much goodness occurring.

The cure for this is for an individual – regardless of how much he desires to join the
new programme that has been released - to nurture themselves upon the objective
of seeking knowledge, remind yourself that you already have a set program to seek
knowledge.
The Scholars say:

“‫”من ثبت نبت‬

“Whosoever is firm, produces”

Firmness for the student of knowledge is in him sticking to his own programme
and doesn’t go away from it. Do not be distracted by any other lecture that you
become aware of.
The poet said:

‫إذا كنت ذا رأي فكن ذا عزيمة *** فإن فساد الرأي أن تيددا‬
“If you are a person who possesses an idea [i.e. a dream], then be one who possesses conviction ***
for the corruption of an idea is for you to be unsure”

The nature of the children of Ādam is to desire that which they do not have. There
is a Somalian Proverb:

“Do not drop the fruits in your hand for something that you see on the tree”

What you currently possess will remain, and what you are planning may not take
place. Therefore, for the student is to stick to one programme.

Stressor Seven: Whether to memorise or understand

Knowledge can be attained by anyone, as the poet said:

27
In schools in the UK we were taught many sciences synonymously, therefore we may be equipped in this
regard.
 ‫غي أبواب وال استئذان‬
ْ ‫والعلم يدخل قلب كل موفق *** من‬
‫ويرده المحروم من خذالنه *** ال تشقنا اللهم بالحرمان‬
“Knowledge enters the heart of anyone given success *** without [knocking on] any doors or
permission

And the prevented one will be refused to his disappointment *** Do not test us – O’ Allāh – with its
prevention”28

Allāh says:

ِ ُ‫اَّلل أَ ْخرج ُكم ِمن بط‬

﴾‫ون أ َُّم َهاتِ ُك ْم ََل تَ ْعلَ ُمو َن َش ْي ئًا‬ ُ َ َ َُّ ‫﴿ َو‬
“And Allāh has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing”29

Knowledge is gained with the presence of two strengths:

1. Memorisation
2. Understanding

Any individual who wants to be a student of knowledge – let alone a Scholar -

needs to utilise these strengths in an equal manner. Anyone who believes that
knowledge can be attained with one over the other has opposed the religious
evidence and that which is also known universally.
As a student of knowledge the questions usually revolve around three questions:

 What should I memorise?

 What should I understand?
 How can I retain this memorisation and understanding?
The cure to these stressors are in answering those three fundamental questions:

1. Knowing what is required to memorise: A student of knowledge has to

proceed through five levels of memorisation30;
i. Level One31: Nawāqiḍ al-Islām, Qawā’id al-Arba’, Thalāthah al-Usūl,
Al-Arba’ūn al-Nawawiyyah.
ii. Level Two: Tuhfah al-Aṭfāl, Matn Abī Shuja’ā32, Kitāb al-Tawhīd,
Manthūmah al-Bayqūniyyah.
iii. Level Three: Nukhbah al-Fikr, Qasīdah by al-Ilbīrī, Muqaddimah al-
Ājrūmiyyah, ‘Aqīdah al-Wāsiṭiyyah.
iv. Level Four: Al-Waraqāt33, ‘Inwān al-Ḥikam, Al-Raḥabiyyah, ‘Aqīdah
al-Ṭaḥawiyyah.
v. Level Five: Bulūgh al-Marām, Minḥāj by al-Nawawī, Alfiyyah Ibn
Mālik.

28
Nūniyyah by Ibn al-Qayyim 1/165
29
Al-Naḥl [16:78]
30
This is after the memorisation of the Qur’ān
31
This level contains three books on ‘Aqīdah because it is an individual obligation and therefore should be
given priority.
32
This is for those studying the Shāfi’ī school of thought, as Ustādh is a Shāfi’ī.
33
With the Sharḥ of ‘Abdullāh ibn Ṣālih al-Fawzān and al-Maḥallī.
 2. Knowing what is required to understand: The student needs to
understand the explanations for those books mentioned above. These books
contain fundamental principles which many matters fall under. When these
books are understood it makes it easier to understand the detailed books.
3. Knowing the method to retain what has been memorised and
understood: This is through consistent revision of what has been
memorised and the understanding from the notes taken.
Imām al-Zuhrī said:
َ َ ْ ُ َ ُ ِّ ْ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ َّ
“‫ب ال ِعل َم الن ْس َيان َوت ْرك ال ُمذاك َر ِة‬ ‫”إنما يذ ِه‬
ِ
“That which causes knowledge to depart is forgetfulness [i.e. memorisation] and leaving off revision
[i.e. understanding]”34

This will be explained in details in the lecture: “Practical steps to attain knowledge”.

Stressor Eight: The lengthy path of seeking knowledge

What the student has to realise is that knowledge is an act of obedience and

therefore patience is required. Allāh said to the Prophet ( ‫)ﷺ‬:

﴾ُ‫ين يَ ْدعُو َن َرََّّبُم ِِبلْغَ َداةِ َوال َْع ِش ِي يُ ِري ُدو َن َو ْج َهه‬ ِ َّ َ ‫اصِ ِْب نَ ْف َس‬
َ ‫ك َم َع الذ‬ ْ ‫﴿ َو‬
“And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and in the
evening”35

The Scholars such as Ibn al-Qayyim and Imām Al-Ṭūfī mention that this Āyah also
encompasses knowledge because the person that is teaching is a Scholar so be
patient with them.

Ibn al-Qayyim also said: If you are told to be patient with someone that is good
then what about [being patient] with the thing that is making him be good, which is
the knowledge that he is carrying.
The Salaf understood this concept and therefore befriended knowledge.
Al-Shafi’ī said in lines of poetry:
َ َ َ َ ُ َّ ‫َ ا‬ َ َ َ ‫َأ‬
‫يان‬
ِ ‫فصيلها ِبب‬
ِ ‫لم ِإال ِب ِست ٍة *** َسأنبيك عن ت‬‫الع‬
ِ ‫خ لن تنال‬ ‫ي‬
َ ُ َ ُ ُ َ ُ َ ٌ َ َُ ٌ َ ٌ َ ٌ َ
‫مان‬
ِ ‫ستاذ وطول ز‬ٍ ‫جتهاد وبلغة *** وصحبة أ‬ ِ ‫ذكاء و ِحرص وِا‬
“O my brother you will never gain knowledge without [possessing] six [qualities] *** I will inform
you of these in detail and with clarity

Sharpness [of the mind], eagerness [to learn], striving and means *** and the company of a teacher
and length of time”

Imām Mālik said:

34
Jāmi’ Bayān al-‘ilm wa-Faḍlih by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr 1/443
35
Al-Kahf [18:28]
 ُ ْ ‫َ َ َّ ُ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َ َّ ُ َ َ َ َ ً َ َ ه‬
“‫ن َسنة يت َعل ُم ِمنه‬ْ ‫”كان الرجل يخت ِلف ِإىل الرج ِل ثال ِث‬
“A man [i.e. student] would go to a man [i.e. teacher] for 30 years to seek knowledge from him”36

Al-Ṭabarāni was asked about how he gained knowledge, he said:

ٰ ‫ثالثن سنة‬
“‫عىل البواري‬ ْ ‫”بالجلوس‬
“By sitting for 30 years on straw-mats [i.e. on the floor]”

Ya’qūb ibn Sufyān said:

ُ
“‫ثالثن سنة‬
ْ ‫”قمت يف الرحلة‬
“I remained in travelling [i.e. for knowledge] for 30 years”37

Shaykh Ṣālih Al-Uṣaymī said:

‫"ورأيت يف تزكية صادرة من العالمة محمد بن إبراهيم آل الشيخ رحمه هللا تعاىل لشيخنا محمد بن‬
‫وغيها خمسا‬
ْ ‫والتفسي والعقيدة‬
ْ ‫عبدالرحمن آل الشيخ يذكر فيها أنه قرأ عليه يف الفقه والحديث‬
"‫وثالثن سنة‬
ْ
“I saw the original letter of recommendation by Al-‘Allāmah Muḥammad ibn Ibrahīm Āl-al-Shaykh
(May Allāh have mercy upon him) for our Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Abd al-Rahmān Āl-al-Shaykh, in
which he mentions that he [i.e. Muḥammad ibn Abd al-Rahmān] recited upon him in Fiqh, Ḥadīth,
Tafsīr, and Aqīdah for 35 years”38

Therefore the student needs to realise that it requires a long time for knowledge to
settle in the heart.

Stressor Nine: Not feeling the effects of knowledge

This is in reference to theoretical and practical aspects of knowledge [i.e.
implementation in character, actions etc.].

What an individual has to understand is that this requires a very long time. As the
English saying goes:
“Rome was not built in one day”
A parable can be made with the germination of crops. Firstly the farmer has to
prepare the land, then plant the seed, then irrigate the land and finally after years
can harvest the crops. This is also the case for the student of knowledge.

If you want the effects of knowledge to manifest, there are two matters that need to
be observed:

1. Takhliyyah (Tafṣiyyah): To purify the heart from the illness of doubts and
desires.
2. Tahliyyah (Tarbiyyah): To adorn the heart with virtuous deeds.

36
Siyar A’lām al-Nubalā by Imām al-Dhahabī 8/108
37
Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb by Ibn Ḥajar 11/387
38
In a lecture titled “Hūmūm Ṭālib al-‘Ilm”
 Stressor Ten: Gathering books
Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn Taymiyyah, and others said:

“‫”إن الكتب صناديق العلم و خزائن‬

“Books are the stores of knowledge and its treasures”

These books take you back to the time of the Major scholars e.g. Ibn Taymiyyah,
Ibn Kathīr etc. So when the student of knowledge tastes the sweetness of
knowledge and begins to gather books, it can become stressful.
As the poet said:
ُ ٌ ‫تكاثرت الظباء عىل خراش *** فما يدري خر‬
‫اش مايصيد‬ ٍ
“The number of gazelles accumulated for Khirāsh *** So Khirāsh did not know which to capture”

This is the similitude of the student of knowledge with regards to books.

The cure for this is in four fundamental points:

1. Collecting the books that you are studying with a teacher, and their
explanations. (The books mentioned previously).
2. Collecting the reference books:
i. Tafsīr: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī, Tafsīr al-Baghawī, Tafsir Ibn Abī Ḥātim, Tafsīr
‘Abd al-Razzāq ibn Hammām al-San’ānī, Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr Abd
al-Rahmān al-Si’dī, Aḍwā al-Bayān by Muḥammad al-Amīn al-
Shanqiṭī, and Ma’āni al-Qur’ān by al-Farrā.
ii. Qira’āh: al-Nashr Fi al-Qira’āh al-‘Ashr, al-Kashf ‘an Wujūh al-Qira’āt
al-Sab’a, and al-Shāṭibiyyah.
iii. Ḥadīth: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī with Fatḥ al-Bārī by Ibn Ḥajar and Ibn
Rajab, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim with the Sharḥ of Imām al-Nawawī, Sunan Abī
Dāwūd with the Sharḥ ‘Awn al-Ma’būd, Sunan al-Tirmidhī with the
Sharḥ Tuḥfah al-Aḥwadhī, Sunan al-Nasā’ī al-Kubrā and al-Sughrā,
Sunan Ibn Mājah39, Muwaṭṭa Mālik40, Al-Tamhīd by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr40,
Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah39, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibban39, Sunan al-Dārimī39,
Sunan al-Kubrā39 and Shu’b al-Īmān by Al-Bayhaqī41, Al-Mu’jam al-
Kabīr by Al-Ṭabarānī, Musnad Imām Aḥmad with the Sharḥ Fatḥ al-
Rabbānī, Sunan Sa’īd ibn Manṣūr, Al-Muntaqā by Ibn al-Jārūd, Sharḥ
al-Sunnah by al-Baghawī42, Al-Mustadrak ‘alā al-Ṣaḥīḥayn39, Nayl al-
Awṭār by Al-Shawkānī43, Subul al-Salām by al-Amīr al-San’ānī44,
Musnad Abī Ya’lā al-Mūsilī45, Mirqāt al-Mafātīḥ Shar̄ḥ Mishkāt al-
Maṣābīh, Muṣannaf ‘Abd al-Razzāq ibn Hammām al-San’ānī,
Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah, Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn44, and Ṭarḥ al-Tathrīb by
Zayn al-Dīn al-‘Irāqī.

39
For the six books of Ḥadīth and any other books with this number, the best publication is Dar al-Ta’ṣīl.
40
With the Tahqīq of Bashār ‘Awwād Ma’rūf.
41
The Awqāf by Qaṭar
42
Maktabah al-Islāmī
43
Dār Ibn al-Jawzī
44
With the Tahqīq of al-Albānī.
45
With the Tahqīq of Irshād al-Haqq al-Atharī.
 iv. Takhrīj: Tuḥfah al-Muḥtāj by Ibn al-Mulaqqin, Al-Talkhīs al-Ḥabīr by
Ibn Hajar, Naṣb al-Rāyah by Al-Zayla’ī, Natā’ij al-Afkār by Ibn Hajar,
Tuḥfah al-Ṭālib by Ibn Kathīr, Al-Mawḍu’āt by Ibn al-Jawzī, Al-‘Illal al-
Mutanāhiyyah by Ibn al-Jawzī, Al-Maqāṣid al-Ḥasanah by al-Sakhāwī,
Al-Badr al-Munīr by Ibn al-Mulaqqin, Irwā al-Ghalīl by al-Albānī, and
Al-Jāmi’ al-Saghīr by al-Ṣuyūṭī with the Sharḥ Fatḥ al-Qadīr by al-
Manāwī.
v. Rijāl: Al-Ḍu’afā by al-Uqaylī, Al-Kāmil Fi Ḍu’afā by Ibn ‘Adī, Tārikh al-
Kabīr by al-Bukhārī, Tārikh al-Awsaṭ by al-Bukhārī, al-‘Illal by Aḥmad
ibn Ḥanbal, Tārikh Abī Zur’ah al-Dimishqī, Tahdhīb al-Kamāl by Abu
al-Ḥajjāj al-Mizzī40, Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb by Ibn Ḥajar, Siyar A’lām al-
Nubalā by Imām al-Dhahabī46, Mīzān al-‘Itidāl by Imām al-Dhahabī46,
Tārik Yaḥya ibn Ma’īn, Al-Ḍu’afā by al-Nasā’ī, Al-Ḍu’afā by al-
Dārquṭnī, Al-Jarḥ wa al-Ta’dīl by Ibn Abī Ḥātim, and Kitāb al-
Majrūḥīn by Ibn Ḥibban.
vi. ‘Illal: Al-‘Illal by Ibn Abī Ḥātim, Al-Tamyīz by Imām Muslim, Al-
Ilzāmāt wa al-Tatabu’ by al-Dārquṭnī, Al-‘Illal by al-Dārquṭnī, and
Sharḥ ‘Illal Al-Tirmidhī by Ibn Rajab.
vii. Muṣṭalah: Ikhtiṣār ‘Ulūm al-Ḥadīth by Ibn Kathīr, Alfiyyah Al-‘Irāqī
with the Sharḥ Fatḥ al-Mughīth by al-Sakhāwī, Al-Nukat ‘alā Kitāb
Ibn al-Ṣalāh by Ibn Ḥajar, Tadrīb al-Rāwī by al-Ṣuyūṭī, al-Kifāyah by
Al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī, Ma’rifah ‘Ulūm al-Ḥadīth by al-Hākim al-
Naysabūrī, Al-Taqyīd wa al-Iyḍāḥ by Al-‘Irāqī, and al-Muqni’ fi ‘Ulūm
al-Ḥadīth by Ibn al-Mulaqqin.
viii. ‘Aqīdah: Kitāb al-Sunnah by ‘Abdullāh ibn Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Sharḥ
‘Usūl ‘Itiqād Ahl-al-Sunnah wa-al-Jamā’ah by al-Lālakā’ī, Al-Rad ‘alā
al-Jahmiyyah by al-Dārimī, Al-Ibānah by Ibn Baṭṭah, Naqḍ al-Dārimī
‘alā Bishr al-Marīsī, all of the books of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-
Qayyim, Al-Shari’ah by al-Ājurrī, Al-Ru’yah by al-Dārquṭnī, Kitāb al-
Sunnah by Ibn Abī Āṣim, Risālah al-Sijzī ilā Ahl-al-Zabīd, Kitāb al-
Tawhīd from Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī with the Sharḥ of ‘Abdullāh al-
Ghunaymān, all of the books written by the A’immah al-Da’wah al-
Najdīyyah; Fatāwā and Al-Durar al-Sanīyyah, and Ma’ārij al-Qubūl by
al-Hakamī.
ix. Fiqh:
x. Usūl al-Fiqh: al-Baḥr al-Muḥīṭ by Al-Zarkashī, Sharḥ al-Kawkab al-
Munīr, Al-Mudhakirah by Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shanqiṭī, Nashr al-
Bunūd Sharḥ Marāqī al-Sa’ūd, Irshād al-Fuḥūl, by al-Shawkānī, and
Al-Iḥkām Fi Usūl al-Aḥkām by Ibn Ḥazm.
xi. Qawā’id al-Fiqhīyyah: Al-Furūq by al-Qarāfī, Qawā’id Ibn Rajab,
Risālah Fi al-Qawā’id al-Fiqhīyyah by ‘Abd al-Rahmān al-Si’dī, and
Qawā’id al-Fiqhīyyah by Al-Zarkān.
xii. Farā’iḍ: Al-Raḥbīyyah with the footnotes of al-Baqrī.
xiii. Tārikh: Sīrah al-Nabī by Ibn Hishām, al-Ma’rifaḥ wa-al-Tārikh by Al-
Fasawī, Tārikh al-Islām by Imām al-Dhahabī, al-Bidāyah wa-al-
Nihāyah by Ibn Kathīr, Shudurāt al-Dhahab by Ibn al-‘Imād, Tārikh
al-Umam wa-al-Mulūk by al-Ṭabarī, Wafayāt al-‘Ayān by Ibn Khalqān,

46
Muassasah al-Risālah
 al-Wāfī bi-al-Wafīyāt by al-Ṣafadī, al-‘Uqūd al-Durrīyyah Fi Dhikr Ba’ḍ
Manāqib Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah by Ibn ‘Abd al-Hādī, al-
Durar al-Kāminah by Ibn Hajar, and al-Badr al-Ṭāli’ by al-Shawkānī.
xiv. Nahw: al-Kawākib al-Durrīyyah ‘alā Mutammimah al-Ājrūmīyyah,
Sharḥ Ibn ‘Aqīl ‘alā Alfīyyah Ibn Mālik, and Sharḥ Qaṭr al-Nadā wa-bal
al-Ṣadā Ibn Hishām.
xv. Qāmūs: Lisān al-‘Arab, Tahdhīb al-Lugha by al-Azharī, al-Miṣbāḥ al-
Munīr, al-Qāmūs al-Muḥīṭ, Mukhtār al-Ṣiḥāḥ, and Mu’jam Maqāyīs al-
Lughah by Ibn Fāris.
xvi. Adab: Kitāb al-Ma’ārif, Kitāb Adab al-Kātib, and Kitāb ‘Uyūn al-
Akhbār all by Ibn Qutaybah. Mu’jam al-Udabā by al-Hamawī, al-
Kāmil by Ibn Mubarrid, and Kitāb al-Bayān wa-al-Tabyīn by al-Jāhiẓ.
3. Collecting the books that are most important to you.
4. Organise the books according to their science and decide which science to
focus on for the year.
When it comes to buying books an individual should remember three points:

1. Put aside a specific amount of money from your income that is specifically
for buying books. When a book fair occurs, on the first day buy the books
that have recently been published and therefore have the highest demand. If
the book has been published for a long time then go on the last day of the
book fair, as there is less demand and the seller is more likely to decrease
the price.
2. Do not be fooled when people claim that a new publication is better,
sometimes an old publication is still better than a new one. Therefore, ask
an individual who specialises in the field.
3. Always analyse the book before buying it. Look through the book and ensure
that it has all the volumes with it.

Stressor Eleven: Academic studies

A student of knowledge may struggle when wanting to seek knowledge but at the
same time attending University/College.
The way to cure this is by taking hold of two gold opportunities:
1. Holidays: Benefit from these holidays by making a diary and writing what
books you want to study with the Scholars. If every year in the holidays you
progressed through the various levels, you would gather a lot of benefits.
2. After graduating: Benefit by studying at this time. The sciences of the
religion do not all have to be studied at the same time, some can be delayed.
As was done by Imām ibn al-Jawzī:

"‫الثمانن‬
ْ ‫"فإنه لم يأخذ العلم القراءات إال يف آخر عمره و قد جاوز‬
“For he did not take the knowledge of Qira’āt except towards the end of his life, and he had passed
eighty”

Stressor Twelve: Demands

The demands on an individual are two types:
 1. Religious demands: Obligations and/or demands set by the Shari’ah e.g.
excellence towards parents, maintaining the ties of kinship, perfecting the
marriage relationship.
2. Natural demands: Obligations and/or demands that are required due to the
way Allāh has created humans e.g. sleeping, health, fitness.

Stress occurs when an individual does not know how to reconcile between these
demands and seeking knowledge.
The way to cure this problem is through two ways:

1. Organisation of time: As there are both religious demands and natural

demands, a student needs to organise their time.
2. Prioritisation: Write the demands in order of their importance. Thereby time
will be allocated according to the importance of an action.

If an individual does not organise their time and is not aware of the levels of these
demands, it will lead them to do what is less important before fulfilling a demand
that is more important or allocating more time to a less important action and vice
versa.

Stressor Thirteen: Weak efforts in calling to Allāh

A student may feel that due to seeking knowledge they are not fulfilling what is
required of them in relation to calling the people to Allāh.
Calling to Allāh is from the best of speech and greatest of actions, as Allāh says:

ِ ِ ِ
ِ ‫اَّلل و َع ِمل ص‬ ِ
َ ‫ال إِنَِِّن م َن ال ُْم ْسل ِم‬
﴾‫ني‬ َ َ‫اْلًا َوق‬ َ َ َ َّ ‫س ُن قَ ْوًَل ّمَّن َد َعا إِ ََل‬
َ ‫َح‬
ْ ‫﴿ َوَم ْن أ‬
“And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allāh and does righteousness and says,
“Indeed, I am of the Muslims”47

The key to da’wah is knowledge and insight of the religion, as Allāh said:

ِ ِ َِّ ‫صْيمة أ َََن وم ِن اتَّب ع ِِن وسبحا َن‬

ِ َِّ ‫﴿قُل َٰه ِذ ِه سبِيلِي أَ ْدعو إِ ََل‬
َ ‫اَّلل َوَما أ َََن م َن الْ ُم ْش ِرك‬
﴾‫ني‬ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ‫اَّلل َعلَ َٰى ب‬ ُ َ َْ
“Say, This is my way; I invite to Allāh with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allāh;
and I am not of those who associate others with Him”48

Ibn al-Qayyim says:

“The one who is busy with knowledge is [in fact] busy with da’wah”

The reason for this is because knowledge is a means that will reach towards giving
da’wah. Therefore busying oneself with the means is busying oneself in the
foundation. As the principle states: ((‫))ما ال يتم الواجب إال به فهو واجب‬, that with
which an obligatory action cannot be completed is also obligatory. If calling to Allāh
is an obligation upon oneself, then the means to fulfil this goal is also obligatory.

47
Fuṣṣilat [41:33]
48
Yūsuf [12:108]
The cure for this is for the student to understand that there are levels to calling to
Allāh. That which is obligatory on the beginning student of knowledge with regards
to giving da’wah to the creation is not the same as what is obligatory on the
Scholars, Judges and Muftī’s. Rather, what is obligatory on each individual is
befitting their station. Therefore, the completest form of da’wah was upon the
Prophet’s and the Messengers.

Stressor Fourteen: Provision and Income

From the ways Shayṭān enters upon an individual is by making them fear poverty
and increases their love for this worldly life.
The cure for this is through a number of ways:

1. Bring tranquillity to the heart, because the provision that is decreed for
you is bound to arrive.
As Allāh says:

َِّ ‫ض إََِّل علَى‬ ِ

﴾‫اَّلل ِرْزقُ َها‬ َ ِ ‫﴿ َوَما من َدابَّمة ِِف ْاْل َْر‬
“And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allāh is its provision”49

Therefore know that your provision is all upon Allāh, entrust Allāh with it and find
tranquillity.
Allāh says:

ِ
ُ ِ‫الرزَّا ُق ذُو الْ ُق َّوة ال َْمت‬
﴾‫ني‬ َّ ‫﴿إِ َّن‬
َّ ‫اَّللَ ُه َو‬
“Indeed, it is Allāh who is the [continual] provider, the firm possessor of strength”50

2. The certainty that Allāh will aid his allies in their provisions.

Every single Muslim is a Walī of Allāh as Shaykh al-Islām ibn Taymiyyah

mentioned. It is only the levels of Wilāyah differ between them.
As Allāh says:

‫آمنُوا َوَكانُوا يَتَّ ُقو َن‬ ِ َّ ‫ف َعلَْي ِه ْم َوََل ُه ْم ََْي َزنُو َن‬ َِّ ‫﴿أ َََل إِ َّن أَولِياء‬
﴾ َ ‫ين‬
َ ‫الذ‬ ٌ ‫اَّلل ََل َخ ْو‬ ََْ
“Unquestionable, [for] the allies of Allāh there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve
[62] Those who believed and were fearing Allāh [63]”51

Every believer has Īmān and Taqwa, therefore, they all are allies of Allāh. But Īmān
and Taqwa are not of the same level in each individual. Therefore the level of
allegiance to Allāh will depend on the level Īmān and Taqwa.
Allāh always aids his ‘Awliyā. In this worldly life, we observe that the kings do not
forsake the rights of those who stand for their assistance, then what should we

49
Hūd [11:6]
50
Al-Dhārīyāt [51:58]
51
Yūnus [10:62-63]
think about the most just, the best of judges, would he forsake the one who stood
to give victory to his religion and protect his Shari’ah?

Zayd ibn Thābit reported that the Messenger of Allāh ( ‫ )ﷺ‬said:

ُ َ َ ُ َ َّ َ ْ ُّ ْ َْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ُ ‫َ ْ َ َ ْ ُّ ْ َ َ َّ ُ َ َّ َ ه‬
‫ب له‬ ‫ن ع ْين ْي ِه َول ْ َم يأ ِت ِه ِمن الدنيا ِإال ما ك ِت‬ ‫"من كانت الدنيا همه فرق اَّلل عليه أمره وجعل فقره ب‬
ٌ َ َ َ َ َ ْ ُّ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َ ُ ‫َ َ ْ َ َ ْ ْ َ ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ َ ِ ه‬
"‫ه ر ِاغمة‬ ‫ومن كانت اْل ِخرة ِنيته جمع اَّلل له أمره وجعل ِغناه ِ يف قل ِب ِه وأتته الدنيا و ِ ي‬
“Whoever makes the world his ultimate goal, Allāh will confound his affairs and make poverty
appear before his eyes and he will not get anything from this world except what has been decreed
for him. Whoever makes the hereafter his ultimate goal, Allāh will settle his affairs and make him
content in his heart and the world will come to him although he does not want it”52

3. Having good thoughts of Allāh.

Think good of Allāh, for Allāh perfected your provision upon you from when you
were being nursed as a child until today.
The poet said:
‫ما لك قد أحزنك الفقر *** و قد جمعت ا‬
‫الهم يف الصدر‬
‫الباف من العمر‬
‫ي‬ ٰ
‫مض *** يحسن يف‬ ‫إن الذي أحسن فيما‬
“Why has poverty made you grieve *** and has gathered stress in the heart

The one who was good in the past [i.e. Allāh] *** Will be good for what remains of your life”

4. Striving in the seeking of provision and taking the means.

The above points do not negate the need for seeking provision and taking the
means.
As Allāh says:

﴾‫اَّلل‬ ْ َ‫ض َوابْ تَ غُوا ِمن ف‬

َِّ ‫ض ِل‬ ِ ‫الص ََلةُ فَانتَ ِش ُروا ِِف ْاْل َْر‬
َّ ‫ت‬ ِ
ِ ‫ضي‬
َ ُ‫﴿فَِإذَا ق‬
“And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of
Allāh”53

The believer works, and it is not from our religion that the people only stay in the
mosque. Rather, what Allāh commands here is to go out in the land and make an
income.

5. Knowing that what is required of provision is that which will preserve

one's strength and fulfils the need.

Shaykh al-Albānī would open his shop where he would repair watches and earn
money for that day. Once he made what was needed he would close the shop. Many
Scholars from the Salaf would ensure they earned what was needed for the day,
and then go out to seek knowledge.

52
Sunan Ibn Mājah 4105
53
Al-Jumu’ah [62:10]
 Stressor Fifteen: Marriage and seeking knowledge
The natural disposition of a human is that; males are attracted to females and
females are attracted to males. This desire for the opposite gender is in every one of
us.

First of all, know, the claim that getting married will disconnect you from seeking
knowledge is a Satanic lie. Rather, there are external factors that may disconnect
the individual from seeking knowledge. Therefore, those who have the desire and
ability should get married.
The cure for this is in the following points:
1. If the student does not have the desire to get married then do not sit in
gatherings where marriage is being spoken about. Rather, if it is not a
distraction then focus on seeking knowledge.
2. If the student does have the desire to get married, and it is distracting them
from seeking knowledge. They should look for a righteous spouse who; loves
knowledge, venerates its people, and it is not a must that they are a student
of knowledge.
3. To perfect the affairs of the household, by making sure that as a man,
everything is running smoothly.
4. To encourage the spouse to seek knowledge with them.
5. Informing the spouse regarding the reward of seeking knowledge and the
reward for aiding a student of knowledge in this path.
6. To agree with the spouse a designated time that is dedicated to them, to
fulfil their rights.
7. Rewarding the spouse for the patience that they show and giving them gifts
which they desire.
All of these principles apply to the individual that is married to one or more
spouses. But, it is obligatory for a student of knowledge not to hasten in marrying a
second wife. As increasing the obligations upon oneself, increases the load and
slows the travel [i.e. towards seeking knowledge].

Stressor Sixteen: Rectification of children

The Scholars said:

ٰ ‫"الفساد يرسي‬
"‫إىل أبناء أهل العلم النشغالهم بالناس عن إصالح أوالدهم‬
“Corruption seeps into the children of the people of knowledge because they are busy with the
people over the rectification of their children”

The cure for this is in the following points:

1. By choosing a righteous spouse.

A righteous spouse will educate the children and correct their manners, while you
are seeking knowledge.

The Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬said:

ُ َ َّ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ ُّ َ َ ٌ َ ْ ُّ
"‫الص ِالحة‬ ‫"الدن َيا َمتاع َوخ ْْ ُي َمت ِاع الدنيا المرأة‬
 “The world is provision and the best provision in the world is a righteous woman”54

Therefore, you can ensure that your children are given a good upbringing by
making sure that the woman who is raising them is a righteous woman. This is
very important.
2. Consistently supplicating for them.
Whilst seeking knowledge and travelling always remember your children.
Supplicate for them; rectification and guidance. For the supplication of the parent
for the child reaches them quickly, and is one of the times the supplication is
answered.
3. Befriending your children

Accompany your children to the circles of knowledge, as barakah descends upon

these gatherings. The Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬said:

َ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ ََُْ ُ َ َ ََ ‫ه َُْ َ َ َ ه‬ ُ ْ َْ َ َ ْ
‫اَّلل َويتد َار ُسونه بينه ْم ِإال نزلت عل ْي ِه ُم‬ِ ‫اَّلل يتلون ِكتاب‬
ِ ‫وت‬ ِ ‫ َو َما اجت َم َع ق ْو ٌم ِ يف بي ٍت ِمن ب ُي‬..."
ُ َ ْ ْ َ ُ ‫َّ َ ُ َ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َّ ْ َ ُ َ َ َّ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ه‬
"...‫يمن ِعنده‬ ‫الس ِكينة وغ ِشيتهم الرحمة وحفتهم المال ِئكة وذكرهم اَّلل ِف‬
“…And there is not a group of people who gather in a house from the houses of Allāh, and recite the
book of Allāh, and they learn it amongst themselves, except it would descend upon them tranquillity
and mercy would envelope them and the angels would surround them, and Allāh mentions them in
the presence of those near him…”55

Therefore, bringing your children to these gatherings will allow them to be

encompassed in this blessing. For – by Allāh – if parents were informed that money
was being distributed in the mosque, they would bring all their children to collect
this money. What if by coming to the mosque you were all receiving blessings and
mercy? This is something that an individual should do.
There is a fascinating story about a man called Abū al-Waqt. Yūsuf ibn Aḥmad al-
Shīrāzī said:
َ
‫آخ ِر ِبال ِد‬ ْ ‫ول إ َل‬ ُ ‫ َق َّد َر ه‬، ‫الد ْن َيا َو ُم ْس َند ْال َع ْرص َأب ْال َو ْقت‬
َ ‫اَّلل ىل ْال ُو ُص‬ ُّ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َّ َ
ِ ْ‫ف‬ ‫ه‬
ِ ‫ي‬ ِ ِ ‫"لما رحلت إىل شيخنا رحلة‬
َ َ ‫ْ َ َ َ َ ِ ه ْ ُ َ َِ ْ ِ َ َ ِ َّ ْ ُ ُ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ ِ َ ِْ ي‬
َ َ ُ ُ ‫ْ َِ َ ِ ي‬ َ َ ‫َ ْ َ ِي‬
َ َ َ
‫ كان‬: ‫ ما أقدمك ه ِذ ِه ال ِبالد ؟ قلت‬: ‫ فقال ِ يىل‬، ‫ وجلست ب ْن َيدي ِه‬، ‫ وقبلته‬، ‫ فسلمت علي ِه‬، ‫ِكرمان‬
َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ
‫ َوأحظ ِب ُعل ِّو ِإ ْسن ِادك‬...‫ق ْص ِدي ِإل ْيك‬
“When I travelled to my Shaykh, the one who has travelled the dunyā and the Musnad of his time
Abī al-Waqt, Allād decreed for me to meet him in the far lands of Kirmān. I greeted him, and kissed
him, and sat in front of him, he said to him: What has made you come to this land? I said: My intent
was [to meet] you…And [receive] a portion of your short chains [i.e. Ḥadīth].

َ َ َ َ َّ َ ‫ت َع‬ َ ْ ‫َ َ َ ه‬ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َّ َ ُ ‫َ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ه‬
‫ َوال جل ْست‬، ‫ىل‬ ‫ْ َ ْ ي‬ ‫م‬ ‫ل‬‫س‬ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ ‫ل‬ ، ‫ت‬ ِ ‫ف‬
‫هِ ُ ي‬‫ر‬ ‫ع‬ ‫م‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ح‬ ‫ت‬ ِ ‫ت‬ ‫ف‬‫ر‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ن‬‫ك‬
‫َْ َ ْ َ َ ُ ُي‬ ‫و‬ ‫ل‬ ... ‫ه‬
ِ ‫ات‬
ِ ‫ض‬ ‫ وفقك اَّلل و ِإيانا ِلمر‬: ‫فقال‬
ْ َ
‫ واج َع ْل‬، ‫يل‬ ‫م‬‫ج‬
َ
‫ال‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ي‬ ‫س‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ا‬
َ
‫ن‬ ‫ي‬
ُ
ْ ‫اس‬ْ ‫ الله َّم‬: ‫ال‬ َ
َ ‫ ث َّم ق‬، ‫رصه‬ َ ‫ح‬ ‫ن‬‫م‬َ ‫ وأبَك‬، ‫ ُث َّم َب ََك ُب َك ًاء َطويال‬، ‫ن َي َد َّي‬
َ ً َ ْ ‫َب‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ْ

54
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1467
55
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2699 a
 ‫اش ًيا َم َع َو ِال ِدي‬ َ َّ " ‫ت َأ ْي ًضا ل َس َماع‬
ُ ْ َ َ ِّ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َّ َ
.
َ ْ َ َ ْ ِّ َ ْ َ
ِ ‫يح " م‬
ِ ‫ح‬
ِ ‫الص‬ ِ ‫ل‬‫ح‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ب‬ ‫أ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ل‬‫ع‬ ‫ت‬ ،
ِ ْ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ ‫ِ ْ َ َ َ َّ ُ ِّ ُ ي‬‫ي‬‫د‬ِ ‫ل‬‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬‫ع‬ ‫ه‬
ِ ‫ب‬ ‫ض‬ ‫تحت الس ِي ما تر‬
َ‫رس سنن‬ ْ َ
ْ ِ ِ ِ ‫ِمن هراة ِإىل الداو ِدي ِببوشنج و ِ يىل دون ع‬
He said: May Allāh grant you and me the success to his pleasure … If you truly knew me, you would
not greet me, nor would you sit in front of me, then he cried for a long time, and those who were
around cried, then he said: O Allāh cover us with your beautiful covering, and place under your cover
that which will please you about us. O my child, know that I also travelled to listen to “Al-Ṣaḥīḥ”,
walking with my father from Herāt [Afghanistan] to al-Dāwudiyi in Bushunj, and I was less than 10
years.

‫ش‬ ْ ‫ َو َأ ْم‬، ‫ت ِم ْن َخ ْوف ِه َأ ْح َف ُظ ُه َما ب َي ِدي‬ ُ ُْ َ َ ُْ ْ ُ ََُ

‫ن‬‫ك‬ ‫ف‬ . ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫اح‬ : ‫ول‬‫ق‬ ‫ي‬‫و‬ ، ‫ن‬‫ي‬
ْ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ
‫ر‬ ‫ج‬ ‫ح‬ ‫ي‬ ‫د‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ىل‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ض‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ي‬ ‫د‬ ِ ‫ال‬
ِ ‫و‬
َ َ َ
َ ‫ان‬ ‫فك‬
ِ‫َ َ ي‬ َ َ ِ ِّ َ ُّ َ ِ َ ِ
ْ ُ َ ً َ ً َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ َِ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ ُ َ
ْ ْ ْ َ
‫ فأم ِش إىل أن‬، ‫ وي ِخف عت‬، ‫ فأل ِق‬، ‫احدا‬ ِ ‫آب قد عييت أمرب أن أل ِق حجرا و‬ ‫ َف ِإ ُذا ر ِ ي‬، ‫َ َوهو َي ُتأ َمل ِ يت‬
ُ ْ ُ َ ِ ‫َ ِ ْ َ َ ِ ي َ َ َ ُ ي ُ َ َ ُ ُ َ َ َ ُ ي ُ َ ُ َ ِّ ْ ي ْ َ ْْ ي‬ ُ ‫ ف َيق‬، ‫ن له ت َعت‬ َ َّ ‫يت َب‬
‫ْع‬ ِ ‫ش ْ ُ؟ ُفأ‬ ‫ ِلم تق َرص ِ يَف ال َم َ ِ َي‬: َ ‫ول‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ف‬ . ‫ ال‬: ‫ وأقول‬، ‫ هل ع ِييت ؟ فأخافه‬: ‫ول ِ يىل‬
َ َّ َ ْ ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َّ ُ ً َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ‫ي‬ ِ ْ
‫ ف ِحين ِئ ٍذ كان يأخذ ِ يب‬، ‫ش حت أع ِطب‬ َ
‫ فأم ِ ي‬، ‫يه‬ ِ ُ ‫ فيل ِق‬، ‫ فيأخذ اْلخر‬، ‫ ثم أعجز‬، ‫ب ْن يدي ِه ساعة‬
ْ َ
‫َويح ِمل ِ يت‬
My father would place two rocks in my hand and would say: carry them. Due to my fear I would
carry them in my hand, I would walk and he would observe me, if he saw that I was becoming tired
he would command me to drop one rock, so I would drop it, and therefore my load would be
lightened, I would walk until my tiredness became evident, he would say to me: have you tired? I
would become scared, and say: No. He then said: Why are you walking slowly? So I would speed up
in front of him for a period of time until I couldn’t move, so I took the other rock and dropped it,
then I walked until I was ruined, it was at this point that he [my father] took me and carried me.

َ َّ ُ َ َ ْ ِّ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ‫ َيا َش ْي ُخ ع‬: ‫ون‬ َ ُ ُ ََ ْ ُ ََْ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َّ ُ َ

‫ ادف ْع ِإل ْينا هذا الطف َل ن ْرك ُبه َو ِإياك‬، ‫يش‬ ِ ‫ فيقول‬،َ ‫ق ج َماعة َالفال ِح ْن وغ ْيهم‬ ِ ‫ت‬ ‫وكنا نل‬
َ ْ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ‫ه َ ه هُ ََْ َ َ ه‬ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َْ ْ ‫ََُ ُ يَ َ َ ه‬
‫ ِإىل بوشنج‬. ‫ بل‬، -‫صىل اَّلل علي ِه وسلم‬- ‫اَّلل‬ ِ ‫ول‬ ِ ‫يث رس‬ ِ ‫اَّلل أن نركب ِف طلب أح ِاد‬ ِ ‫ معاذ‬: ‫ف َيقول‬
ْ َ َ َ ََ َ َ َ َ . ََ َ َ ََ ‫ه‬ ُ َ َ ً َ ْ ِ ْ َ ‫َ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ َ َي‬ ْ ‫ن ْم‬
‫اَّلل و َرجاء ث َو ِاب ِه فكان ثمرة ذ ِلك ِمن‬ ِ ‫ول‬ِ ‫يث رس‬ ِ ‫س ِإجالال ِلح ِد‬ ‫ي‬ ِ ‫ و ِإذ َا عجز أركبته عىل رأ‬، ‫ش‬ ‫ي‬ ِ
َ َ َّ َ َ َ ٌ َ َ َ ْ َ َْ ََْ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ ْ ِّ َّ ْ ُ
‫ حت صار ِت‬، ‫اب أحد ِسواي‬ ‫ َول ْم َ يبق ِمن أقر ِ ي‬، ‫اب َ وغ ْ َ ِي ِه‬ ِ َ ‫حس ِن ِني ِت ِه أ يب انتفعت ِبسم ِاع ه ْذا ُال ِك ُت‬
"‫ال ُوفود ت ْرح ُل ِإ ي َّىل ِمن األ ْم َص ِار‬
And when we passed a group of people, they sad to us: O Shaykh Īsā, give us this child, so we can
mount him and you [on a riding beast]. He would say: I seek refuge in Allāh that I take a vehicle while

seeking the Aḥādith of the Prophet ( ‫)ﷺ‬, rather to Būshanj we will walk, and when we cannot move,
I will place him on my head in glorification of the ḥadith of the messenger, and seeking reward. It
was the fruits of this, from his good intention, that I benefitted by listening to this book and other
than it, and no-one remains from my contemporaries except me, until delegations came travelling to
me from many lands”56

Abū al-Waqt became an Imām due to his father befriending him.

4. Place the love of knowledge in their hearts.

56
Siyar A’lām al-Nubalā by Imām al-Dhahabī
This can be achieved through small competitions in the house with a prize for the
one who wins. This is something that will place love for knowledge in a child’s
heart.
5. Find a good teacher for them.

If you are seeking knowledge and it is stressful, find a good teacher who can correct
their etiquettes. In the time of the Salaf, the leaders would bring their children to
the Scholars.
6. Observe the situation of the child.

Ensuring that they are not picking up bad habits and if they have then you correct
them.
7. Buying pens and papers for the child.
Buying for your children pens and papers and – by Allāh – when I (Ustādh
AbdulRahman Hassan) went to the book fair in Egypt I took my children with me
and they were picking up little mutūn that they liked the cover of. So you buy these
for them, and in the house, you make a mini-library for them. When you are
reading, then give them a pen and a paper and allow them to imitate you. These
acts that you may consider small, means a lot to the child and makes them
venerate and love knowledge.
8. The child’s friends.
The parents observe who the child is taking as a friend.

Stressor Seventeen: This world

As a student of knowledge, the world throws its glitters towards you, and people
may place in your heart the need to strive for this world.
Allāh says:

‫س َّوَم ِة‬ ِ ‫ب وال ِْفض‬ ِ َ‫ات ِمن النِس ِاء والْبنِني والْ َقن‬
َّ ‫اط ِْي ال ُْم َقنطَرِة ِم َن‬ ِ ‫الشهو‬ ِ ‫﴿ ُزيِ َن لِلن‬
َ ‫اْلَْي ِل ال ُْم‬
ْ ‫َّة َو‬ َ ِ ‫الذ َه‬ َ ََ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ ‫ب‬
ُّ ‫َّاس ُح‬
ُّ ِ‫ك َمتَاعُ ا ْْلَيَاة‬
﴾‫الدنْيَا‬ َ ِ‫ث ۗ َٰذَل‬
ِ ‫و ْاْلَنْع ِام وا ْْلر‬
َْ َ َ َ
“Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire – of women and sons, heaped-up sums of
gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of the worldly
life, but Allāh has with Him the best return”57

What a student needs to be aware of is that striving for the world gives birth to
stress and sadness. This is because you are striving for a mirage, like a dog
chasing its tail.
Abū ‘Abdullāh al-Dārī said:
َّ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ َ ْ ُّ َ ْ ُّ َّ َ ُ ُ َ ُ ْ َ ُ ‫اَّلل َع َّز َو َج َّل َو ْال َق‬
‫ه‬ ْ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ
‫ َو ِإن‬، ‫ب َوال َبدن‬ ‫ ِإن الزهد ِ يف الدنيا ي ِري ح القل‬: ‫ول عنه يقولون‬ َِ ْ‫ب‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫"كان أهل ال ِع‬
‫ب‬ ‫م‬‫ل‬
َ َ َ ْ َ َّ َ ْ ُ ‫ُّ ْ َ ُ ْ ر‬ َ َّ
"‫الرغبة ِ يف الدنيا تك ِي الهم والحزن‬

57
Āl ‘im’rān [3:14]
 “The people of knowledge of Allāh and those who are accepted from used to say: Asceticism of this
world brings relaxation to the heart and body, and striving for the world increases in stress and
grief”58

When you gain knowledge, knowledge will protect you. But when you gain money,
you have to look after it. The more it increases, the more stressful it becomes. This
is the reality of this world.
Some of the Scholars used to say:

ٰ ‫ و الحرص‬،‫التقصي يف الطاعة‬
"‫عىل الدنيا‬ :‫جهتن‬ ‫الهم و ا‬
‫الغم من‬ ‫"إنما يحصل ا‬
ْ ْ
“Stress and sadness occurs through to ways: falling short in [acts of] obedience, and striving for this
world”

The cure for this stress is to:

1. Supplicate to Allāh.

Ask Allāh not to make this world your ultimate goal and the limit of our knowledge.
((‫ وال مبلغ علمنا‬،‫أكب همنا‬
‫))اللهم ال تجعل الدنيا ر‬.

As Allāh stated about the disbelievers:

﴾‫الدنْيَا َو ُه ْم َع ِن ْاْل ِخ َرةِ ُه ْم غَ ِافلُو َن‬

ُّ ِ‫اه ًرا ِم َن ا ْْلَيَاة‬
ِ َ‫﴿ي علَمو َن ظ‬
ُ َْ
“They know what is apparent of the worldly life, but they, of the Hereafter, are unaware”59

2. Stay away from striving for the world.

Ibrāhīm ibn Ad’ham said:
‫" ر‬
‫كية الحرص و الطمع تورث ا‬
"‫الهم و الجزع‬
“Increasing in striving and desiring [the world] gives rise to stress and fear”

3. Not think you will live for a long time.

Many people who are striving for the world have the belief that they are going to live
for a long time.
Ḥarrānī said:
‫ُا‬ ُ ُ ‫"أكي ا‬
‫ فألجله تكلف األمال و األشغال و تجمع و تدخر‬،‫الهم و االهتمام إنما هو من طول األمل‬
"‫األموال‬
“The greatest aspiration is due to believing he has a long time, because of this he is doing so much
work, and is busy, and is accumulating wealth”

A person who believed that he may die tomorrow would not do all of that.
4. Believing that the world always changes.

58
Al-Zuhd by Ibn abī al-Dunyā
59
Al-Rūm [30:7]
Some of the Salaf used to say:

"‫"الدنيا إن بقيت لك لم تبق أنت لها‬

“The world, even if it remains for you, you will not remain for her”

The world does not remain in one state and its situation always changes. One of
the greatest things that pushes a person to be ascetic is to digest this point. What
you have today you may not necessarily have it tomorrow. Many rulers were
drinking from gold cups and died being dragged on the floor.

Stressor Eighteen: Situation of the Muslims

A student of knowledge becomes stressed when he looks at what is happening in
the Muslim world; Syria, Palestine, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Somalia and everywhere.
It causes pain, stress, and sadness.

The Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬said:

ُ َ َ ََ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ ُ َ ِّ َ َ ‫" َم َث ُل ْال ُم ْؤمن‬
‫ن ِ يف ت َواد ِه ْم َوت َراح ِم ِه ْم َوت َعاط ِف ِه ْم َمث ُل الج َس ِد ِإذا اشتَك ِمنه عض ٌو تداَع له َس ِائ ُر‬ ِْ ِ
َّ ُ ْ َ َ َّ َ َ ْ
"‫الجس ِد ِبالسه ِر والحَم‬
“The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a
body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever”60

The Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬also said:

ُ َ َ َ ً َ ُ ُ َ ُّ ُ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ َّ
"‫ان يشد ب ْعضه ب ْعضا َوش َّبك أ َص ِاب َعه‬
ِ ‫" ِإن المؤ ِمن ِللمؤ ِم ِن كالبني‬
“Verily, the believers are like a structure, each one strengthening the other, and the prophet clasped
his fingers together”61

Stressor Nineteen: Taking a position before reaching the goal

From the matters that bring stress to the student of knowledge is taking a position
before reaching the goal. However, if due to certain reasons he sees it to be binding
for him to accept this role, then he should combine between seeking knowledge and
fulfilling the role.

Stressor Twenty: To go out and benefit

This stressor is similar to the nineteenth, which is the desire to go out and benefit
the people, but not leadership necessarily.
The cure for this is in two ways:

1. Assign a time in your schedule to seek knowledge.

2. Assign a time in your schedule to convey this message to others.

60
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5665, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2586
61
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 467, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2585
If an individual does this they will attain success and prosperity. But, if you only
give da’wah and are not seeking knowledge, it will lead you to speak without
knowledge in the future.

Conclusion
These twenty stressors are the foundational causes of stress that a student of
knowledge endures. In this series we have clarified; the stressors and their cures.

I ask Allāh that he removes stress and depression from any Muslim that has it, and
he increases us in knowledge and makes us from those who implement what they
know.

Anything that I said that is wrong or incorrect is from me and Shayṭān, and Allāh
and his messenger are free from it.