The Second Type of Craving for Status
The second type of seeking status and position over the people is through matters of the
Deen such as knowledge, action and zuhd (shunning this world and its delights). This
is more wicked than the first type, more disgraceful, more corrupt and more dangerous.
This is because knowledge, action and shunning of this world are for seeking the high
ranks and never-ending bliss that are with Allaah, and to seek nearness to Allaah.
Ath-Thawree24 said, “The excellence of knowledge is due only to the fact that it causes a
person to fear and obey Allaah, otherwise it is just like anything else.” So if a person
seeks through any of this some worldly end, then this is also of two types:
The first type is he who seeks wealth through it – then this is a part of craving after
wealth and seeking it through forbidden means. Concerning this there is the hadeeth
from the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), “Whoever seeks knowledge from that by
which Allaah’s Face is sought but does not learn it except for some worldy goal, then he
will not smell the fragrance of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection.” It is reported by
23 Sooratul-Maa’idah (5):54
24 Sufyaan ibn Sa`eed ath-Thawree, famous imaam from the successors of the taabi’een,. Ibnul-Mubaarak
said, “I have not written from anyone more excellent than him.” He died at the age of 64 in Sha’baan
161H.
Imaam Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, Ibn Maajah and Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh from the
hadeeth of Aboo Hurairah from the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).25
The reason for this, and Allaah knows best, is that in this world there is a foretaste of
Paradise and it is knowledge of Allaah, love of Him, being happy with Him, longing to
meet Him, fearing Him and obeying Him. The way to this is shown by beneficial
knowledge and he whose knowledge leads him to experience this foretaste of Paradise
in this world will enter Paradise in the Hereafter, and he who does not smell its
fragrance will not smell the fragrance of Paradise in the Hereafter.
Therefore the one who receives the severest punishment in the Hereafter is the scholar
to whom Allaah does not grant the benefit of his knowledge. He is one of those people
who will suffer the most severe regret on the Day of Resurrection since he had what
was required to take him to the highest levels and most elevated stations [in Paradise]
yet he used it only to attain the most lowly, inferior and contemptible ends. So he is like
a man who had valuable and expensive pearls and sold them for a piece of animal dung,
or something filthy and of no use. This is the condition of one who seeks this world
with his knowledge, rather he is worse. Worse still is one who seeks by it outwardly
displaying that he is one who abstains from this world – this is a very despicable
deception.
Sulaymaan ad-Daaraanee used to criticize a person who wore a simple course cloak if
he had some worldly desire in his heart greater than the value of the cloak. What he
was indicating was that manifesting one’s aversion to this world by wearing clothes
showing connection to the Religion only befits one whose heart is empty of any
attachment to it – such that his heart has no greater attachment to it than the value of
the clothes he is seen to be wearing, so that he is the same outwardly and inwardly with
regard to his disassociation from this world.
How well a certain wise person spoke when asked about the (true) Soofee,26 so he
replied,
“He who wears the woollen clothes on top of purity and sincerity,
whilst following the way of the Chosen Messenger:
Who tastes delight despite experiencing harshness,
And the world is thrown behind his neck.”
25 Aboo Daawood (transl.vol.3, p.1039, no.3656) and others. Its chain of narration contains Fulaih ibn
Sulaimaan who is acceptable but has a poor memory – however, another narrator supports his narration
in the report of Ibn `Abdul-Barr in al-Jaami` (1/190) so the hadeeth is saheeh.
26 What the author means by Soofee, is one who abstains from the world and engages in much worship
(i.e. ascetic) and not the modern day usage of the term referring to the group of people who are
immersed in innovation both in their beliefs and actions – may Allaah protect us. [Publisher’s Note]
The second type is he who through his knowledge, action and shunning of this world
seeks: leadership of the people and a position of honour above them and that the
creation should comply and submit to him and turn their faces to him. He seeks that it
should become manifest to the people that he has the greater knowledge than the
scholars so that he can attain a status greater then theirs and so on. The appointed place
for a person like this is the Hell-Fire. This is because intending to arrogantly raise
oneself above the creation is itself something forbidden, then if one seeks it through the
means of attaining the Hereafter then this is worse and more despicable than
attempting it through use of worldly means such as wealth and leadership.
There occurs in the Sunan a narration from the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam),
“Who ever seeks knowledge in order to argue with the ignorant and to argue with the
scholars, or to turn the people’s faces towards him, then Allaah will enter him into the
Fire.” It is reported by Imaam Ahmad and at-Tirmidhee from the hadeeth of Ka’b ibn
Maalik.27 Ibn Maajah reports it from the hadeeth of Ibn `Umar, radiyallaahu `anhumaa, and
Hudhayfah, radiyallaahu `anhu, and the wording is, “….then he is in the fire.”28
Ibn Maajah and Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh report the hadeeth of Jaabir, radiyallaahu `anhu,
from the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) who said, “Do not seek knowledge in order
to compete with the scholars, nor to argue with the ignorant, nor to gain ascendancy in
the assemblies. So whoever does that, then the Fire, the Fire!”29
Ibn Adiyy reports it like from the hadeeth of Aboo Hurairah, radiyallaahu `anhu, from
the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), and he added, “…Rather learn it for the Face of
Allaah and the Hereafter.”30
Also from Ibn Mas`ood, radiyallaahu `anhumaa, who said,
27 Reported by at-Tirmidhee (no.2654), al-Haakim (1/86) and al-Aajurree (p.93). At-Tirmidhee said, “This
is a singular (ghareeb) hadeeth, we do not know it except from this narration, and Ishaaq ibn Yahyaa ibn
Talhah (one of its narrators) i
28 The hadeeth of Ibn `Umar has two chains from him, the first is reported by Ibn Maajah (no.258), atTirmidhee (no.2655) who declared it hasan and al-Aajuree (p.92), and its chain of narration is muqati’
(disconnected). The second is reported by Ibn Maajah (no.253) and its chain of narration contains a weak
narrator and one who is unknown. As for the hadeeth of Hudhayfah, then it has three chains, the first is
reported by Ibn Maajah (no.259) and its chain of narration contains Ash`ath ibn Sawwaar who is weak.
The second is reported by al-Khateeb in Iqtidaa ul-`Ilmil’Amal (no.100) and contains Basheer ibn `Ubayd
al-Madaarisee who is weak and is accused of lying. The third is reported by al-Khateeb in his Taareekh
(9/446-447) and contains Aboo Bakr ad-Daahiree who is abandoned and accused of lying.
29 Reported by Ibn Maajah (no.253), Ibn Hibbaan (no.90: Mawaarid) and others. Its chain of narration here
is weak since it contains Ibn Juraij and Abuz-Zubayr, both of whom are mudallis reporting with `an`anah
[not clearly stating that he heard it directly from the narrator before him]. However the hadeeth is
established since the author will mention a hasan (good) chain of narration for it afterwords.
30 Al-Khateeb reports it in al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih (2/88) from Ibn `Adiyy with it and its chain of
narration is hasan.
“Do not learn knowledge for three: To argue with it with the ignorant, nor to contend
with the scholars through it, nor to turn the people’s faces towards yourselves. Rather
seek by your saying and action that which is with Allaah – since it will remain and
everything else will perish.”31
It is also established in Saheeh Muslim from Aboo Hurairah, radiyallaahu `anhu, from the
Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) who said, “The first of the creation for whom the
Fire will be kindled on the Day of Resurrection are three.. from them is the scholar who
recited the Qur’aan in order for it be said that he is a recitor, and he learned knowledge
in order for it to be said that he is a scholar, and it will be said to him, “That was
said,” then the order will be given regarding him and he will be dragged upon his face
and flung into the Fire.” He mentioned the same regarding the one who gives charity in
order for it to be said that he is generous, and the one who fights Jihaad in order for it to
be said that he is a brave person.32
Also from `Alee, radiyallaahu `anhu, who said, “O bearers of knowledge! Act upon it
since the scholar is the one who acts upon what he knows, so that his actions conform to
his knowledge. For there will come a people who carry knowledge but it does not
penetrate beyond their throats. Their knowledge will be contrary to their actions, and
what they hide will be contrary to what they manifest. They will sit in circles and vie
with one another to the point that a man will become angry with one who sits with him
if he sits with someone else and abandons him. Their actions in those assemblies of
theirs will not be raised up to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic.”
Al-Hasan [al-Basree] said, “Do not let the share of knowledge that one of you possesses
be merely that the people say that he is a scholar.” It also occurs in some reports that
`Eesaa, `alaihis-salaam, said, “How can a person be from the people of knowledge if he
only seeks knowledge in order to be able to narrate it, and does not seek it in order to
act upon it.” One of the Salaf said, “It has reached us that he who seeks ahaaheeth merely
in order to narrate them will not find the fragrance of Paradise,” meaning he whose
only intention in seeking them is to be able to narrate them, and not to act upon them.
This is similar to the hatred of the Salafus-Saalih (the Pious Predecessors) that a person
should put himself forward to give religious verdicts (fataawa) and to crave them, and to
hasten to it, and to do it to excess. Ibn Lahee`ah reports from `Ubaydullaah ibn Abee
31 It is reported by al-Khateeb in al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih (2/88-89) and its chain of narration is weak since
it contains Muhammad ibn `Awn al-Khuraasaanee who is abandoned (matrook).
32 [32] The hadeeth is reported by Ahmad (2/322), Muslim (transl.vol.3, p.1055, no.4688), an-Nasaa`ee
(6/23-24) and others, however the hadeeth which they report begins, “The first of the people against
whom judgement will be passed…” As for the wording, “The first of the creation for whom the fire will
be kindled on the Day of Ressurection.” Then it is reported by Ibnul-Mubaraak in az-Zuhd (no.469), alBukharee in Khalq Af’aalil-`Ibaad (p.42), at-Tirmidhee (no.2382) who declared it hasan and others. Its chain
of narration is saheeh.
Ja`far in mursal form from the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) that he said, “He who
is boldest from you in giving religious verdicts, will be the boldest in proceeding to the
Fire.”33 Alqamah said, “They used to say, ‘The boldest of you in giving religious
verdicts is the one having the least knowledge.”
Al-Baraa` said, “I met a hundred and twenty of the Ansaar from the Companions of
Allaah’s Messenger (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and when one of them was asked about
a matter there was not a single man amongst them except that he wished that his
brother would suffice him (by answering).”34 In a narration there occurs the addition,
“…so this one would refer it to another, and he would refer it to someone else until it
would eventually return to the first one.” From Ibn Mas’ood, radiyallaahu `anhu, who
said, “The one who gives a religious verdict to the people about everything that he is
asked is indeed insane.”35
`Umar ibn `Abdul-`Azeez was asked about a question and replied, “I am not one who is
bold about giving religious verdicts.” He also wrote to one of his governors, “By Allaah
I am not one who craves after giving religious verdicts, as long as I can find a way to
avoid it.”
Ibn Yameenah said, “This affair is not for those who love that the people should have
need of them, rather this affair is only for those who love that someone can be found to
take their place.” It also reported from him that he said the most knowledgeable of
people concerning religious verdicts is the one who is most often silent, and the most
ignorant of people about them is the one who speaks the most with regard to them.”36
Sufyaan ath-Thawree said, “We reached the scholars and they used to hate answering
questions and giving religious verdicts until they could find no way out except to give a
verdict, but if they were relived of having to do so then that was more beloved to
them.”
Imaam Ahmad said, “He who puts himself forward to give religious verdicts has put
himself forward to something very serious, unless he is forced into it through necessity.” It was said to him, “Then which is better: for him to speak or to remain
silent?” He said, “It is more beloved to us that he should withhold.” It was said, “But if
there is a necessity?” So he started saying “Necessity! Necessity!” And he said, “It is
safer for him to withhold.”
33 It is reported by ad-Daarimee (1/157) and its chain of narration is weak since it is mursal (i.e. there is a
missing link or links between the last narrator and the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).
34 This saying is reported by ad-Daarimee (1/153) and Ibn `Abdul-Barr in al-Jaami` (2/163). However it is
the saying of `Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Abee Laylaa and not the saying of al-Baraa`, and its chain of narration
is saheeh. As for the saying of al-Baraa`, then it is, “I saw three hundred of the people of Badr, there was
not a single one of them except that he loved that someone else should take his place in answering.” It is
reported by Ibnul-Mubaraak in az-Zuhd (no.58), Ibn Sa’d (6/11) and others and its isnaad contains Aboo
Ishaaq as-Sabee’ee who is acceptable (sadooq) except that he was a mudallis and reports it without stating
that he heard it directly.
35 [35] Reported by Ibn `Abdul-Barr (2/164-165), al-Khateeb in al-Faqeeh wal Mutafaqqih (2/197-198) and
Aboo Khaithamah in al-`Ilm (no.10) and its chain of narration is saheeh.
36 Reported by al-Khateeb in al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih (2/166) and its isnaad is weak.
To be continued In shaa Allah