5a] THE HADEETH OF JIBREEL

5a]
the Mighty and the Majestic."
And Sufyaan ibn Uyainahal-Hilaalee said,"Whoever seeks knowledge then
he has pledged
allegiance to Allaah."2
"Indeed some of them, may Allaah have mercy upon them, have clearly
stated, amongst them Maalik,
ash-Shaafi'ee and Imaam Ahmad, and it is stated word for word by Aboo
Haneefah - that, `...the
most excellent of actions, after the obligatory duties, is seeking
knowledge." This saying is
witnessed to by the saying of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam), The excellence of
knowledge is greater than optional actions and the best of your
religion is piety. [Sahih at-Targheeb wat-Targheeb,
no.65].3
And Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allaahhave mercy on him) said in
Miftaah Daaris-Sa'aadah,
commenting upon this hadeeth, "This speech is the decisive saying in
this matter because if it is the
case that some knowledge and an action are both obligatory, then they
must both be done, suchas
fasting and prayer. In that case the excellence of knowledge, optional
knowledge is better thanthe
excellence of extra and optional worship. This is because the benefit
of knowledge is general, it
benefits its possessor and it benefits the rest ofthe people as well.
Whereas the benefit of worship is
particular to the person who does that worship. Also because with the
scholar, his benefit and
knowledge remains afterhis death. Whereas worship is cut off from him
at his death."
And just as it is the case that the one fighting jihaad cannot repel
an enemy except with a weapon
and with his being prepared, then whoever wishes to go out to
fight,has to make preparation for
that. Just as Allaah, the Most High said:
If they had truly wanted to go out to fight, they would have made
preparation for it. [Soorah at-Tawbah (9):46].
2 Refer to `Madaarijas-Salikeen,' vol.2, p.470.
3 Is is rather Sahih at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb, no.65.
And therefore He has commanded that those fighting jihaad prepare and
make ready, so He said:
And prepare and make ready for them whatever strength you are able to.
[Soorah al-Anfaal (8):60].
So likewise, the scholar, the teacher and the student will not be able
to achieve anything nor
remove any distress, nor will he be able to remove any darkness except
by his having finecharacter
and correct manners. So it is befitting that the scholar and the
teacher should stand out and likewise
the student who is learning. He should be distinguished and stand out
from the ways of the common
people by the fact that he applies the narrationsof the Messenger of
Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) as
far as he is able. By applying the matters of the Sunnah upon
himselfbecause Allaah, the Exalted
and Most High, said:
Indeed there is in Allaah's Messenger an excellent and fine example for
you. [Soorah al-Ahzaah (33):21].
And all praise is for Allaah, who has caused Sufyaan ath-Thawree to
say a very fine word. He said,
"If you are able that you should not even scratch your head except
according to a narration, then do
so." 4 "And how truthfully the person who spoke has said, `Whoever is
not trained and watered by
the Messenger and givenfine milk to drink by him,then he is a lost
child deprived of his lineage and
he will not get beyond the behaviour of his ownpeople." In this there
is an explanation of what has
preceded, that the authentic, prophetic Sunnah, in all its
entiretycontains all the manners required
by the teacher and by the student.
They are contained and they are gathered in the authentic Sunnah.
Indeed even further, I have
found all of that stored or held within the long hadeeth of Jibreel
concerning Islaam, Eemaan
and Ihsaan." These manners are contained within the words of this one
hadeeth, because in its
words there are the methodologies of teaching and there are pearls in
that regard. In its shade are
the ways to be followed, when learning and thereare precious lessons in that.
So I saw that they shouldbe extracted and affirmed in order that they
should be brought out as a
golden chain leading to lofty and pure manners. As a reminder of the
loftyand pleasing habits that
should be adopted, in order that the ummah of Islaam should come
backto being, the best of the
creation.
I have called it The Adornment of the Scholar and the Teacher and
Sufficiency for the
Student who learns from the hadeeth of Jibreel (alaihis-salaam). And I
hope from Allaah that He
causes it to produce fruits and He causes it to reach those who
deserveit. Those who when theyfind
some good, make supplication for good and blessing for the author of a
book and for the publisher
of a book. And if they find any shortcomings init, they rectify and
they advise. But as for those
people who lie in wait then whenever they see a slip, cry out and
shout aloud, just like hyenas. And
we ask Allaah for a good end, and it is for Allaah to direct us upon the way/