The Gardens of Paradise Hadith and the Importance of Knowledge
The assemblies of knowledge, which are the environments where our Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whenever you enter gardens of paradise, benefit from them,” are filled with spiritual benefits. Let us learn more about the meaning and importance of this hadith.
Gardens of Paradise in This World
“–Whenever you enter gardens of paradise, benefit from them” he said. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked:
“–What do you mean by a garden of paradise, O Messenger of Allah?” They inquired. The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied:
“–Circles of remembrance (dhikr).” [1]
The Meaning and Importance of Assemblies of Knowledge
After narrating this hadith, Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) would say:
“Beware, I do not mean circles of storytellers; I mean circles of jurisprudence (fiqh).” [2]
Our scholars have stated that the “circles of dhikr” in the hadith primarily refer to assemblies of knowledge. It is commanded by a verse that, “If you do not know, ask those who possess knowledge.” [3] In this context, “those who possess knowledge” refers to “people of knowledge”.
The Broad Spectrum of Dhikr
“Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah” has a broad spectrum of meaning. It encompasses remembering Allah’s names and attributes, praising Him, extolling His praises, clearing Him from anything unworthy of Him, acquiring knowledge about religious rulings, listening to the hadiths of our Prophet (peace be upon him), and making supplications. The most virtuous dhikr is the Qur’an. Reciting the Qur’an, listening to it with reflection on its meaning, and studying its interpretation are among the finest acts of worship.
The Scope of Dhikr
Ibn Hajar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Nothing specific has been determined for dhikr… The concept of «Allah’s dhikr» also includes reciting the Qur’an, reading hadith sharifs and being engaged in a shar’i science.” [4]
Atâ al-Horasânî stated: “Dhikr assemblies are those where you learn halal and haram, how to buy and sell, how to pray and fast, how to marry and divorce, how to perform Hajj, and similar things.” [5]
Deliberation of Fiqh Issues
Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) one day went to Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) after Isha and discussed a matter related to fiqh. This demonstrates that even the sunnahs can be abandoned for the deliberation of important issues such as fiqh.[6]
The Value of Teaching Knowledge
Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) expressed the value of learning and teaching knowledge by saying, “Teaching knowledge is prayer.” [7]
The Benefits of Assemblies of Knowledge
Wahb ibn Munabbih said: “An assembly where knowledge is discussed is more beloved to me than performing nafl prayers for that period. Perhaps a person hears a word in that assembly and benefits from it for the rest of his life or throughout his remaining years.” [8]
The Excellence of Assemblies of Knowledge
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) considered assemblies where the Qur’an was being explained, hadiths and sunnahs of our Prophet (peace be upon him) were being narrated, and fiqh and religion were being learned as the most excellent dhikr assemblies.
The Secret of Dhikr
These assemblies are not only places where Allah’s name is mentioned but also places where commands and prohibitions, halal and haram are learned. For this reason, they are more beneficial than other dhikrs.
The Advice of Imam al-Rabbani
Imam al-Rabbani made great efforts to learn and teach religious sciences. He advised his students to correct their beliefs according to the Ahl as-Sunnah creed and to learn and apply the obligatory fiqh knowledge.[9]
Fiqh Knowledge
Imam al-Rabbani consulted religious books when giving fatwas and specialized in fiqh methodology.[11]
Advice to Friends
Imam al-Rabbani said: “The advice that I always give to my friends and will continue to give until the end of my life is to correct their beliefs in accordance with the books containing the sayings of Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jama’ah, and to perform the obligations from the fiqh rulings such as obligatory, desirable, sunnah, recommended, halal, haram, disliked, and doubtful…” [12]
The Secret of Dhikr (2)
Haris al-Muhasibi said: “Continue to remember Allah so that you may attain nearness (to Him).” [13] This points to the greatest benefit of dhikr.
The Etiquette of Dhikr
Finally, it is necessary to perform the dhikrs we make by repeating Allah’s name in accordance with their manners and conditions. It is not right to spoil the dhikr by swaying excessively or speaking quickly during this time.
Dhikr assemblies are truly beneficial and necessary assemblies. However, it is essential to include recitation assemblies that teach the Qur’an correctly, fiqh, hadith, and tafsir assemblies, and not forget that these are obligatory and desirable dhikr assemblies.