The harm caused by useless knowledge is something everyone will agree is greater than its benefit, as in the case of magic, charms, and astrology. In some of these fields, there is no benefit at all. Therefore, being occupied with these fields means wasting one’s most valuable asset, which is life. Wasting such a valuable asset is an ugly and bad act. In some of these fields, the harm is even greater than the supposed benefit they provide. For if there is any temporary benefit, it is so small in comparison to the damage they cause. As for the knowledge that is entirely praiseworthy, it is the science that explains the attributes of Allah, His actions, the divine tradition among people, and the wisdom behind the superiority of the hereafter over this world.
Indeed, this knowledge is the very knowledge that is desired. Because only through this knowledge can people reach eternal happiness. Even if a person works with all their might, it will not save them from error. For this knowledge is so vast that it cannot be comprehended, and so deep that its bottom cannot be found. Everyone can only walk on the shores and shallow parts of this ocean according to their own strength. Around and on the shallow parts of this ocean, only prophets, perfect saints, and scholars who have attained mastery in the science of Allah can walk. Of course, they can only go as deep as their own levels and as far as Allah Almighty has decreed for them. This is the hidden science that is not written in books.
People can only obtain this knowledge by striving to learn it and by thoroughly understanding the conditions of the scholars of the hereafter. The distinguishing signs that introduce the scholars of the hereafter will be explained in later sections. This is the task that must be done to know this science. In the hereafter, striving to obtain this knowledge, striving, purifying the heart, freeing the heart from worldly preoccupations, and following the prophets and perfect saints in this world and taking them as examples will help. Yes, all of these must be done so that everyone who seeks this knowledge understands that they can only possess as much of it as their effort allows. It would be a great mistake to interpret this statement as meaning that no effort is needed.
For effort is the key to guidance, and there is no other key to guidance besides effort. As for the sciences that are partly good and partly bad, these are the sciences mentioned in the section on the obligation of the community. Each of these obligatory sciences has three levels:
Kitab’ul İlim/III. Bölüm
1. To be content with what is necessary, which is the least. To obtain a normal amount without excess or deficiency. To go beyond the average and strive to continuously obtain it until the end of one’s life. According to this, you must be one of two types: either be occupied with your own soul or be occupied with others after purifying your soul. By no means should you be one of those who do not purify their own soul and are occupied with others. If you are occupied with your own soul, strive only to obtain the knowledge that is obligatory for you and suitable for your condition, such as prayer, purification, fasting, and other acts of worship. Strive to obtain the knowledge related to visible deeds.
The science that everyone neglects is the one that explains the characteristics of the heart and distinguishes the good from the bad. No human being on earth is free from bad qualities. Bad qualities include pride, envy, showing off, arrogance, and similar traits. It is obligatory to abandon these and remove them from the heart. A person who is afflicted with all these bad qualities and is occupied with visible deeds is like a person suffering from leprosy. If a leprosy-afflicted person neglects the medicines that can cure this disease and only applies ointments to the visible wounds, they are certainly doing something absurd. Scholars who are concerned only with the outward appearance of a matter are like doctors sitting by the roadside, recommending visible ointments to passersby.
Scholars of the hereafter, on the other hand, only concern themselves with purifying the body, removing all forms of evil, and extracting evil from the hearts. The difficulty of inner deeds has caused many people to fear them and instead cling to visible deeds. This situation is similar to patients who avoid taking the painful medicine that can remove the root of their disease and instead apply ointments to the visible wounds. These patients are exhausted in applying ointments to the visible wounds, while the roots of those wounds go deeper and the disease becomes worse. If you desire the hereafter and wish to avoid eternal destruction and strive for happiness, learn first the science that thoroughly describes these diseases and recommends their cure (as clearly stated in the section on Mühlikât). If you learn this science, it will draw you to the ranks mentioned in the section on the Rescuers and make you eligible for certain knowledge and eternal happiness. For when the heart is freed from bad qualities, good qualities take their place. Just as the soil is cleansed of weeds and prepared for planting flowers and saplings, if the heart is not cleansed of bad qualities, there will be no room for good qualities to enter. Therefore, in a time when many people are occupied with the sciences of the obligation of the community, you should be occupied with the sciences of the heart instead of the sciences of the obligation of the community.
For a person who sacrifices themselves for the good of others is considered a fool. What a great example of foolishness it is for a person whose pockets are full of deadly creatures like snakes and scorpions to be occupied with the flies on someone else’s face without thinking about their own life! For driving away the flies from someone else’s face will not prevent them from being bitten and killed by scorpions and snakes. If you have purified your soul and removed evil, and if you have the strength to abandon all forms of sin, both open and hidden, and if this has become a natural state for you – which is a very distant possibility – then you may be occupied with the sciences of the obligation of the community.
But do not forget to proceed gradually in these sciences! Start with the Book of Allah. After learning the Book of Allah, try to learn the Sunnah of the Messenger. Then learn the sciences of the Qur’an, such as the nasih, mansuh, mesul, mesul, muhkem, and mutashabih. In the same way, try to learn the science of the Sunnah of the later generations. After learning all these, engage with the details of the science of jurisprudence, specifically the science of schools of thought. Avoid being occupied with matters of disagreement. After learning this, delve into the science of the principles of jurisprudence. In this way, look for opportunities to engage with other sciences in proportion to your life’s allowance. Do not spend your entire life on one branch of knowledge and strive to reach its peak, for knowledge is vast and life is short.
All these sciences are tools and starting points. They themselves are not the goal. Each of them is a means to other sciences. Therefore, it is not correct to forget the main goal and be occupied only with any science that serves as a step to other sciences. Therefore, try to learn the science of language to the extent that you can express its meaning in Arabic. It is sufficient to learn only the amount needed to understand the Qur’an and the Sunnah. In fact, knowing Arabic well enough to understand the strange words in the Qur’an and the Sunnah is enough. You should not waste time going further. Learn enough of the science of grammar to understand the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Because there is no science that does not have three characteristics: 1. Iktisar (less than the necessary amount) 2. Iktisad (neither excess nor deficiency, exactly the middle) 3.
Istiksa (going beyond the normal, trying to know the maximum) Let us point out these three levels for the sciences of hadith, exegesis, jurisprudence, and theology. In the science of exegesis, iktisar means having twice the size of the Qur’an. Indeed, such an exegesis was done by Ali el-Vâhidî en-Nisaburî and was named el-Veciz. In the science of exegesis, the iktisad level is an exegesis three times the size of the Qur’an. Indeed, a person named el-Vasit has written such an exegesis. An exegesis even larger than this would consume an entire life, but it would not end. As for hadith, the iktisar level in the science of hadith is reading and verifying one copy of the hadiths of Bukhari and Muslim with a person who is knowledgeable about the science of hadith. It is sufficient to follow the studies done by previous hadith scholars on memorizing the names of hadith scholars. These scholars’ books are trustworthy in every aspect. It is not necessary to memorize the texts of Muslim or Bukhari. However, it is sufficient to know where the hadiths are in these two books and be able to point them out when needed. As for the iktisad level in the science of hadith, it is reading the other authentic hadith books besides Muslim and Bukhari and adding the hadiths found in them to Muslim and Bukhari. Reaching the highest level in the science of hadith means reading books that mention weak, good, authentic, and suspicious hadiths from hadith books outside of these two, and also reading books that describe the conditions, names, and characteristics of hadith scholars who teach many paths in the science of hadith. As for jurisprudence, the iktisar level in this science is reading the content of Imam Muhtasar’s book, which we have arranged in our book titled Hulâsat’ul-Muhtasar. The iktisad level in the science of jurisprudence is reading a book three times the size of Muhtasar, which we have mentioned in our book titled el-Vasit min’el-Mezâhib. The highest level in the science of jurisprudence is reading our book titled el-Basit and similar long books. As for theology, the goal of this science is to preserve the beliefs transmitted by the pious predecessors of the people of the Sunnah. There is no other duty for the science of theology. Seeking more than this amount from the science of theology means seeking the secrets and truths of the issues through other means. The beliefs of the people of the Sunnah can be obtained by reading a short book on theology. This amount is explained in our book titled Kavâid-ül-Akaid. This book is included in Ihya-i Ulûm’id-Din. The iktisad level in theology is the content of a book of one hundred pages. We have explained this amount in our book titled el-İktisad fi’l-İtikad. In addition, there is a need for the science of theology to fight against the people of innovation. Muslims need the defenses of the science of theology to oppose these innovations. Because the science of theology helps to remove the innovations spread by the innovators from the people. However, the science of theology is useful only before the people of the community become attached to the innovations. If an innovator knows something about the science of jurisprudence, it is very difficult to align them with the science of theology and make them accept their innovation. Even if you silence them, they will not abandon their own school of thought. They will blame your silence on the weakness of your soul and will never be swayed by your opinion. They will think that there is a response to this opinion, but they are not capable of giving it themselves. You will be the one who drags them into a state of hesitation. If the people of the community are moved away from the truth through this kind of struggle, they can be turned away from their erroneous belief with a light debate before they become firmly rooted in it.
However, if they have fully accepted the erroneous belief and it has become firmly rooted in their hearts, it is not impossible, but it is very difficult for them to change. At this point, there is no benefit in treating them with the science of theology. For taassub (excessive attachment) is a calamity that implants beliefs into the hearts. In fact, this calamity is the result of the misdeeds of bad scholars. For fake scholars go to extremes for the sake of truth and show taassub. They look at their opponents with softness and insistence. Their condition pulls their opponents into the same state. They also start to look down on themselves. So much so that they help the people of the erroneous belief to oppose the truth. Their harsh attitude towards opponents pushes the opponents to cling even more to the erroneous belief.
If bad scholars had done kindness, mercy, and advice in a good way and had explained the truth to their opponents in a good language without going to extremes in a place where no one is present, they would certainly have succeeded. They would have been able to turn their opponents back to the truth. However, it is dependent on their ability to obtain worldly blessings and find many followers among the people. To obtain the people, they must attack their opponents fiercely. The more they curse, the more the people like them, and of course, they gain trust from those who do this. That is why bad scholars have made taassub their profession and have known it as a means of rising. They have also given the name of defending the religion to this taassub. Excessive taassub is a calamity that destroys the people.
Because taassub is the greatest means of implanting innovations into the heart. As for the disputes that have emerged in recent centuries and about which countless books have been written – none of which were seen in the time of the pious predecessors – avoid approaching them as you would avoid a deadly poison. Because this is a disease that is destroying the roots of the Ummah of Muhammad. The dangers and misfortunes of this disease will be explained in detail in later sections. Do not be deceived by the words of those who say, ‘Man is the enemy of what he does not know.’ For you are listening to the advice of someone who is well-informed in this field. These advices are given by someone who has spent many years in this field, has written more books than the previous theologians, has done research, has delved into the science of jurisprudence and exegesis, and has engaged in great struggles. Allah Almighty has shown the right path to this helpless servant who is giving you advice now, and this person has completely abandoned the old and bad customs and has been striving to eliminate the faults of their soul.
Do not be deceived by the words of those who say, ‘A fatwa is the pillar of the Sharia. The hidden reasons of the Sharia can only be known by knowing the disputed issues.’ For the intricacies of the schools of thought are known by reading the books written on this subject, not by hilafiyat. These books we have mentioned provide information on the smallest issues related to the schools of thought. More than these books are based on jurisprudence. The intricacies of the science of fatwa were well known in the time of the pious predecessors and the time of the Companions, but they had no knowledge of hilafiyat. They also did not know the science of jurisprudence. These hilafiyat knowledge do not benefit the science of schools of thought in any way, and they kill the enjoyment of jurisprudence and have a destructive nature.
Because it is not possible to act within the conditions of the science of fatwa. The mind of a person who is inclined towards jurisprudence is dominated by the desires of jurisprudence. Therefore, the enjoyment of jurisprudence is far from such a person. People who are only interested in gaining fame through the science of jurisprudence are occupied with it. These people claim that they have entered the science of jurisprudence to know the intricacies of the schools of thought. However, even though their lives have ended, they have not been able to free themselves from the science of jurisprudence and have not been able to devote themselves to the science of schools of thought. O seeker of truth! Perhaps you can easily defeat the jinn devils and be safe from their harm. But strongly protect yourself from the human devils! For the human devils have taken over the job of corrupting people from the jinn devils and have freed them from this burden.
Kitab’ul İlim/III. Bölüm
The condition that is acceptable to wise people is that a person imagines themselves alone with Allah in this world. You should think and visualize in your mind the presence of death, the arrival at the judgment of Allah, the reckoning, paradise, and hell. You should think about the things that help you and ensure your happiness, and completely abandon everything else! One of the ascetics saw another scholar in a dream and asked him: ‘You used to engage in debates and discussions in the world. What did you gain from that?’ The scholar opened his hand and blew into his palm and said: ‘All those sciences flew away like dust before a storm. Only the two rakats of prayer we performed with sincerity during the late hours of the night were beneficial to us…’ A hadith says: ‘The deviation of a people from guidance has come from their engagement in jurisprudence.’
After saying this hadith, the Messenger of Allah recited this verse: ‘(O Messenger! It is not for you to be a source of dispute, but only to be a reminder. Indeed, they are very argumentative people.’ (Zuhruf/58) ‘Indeed, those whose hearts have doubts are those who seek out trials and go to extremes in the ambiguous verses of the Qur’an.’ (Âlû İmrân/7) The Messenger of Allah said: ‘They are people of jurisprudence, so beware of them.’ Thus, Allah Almighty protects us from them. A scholar from the Companions said: ‘A people will come in the last times, and all the doors for following them will be closed, except the doors of jurisprudence.’ (Tirmizî and Ibn Mâce, from Abu Umame) (Muslim and Bukhari, from Aisha)