1st BOOK — 1st CHAPTER — THE EXCELLENCE OF KNOWLEDGE
Allah the Almighty has entrusted the scholars with the task of understanding the rulings in the events, thereby elevating them to the level of prophets.
«O children of Adam! We have bestowed upon you a garment to cover your shameful parts and another to adorn yourselves. The garment of piety is better» (7 – Al-A’raf : 26)
In this noble verse, the word «libas» refers to knowledge. (Because knowledge covers the blemishes of ignorance.) «Rig» means either kin or «dibâsü’t-takvân»
«Behemebal ontara her şeyi bilerek haber vereceğiz.» (T – A’raf! 7)
«But the Qur’an is like clear and shining lights in the hearts of those who have been given knowledge.» (29 – Al-Ankabut : 49)
Allah the Almighty says again: «He created man, and taught him clear speech.» (55 – Ar-Rahman : 3, 4)
REGARDING HADITHS: Our Prophet (S.A.) says: «Allah the Almighty, whoever He wishes to do good to, He makes him a scholar of religion and informs him of the things that will harm his religion and shows him the truth.» (4)
«Scholars are the heirs of the prophets.» (5)
Since there can be no rank higher than prophethood, no inheritance can be more honorable than this.
«Indeed, wisdom increases the honor of the noble person and elevates the servants to the level of kings.» (7)
Our Prophet (S.A.) explained the importance of knowledge in this world through this hadith. Since the Hereafter is eternal and more beneficial, the benefit of knowledge there is obviously greater.
«A: | RR Ale 1: ro aw. aft haslet var ki, bunlar münâfıkta buluninaz: Güzel siret ve: ahiak ile, din ilmi.» (8)
Do not doubt the truth of this hadith by looking at some of the scholars of this age who do not match their words with their deeds. Because the people whom the Prophet (S.A.) referred to as scholars of religion are not the ones you think, who are scholars of worship and transactions. This knowledge will be explained in detail later. The lowest level of this knowledge is knowing that the hereafter is beneficial. Whoever truly believes this, keeps away from the evils of hypocrisy, showing off, and similar bad states.
Our Prophet (S.A.) says again: «The best of mankind is a believing scholar who helps others when needed and remains self-sufficient when not needed.» (9)
«Faith is naked; its garment is piety, its adornment is shame, and its fruit is knowledge.» (10)
The closest to the level of prophethood among mankind are the scholars and the mujahids. Scholars guide people to the commands of the prophets, while mujahids fight in accordance with the commands of the prophets with their weapons.» (11)
«The death of a tribe is equal to the death of a scholar.» (a2)
«Mankind is like gold and silver mines, each carrying its own value. Those who are not Muslims are not respected, but when they become Muslims, they are respected even in the Talmud.» (13)
«On the Day of Judgment, the ink of scholars will be weighed against the blood of martyrs.» (14)
Again, they say: «Whoever memorizes forty hadiths from my sunnah will be a witness and intercessor on the Day of Judgment.» (19)
«Allah protects the scholar in religion and provides for him from where he does not expect.» (16)
«Allah the Almighty said to Ibrahim (A.S.): O Ibrahim! I am the scholar, and I love every scholar.» (17)
«The scholar is the person on whom Allah the Almighty relies on earth.» (18)
«If two things in my ummah are corrected, all mankind will be corrected; if they are corrupted, all mankind will be corrupted. These two things are the leaders and the scholars.» (9)
«There is no good for me on the day when I cannot obtain a new knowledge, which would bring me closer to Allah the Almighty.» (20)
To explain that the scholar is more valuable than the one who worships, they say: «The value of a scholar compared to a witness is like my superiority over the smallest of my companions.» (21)
«The superiority of a scholar over a worshipper is like the superiority of the fourteenth night over the other stars of the moon.» (22)
«On the Day of Judgment, three groups of people will intercede. These are the prophets, then the scholars, and then the martyrs.» (23)
«The highest form of worship to Allah the Almighty is to be a scholar in religion, especially in jurisprudence. Even a single scholar is more valuable to Satan than a thousand worshippers. Just as the pillar supports a building, knowledge is the pillar of Islam.» (24)
«The most beneficial aspect of our religion is its ease, and the most beneficial form of worship is to be a scholar in religion.» (25)
«A believing scholar is seventy degrees superior to a believing worshipper.» (26)
«You are a land and time where there are many scholars (fuqaha), few readers and preachers, many questioners, and many who answer. In this situation, action is better than knowledge. Soon a time will come when scholars will decrease, (speeches will increase, questioners will be many, and those who can answer will be few). At that time, knowledge will be better than action.» (27)
«There is a hundredfold difference between a scholar and a worshipper. Each degree is equivalent to fifty horse races over a seventy-year journey.» (28)
«The Almighty and Majestic Allah: knowledge. They said: Are you seeking knowledge? The Prophet (S.A.) said: I intend to know Allah the Almighty, who is free from imperfections and adorned with perfection. They said: O Messenger of Allah, we ask about actions, and you answer with knowledge. The Prophet (S.A.) said: Know that an action done with knowledge is beneficial, but an action done with ignorance, even if it is much, does not benefit. This is the truth.» (28)
«On the Day of Judgment, Allah the Almighty will resurrect all His servants and the scholars. Then He will say to the scholars: O scholars, I gave you knowledge knowing your condition; I did not give it to you as a punishment, but to forgive your sins. Say: Paradise…» (30)
«Only the people of knowledge can be the ones who guide others to the right path, because they themselves are on the right path and also guide others to it. Everyone’s degree is measured by their knowledge. The ignorant are enemies of the scholars. The scholars are immortal, because people die, but scholars remain.»
Ebd’l-Esved: «Nothing is more valuable than knowledge; because while kings rule over people, scholars rule over kings.» says.
Ibn Abbas (R.A.): «Suleiman (A.S.) was choosing between knowledge and kingship, and he chose knowledge, and thus he became the master of both.» says.
When asked Ibn Mübârek: «— Who are the perfect people? Ibn Mübârek said: — Scholars. They asked again: — Who are the kings? Ibn Mübârek said: — The ascetics (those who leave the world to work for Allah). When asked: — Who are the lowly people? Ibn Mübârek answered: — Those who seek worldly benefits under the guise of religion.» He did not consider anyone other than scholars as perfect people. Because the distinction of humans from other living creatures is through knowledge. Whatever distinction separates humans from others, their perfection is also in that. Undoubtedly, the superiority of humans over other creatures is not due to strength and power, because a camel is stronger than humans. It is not due to the size of the body, because an elephant is bigger than all humans. It is not due to bravery, because a lion is braver than everyone. It is not due to eating a lot, because an ox has a bigger stomach. It is not due to the relationship of the species, because in this matter, the smallest creature, the sparrow, is more powerful than humans. In this case, humans are created only to know Allah.
Others have said: «I do not know the difference between the gains of the ignorant and the losses of the scholars.» Even the Prophet (S.A.) said about this: «Whoever reads the Qur’an and understands it, but sees something else as superior, he has belittled what Allah the Almighty has elevated.»
Feth-i Müsıli: «Just as hunger and thirst lead to illness, so does ignorance and lack of wisdom lead to death.» says. This is true, because just as the body’s food is eating and drinking, the heart’s food is knowledge and wisdom. The heart lives with these. A heart without knowledge is doomed to death. However, excessive fear, which does not feel the pain of wounds, and excessive love for the world have nullified this feeling. When death removes the veil of the world, the pain of the drunk or the fearful person is felt intensely, like the pain of a wound. This disease, in its full nakedness, reveals that the person is destroyed and remains in despair. But what use is that? Indeed, it has been said: «People are asleep; they will wake up when they die.» However, it has also been said that this punishment will not benefit them. We seek refuge in Allah from the great day when the veil will be lifted.
Hasan-1 Basri: «The ink of scholars is weighed against the blood of martyrs and is heavier.» said. Ibn Mes’ud (R.A.): «Read without knowledge; the absence of knowledge is the death of scholars. I swear by Allah, who is powerful in His existence, that the true martyrs who died for Allah, when they see the high ranks given to scholars, will wish to return to the world to become scholars. Indeed, no one is born a scholar. Knowledge is acquired through effort and learning.
Ibn Abbas (R.A.): «For me, dedicating a little time of the night to knowledge is more beloved than spending the whole night in worship.» said.
Hasan-ı Basri: «Allah the Almighty,