Aslam

The Book of Worship Sign in to save

Chapter I: Acquisition of Knowledge

The Holy Prophet said: How excellent a gift and how excellent a present is a word of wisdom which you hear and remember and then carry it and teach it to your brother Muslim.
It is equal to worship for one year. He said: Accursed is the world and what is therein except one who remembers the glorious God, one who makes friendship with Him, one who learns and teaches. God, His angels, the inmates of heaven and earth, even the ant in its hole and the fishes in the sea like one who teaches good to the people. He said: A Muslim gives his brother Muslim no greater benefit than a fair tradition which has reached him and which he subsequently transmits to him. He said: If a believer hears a good advice and then translates it in to action, it is better than his worship for one year. The Prophet once came out and saw two assemblies - one was calling God and offering their supplications and another giving the people good instructions. The Prophet said: The first group offer supplications to God. If He wishes, He may grant them and if He wishes He may reject them. Another group are giving good instructions to the people. I have been sent as a teacher. Then he went to them and took his seat among them.

The Prophet said: The simile of guidance and knowledge with which God sent me is like that of profuse rain falling upon a certain locality/One spot became full of water and consequently abundant herbs and grasses grow therein. The ditches and the canals in another spot reserve water and God gives benefit to mankind therewith. They drink water therefrom, irrigate their lands and grow crops. Then there is a spot which neither hoards water, nor grows any grass and herb. The first simile is that of a man who gets benefit from his knowledge. The second simile is that of a man who does benefit io others. The third simile is that of a man who is deprived of both the benefits. The Prophet said: One who guides towards something good is like one who does it.

The Holy Prophet said: When a man dies, all his actions stop except three - 1) a permanent endowment for charity, 2) useful knowledge (7) and righteous successors. He said There is no envy except for two persons - 1) one whom God has given knowledge according to which he conducts himself and teaches it to the

26 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP Vol-1

people. 2) and one whom God has given wealth and power to spend it and he spends it in good deeds. He said: May God's mercy be upon my successors. He was asked: Who are your successors? He said: Those who love my ways and teach them to the people.

SAYINGS OF SAGES

Source: Imam Al-Ghazali, Ihya Ulum al-Din (Revival of the Islamic Sciences)
← Previous All Chapters Next →