Becoming Scholar

IslamicPearl

Junior Member
Salamaleykum

Since ive become interested in islam im thinking of the option of becoming a scholar of islam after finishing my current university. Can anyone tell me where are the best colleges - preferable in Europe (ive heard the best is in London), how long does it take to be a good knowledgable person (supposing u study wiht no interuption) in islam and any formalities or obligatory things? I have to mention i am muslim sister so is it harder for me to study and teach other people from my knowledge?
:hijabi:
 

ibn azem

Super Moderator
Staff member
:salam2:

Masha'Allah sister, may Allah (swt) accept your wish and strengthen your heart in His Deen.

The Messenger of Allaah (may peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He who treads a path in search of knowledge, Allaah will direct him to tread a path from the paths of Paradise, and the angels would accord welcome to the seekers of knowledge, and all that is found in the heavens and the earth and even the fish in the depth of the water seek forgiveness for the scholar. The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like that of the full moon at night over the rest of the stars. Verily the scholars are heirs of the Prophets, who leave behind neither Dinar nor Dirham, they only leave knowledge as their heritage: so whoever acquires it has acquired a huge fortune." [Saheehul Jaami #6297]. The knowledge referred to in the above hadeeth is that of Islamic knowledge.

Thus, we see that seeking knowledge of our deen (religion) is a very important part of our faith. As other types of knowledge, Islamic knowledge must be sought after in the right way insha'Allaah (Allaah willing).

This Islamic knowledge is the best of sciences worth acquiring because through it Allah is recognized and acknowledged, and by it He is worshipped. One who possesses this knowledge knows what Allah has made lawful for him and what He has prohibited him from; what pleases Him and what evokes His anger. With this knowledge a person knows his result with Allah and his end...' ("Knowledge", Al-Hidaayah, 1995, p.4)

wasalaam.
 

IslamicPearl

Junior Member
Thanx a lot for your post ibn azem. It gives me courage to know more and more and inshallah i will study islam one day in one of the great collages.
For now...i have an exam today so i have to pass it well. :)
 

Mabsoot

Amir
Staff member
Assalamu Alaykum,

You do not become a scholar by going to a university and getting a degree. Islamic knowledge is much more than a piece of paper.

Be careful of people who are made into "Shaykhs" purely on the basis of a phd or something.

Rather, a scholar is someone who has sat with the kibar (great) scholars for many years and is recognised for his knowledge and his humility and steadfastness for following the Quran and Sunnah.

As a sister you can learn Islam, but in the West there is not really many places where you can seek "knowledge" properly. Sure, you can attend classes and study circles done by brothers and sisters, but if you really wish to learn Knowledge properly, i.e by sitting with Shaykh or female Shaykh who will go explaining ayah by ayah or hadith by hadith then you will have to travel and go to them. There some scholars who have been teaching the same book for many years. Such as Shaykh Abdul Muhsin al Abaad who is a muhadith (Expert in Hadith). He might read a hadith and name all the people from its Isnaad (Chain of narration), he will explain who they were, their life, their position with regards the hadith chain i.e. reliable or not, talk about them with regards what the notable scholars of the past said about them, then he will talk about the hadith itself, and relate to it the various verses from the Quran, the tafsir of that verse from the Tafsir books, and also relay what other Hadith there are and give full explanation utilising the Quran, Sunnah with the understanding of the pious predecessors, such as the Sahaba, the generation after them and so forth. And all this from his memory.

Likewise, the same with many of the great Scholars, unfortnately a lot of this knowledge is not being gained here in the West. People are ignorant as to what is out there, inshaAllah that will change. And also, there are many female scholars too. You can study in Yemen, there is good place there for both men and women to study. In Yemen there is Dar Al Hadith, which is the place where Shaykh Muqbil (rahimahullah) would teach and is now headed by Shaykh Yahya Al Hajoori. It is a very nice Islamic environment with many lessons happening after each prayer.

We are always learning and gaining knowledge. So, there is no set timeline as to becoming a "scholar". In Islam, we can not simply state ourselves to be scholars or Alims or even say we are students of a Scholar. The only student of a scholar, is one who the scholar himself has recognised and spoken about. That person would need permission to teach the great books of Hadith and Tafseer etc.


It is not good for sister to travel and stay on her own without a mahram. Male guardian, so perhaps you can go with your husband (he will have to be Islamic and care about the Quran and Sunnah). InshaAllah.

Allah says in the Quran:

[6:112] And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies - Shayaateen among mankind and jinns, inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion {or by way of deception}. If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it, so leave them alone with their fabrications.

[25:31] Thus have We made for every Prophet an enemy among the Mujrimeen {polytheists, criminals, sinners, etc.}. But Sufficient is your Lord as a Guide and Helper.

What comes to mind is the piece of advice by the Companion Ibn Mas'ûd (d.32h),

That Ibn Mas'ûd - Radiallâhu 'anhu - said: "You are in a time whose Scholars are many and its speakers are few. After you will come a time whose Scholars are few and its speakers are many." [related by at-Tabaranî in al-Kabîr (8066) and al-Bukhârî in Adab al-Mufrad (789) and declared to be Sahîh (authentic) by al-Hâfidh Ibn Hajr in Fath al-Bârî (10/510) ]

Also from The Piece of Advise 'Ali Radiallâhu 'anhu gave to Kumail ibn Ziyâd

"The people are of three classes:

The righteous Scholar, the student of Knowledge being upon the path of salvation and the confused rabble who follow everyone who calls out - bending along with every wind - they are not enlightened by the light of Knowledge, nor do they lean upon a firm support."
[Part of a lengthy piece of advice - as is reported by Abû Nu'aym al-Asbahânî in Hilyatul-Awliyâ (1/79-80).]

In every age and intervals between the Prophets, Allah raises up a group from the people of knowledge, who call the misguided to guidance and patiently bearing ill-treatment and harm. With the Book of Allaah, they give life to the dead, and by Allaah’s Light they give sight to the blind. How many a person killed by Iblees have they revived. How many people astray and wandering have they guided. How beautiful their effect has been upon the people, and how vile the people have been towards them. They expel from the Book of Allaah the alterations of those going beyond bounds, the false claims of the liars and the false interpretations of the ignorant-ones – those who uphold the banner of innovation and who unleash the fitnah (trial and discord), who differ about the Book, oppose the Book and agree to oppose the Book. Those who speak about Allaah and His Book without knowledge, and who argue about what is ambiguous in the Book, and deceive the ignorant with such ambiguities. So we seek refuge in Allaah from the fitan (trials and discord) of the misguided-ones.” [ar-Radd ’alal-Jahmiyyah waz-Zanaadiqah (p. 2) of Imaam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]

Imaam an-Nawawee (d.676H) – Rahimahullaah – said:

“The one ordering the good or prohibiting the evil must be knowledgeable about what is being ordered or prohibited. And the level of knowledge required for this will vary in accordance with what is being ordered or prohibited. Thus, if it is an issue concerning clear-cut obligations and well-known prohibitions – such as Prayer, Fasting, fornication or drinking intoxicants – then every Muslim is a Scholar with regards to such issues. However, if the issue involves detailed matters, or matters connected to ijtihaad (the science of extracting rulings of the Revelation), then the general body of Muslims cannot enter into it, nor is it for them to order or prohibit. Rather, this is only for the Scholars.” [Sharh Saheeh Muslim (2/23)]

The Prophet :saw: said:, “The virtue of the scholar to a worshipper (Aabid) is similar to the virtue of the moon when it is full to the rest of the stars. And verily the scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets. Verily the Prophets did not leave behind dirhams and deenars, but rather they left behind knowledge. Thus whoever takes it, takes it as a bountiful share.”Authentic, narrated by Abu Dawood, tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah.

So The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets, those who concentrated on understanding the formulating principles regarding the halaal (lawful) and the haraam (prohibited). Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H) – rahimahullaah – said: “And whosoever from this Ummah, is known for having truthfulness, whereas he has been praised and commended by the majority of the various groups of people from this Ummah, then those are the leaders of guidance and the beacons in the darkness.” [Majmoo’ul-Fataawaa (11/45)]

So they are the Rabbaanee Scholars,those who teach the people the Book and the wisdom, and to cultivate the people upon it. And they are the people of deep understanding and wisdom, whom Allaah commanded us to ask, by His saying:

“Ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” [Sooratul-Anbiyaa‘ 21:30]

[The Rabbaanee Scholar is one possessing deep knowledge and who acts in accordance to his knowledge and teaches it to others in accordance to their level. Refer to Fathul-Baaree (1/214) of al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar.]

The position of the people of Islamic knowledge reached such a level that the Angels pray for the Scholars.

From Abu Umaamah (Radi Allahu anhu): Rasul Allah said :saw: “Verily Allah and His angels, even the ant in its hole and the fish in the sea, verily (they all) pray for he who teaches people good.” – authentic, narrated by Tabraanee.

One of the hadith scholars that Imam Bukhari (Rahmatullah 'alaih) took from, Hisham ibn Ammar (Rahmatullah 'alaih) narrates a story that happened to him when he was 8 years old. He says, “My father sold a house of his for 20 Dinars so that I could go for Hajj (and study Islam). When I arrived in Madinah, I went to the circle of Imam Malik. He was sitting amongst his students like a king. People would ask him questions and he would answer. When I entered the crowd and my turn came up I said, ‘Haddithnee (recite to me)!’ He said, ‘Rather you read.’ I said, ‘No, you haddithnee!’ Imam Malik said, ‘No you read!’ When I talked back and argued, he got angry and said to another student, go with this boy outside and smack him 15 times!’ That student took me outside and smacked me 15 times with a stick and then brought me back to Imam Malik. I said, ‘you have Dhulm (wronged) me! My father sold his house so that I could come to you and be honored by listening to your teaching and seek knowledge from you. And you smacked me 15 times without any crime on my part, I shall not forgive you!’ Imam Malik then said, ‘What is the expiation for this Dhulm (wronging)?’ I said, ‘You have to recite 15 hadiths to me, that is the expiation.’ So Imam Malik began reciting the hadith to me until he completed 15. When he ended I told him, ‘beat me more and read more hadith to me.” Imam Malik laughed and said, ‘be off.’ – From the book Ma’rifat Al-Qurraa’ al-Kibaar by Imam Adh-Dhahabi.

From the beginning of time, there has been a race between the doers of good and the doers of evil. Adam and Iblees, Musa and Fir’own, Muhammad and Abu Jahl. Today that race has not ended. Think: How hard are the doers of evil working and how hard are we?

The one involved in Da'wah must have adequate Shari'ah Knowledge, or else more harm will occur than good - as the saying of old goes:

Sa'd brought the camels leading them. O Sa'd - that is not the way to bring in camels!

This is why its Important tha Muslims should not realy rely on Speakers and those who give Fiery Sermons & speeches.

The foundation of all good is knowledge and Justice and the foundation of all evil is ignorance and Oppression.

Verily All muslims should refer back to the Scholars and learn from them since they are the inheritors of the Prophets.

Yet in todays time, it's sufficient for one to be a speaker and that is enough credentials for him to be a guide for the Ummah - regardless of whether he has knowledge or not!


We must take the uptmost care on who we seek knowledge from. We should only accept that which has support in the Quran and Sunnah and we should try to seek the knowledge from the Scholars rather than from any person who hasnt the knowledge or experience to give proper explanation. Unfortunately, there are many who do that and who are a big fitnah (Tribulation) to the people especially here in the West.



Wasalam.
 

IslamicPearl

Junior Member
Yes Mabsoot you are right. First i am a woman so i know that is harder for me to travel and so on. Secondly im thinking that i need a first step into learning more which is studying in a religious university. There i would learn arabi too which is necesary to go further. And besides everything leaving my home to move somewhere else is a serious matter so Europe seems ok for now. And i dont want to be one of the speakers that call themselves scholars wihtout being one.

I will search for more information and by Allah's will i am going to study or not.
 

visionusman

being content
Dear brother Mabsoot, I have to praise your effort. MashAllah. May Allah continue to guide you. I agree with every word of what you have said. However for sisters who want an introductory course in matters of practice and simple matters of fiqh, I would recommend the Al Huda academy for women (It has different branches all over the world, but mostly the muslim world and some western countries too). Their are courses for girls/women at different levels so I'm sure this lady will benefit from such a course. I agree that it would take a lot more were she ever to become a true scholar. But where there is will there is a way. InshAllah.
 
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