Early Scholars and Their Respect to Knowledge and It's Sources.

Islamic Online University

Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies

Etiquettes of Seeking Knowledge 101

Question: Provide examples, not mentioned in the textbook, of early scholars and how they would respect knowledge and its sources.

Answer:

Modern day students have the ease of seeking knowledge compared to earlier era students. Not only facilities and technologies, but also abundant resources of tafseer books, hadith compilation, syarah of fiqh, and many more, thanks to early scholars. Despite the hardship, they were able to compile, conclude, and explain numerous guidelines in life, so we could just simply put it to use.

This led to question: With all the convenience, why is great scholars so rare these days? The answer is modern day students don't respect the knowledge and its sources the way early scholars did. Most of us are either ignorant or too haughty, not to mention the twisted intention, how do we expect to succeed?

To be able to be benefited from our knowledge, and to be blessed by Allah in our jihad in search for knowledge, we should adhere to the way the early scholars respect knowledge and its sources. Here are some examples of it.

1. The journey to search for knowledge

Knowing that seeking knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim, early scholars would walk million miles in search for knowledge. In fact, even prophet, the chosen one and the most knowledgeable person among his ummah, did so. When Prophet Moses knew there was a person more knowledgeable than him, he prayed to Allah so he can meet this person (Prophet Khidir) to study from him. The story went on as we know in Surah Al-Kahfi : 60-82 about how Prophet Moses would join Prophet Khidir's journey.¹

When Jabir bin Abdullah knew there was a hadith he had not heard, he bought a donkey and traveled for a month to meet Abdullah bin Unais Al-Anshari. Afraid that he or the source died before he was able to hear that single hadith².

2. Study from lots of Masyaikh

After completing the study from one syaikh, the early scholar would continue to study to another syaikh. Abi Abdillah bin Mandah studied from 1700 teachers and learned from them 5000 mann. Ibnu An-Najjar teachers were 3000 syaikhs and 400 syaikhah³.

2. Restrain themselves from things that can block them from knowledge.

On the kingship era, the rulers would give money to early scholars as gift. But being cautious that if they took it they would have to abide or made certain fatwas in accordance to the ruler's will, they rejected it. Said Al-Musayyab rejected to come to palace to take 300.000. Hammad bin Salamah also rejected 40.000 dirham given to him⁴.

They were also invited to teach the ruler's family. But honoring knowledge above worldly matters, they refused and invited the rulers family to their majelis instead. Some ruler like Muhammad bin Sulaiman would then come to the scholar (Hammad bin Salamah)⁵ to learn, but some would hold grudge from the rejection like the governor of bukhara which then cast out Imam bukhari.⁶

2. Willingly suffer for the sake of knowledge.

When Sufyan Ats-Tsauri said the truth that anger the king, he was hunted. So he hid and was suffering badly that he did not eat for 3 days until his sister send him food⁷. During the crisis in Baghdad, Abdul Qadir Jeelani could not eat for couple of days although he had scavenged for food. When he was too weak to stand felt like he was going to die, a man sent by his mother to bring him provision found him.⁸

2. Spent all belonging for knowledge.

Yahya bin Ma'in's father inherited him with 1.050.000 dirham, and he spent all in search for hadith, nothing was left but his slippers.⁹ Imam Malik was in poverty and sold the roof of his house to seek knowledge. It is reported by Qadhi Iyadh that he said : “Knowledge wont be obtained until one taste the bitterness of poverty”¹⁰.

The early scholars face hardship but stay persistent because they respect knowledge and it sources, and they study for Allah's reward. As Abu Hurairah reported : Rasulullah said, "Allah makes the way to Jannah easy for him who treads the path in search of knowledge."[Muslim]¹¹ May Allah blessed the early scholars for their effort to preserve the religion, and may Allah makes it easy on us to follow their footstep.

Bibliography

Al-Bankani, Majid. Perjalanan Ulama Menuntut Ilmu. [Rihlatul Ulama Fi Thalabil Ilmi] 4th ed. Jakarta: Darul Falah, 2006. Print.

Barhaen, Raehanul. "Kisah-Kisah Mencengangkan Para Ulama Menuntut Ilmu [bagian Keempat-habis]." MuslimAfiyah. N.p., 3 July 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. <http://muslimafiyah.com/kisah-kisah-mencengangkan-para-ulama-menuntut-ilmu-bagian-keempat-habis.html>.

"Hadith - The Book of Knowledge - Riyad As-Salihin." Sunnah.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2013. <http://sunnah.com/riyadussaliheen/13/6>.

"Imam Bukhari (194 - 256)." Para Ulama Ahlul Hadits. N.p., 26 Sept. 2007. Web. 17 Dec. 2013. <http://ahlulhadist.wordpress.com/2007/09/26/imam-bukhari/>.

"Imam Bukhari." Para Ulama Ahlul Hadits. N.p., 30 Aug. 2007. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://ahlulhadist.wordpress.com/2007/08/30/imam-al-bukhari-wafat-256/>.

"Kesabaran Syaikh Abdul Qaidr Al-Jailani Dalam Menuntut Ilmu." Kisah Muslim. N.p., 10 Aug. 2011. Web. 7 Dec. 2013. <http://kisahmuslim.com/abdul-qadir-jaelani/>.

"Kisah Sufyan Ats-Tsauri Dalam Menuntut Ilmu." Kisah Muslim. N.p., 21 Oct. 2011. Web. 12 Dec. 2013. <http://kisahmuslim.com/kisah-sufyan-ats-tsauri-dalam-menuntut-ilmu/>.

Sutrisno, Abu Zakariya. "Rihlah Para Ulama' Dalam Menuntut Ilmu." Thaybah. N.p., 7 Sept. 2013. Web. 14 Dec. 2013. <http://thaybah.or.id/rihlah-para-ulama-dalam-menuntut-ilmu/>.

1 Abu Zakariya Sutrisno. "Rihlah Para Ulama' Dalam Menuntut Ilmu." Thaybah. N.p., 7 Sept. 2013. Web. 14 Dec. 2013. <http://thaybah.or.id/rihlah-para-ulama-dalam-menuntut-ilmu/> Sutrisno, Abu Zakariya. "Rihlah Para Ulama' Dalam Menuntut Ilmu." Thaybah. N.p., 7 Sept. 2013. Web. 14 Dec. 2013. <http://thaybah.or.id/rihlah-para-ulama-dalam-menuntut-ilmu/>

2 Majid Al-Bankani. Perjalanan Ulama Menuntut Ilmu. [Rihlatul Ulama Fi Thalabil Ilmi] 4th ed. Jakarta: Darul Falah, 2006. Print. 89

3 Raehanul Barhaen. "Kisah-Kisah Mencengangkan Para Ulama Menuntut Ilmu [bagian Keempat-habis MuslimAfiyah. N.p., 3 July 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.

<http://muslimafiyah.com/kisah-kisah-mencengangkan-para-ulama-menuntut-ilmu-bagian-keempat-habis.html/>

4 Al-Bankani, 67*

5 Al-Bankani 70*

6 “Imam Bukhari (194 - 256)." Para Ulama Ahlul Hadith. N.p., 26 Sept. 2007. Web. 17 Dec. 2013. <http://ahlulhadist.wordpress.com/2007/09/26/imam-bukhari/>

7 "Kisah Sufyan Ats-Tsauri Dalam Menuntut Ilmu." Kisah Muslim. N.p., 21 Oct. 2011. Web. 12 Dec. 2013. <http://kisahmuslim.com/kisah-sufyan-ats-tsauri-dalam-menuntut-ilmu/>

8 "Kesabaran Syaikh Abdul Qaidr Al-Jailani Dalam Menuntut Ilmu." Kisah Muslim. N.p., 10 Aug. 2011. Web. 7 Dec. 2013. <http://kisahmuslim.com/abdul-qadir-jaelani/>

9 Al-Bankani, 194*

10 Al-Banknai 132*

11 "Hadith - The Book of Knowledge - Riyad As-Salihin." Sunnah.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2013. <http://sunnah.com/riyadussaliheen/13/6