Learning To Help You In Your Hereafter
Bakr Abu Zaid mentioned from the manners when a student sits with his teacher:
Patience is the foundation of the Believer’s faith, which has no other foundation. The one who has no patience has no faith, and if he has any, then it is only a little faith and it is very weak, and such a person worships Allaah as if he were upon the edge (i.e. in doubt): if good befalls him, he is content therewith; but if a trial befalls him he turns back on his face (i.e. reverts to disbelief after embracing Islam). He loses both this world and the Hereafter (cf. al-Hajj 22:11). All he gets from them is a losing deal.
The best life is attained by the Blessed through patience, and they rise to the highest degrees through their gratitude. So, they fly on the wings of patience and gratitude to gardens of delight (i.e., Paradise). That is the bounty of Allaah that He bestows upon whomsoever He wills, and Allaah is the Owner of Great Bounty. End quote from ‘Uddat al-Saabireen by Ibn al-Qayyim, p. 3-5.
‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: Allaah has not bestowed any blessing upon His slaves, then taken it away and replaced it with patience, but what He has compensated them with is better than what He has taken away.
One of the people of the past mentioned, I don’t eat or sleep unless I’m extremely hungry or have been overcome with sleep. My desires are fulfilled by learning, revising and gaining benefits from wherever possible.
This same Imam became an Imam at the age of 20! Yet at the age of 50, he was still studying with mashaayikh!
The ulema mention that a person should spend their day between revision, memorisation, reading, and depending on his level, research and this is with his ibaadah and so on.
In our times, we sleep 8 hours a night, eat 3-6 meals a day, drink 2 litres of water. This is in addition to work and whatever else a person does!
Where is the time for Allah and knowledge!
Abu Yusuf, the student of Abu Hanifah (rh), was on his death and in his last moments on earth began asking about fiqhi issues!
Commenting on this, a famous Shaykh said to look at the love they have for ilm. They didn’t remember their wives or their children on their deathbed, rather they remembered ilm! With this attitude, they became imams in ilm and the religion!
It’s sad to see in our times that a person will spend time eating, going out with friends, sitting in family gatherings for hours (usually unnecessarily long periods of time) but when it comes to ilm they say, we are busy, it’s too expensive, we have other things to do!
Allah’s help is sought.
Some of the ulema mention that the one who can’t control his hunger can’t control his desire as he eats everything and whenever he wishes. And the one that can’t control his desires eventually becomes debased, whereas the one who controls his desires is raised.
For example, Yusuf (as) was sold like a slave, yet he became the minister of the entire country after he controlled his desire! Yet, the one who desired him was rich, powerful and beautiful and she became mocked and derided!
يُؤْتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَن يَشَاءُ وَمَن يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
He grants Hikmah to whom He pleases, and he, to whom Hikmah is granted, is indeed granted abundant good. But none remember (will receive admonition) except men of understanding.
(Qur’an 2:269)
The people of the past have said that Hikmah doesn’t mean Prophethood. Rather, it means knowledge, understanding and the Qur’an.
Others have said that it means beneficial knowledge and righteous actions!
A person of the past said, I have never said a word when I am angry except I regretted it when I was calm.
Ibn Awn (rh), when someone would make him angry, would say, may Allah bless you.
Other things mentioned by the people of the past:
Let’s try to control ourselves wherever we are; work, at home and so on and instead overlook, forgive and pardon.
