Advice

to Beginner Student of Knowledge of Islam

Shaykh Muqbil Ibn Hadee Al-Wadee
By Abu Humairah

Question 164: What do you advice the beginner (student) with in seeking the legislative knowledge? Answer 164: This is a wide subject, and the beginners are different, from among them are those who are not good in writing so he should start with learning how to write. Others are good at it (writing), and it will be easy for him InshaaAllah, what remains for him is to start with the foundations of knowledge as the Messenger sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said when he sent Muaadh radi Allahu anhu to Yemen, Verily you are going to a people from the People of the Book. So, let the first of what you call them to be the testimony that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and that Muhammad sallallahu alayhe wa sallam is the messenger of Allah. So, the issue should be step by step whether in the beginning or later in seeking knowledge, he should not over-burden himself with lessons; otherwise what he has learnt will escape from him. Imaam Ash Shaafiee rahimahu Allah passed by the teacher of the rulers son and said to him, Do not take him from one branch (of knowledge) to another until he has mastered the first, because if you take him from one branch to another before he masters the first, what he has learnt will escape from him This is one issue. There is also another issue as mentioned by Imaam Ash Shaafiee rahimahu Allah, Verily, the memorization and the understanding are two gifts from Allah subhanahu Taala, and the people exceed each other in them. So, if you see someone memorizing two pages from the Quraan daily and you are not able to do that, then we advise you to memorize one page, it may be that the understanding of the one (who memorizes one page) is better than the one who memorizes two pages. And some people may be memorizing a juz in a day, and the blessing is from Allah Subhanahu Taala, and Allahs aid is sought! Accordingly, plenty of lessons and overloading oneself with what one cannot bear will be a reason for harm. Source: Last Journey of Imam Muqbil Ibn Hadee Al-Wadee By His wife, Shaykhah Umm Salamah As.Salafiyah Translated by brother Abu Humairah Slight editing by Nasrin As.Salafiyah