RIS Canada... (6)

Assalamualaikum wrt..

Some note-sharing from one of the class in RIS Knowledge Retreat..

From Dr. Abdal Hakim Jackson

about KNOWLEDGE

- Some of us tend to worship knowledge. We treat knowledge a GOAL rather than the MEANS/TOOLS to live in particular way of life..

- Knowledge is MEANS to an END to Allah’s pleasure.

- “…the point of knowledge is action with accordance to it..”. Which means, when we have the knowledge on something, we have to have act upon it..and also, we need to act on something that we have the knowledge only, don't 'taklid buta'..

- “…knowledge is not sufficient alone, you need wisdom and insight..”

o Rasulullah SAW had WISDOM. He answered different question to different people according to their needs. In a hadith:

A man came to the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, and said, "Messenger of Allah, teach me some words which I can live by. Do not make them too much for me, lest I forget." The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said, "Do not be angry." [Abu Daud]

Some scholars say that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, knew that the man who asked him used to get angry often and that is why the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, gave him that particular advice.

o Knowledge without wisdom can hurt us – we cannot separate interest from principle

- We have to have wisdom and insight to apply the religion to the world we live in. Islam is syumul and is applicable at all time and at different places. Islam doesn't change with time and doesn't need to be changed.

- “…scholars who did not apply the knowledge is like a candle, leads way to others but burnt itself down..”

- Ignorance is better than the knowledge that leads to negligence to Allah SWT.

- “…knowledge has to be accompanied with God-fear..”. Knowledge has to be bounded with taqwa to Allah SWT. Else, we will be misusing the knowledge to something that is destructible to the world and religion.

- The concept of fear to Allah is not only because we fear of His punishment but also what our false action is going to affect our relationship with Allah. – Allah is our sustainer and provides us guidance..we don’t want Allah to leave us in the darkness by affecting our relationship with HIM..

- Knowledge can be used in the right way to gain worldly wealth. There’s nothing wrong with acquiring wealth. In fact, a lot of the companions during Rasulullah SAW's time were wealthy e.g. Siti Khadijah, Abu Bakar, Saidina Uthman. We have to be wealthy physically (money) AND also in heart (iman).