What has been asked, and what was answered

First and foremost, a student of knowledge should perfect their intentions and continually renew them. For instance, one should sit with the intention of increasing in their portion of knowledge, in seeking Allah’s pleasure, His nearness, and His friendship (wilayah). They should also seek knowledge in order to equip and protect themselves with the tools necessary to navigate doubts and trials, and ultimately to carry, teach, share, and revive the Deen.

Secondly, before each class, one should come prepared. One should read and revise the previous lesson, and, if possible, read through the upcoming lesson beforehand as well so that they have at least some exposure to the material. They should also gather their questions and make sure they bring them. Never be shy about asking. Asking is one of the keys to intellectual openings, and a student who does not ask will often remain where they are.

Thirdly, when in class, one should join and attend with their mind, their spirit, and their heart, and not merely with their body. They should give the lesson their full and undivided attention. They should come with humility, because arrogance is one of the greatest enemies of knowledge and success.

One should take every lesson and welcome it as though it’s the first time they’re hearing it, even if they have heard it a thousand times! My teachers would say: “Come with an empty cup.” You may have heard the words before, but there is always another depth, another connection, and another opening.

As for reviewing, I would encourage myself and a student to revisit their notes regularly, explain what they have learned to someone else, teach it, discuss it, test themselves, and return to their materials repeatedly. Knowledge is strengthened through repetition. Explain the lesson as though you were teaching it to someone else. What you can explain clearly, you have begun to truly understand.

And regarding the final question, it depends on the circumstance and on the person, but in general, the pursuit of beneficial knowledge usually overcomes and is better than certain voluntary acts of worship, especially when that knowledge is needed and when the student has the ability to benefit others through it. One of the main reasons is that seeking knowledge can be an act of worship whose benefit extends beyond oneself, whereas many voluntary acts of worship are primarily personal in their benefit.

However, this should not be understood as though a student of knowledge should simply abandon his nawafil and adhkar whenever there is an opportunity to study. There should be a balance, and the student should know what his priorities are at each stage.

For example, if a person has the opportunity to wake in the last part of the night, the question is not necessarily, “Should I study or should I pray?” Perhaps he can pray some of the night, make dhikr, make dua, and then use some of the blessed time to review his knowledge. There are different forms of worship, and the intelligent student learns how to give each one its proper place. At the end of the day, seeking knowledge is a kind of dhikr, if not the best type of dhikr in and of it itself.

The real priority of the student of knowledge is not simply to accumulate information. It is to seek knowledge for Allah, to act upon it, to cultivate oneself through it, and then to become a means by which that knowledge benefits others.

The more knowledge you acquire, the more your adab, humility, worship, and service should increase. If knowledge increases while humility and worship decreases, then something is wrong.

Imam Abu Al-Ḥasan Ali ibn Ismail, whose lineage traces back to the Companion of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Abu Musa Abdullah ibn Qays al-Ashari Al-Yemeni al-Basri. He was born in the year 260 AH and died in the year 324 AH in Baghdad, Iraq.

Imam Abu Mansur Mahmud ibn Muhammad ibn Mahmud al-Maturidi, he was given the titles “Imam of Guidance,” & “Imam of the Theologians,”. He was also known as Al-Maturidi, in reference to his hometown of Maturid, a place located near Samarqand. He was born around the year 238 AH and died in 333 AH and is buried in Samarqand.

الأبيات للشيخ أبي العرفان محمد بن علي الصبان المتوفى سنة 1206هـ ، في حاشيته على شرح الأشموني على ألفية ابن مالك إن مبادي كل فن عشرة الحد والموضوع ثم الثمرة ونسبة وفضله والواضع والاسم لاستمداد حكم الشارع مسائل والبعض بالبعض اكتفى ومن درى الجميع حاز الشرفا

The principles of every art are ten: The Definition The Subject, The benefits or fruit Its Relation to other sciences, It’s value and Excellence, The Founder', The Title, The Sources, The Legal Ruling studying it And the examples containing it

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