Introduction to Studying the Dīn of Allāh – By Abu Idrees Muhammad Khān

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation—and may He extol the Messenger in the highest company of Angels, and grant him peace and security—likewise to his family, Companions, and true followers.

[29/04/2024 – 03/04/2024] Introduction to Studying the Dīn of Allāh – By Abu Idrees Muhammad Khān حفظه الله. Three-part lecture series (Playlist available HERE ) Masjid As-Sunnah An-Nabawiyyah, Aston, Birmingham, UK.

Part 1: Virtues of Knowledge

• Reminder regarding sincerity. 
• Reflecting upon what we have prepared for the grave.
• Aḥadīth that highlight the virtues of knowledge.
• Receiving the reward of a complete Ḥajj by going to the masjid in order to learn or teach knowledge.
• Glad tidings for the one who threads a path to seek knowledge. 
• Reaching the rank of a mujāhid by way of seeking knowledge.
• The ranks of those who seek knowledge.
• Benefits from Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) regarding the āyah, “Allāh bears witness that Lā ilāha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (He is always) maintaining His creation in Justice. Lā ilāha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” [Sūrah Āli ‘Imrān 3:18]
• The great difference between the learned person and the one who is ignorant.
• The raising of the ranks of the people of knowledge.
• Attaining goodness through seeking knowledge, and a threat for the one who has no knowledge/understanding of the religion. 
• How people fight each other for familial inheritance vs their attitude towards the inheritance of the Prophet ﷺ. 
• The most valuable inheritance on the face of the earth, and striving to take a portion of it. 
• The benefits of seeking knowledge and being from its people after death and in the hereafter. 
• Aḥādīth that illustrate the virtue of the scholar over the devout worshipper. 
• Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) on the greatest virtue regarding those who possess knowledge.
• Statements from Imām ash-Shāfi’ī (رحمه الله) regarding the virtue of seeking knowledge.
• Imām Aḥmad and Ḥasan b. Sālīḥ (رحمهم الله) on our need for knowledge.

Part 2: Importance of Sincerity

• Ikhlāṣ (sincerity) and its relation to seeking knowledge.
• Statements from Imām Aḥmad (رحمه الله) regarding the tremendous ḥadīth “Actions are based upon the intentions…”.
• ‘Umar b. al-Khaṭṭāb (رضى الله عنه) on how people were judged during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ vs after his death. 
• That which the relationship between a slave and his Lord is built upon.
• Explanation from Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) regarding how two individuals may utter the same statement but one is rewarded and the other is held to account.
• Aḥādīth that highlight the weightiness of one’s intention and how it can destroy a person.
• The shining example of Shaykh Abū Talḥah (رحمه الله) and what was witnessed from him.
• Statements from Ibn al-Ḥāj and Ḥamdūn al-Qaṣṣār (رحمهم الله) regarding that which separates us from our rightly guided predecessors. 
• A statement from Ibn Abī Jamrah (رحمه الله) that emphasises the importance of intention.
• The rotten fruits of corrupted intentions.
• The description of a righteous action by Ibn al-Qayyim and Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمهم الله). 
• Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) on why merely having knowledge is of no benefit to a person.
• The definition of ikhlāṣ by Abū ‘Uthmān Sa’īd b. Ismā’īl an-Naysābūrī (رحمه الله).
• The cure for showing off, self-amazement and hastiness. 
• Ibn ‘Abdil-Barr and Ḥāfiẓ Abul-‘Abbās al-Qurṭubī (رحمهم الله) on the sufficiency and requirement of sincerity.
• The frightening affair on the Day of Judgement for the one who learnt knowledge for worldly gain.
• Bakr Abū Zayd (رحمه الله) on how seeking knowledge can turn into the most degrading violation. 

Question: Please advise those who say their intention is not to oppose the Qur’ān, Sunnah and Ṣaḥābah when they are told an action is an innovation.

Part 3: Obstacles in the Path of Seeking Knowledge

• Benefits from Shaykh ‘Abdus-Salām b. Barjis (رحمه الله) regarding obstacles in the path of seeking knowledge.
• 1. Being void of ikhlāṣ (sincerity).
• 2. Abandoning acting upon one’s knowledge.
• 3. Relying upon books and not returning to the scholars and students knowledge.
• 4. Taking knowledge from the young ones.
• 5. Trying to acquire knowledge all at once instead of step by step.
• 6. Self-amazement and arrogance.
• 7. Hastiness. 
• 8. Taswīf (Procrastination) i.e. to say, “I am going to do such and such”.
• Beautiful statements from the Ṣaḥābah (رضى الله عنهم) and Salaf (رحمهم الله) regarding the aforementioned affairs.

Polite Request: We have made these audios freely available ― We request that you donate the amount of just £2 or $2 (or more) as a Sadaqah to the Salafi Bookstore and Islamic Centre so they can continue their work to print and distribute free audios, leaflets and booklets to aid the da’wah of Ahlus-Sunnah and Hadīth across the world. And please make du’ā to Allah that He continues to aid and strengthen this blessed da’wah.

Please leave a comment below after listening to this audio, and make sure to share. May Allah bless you.