Ta'lim : Part XXIII

Hadrat Abu Darda Radhiyallahu anhu (ra) is a distinguished Companion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him). He says;”The thing I fear most is the question that will be put to me on the Day of Judgment in the presence of all the people: Did you act upon the knowledge that you possessed?” A certain Companion asked him; “Who is the worst of all creatures?” He answered; “Don’t ask me a question about good things. The worst of all creatures are the wicked scholars, (i.e. those who do not practice what they say).” Says the Holy Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) in another hadith; “Knowledge is of two kinds: one, which remains on the tongue only and does not affect the heart and do is in fact an accusation from Allah swt: and the other which penetrates into the heart and revives the spirit; That is indeed useful.” What we mean to say is that a Muslim should not acquire only that knowledge which concerns the formal observances, but also the spiritual knowledge which would purify his heart and enlighten his brain; otherwise it would be a cause for questioning on the Day of Judgment as to how far it was acted upon. Similar warnings are contained in several other hadith.