Assalamu'alaikum Warohmatullohi Wabarakatuhu...Bismillaahirrohmaanirrohiim ....
  
Allahu nooru alssamawati waal-ardi mathalu noorihi kamishkatin feeha misbahun almisbahu fee zujajatin alzzujajatu kaannaha kawkabun durriyyun yooqadu min shajaratin mubarakatin zaytoonatin la sharqiyyatin wala gharbiyyatin yakadu zaytuha yudee-o walaw lam tamsas-hu narun noorun AAala noorin yahdee Allahu linoorihi man yashao wayadribu Allahu al-amthala lilnnasi waAllahu bikulli shay-in AAaleemun

 
Allah (1) is the Light of the heavens and the earth. (2) The parable of His Light is as (if there were) a niche and within it a lamp: the lamp is in a glass, the glass as it were a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, (3) an olive, neither of the east (i.e. neither it gets sun-rays only in the morning) nor of the west (4) (i.e. nor it gets sun-rays only in the afternoon, but it is exposed to the sun all day long), whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself), though no fire touched it. Light upon Light! (5) Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. (6) And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything.(7)
 
1- From here the discourse is directed towards the hypocrites, who were bent upon starting mischief in the Islamic community, and were as active from within as the unbelievers were from without to harm the Islamic movement and the body politic of Islam. As these people professed belief, and apparently belonged to the Muslim community, and had blood relationships with the Muslims, especially with the Ansar, they were better placed to start and spread mischief. The result was that even some sincere Muslims, due to simplicity or weakness, became tools in their hands and even their supporters. But in spite of their profession of faith, the lure of worldly gains had utterly blinded them to the light that was spreading in the world through the teachings of the Quran and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The indirect address to the hypocrites here has three things in view:
 
Firstly, to admonish them, for the first and foremost demand of Allah's providence and His mercy is to go on admonishing the misguided and the erring one till the last in spite of his persistence in mischief and wickedness.
 
Secondly, to differentiate clearly between belief and hypocrisy so that every right thinking person from the Muslim community should be able to distinguish between a true believer and a hypocrite. Then if anybody, in spite of this differentiation, falls a prey to the machinations of the hypocrites or supports them, he should himself be responsible for his conduct.

Thirdly, to warn the hypocrites clearly and plainly that Allah's promises for the believers are meant only for those who sincerely believe and then fulfill the demands and requirements of their Faith. These promises are not meant for anybody who poses himself as a Muslim. The hypocrites and the sinful people therefore should not cherish any hope that they will have any share in these.
 
2- The phrase "heavens and the earth" in the Qur'an is generally used for the "universe". Thus the verse would also mean: "Allah is the light of the whole universe" 

Light is something which makes things visible; which is itself manifest and helps make other things manifest. The human mind conceives light in this very sense. Absence of light is termed darkness, invisibility and obscurity. On the other hand, when there is visibility and things become exposed to view, man says there is light. Allah has been called 'Light' in this basic sense, and not in the sense of a beam of light which travels at the speed of 186,000 miles per second and stimulates the optic nerve through the retina. This conception of light has nothing to do with the reality of the meaning for which human mind has coined this word; rather the word light is used for all those lights which we experience in this physical world All human words used for Allah are used in their basic sense and meaning, and not with reference to their physical connotation. For instance, when, the word "sight" is used with respect to Allah, it does not mean that Allah has an eye like men and animals with which He sees. Similarly when we say that Allah 'hears' or 'grips' or 'grasps', it does not mean that He hears through ears, or grips or grasps with the hand like us.
 

These words are used in a metaphorical sense and only a man of very poor intelligence would have the misconception that hearing or seeing or grasping is not possible except in the limited and specific sense in which we experience it. Similarly it will be shortsightedness to interpret the word 'light' in the sense of physical light rays emanating from a luminous body and affecting the retina. This word is not applicable to Allah in its limited sense, but in its absolute sense. That is, He alone in this universe is the real and prime "Cause of manifestation", otherwise there is nothing but darkness. here. Everything which gives light and illuminates other things has got its light from Him; it has no light of its own .
 
The word light is also used for knowledge, and ignorance is termed as darkness. Allah is the Light of the universe in this sense too, because the knowledge of Reality and of right Guidance can be obtained from Him alone; without having recourse to His 'Light', there will be nothing but darkness of ignorance and the resultant vice and wickedness in the world.
 
3- "Blessed": yielding multiple benefits
 
4- Which is neither eastern nor western": which grows in an open plane or on a hill, where it gets sunshine from morning till evening. Such an olive tree yields tine oil which gives a bright light. On the other hand, a tree which gets sunlight only from the east or only from the west, yields thick oil which gives weak light.

 
5- In this parable, Allah has been likened to the Lamp and the universe to the Niche. The glass shade is the veil behind which Allah has concealed Himself from His creation. This veil is not a physical veil for concealment, but a veil caused by the intensity of Divine manifestation. The human eye is unable to see Him not because of the intervening darkness but because of the intensity of the all pervading, all-embracing Light radiating through the transparent veil. The human vision which is limited in nature cannot comprehend it. It can only comprehend and perceive limited physical lights which vary in brightness, which disappear and reappear, and Which can be perceived only by contrast to existing darkness. But the 'Absolute Light' has no confronting darkness: it does not vanish, it shines forth and pervades all around with ever-existing glory; it is beyond human perception and comprehension.
 
As for "the lamp which is lit with the oil of a blessed olive tree, which is neither eastern nor western"', this is a metaphor to give an idea of the perfect light of the lamp and its brilliance. In antiquity the source for brilliant light were the olive lamps, and the most superior oil for the purpose was that obtained from a tree standing in an open and elevated place.
 
The epithet of Lamp for Allah in the parable does trot mean that Allah is deriving His energy from some external source. It only means that the Lamp of the parable is not an ordinary lamp but the most brilliant lamp that can be imagined. Just as a brilliant lamp illuminates the whale house, so has Allah illuminated the whole universe.

Again, the words " .... its oil is (so fine) as if it were going to shine forth by itself though no fire touched it", are also meant to emphasize the brilliance of :he light of the lamp, which is being fed by the finest and most readily combustible oil. The 'olive' and 'its being neither eastern nor western', and 'high combustibility of its oil by itself' (without fire), are not the essential elements of the parable, but attributes of the lamp, which is the primary element of the parable. The essential elements of the parable are only three: the Lamp, the Niche and the transparent Glass Shade.
 
The sentence, "His light may be likened......", dispels the possible misunderstanding that one could have front the words: "'Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth." This shows that the use of the word "light" for Allah does not at all mean that the essence of His Being is nothing but 'light'. In essence, He is a Perfect Being, Who is AII-Knowing, All-Powerful, All-Wise etc. and also possessing all 'Light' H2 has been called 'Light' itself because of His Perfection as a Source of Light, just as somebody may be called 'Grace' on account of his being highly gracious and beneficent and 'Beauty' because of his being highly beautiful and attractive. 

6- That is, although Allah's Light is illuminating the whole world, everybody does not and cannot perceive it. It is Allah alone Who blesses whomsoever He wills with the capacity for perceiving His Light and benefiting by it. Just as the day and night are alike to a blind man, so is the case of a man without the gift of inner perception: he may see the electric light, the sunlight, the moonlight and the light from stars, but he cannot perceive the Light of Allah. For him, there is nothing but darkness in the universe. Just as a blind man cannot see the stone in his way unless he stumbles over it, so is the man without the gift of inner perception, who cannot perceive even those realities around him which may he all brilliance and shining by Allah's Light. He will perceive them only when he is overtaken by the consequences of his own misdeeds.
 
7- This means two things: First, He knows what parable can best explain a certain reality, and secondly, He knows who is entitled to receive this bounty and who is not. Allah has no need to show His Light to the one who has do desire or longing for it and who is utterly lost in worldly pursuits and in seeking material pleasures and gains. This bounty can be bestowed only on the one who in the knowledge of Allah has a sincere desire for it. 

http://abdulhady12.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!543B0C92ABC6AE4C!615.entry

“As-salámu ‘alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!” Bismillah Ar Rahman Ar Raheem

Few introductory and complementary notes

by the translator:

1. Ramadan is an auspicious opportunity for believers to renew their commitment to their creator and the sovereign of the day of recompense. this commitment must be both outward and inward so that a muslim not only recites more quran and offers more units of prayer, but that she or he does so with reflection, humility and attentiveness.

2. muslims must ensure they are not formalists who concentrate only on the outward. achieving allah's acceptance must be a believer's priority and is not easy. "indeed, allah only accepts from the righteous (who fear him - al muttaqoon)." (quran 5:27)

3. Ramadan is a wonderful opportunity for accounting of one's sins and making repentance. if one does not repent in Ramadan, when will he or she do so?

4. muslims should strive to worship allah as best as they can from the beginning of the month, for that increases chances of the end of the month being good as well.

5. muslims should consider what is it that they truly want to achieve in Ramadan, whether they want to be from the winners or from the losers, and should make sure they do not perform acts of worship simply because it is the surrounding people's custom to do so.

6. muslims must be firmly aware that Ramadan is only a means and not an end.

advice to muslims in Ramadan

from the book "khulaasatul kalaam" by shaikh jaarullah.

muslim brother, muslima sister:

1. fast Ramadan with belief and truly seek the reward of allah the most high so that he may forgive you your past sins.

2. beware of breaking your fast during the days of Ramadan without a valid islamic excuse, for it is from the greatest of sins.

3. pray salat ut-taraweeh and the night prayer during the nights of Ramadan, especially on layatul-qadr - based on belief and truly seek the reward of allah so that allah may forgive you your past sins.

4. make sure that your food, your drink and your clothing are from halal means in order that your actions be accepted, and your supplications answered.

5. give food to some fasting people to gain a reward similar to theirs.

6. perform your five prayers on time in congregation to gain the reward and allah's protection.

7. give a lot of charity for the best charity is that of Ramadan.

8. beware of spending your time without performing righteous deeds, for you will be responsible and reckoned for it and will be rewarded for all you do during your time.

9. perform umrah in Ramadan for umrah in Ramadan is equal to hajj.

10. seek help for fasting during the day by eating the suhoor meal in the last part of the night before the appearance of fajr.

11. hasten breaking your fast after the sun has truly set in order to gain the love of allah.

12. perform ghusl before fajr if you need to purify yourself from the state of major impurity so that you are able to do acts of worship in a state of purity and cleanliness.

13. seize the opportunity of being in Ramadan and spend it with the good that has been revealed in it - by reciting the noble quran and pondering and reflection of its meanings so that it be a proof for you with your lord and an intercessor for you on the day of reckoning.

14. preserve your tongue from lying, cursing, backbiting and slander for it decreases the reward of fasting.

15. do not let fasting cause you cross your boundaries by getting upset due to the slightest of reasons. rather, fating should be a cause of peacefulness and tranquility of your soul.

16. upon completion of fasting, be in a state of taqwa of allah the most high, being aware of allah watching you in secret and in public, in thankfulness for his favors, and steadfastness upon obedience of allah by doing all what he has ordered and shunning all that he has prohibited.

17. increase in remembrance of allah, seeking of forgiveness, asking for paradise and protection against the fire, especially when fasting, while breaking the fast and during suhoor, for these actions are among greatest causes of attaining allah's forgiveness.

18. increase in supplication for yourself, your parents, your children and muslims, for allah has ordered making of supplications and has guaranteed acceptance.

19. repent to allah with a sincere repentance in all times by leaving sins, regretting those that you have done before and firmly deciding not to return to them in the future, for allah accepts repentance of those who repent.

20. fast six days of shawwal, for whoever fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days of shawwal, it is as if he fasts all the time.

21. fast on the day of arafat, the 9th of dhul hijjah to attain success by being forgiven your sins of the last year and the coming year.

22. fast on the day of aashuraa, the 10th of muharram, along with the 9th to attain success by being forgiven your sins of the past year.

23. continue being in a state of iman and taqwa and perform righteous actions after the month of Ramadan, until you die. "and worship your lord until there comes to you the certainty (i.e. death)". (quran 15:99)

24. ensure that you attain the positive effects of your acts of worship such as prayer, fasting, zakah and hajj, sincere repentance and leaving of customs that are in variance with the shariah.

25. invoke a lot of salawat and salam upon the messenger of allah, may allah's blessings and peace be upon him, his companions and all those who follow them until the day of judgment.

o allah make us and all muslims of those who fast and stand in prayer during the month of Ramadan based on belief and truly seeking your reward so that we are forgiven our past and future sins.

o Allah make us of those who fasted the month, attained full reward, witnessed layatul-qadr and attained success by permission of the lord, blessed and most high.

o Allah verily you are forgiver, like to forgive, so forgive us.

o Allah, accept from us, verily you are the all-hearing, all-seeing, o living, o independent, o owner of all majesty and honor.

and may allah's blessings and peace be upon muhammad, his family and his companions.

By: Shaikh Abdullah al-Jarullah
Source: islaam.com

http://www.islamicfinder.org/articles/article.php?id=358&mode=search&keyword=ramadan&lang=english

“As-salámu ‘alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!”Bismillah Ar Rahman Ar Raheem

All praise is due to Allah Ta'ala, may peace and salutations be upon His Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), his household and companions. We are once again blessed with the Honourable month of Ramadan... A month for renewing our faith, strengthening our willpower, and seeking forgiveness, a unique opportunity to strengthen the bond of love with our Creator, through fasting, recitation of the Qur'an, Taraweeh salaah, and through acts of charity.

People approach Ramadan... in different ways. Ramadan... means different things to different people. Some people view Ramadan... as a period of expressing their undying love for the Beloved. For them, Ramadan... is a valuable, precious, and rare occasion. They spend all their time doing good, convinced that the reward of each act is

multiplied manifold. Patience, sympathy, and generosity beautify the demeanour. They guard their tongues and remain preoccupied in chanting Laa ilahaa illallah, seeking forgiveness, begging for Jannah, and seeking protection from Jahannam. They are driven by the words of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) that say:

“The fish in the sea, seek forgiveness for them until they break their fast. Everyday Allah decorates Jannah for them and says to it: The time is near when my faithful servants shall cast the great trials (of the world) and come to you... On the last night of Ramadan... they are forgiven..." (Ahmad)

There are others who 'welcome' Ramadan... with sighs of reluctance. To them Ramadan... is an unfair imposition, a month of deprivation and hardship. They grudgingly keep fast and drag themselves to the Masjid for the Taraweeh prayer. Their concept of fasting is limited to physical abstention of food, drink, and sexual relationship. They spend their time in gossip, watching sport, and wasting their nights parked at cafe corners and restaurants. They are hardly ever stirred to Tilawah, Zikr, and dua, nor are they careful of their salaah.

Their goal in Ramadan... IS to prepare for Eid. The words of Rasulullah(sallallanu alayhi wa sallam) aptly describes their spiritless endeavours: " Many are the ones who fast attaining nothing by such fasting except hunger , and many perform salaah by night attaining nothing by it except the discomfort of staying awake." (Ibn Majah)Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) further stated that: " Allah does not require the discarding food and drink of the person who fasts but does not refrain from bad speech and action." (Sahih Bukhari)

There is yet a third group who is hardly ever moved by Ramadan... They neither read salaah, nor fast. They continue living recklessly in sin. They neither have the will or the time to make any sort of change in their dai Iy routines. The following words of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) should serve as a grim reminder to them: " ...Jibraeel (alayhis salaam) appeared before me and said:

" Woe to him who found the blessed month of Ramadan... and let it pass by without gaining forgiveness." Upon that I said: Aameen. (Sahih Bukhari) He also said: "Whoever does not fast for even one day in Ramadan..., without a valid excuse, shall never be able to repay that day even if he fasts for the rest of his life" (Ahmad)

Brothers and sisters in Islam! Fear Allah Ta'ala and beware of wasting your life away in futile activities. Make use of your time by being positive and constructive, for it is by doing so you can achieve the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala. This may well be your last Ramadan..., your last opportunity to benefit from the special blessings and forgiveness that accompanies this month. Know that Ramadan... is a manifestation of Allah Ta'ala's bountiful blessings on His slaves. Use it as a turning point in your life; a time for transformation towards a better way of life; a change from the ignominy of sins to the glory of obedience; from weakness and laziness to strength and vigour; from bad customs and detestable habits to righteousness and upright conduct.

Resolve 0' Honourable Muslim!

* To perform the five daily salaah with the congregation,
* To perform the Taraweeh salaah diligently.
* To spend as much time as possible in dua, Tilawah, and Zikr
* To take part in the various Ramadan... programmes at your Masjid.
* To protect your fast by guarding your tongue, eyes, and thoughts.
* To beautify your fast by sharing your iftaar with your neighbours and the needy.
* To be patient, tolerant, and sympathetic. Especially to your parents and spouse.
* To be kind and generous to the poor and needy. Especially to our destitute Muslim brothers and sisters from foreign countries.
* To serve at least one sick, aged, or disabled person during this Ramadan...
* To make dua for the Ummah daily before iftaar.

May Allah Ta'ala grant us the faith, strength, and spirit to make this a unique and special Ramadan... May He grant us the ability to be consistent in our endeavours. May He protect and preserve our faith.

http://www.missionislam.com/ramadan/ramadanlastmaybe.html

“As-salámu ‘alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!” Bismillah Ar Rahman Ar Raheem.

The dua can change our life, our outlook, and our fate. It is the most potent weapon of a believer.

By Khalid Baig
Posted: 14 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1423, 27 May 2002

Once Prophet Muhammad Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam passed by a people who were suffering from some affliction. "Why don't they make dua (pray ) to Allah for protection," he said. With all the suffering and disasters Muslims are facing in various parts of the world, the question can be directed to all of us today.

It is not that we have forgotten dua completely; we refer to it regularly. But, our ideas and practice regarding dua have become distorted. Often it is reduced to the level of a ritual. Generally it is considered when all our efforts have failed --- an act of last resort. It is belittled through actions and sometimes even with words. Is it any wonder that today mostly a mention of dua is meant to indicate the hopelessness of a situation.

What a tragedy, for dua is the most potent weapon of a believer. It can change fate, while no action of ours ever can. It is the essence of ibadah or worship. With it we can never fail; without it we can never succeed. In the proper scheme of things, dua should be the first and the last resort of the believer, with all his plans and actions coming in between.

Dua is conversation with Allah, our Creator, our Lord and Master, the All Knowing, the All Powerful. This act in itself is of extraordinary significance. It is the most uplifting, liberating, empowering, and transforming conversation a person can ever have. We turn to Him because we know that He alone can lift our sufferings and solve our problems. We feel relieved after describing our difficulties to our Creator. We feel empowered after having communicated with the All Mighty. We sense His mercy all around us after talking to the Most Merciful. We get a new commitment to follow His path for that is the only path for success. We feel blessed with each such commitment

In every difficulty our first action is dua, as is our last. We ask Allah to show us the way to handle that difficulty; we seek His help in following the path He shows to us; we seek His aid in making our efforts successful. When we fall sick, we know that we cannot find the right doctor without His Will; that the best doctor may not be able to diagnose our condition without His Command; that the best treatment plan will not succeed without His Permission. We make dua for all of these. We make dua before we seek medical help, while we are receiving it and after it has been delivered. The same is true of all other difficulties we may encounter.

Dua is the essence of ibadah. A person engaged in dua affirms his belief in Tawheed (monotheism) and shuns belief in all false gods. With each dua his belief in Allah grows. He beseeches Him, affirming his own powerlessness. A person seriously and sincerely engaged in dua understands exactly the relationship between himself and the Creator and affirms it through his actions. That is the essence of worship! Additionally, such a person can never become arrogant or proud, a logical result of true worship.

Dua is conversation with Allah … It is the most uplifting, liberating, empowering, and transforming conversation a person can ever have.

Dua is our most potent weapon in all struggles of life as well as in jihad in the battlefield. During the battle of Badr, the Prophet Muhammad Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam stood up all night in prayer seeking Allah's help in the battle between unequal armies that would follow the next day. In the decisive battles against the crusaders, Sultan Salatuddin Ayyubi was busy day and night. His days were devoted to Jihad. His nights were spent making dua, crying, seeking Allah's help. This has been the practice of all true mujahideen.

We should make it a point to make dua for all things big and small. It is the beginning of wisdom to realize that big and small are arbitrary labels that are totally irrelevant in this context. Nothing is too big for Whom we are asking from; nothing is too small for the one who is asking. That is why we have been taught to ask Allah when we need something as small as shoelaces. We should ask as a beggar, as a destitute person, for that is what we in reality are in relationship to Allah. At the same time we should ask with great hope and conviction that we shall be granted our prayers. We should remember the Hadith: "There is nothing more dear to Allah than a servant making dua to Him." On the other hand, a prayer lacking concentration and conviction is no prayer at all.

We should make dua at all times, not only during times of distress. The Prophet Muhammad Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Whosoever desires that Allah answers his duas in unfavorable and difficult conditions, he should make plentiful dua in days of ease and comfort." Also he said: "The person who does not ask from Allah, Allah becomes angry with him."

We should ask for all of our needs: those related to this world as well as those related to the Hereafter. Those who only concentrate on the former are, in effect, announcing that they don't care for their life in the permanent abode. They should blame no body but themselves for the total ruin in that world that Qur'an assures us awaits them. Those who only concentrate on the later are also showing lack of balance, for we need Allah's help to lead a good life here as well.

We should make dua not only for ourselves but also for our parents, brothers and sisters, spouses and children, relatives and friends, teachers and other benefactors, and destitute and struggling Muslims everywhere. We should pray for them for the good in this world as well as in the Hereafter. The Prophet Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam said: "The dua of a Muslim for his brother (in Islam) in his absence is readily accepted. An angel is appointed to his side. Whenever he makes a beneficial dua for his brother the appointed angel says, 'Aameen. And may you also be blessed with the same.'" [Sahih Muslim]

In the dark ages that we are living in today, everyday brings fresh news about atrocities committed against our brothers in Palestine, Kashmir, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Chechnya, and the list goes on. And what do we do? We can continue to just feel frustrated and depressed. We can petition the determined perpetrators or a fictional "International Community". We can just forget all this and move on to some other subject. Or we can stand up before Allah and pray for His help, who alone can help. The dua can change our life, our outlook, and our fate. It is the most potent weapon. But it works only for those who try sincerely and seriously to use it.

http://islamawareness.net/Dua/power.html

“As-salámu ‘alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!”

"Knowledge is the servant of action"

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem, All Praise is due to Alláh.

We give thanks to Allaah, the One free of all defects, for having guided us.And we ask Him to grant us the ability to act upon what He has given us knowledge of, for indeed, goodness cannot be attained except by His success and assistance. Whomsoever Allaah leads astray, there is no one from His creation that can guide him.

May Allaah send His praises upon Muhammad, the chief of the first and the last, as well as his brothers from among the prophets and messengers, and those who follow the light (i.e. the Qur'aan) that was revealed to him until the Day of Recompense.

To proceed:

I advice you O seeker of knowledge to have a sincere and pure intention in your search for knowledge, and that you exert yourself in acting upon what it mandates (from action). This is since knowledge is a tree and action is its fruit.

And one can never be considered knowledgeable so long as he doesn't act upon what he knows. It has also been stated: "Knowledge is a parent and action is its offspring" and 'Knowledge comes with action, while narrating comes with investigating."

So do not feel satisfied with actions so long as you are lacking in knowledge, nor feel satisfied with knowledge so long as you fall short in producing actions. Rather, combine between them both, even if your share two is small.

And there is nothing worse than a scholar whose knowledge the people abandon because of the corruption of his ways, or an ignorant person lose ignorance the people accept because of what they see from his worship.

So a little of this (knowledge) along with a little of that (action) is what is lost likely to save you in the end, when Allaah bestows His mercy upon His servant and completes His favour upon him. But as for laziness and negligence, love for ease and comfort, preferring the easy life, showing indifference, and inclining towards leisure and relaxation, then the results of these characteristics are blameworthy, detestable and disastrous.


Knowledge leads to action, just as action leads to salvation. So if the action falls short of the knowledge, then the knowledge becomes a burden upon the one who possesses it. And we seek refuge in Allaah from knowledge that turns into a burden, brings about humiliation, and becomes a shackle on the neck of the one who possesses it. Some of the wise people have said:

 "Knowledge is the servant of action" and "Action is the main objective of knowledge - so if it were not for action, knowledge would not be sought, and if it were not for knowledge, action would not be sought. And if I were to not follow the truth out of ignorance of it, that would be more beloved to me than if I were to not follow it out of intentionally abstaining from it."

Sahl bin Muzaahim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: "The matter is tighter upon a scholar than when one clenches his fist. Even though an ignorant person is not excused because of his ignorance, a scholar will still receive a greater punishment if he abandons what he has knowledge of and doesn't act upon it."

So did those of our Salaf (predecessors) from the past reach the high levels that they did except through sincerity in Creed (Beliefs), righteous actions and overwhelming abstinence of the attractive features of this worldly life? And did the wise people reach the greatest level of success (that they did) except by working hard in their efforts, being pleased with little sustenance, and giving away any of their excess provisions to the poor and needy?

Is not the one who collects books of knowledge just like the one who collects gold and silver? Is not the one who has an intense craving for them just like the one who yearns and longs for gold and silver? Is not the one who is deeply in love with them just like the one who treasures gold and silver?

So just as there is no benefit in wealth unless it is spent, then likewise, there is no benefit in knowledge unless it is acted upon and its obligations carried out. Therefore, let each individual examine himself and take advantage of his time, for indeed the resting place (i.e. this world) is short, the (time for) departure is near, the road is hazardous, deviating from it is common, the danger is great, the one who takes himself to account has insight, Allaah, the Most High, is watching, and to Him is the (final) recourse and return.

"And whosoever does an atom's weight of good, shall see it. And whosoever does an atom's weight of evil, shall see it." [Surah Az-Zilzaal: 7-8]

By Imaam Abu Bakr Ahmad bin ‘Alee Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdaadee [Died: 463H]


http://www.kalamullah.com/Books/Iqtidaa%20ul%20Ilm%20al%20Amal.pdf