بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
,الحمد لله مدبر الليالى والأيام
ومصرف الشهور والأعوام
والصلاة والسلام علي الرسول الكريم
Beloved brothers and sisters, this is to continue our topic on Classical Learning in Islam
The Classical Learning Methodology in Islam is based on 6 Principles
1. Rote Memorization
We have mentioned that before and still mentioning it now that without memorization, one would have learnt nothing in Islam. This is the way the Ulamaa perceived it. The Ulamaa used to say:
فليسَ علماً ما حوى القِمَطْرُ ما العلمُ إلاَّ ما حواه الصدرُ
“It is not Ilm that which is contained in the sheaths of books;
What is Ilm is but that which is contained in the hearts.”
Imaam Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalaani – rahimahullaah – once said:
علمي معي حيثما يممتُ يتبعني صدري وعاءٌ له لا جوف صندوقِ
إن كنتُ في البيت كان العلم فيه معي أو كنتُ في السوق كان العلمُ في السوق
“My Ilm is with me, it follows me wherever I go; My heart is its container, not the hollows of boxes.
If I am at home, the Ilm is in there with me; and if I am in the market, the Ilm is in the Market”
That was the way the Fuqahaa and Ulamaa of the past viewed Ilm. It was something that relied on the memory and not on writing. In Mauritania, they used to categorize Ulamaa into two: Daytime and Nightime Scholars
The Daytime Scholars are those that relied on books and therefore needed the daylight to see their books. That is when they have Ilm. So, in the night, they are Jaahils like others since there is no light for them to see their books.
The Nightime Scholars are all-time round Scholars. They had knowledge in both daylight and the darkness of the night because they relied on their memories and not what is contained in the books.
They would say that a Daytime Scholar is not an Aalim but one whom emulates them.
Imaam Abu Muhammad Ibn Hazm Al-Andalusi – rahimahullaah – who faced series of persecution in his era for his revival of the Dhaahiri Madh’hab had most of his books and writings burnt and sanctioned.
Regarding this, he once said:
فإن تحرقوا القِرطاس لا تحرقوا الذي تضمَّنه القرطاسُ بل هو في صدري
يسير معي حيثُ استقلَّت ركائبي ** وينزل إن أنزل ويدفنُ في قبري
“If the scrolls are burnt, that which is contained;
In the Scrolls aren’t, they lie in my heart.
It moves with me wherever my mount stands;
It descends once I descent, and is buried in my grave.”
2. Fellowship
This is a very important principle upon which is built the Classical Learning methodology in Islaam. In Islam, it isn’t believed that a Student can perfect Ilm without an Aalim, a teacher to study from and to follow. The Ulamaa used to encourage students to ensure they study under the tutorship of a well-rooted Aalim in their early ages. This is because the teacher gives you, not only what lies in the book that lie before you, he also gives you all of his experience and knowledge on the subject matter that may not be found in the text that you study before him.
The teacher also serves as your guide in your learning. He helps you choose what to study at what time and in what manner, and then guides you toward its understanding. So we would find in our history Ulamaa that served as fellows to their teachers for years.
Imaam Ash-Shaafi’i Al-Mutallabi – rahimahullaah – was said to have remained in the fellowship of Imaam Maalik for 10 years When he was asked about that, he said “I was learning correct manners and Comportment” Experience has shown that those who didn’t study under the guidance of others are not possessed of manners.
We ask Allah to save us from its pitfall, aameen
3. The Use of the Classic Texts
What is meant by the Classic texts are the texts that have always been there all through the history of Muslim scholarship. There are 5 qualities of Classical texts:
One, they are the texts that addresses universal issues, were permanent and were not limited in scope to the eras within which they were written . What is meant here is that they were not written with only the writer’s generation in mind. Instead, they addressed Universal and permanent issues that are faced by everyone in every place and time.
Second, they were the texts that influenced the great Ulamaa of the past, and formed the basic education that they passed through themselves.
Third, they were the texts that Influenced other great works that were written by later Ulamaa and they were relied upon by all those that came after them.
Fourth, they are respected and recognized by even those that disagree with the writers either in creed or inclination.
Fifth, most Classical texts are not fully comprehended if studied without a guide. This is because they are challenging.
To give example if this, we would use the excellent and beautiful text:
حرز الاماني
Which is most popularly known as:
النظم الشاطبية
It is a text that consists of 1174 poetrical lines composed by its author the Imaam Qaasim Ibn Al-Fayroo Ar-Ru’ayni Ash-Shaatibi – rahimahullaah. He was a blind Imaam who was known for his ascetic life, his piety and his distance from everything forbidden, disliked and that is influenced by the Rulers. The text contained a composition of the Rules and regulations that surround the seven Qiraa’aat that were collected from the Rasul – salallaahu alayhi wasallam and transmitted by Seven different Schools of Qurraa’ from 5 different cities of Islam from the various Sahaabah who learnt the Qur’aan from the Rasul – salallaahu alayhi wasallam, and propagated by 14 different Imaams who were students of the Qurraa’
It was indeed the first of its kind to be composed. It not only contained the Ahkaam (Rules) that govern recitation, it also contained beauty to eloquence and poetry and espoused the attributes that must be found with the Memorizer of the Qur’aan
About it, Imaam Muhammad bn Muhammad bn Muhammad Al-Jazari – rahimahullaah – said:
“And whosoever takes a time to read through his Poem will get to know of the greatness of what Allah gave him of bounty in that regard. This is especially seen in the Laamiyya, which have challenged the people of eloquence that come after him to challenge and criticize, they failed in that regard.”
Of a reality, no one knows its worth but the one who tries to compose something of its like or who compares it with those that have been written in its pattern and this book was given a popularity and acceptance that I do not know to have been a given to other than it in this science. I could assert that this also applies in all the sciences for I do not see that there is any land among the lands of Islam that does not have it. In fact, I don’t think there is a house of any Student of Knowledge that is empty of a copy of it…”
About him, Imaam Abu Shaamah Ad-Dimashqi – rahimahillaah – said:
رَأَيْتُ جَمَاعَةً فُضَلاَءَ فَازُوا—– برُؤْيَةِ شَيْخِ مِصْرَ الشَّاطِبيِّ وَكُلُّهُمُ يُعَظِّمُهُ وَيُثْنِي ——- كَتَعْظِيمِ الصَّحَابَةِ للنَّبِيِّ
“I saw a congregation of honoured people who succeeded; By seeing the Shaykh of Misr: Ash-Shaatibi.
All of them praised and hailed him;
In like manner that the Companions honoured the Prophet”
The Ulamaa of his era east and west submitted to his knowledge of the Qur’aan up until his death.
We cannot give Imaam Ash-Shaatibi his right of mention in this Halqah.
We just aimed at hinting at this important text and we did.
All the Ulamaa that came after him relied upon his book.
Upon it many have written and composed other lines.
Those who disagreed with Imaam Ash-Shaatibi in Madh’hab and Aqidah also respect and benefit from the book. It influenced the minds and works of all the Ulamaa after him to the extent that some of the Ulamaa once said:
“You are not an Aalim until you have studied the Shaatibiyyah”
Baarakallaahu feekum.
We would pause here inshaaAllaah
(اللَّهمَّ ربَّنا آتِنا في الدُّنيا حَسَنةً، وفي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنةً، وقِنا عذابَ النَّارِ)
We ask Allaah to not deny us a share in the study of Islam in accordance to the way the Salaf studied it, and to give us a share of its barakaat, aameen
Baarakallaahu feekum
Jazaakumullaahu khayran
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
