Imaam Ibn Qudaamah Al-Maqdisi rahimahullaah
Said:
The Righteous Ulamaa should avoid seeking worldly gains from the rulers nor praising or intermingling with them. For this act may cause destruction in their deen and honor.
In this regards, Abu Huzaifah rahimahullah was reported to have said:
“Oh people beware of fitna”.
It was said to him;
“which fitna are you talking about ya aba Huzaifah?
He said:
“The fitna here is for the ulamaa to be knocking at the doors of the rulers. They intermingled with them thereby beautifying their evil actions for them with lies and telling them what will please them even though it may be falsehood. “¹
And Sa’id ibn Al-Musayyib was also reported to have said:
” if you see an A’lim knocking at the doors of the rulers and intermingling with them, then beware of him, he is a thief.”
Some predecessors said:
“You cannot attain worldly gains from the rulers except you are ready to compromise much of your deen over what they will give you.”²
Also, among the characteristics of the righteous ulamaa is that they do not hasten to give legal verdicts without properly checking the conditions surrounding the matter. They always give fatwa based on knowledge and certainty.
The Ulamaa of the past used to refer people to one another for the sake of issuing verdicts until it went round the ulamaa because of their fear of giving a wrong fatwa.
Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Abi Layla rahimahullah said:
“I met with One hundred and twenty sahaabas of the Messenger salallaahu alayhi wasallam, none of them will be asked about certain Hadith or a verdict except that he wishes that another sahaba answers the question in his position because of piety.”
Unfortunately, after they passed away, people nowadays claimed to be knowledgeable and they hasten to give answer to questions without full knowledge about the question.³
Whereas if those questions were to be presented to Umar radiyallaahu anhu, he would have gathered all those who participated in the Battle of Badr consulting them regarding the answer of those questions.⁴
Furthermore, the righteous ulamaa should busy themselves with the knowledge that has to do with the Hereafter, purifying the soul from its diseases and misconceptions.
They should always follow the footsteps of the companions and the Tabi’een.
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¹Jaamiu’ Bayaanu Al-I’lm wafadilihi.
²It was made mentioned by Ibn Abdul Barr in ‘Jaamiu’ Bayaanu Al-I’lm wafadlihi’
³We say: Subuhanallah! Ibn Qudaamah Al-maqdisi mentioned this in his era, then what about our era where people titled themselves overnight as scholars and they jumped up to give verdicts anyhow without deep knowledge.
We seek refuge in Allah from misguidance and desires.
⁴’Addaarimi’#130.
Allaahu A’alam
Baarakallaahu feekum
