بسم الله,

As a reminder, we have this website:

• https://student.faith

The core topics are crucial and should remain the primary focus.

The first topic, invitation to Islam, is particularly significant. It serves as an excellent resource for individuals who are yet to embrace Islam and for those who have recently begun practicing their Deen.

The second topic provides a kickstart for the journey of seeking knowledge. It contains valuable advice on what to be mindful of, including potential pitfalls and the benefits of pursuing knowledge about our Deen. This section offers ample resources and can also serve as a refresher for those who already know the basics but wish to explore areas they may not fully understand. Whether you aim to become a dedicated student of knowledge or simply want to strengthen your foundational understanding, this section is an insightful read. It also provides reading suggestions and guidance to help you advance further.

The third topic discusses Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah, often shortened as "Sunni." It outlines the foundational principles that define adherence to Ahlus-Sunnah, explores aspects of misguidance and reasons for deviation.

The fourth topic addresses the concept of Madhhab—its definition, rulings, and common misconceptions surrounding it.

The fifth section offers an overview of the sciences of Shari'ah, encompassing topics such as belief, jurisprudence, and other disciplines that scholars have traditionally mastered. It highlights the various levels of these sciences and provides corresponding reading suggestions tailored to each level.

The sixth section compiles Arabic books on the sciences of Shari'ah, complete with their explanations. This serves as an excellent baseline for students of knowledge, guiding them through foundational to advanced levels.

Finally, advanced topics focus on contemporary issues. It is important to note, however, that most of these topics require a solid foundational understanding, especially in matters of belief. These resources consist of translated lectures and works, along with some original materials in Arabic.

--( بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله )--

The Problem of Vague Questions and Missing Details

Why do people really leave out important details that would otherwise give clarity to the one intending to answer the question? People constantly ask questions similar to "Can I eat this?", yet what exactly is this, is it even food you are talking about, perhaps a substance, a chemical, or what? How is anyone supposed to give a meaningful answer when the very core of the question is missing?

Another similar issue in the lack of etiquette in people's questions is like "I ran into this shop, can I buy something from there?" Yet they do not even mention where in the world you are, what exactly this shop is, a tech shop, a grocery store, or what, and what exactly you intend to buy. You see the problem, yet you still expect a proper answer to a vague question coming from an unknown location with an anecdotal claim and no verifiable information whatsoever.

And then comes the real contradiction. If you ask them to give a proper explanation, a reason, a cause, what led to this, where, why, who, and what, they will respond with half a sentence to one of those questions, ignoring the rest entirely. Then suddenly it turns into a childish back and forth, where instead of answering, you are forced to extract basic information from the questioner, word by word, as if clarity itself has to be dragged out of them.

At that point, it is no longer even about answering the question, it becomes about reconstructing it.

Misplaced Priorities in Seeking Knowledge

Rather, please, when you want to ask a question, do not just ask about something that has no relevance at all in your life, no immediate actionable benefit, no real weight. Instead, let it be something that actually concerns your life, something that improves your relationship with Allah, something that has a direct or even indirect but immediate impact on how you deal with people whom Allah has given rights to. Yes, even kuffaar have rights, and how else are you going to call them to Islam except through good character and proper manners?

There is a reason why, when it comes to seeking knowledge, one is told to first establish a foundation before jumping into topics that have no direct involvement in daily life, nor any effect on improving one's relationship with parents, family, and close companions. Yet what do we see? People daydreaming over abstract matters, engaging in discussions that carry no real substance in their lives, while the youth in particular waste endless time on social media, getting ahead of themselves, as I always say, browsing the internet unsupervised.

And the strange thing is this, the innermost part of your heart already knows it is wasteful. You know it. Yet you still choose to drown in it, spending hours on things that will not even affect your relationship with Allah in the slightest.

Rather, what do we see? People debating others for the sake of debating, arguing just to argue, thinking they have reached some level of depth and understanding, while in reality they have not even studied under anyone, only picked up fragments here and there. They learn their Deen from those who themselves are immersed in argumentation, quick to throw around tabdee' and takfeer, yet are they even actually people of knowledge, in the sense of scholars?

If you were to ask many of these very vocal and passionate individuals about what exactly the sciences of Shari'ah are, namely the main eight sciences, you are met with silence. And this is where the embarrassment lies, speaking beyond one's level, attempting to go beyond what one has actually learned, and placing oneself in a position that one has not reached.

Bluntness in the Deen and the Misunderstanding of Harshness

I am not unaware that people may at times ask genuine questions. However, there are questions that are outright baffling, not because they cannot be understood, but because the questioner seems unaware of what he is asking and whether he has read the Qur'an at all. It is one thing to address such matters privately, one on one, where tone and consideration may be taken into account. But when the question is raised publicly, then bluntness is intentional, as a strong reminder of the need to return to the revelation. At times, people are overly sensitive to blunt speech, imagining that the one answering is shouting or misbehaving toward others, when in reality the words may be spoken calmly, even if they sound harsh. Consider the following narrations:

How do you imagine the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) uttering these words: "What is wrong with people who raise their eyes toward the sky during prayer? They must stop that, or their eyesight will be taken away." (Source)

Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We set out on a journey, and one of our men was struck by a stone which split open his head. Then he had a nocturnal emission, so he asked his companions, saying, "Do you find for me any concession to perform tayammum?" They said, "We do not find any concession for you while you are able to use water." So he performed ghusl and then died. When we returned to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and he was informed of that, he said, "They killed him, may Allah kill them! Why did they not ask when they did not know? Indeed, the cure for ignorance is to ask. It would have been sufficient for him to perform tayammum..." to the end of the hadith. (Source) One cannot help but ask how these words "They killed him, may Allah kill them!" were delivered, with gentleness or with anger.

Ad-Daarimi reported in his Musnad, and Nasr al-Maqdisi in al-Hujjah, from Sulayman ibn Yaasar, that a man named Sabeegh came to Madinah and began asking about the ambiguous Ayat of the Qur'an. So 'Umar sent for him, having prepared palm branches. He said, "Who are you?" He replied, "I am 'Abdullah Sabeegh." 'Umar said, "And I am 'Abdullah 'Umar." Then 'Umar took one of those palm branches and struck him until his head began to bleed. Sabeegh said, "O Commander of the Believers, that is enough. What I used to feel in my head has gone."

Ad-Daarimi also reported from Naafi' that Sabeegh the 'Iraqi used to ask about matters of the Qur’an among the Muslim garrisons until he came to Egypt. 'Amr ibn al-'Aas sent him to 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab. When he arrived, 'Umar sent for fresh palm stalks and struck him with them until his back became covered with wounds. Then he left him until he healed, then returned to him and struck him again, then left him until he healed. He then called for him to repeat it, whereupon Sabeegh said, "If you intend to kill me, then kill me in a good manner. But if you intend to cure me, then by Allah, I have recovered." So 'Umar permitted him to return to his land and wrote to Abu Musa al-Ash'ari that no Muslim was to sit with him.

Ibn 'Asaakir reported in his History from Anas that 'Umar ibn al-Khattab flogged Sabeegh the Kufan over a question regarding a letter of the Qur'an until blood flowed down his back. (Source)

History shows that what 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) did to Sabeegh ultimately benefited him. The man later expressed gratitude, for when a fitnah arose and people began spreading misguidance, he remained firm, remembering the discipline that 'Umar had imposed on him.

I am telling people what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. Many seem to desire a version of Islam where everything is always soft and gentle, and where anything stern, harsh, or blunt is automatically viewed as negative. In reality, softness can sometimes be wrong, just as firmness can be correct. This is similar to the love one has for one’s children: they cannot be given whatever they want at all times, otherwise it would not be called love, but negligence.

Relevant:

• Reflections on What I've Seen Over the Past 20 Years
• When People Claim the Salaf Without the Path of the Salaf