Intellectual Humility (Quran Weekly)

Intellectual Humility in Islamic Learning

Opening and Greetings

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ Quran Weekly. A very short bit of advice, specifically geared towards our young brothers and sisters that are very quickly attaining a lot of knowledge and are up and coming in the community and are becoming contributors to the community. Specifically this advice is in regards to keeping your humility and keeping your, specifically your intellectual humility.

The Foundation of Knowledge in Islam

Allah (عز وجل) says:

"Above everyone who has knowledge is someone who has more and of course above all it is Allah (سبحانه وتعالى)."

The Wrong Approach to Learning

You know, when I was a lot younger and I would learn something in a speech and among my friends, you know, we'd go and attend a program, we learn something, we take some notes, we feel like we know this stuff. And then we can debate others about this stuff.

And you go talk to someone, that guy doesn't even understand, doesn't even know this ayah, this hadith, this evidence, this proof, this one, you know, this scholar said this, that scholar said that. You got all these references in your head and you're using them to throw them like ping pong balls at the enemy, right? You're shooting at the enemy with these evidences and it seems like you're only learning this stuff so you can outdo someone else in debate and to show them up in debate. So the knowledge you're acquiring is not to add to your humility, but it's to take away your humility.

Secular vs Islamic Approach to Knowledge

And this is the way of the non-believer. You know, the non-believer acquires an education to put a title next to their name, doctor so and so, PhD so and so, professor so and so. And this knowledge, you know, before they even say their name, they say their title, so you better know, I have more knowledge than you.

But the knowledge of deen, however, it's supposed to be something, the more you have, the more it humbles you, the more it humbles you. But if you have knowledge, and the more knowledge you have, the more judgmental you're becoming, the more you're like, this one's deviant and that scholar was wrong and this one was out of line and this and that and the other. How much have you studied compared to them that you can pass commentary? That you can just talk about them like that? And not just about them, the imam in your community, or elders in your community.

The Reality of Our Qualifications

If you don't agree with something they did, first of all, you are in no position to pass a fatwa on them. You have no qualifications. I'm a beginner student, (وَاللَّهِ), I don't say this out of artificial humility, I'm a beginner student of the Qur'an.

I have to study 28, 29 tafasir for a single ayah, to try to get some understanding of what the ayah is saying. And me personally, when it comes to a hadith, I shut my mouth. Why? Because I know I'm not qualified to figure this stuff out.

The Complexity of Hadith Studies

There is so much scholarship involved in deriving conclusions from a hadith of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). From the issues of isnad, to the issues of the context in which it was said, to the issue of how it was understood by the consensus of the sahaba, to the issue of how it was understood by the greatest fuqaha of this deen.

There are several complex issues here. And for you to just pick up the Bukhari and read a translation of a hadith and then start arguing with someone, this is a disservice to the sunnah of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). And second of all, you don't even understand the language.

You're just reading, spewing it off of a translation. How dare you? Students come to Imam al-Shafi'i, they come to him, we want to learn hadith from you. You know what he says? And of course this conversation is happening in Arabic.

Imam Al-Shafi'i's Warning About Arabic Prerequisites

He says, the thing that scares me the most is a student of knowledge, the one who didn't even learn proper syntax, deep understanding of grammar. And who's saying this? Al-Shafi'i. Who spent twenty thousand, a third of his wealth, he spent learning the Arabic language and the other two-thirds learning hadith.

And by the end of it he said, I wish I spent my other two-thirds that I spent on hadith, even that on Arabic. That's how concerned he is about deepening his knowledge of this rich, rich, rich language. Just because you've taken two courses in some book on Arabic studies nowadays, and you've attended a weekly halaqa on some grammar, you are not qualified to be commenting on a hadith.

You're not. I'm not and you're not. This is the work of muhaddithun and scholars to comment on.

The Danger of Misrepresenting the Prophet's Teachings

And for you to read an article or read a paper and read some excerpt that you barely understand, you don't even know what those terms mean, and for you to spew it out against someone else, it's absurd.

And it's a disservice to the sunnah of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). You have to be careful when you speak on his behalf. You have to be very careful.

If you don't know your stuff, and I'm telling you, you think you know your stuff, but you don't. Humble yourself to the people who have knowledge. Ask the people of remembrance, the people of knowledge, if you yourself don't know.

Al-Shafi'i's Complete Warning

I didn't finish that quote of Imam al-Shafi'i, I'll just share that with you and I'm done. He says, fear for the student who doesn't study Arabic deeply, and this is just one of many conditions of studying the sunnah. Arabic is just one of many conditions.

He says specifically only about Arabic even. If you don't even fulfill this, I fear I will teach you hadith and you will fall victim to the warning of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) when he said:

(Bukhari, Muslim)

"- whoever makes a lie against me on purpose has guaranteed himself a place in hellfire. He was scared to teach people a hadith because he knew these guys, these Arabs, they're Arabs, and they knew Arabic, and he says, no you don't know Arabic, you don't know enough, I can't teach you hadith.

Modern Arrogance in Religious Learning

سبحان الله. And here we are in our times, you're googling a hadith in English and you don't know the first thing about what a sharh of a hadith is, or what the historical context, you know nothing about it and you feel qualified to speak on behalf of the sunnah. This is an act of arrogance, not an act of service to the deen. Don't delude yourself.

The Maturity That Comes With Age

My last comment about this is very important. You're young right now, and when you're young the world is black and white. Everything is very clear to you. How can people disagree with me? I have all the knowledge in the world. When you get a little bit older, hopefully you'll mature a little and realize how stupid was I when I was that young.

How stupid was I when I used to think I know this stuff, when I don't. Before you hit the brick wall and it's too late and then you realize it after you've done a lot of damage to others and yourself, realize that now. Realize that don't fall into the trap of others who've gone down this road and learn things the hard way.

Personal Reflection and Humility

And that includes myself. I used to be like that too. I used to think that I know some things. And when I actually started learning from people of knowledge, I realized, man, I don't know what I'm talking about.

When it comes to certain things, I should just shut my mouth. People ask me a question about fiqh or a hadith, I shut my mouth.

I say, I don't know, I'm sorry, I'm not qualified. If they ask me a question about Qur'an, I say, I'll look it up for you, I'll see what the scholars have said. Let me see what other things have been said. Let me get some research for you. But I can't, you know, at least I have some ability to do some research with Qur'an, but when it comes to other topics, I cannot open my mouth. Including issues in theology.

Prerequisites for Every Islamic Science

You can study theology with a scholar, but if you think you're qualified to be debating theology with someone, think again. Think again. Every single science of this deen has prerequisites that you have not met. You just haven't met them. If you're serious about learning, be serious about learning. If you're only learning to debate with others, check yourself.

Hidden Arrogance vs Manifest Sins

Because you can hide that from everybody else. You can't hide your arrogance from Allah. Somebody's selling liquor in a liquor store and they're doing haram. And their haram is open and manifest. And we don't agree with it. But you have arrogance inside your heart. And that is also unacceptable to Allah in the smallest bit. In the smallest bit. So you can look at that person who sells liquor and say, how can you do that? How can you do such a disservice to Allah? How can you call yourself a Muslim? Well, you look inside yourself too.

If you've got an ego problem, and if that ego problem is making you intellectually arrogant, and you think you're just learning this deen to argue and debate others and be condescending to others, check yourself. Really watch yourself.

Etiquette When Dealing With Scholars

I know I should stop now, but I can't help myself. One last comment. Don't speak about other scholars. Don't speak about them. If you disagree with something they said, the people of knowledge, they make dua for them and then they disagree with them. That's what they do. Because they don't know where they stand with Allah.

They don't know. You don't know when you're talking about a scholar who already passed away, what his rank is with Allah, and what sins of his or mistakes of his, genuine mistakes of his, Allah has already forgiven. And you don't even have to learn mistakes. You think they're mistakes. You think they're mistakes. How dare you talk about someone like that? These are slaves of Allah.

The Basic Rights of Fellow Muslims

Allah wants us to be humble to other believers. Somebody says salam to you, that is enough for you to accept that they are a Muslim.

"- Don't say to someone who comes to you and says salam that you're not a believer.

And today somebody says salam to you, you say, I don't know, this guy is probably deviant. I don't even know if I should return his salam. Or I should pray next to him. Or respond to his supplication. Or let him lead me in prayer. Because I don't really know if he's Muslim or not. You become that deluded. You become that confused.

Closing Supplications

May Allah make us intellectually humble. May Allah give us, our scholars, the strength to teach that intellectual humility to the people. May Allah make us all sincere, genuine, genuine students of knowledge. And teach us when to shut our mouth. When to watch our tongue. And to be humble to us and more importantly, to the deen of Islam.

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله