Benefits from “The book of knowledge by Shaykh ibn Uthaymeen”

We covered:

The importance of Taqwa

-It is the advice given to the first and to the last “We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear Allah, and keep your duty to Him, 4:131”
-The prophet, may Allah raise his rank and status said: “Fear Allah wherever you are”
-The Salaf used to advice with this often
-The one who has Taqwa will be protected by Allah
-Know the closeness of Allah to us (by his knowledge) and his ability over us “And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (by Our Knowledge)” 50:15
-Taqwa is mentioned in the Qur’an alongside piety – when they are mentioned together piety refers to fulfilling good deeds and Taqwa refers to staying away from evil. When Taqwa is mentioned on its own it refers to both

“O you who believe! If you obey and fear Allah, He will grant you Furqan a criterion, and will expiate for you your sins, and forgive you, and Allah is the Owner of the Great Bounty” 8:29

Three benefits from this verse for the one who has Taqwa:
1.Allah will make knowledge easy for him. He will open up doors to knowledge for him, improve his memory and give him strong understanding. Allah gives the one with Taqwa, Firaasah, the ability to have deep understanding and to distinguish between the people
2.Allah will expiate his sins, and this also comes from doing righteous deeds. Eg the “an umrah to an umrah is an expiation to the sins [that have been committed] in between”. Allah makes righteous deeds easy for him.
3.Allah will make tawbah, repentance, easy for him. This is from the blessings upon a servant. “Shaitan (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from As-Salat (the prayer). So, will you not then abstain?” 5:91

Be continuous and consistent in studying. He should strive in learning and being patient. He should protect what the learnt (by reviewing). Knowledge is not gained with a body that is relaxed. He should stay away from anything that busies him from seeking knowledge.

Ibn Abbaas was asked, how did you gain knowledge: “with a tongue that will ask, a heart that attentively understands and a body that does not rest”, in another narration he said“if I know of a hadith that another companion has, I will go to his door, and I will wait there and the wind will blow the dust onto me and when he comes out, he would say [to me] O cousin of the messenger, may Allah raise his rank and status, why did you come? Why did you not call me and I would come to you. He responded “I am more in right to come to you” [to seek knowledge]. He was humble in learning knowledge, and Allah raised him. The prophet said, whoever humbles himself to Allah, He will raise him”.

Imaam Sa’di mentioned that the scholar of Arabic language, Imaam kasaai’ee told him he studied Arabic grammar but was unable to grasp it in the beginning. He said I saw an ant, carrying up a wall and each time it goes up, it dropped its food. It was striving to reach its objective. He then strove hard and attained the knowledge.
A person should strive to memorise and revise what he has read. “Knowledge is prey and writing protects it. So protect your benefit by tying the rope [write and memorise it]”

"for those who accept guidance, He increases their guidance, and bestows on them their piety" 47:17

One should stick to the scholars and benefit from them. Shaykh Rabee said that 1 hour with a scholar is better than many hours of research. Shaykh ibn Uthaymeen said the student of knowledge should gain knowledge from one shaykh to begin and then move on to the next scholar. The scholars from the Salaf would benefit from the scholars in their areas and then move on to other areas.
Dr Abdulilah Lahmami advised the attendees that this if from the best books to study.