Scholars Are Very Few In the Ummah Today

Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allah have mercy on him) stated:

Whenever I hear this kind of talk, I am reminded of the old proverb, which is well known amongst the scholars: 

“Verily, the small bird (bughaath) in our lands has now become an eagle.”

Some people are unaware of what is intended by this statement or by this proverb. The bughaath is a small bird that is worthless - but this small bird becomes like an eagle to the people – due to their ignorance…

This proverb is true about many of the people who call to Islaam, whether upon truth and correctness or upon error and falsehood. But Allaah knows that the entire Muslim world [today] is void – except for very, very few individuals, whom it is correct to say about them that, “So and so” is a scholar.’   In an authentic hadeeth reported by Imaam Al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, from the report of ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Aas (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: “Allaah Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Verily, Allaah will not snatch away the knowledge from the chests the scholars, rather He will take away the knowledge by taking away the scholars. Until there does not remain any scholar- this is the point- until there does not remain any scholar, the people will take ignorant leaders, who will be asked questions and then give fatwa (religious rulings) without knowledge. So they will go astray and cause others to go astray.”

When Allaah wants to take away the knowledge, He will not snatch it way from the hearts of the scholars, such that the scholar becomes like someone who never learned anything in the first place, no. This is not from the Sunnah (way) of Allaah when dealing with His servants, especially His righteous servants – to take away the knowledge that they have acquired for the sake of Allaah, azza wa jall… Allaah is just and fair in His rulings – He does not snatch the knowledge away from the hearts of the true scholars. Rather, it is from the Sunnah of Allaah with His creation that He takes away the knowledge by taking away scholars (i.e. causing them to die), as He did with the chief of all scholars and prophets and messengers, Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam)

“…Until there does not remain any scholar, the people will take ignorant leaders, who will be asked questions and they give fatwa (religious rulings) without knowledge. So they will go astray.”

This does not mean that Allaah will leave the earth void of any scholar, through which Allaah’s proof can be established upon his servants; rather it means that the more that time continues to pass, the more that knowledge decreases And we will continue increasing in this condition of less and deficient knowledge, until there does not remain on the face of this earth, anyone who says: Allaah, Allaah.” You hear this hadeeth many times, and it is an authentic hadeeth.

Source: A tape entitled: Hadhihi Da’watunaa (This is our Call), p. 1-2 by Imaam Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee;   translated into article format by Abu Maryam

Do Not Recite Faatihah Behind Your Imam in Loud Prayers

The majority of the scholars hold that the recital of Suratul-Fātihah is obligatory upon the imām leading the prayer and when one prays on his own. As for the one who is praying behind the imām, then the scholars have differed regarding that into three viewpoints:

The first saying: The recital of Al-Fātihah is obligatory upon everyone who prays including the imām and the one one following him in prayer. This is due to the saying of the Messenger (ﷺ):“There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening Sūrah of the Book.” So this is general for everyone performing the Salāh. And the saying of the Messenger (ﷺ): “Perhaps you recite behind your imām?” They responded: “Yes, O Messenger of Allāh.” So he said: “Do not do that, except for the Opening Sūrah of the Book, for indeed there is no prayer for the one who does not recite it.” (From ‘Ubādah Ibn Sāmit, reported by Abu Dawood 824; An-Nasā’ee 919) This is the position of Imām Ash-Shāfi’ee, and a group of the scholars of hadeeth such as Imām al-Bukhāree and others. They held its recital to be obligatory upon the imām leading the prayer, the one who prays behind him, and the one who prays alone.

The second saying: The recital is not obligatory behind the imām. That is because the recitation of the imām suffices the one following him due to the saying of the Prophet (ﷺ):“Whoever has an imām [leading him in prayer] then the recitation of the imām is his recitation [also].” (Narrated from Jābir and reported by Ahmad 14698; Ibn Mājah 850; Al-Bayhaqee in his Sunan 2898 – and Al-Albānee declared it to be hasan (good) in his checking of Ibn Mājah; see Al-Irwā’, 850) However, there is some speech concerning the chain of narration of this hadeeth. These scholars also use as a proof the saying of Allah, the Most High, “When the Quran is recited, listen to it and be silent that you may receive mercy.” (Al-A’rāf 7:204)

The point of evidence here is that Allāh, the Mighty and Majestic, commanded with listening to the recitation of the Qur’an and to remain silent. And this verse was revealed concerning listening during the Prayer (Salāh), meaning: When the imām is reciting then upon the one who is following him is to remain silent and listen because the imām is reciting for himself and for those following behind him. This is the view of Abu Hanīfah and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal.

The third saying: This is the view of Imām Mālik, and the preferred opinion of Shaykhul-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah and a group of scholars: that it is obligatory upon the one following the imām to recite Al-Fātihah [to himself] in the silent prayers wherein the imām is not reciting aloud, such as Dhuhr and ‘Asr. And as for the loud prayers, then the recitation of the imām suffices him, and in these loud prayers it is upon the one following the imām to remain silent and listen. These scholars say that with this, a person gathers [and acts] upon all the proofs. So the evidences that obligate the recital of Al-Fātihah are to be practiced in the silent prayers. The other proofs along with the noble verse are to be practiced in the loud prayers. This saying is the most balanced, inshā’-Allāh.

See Duroos minal-Qur’ānil-Kareem pp. 37-39.

SOME HADEETH ON THE TOPIC AUTHENTICATED BY THE SHAIKH AND IMAM OF HADEETH, MUHAMMAD NASIR AD-DEEN AL-ALBANEE (MAY ALLAH HAVE MERCY UPON HIM):

Ibn Mājah has a heading: “Chapter: When the imām recites, listen silently.” Then he narrated the following ahādeeth:

Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “The imām has been appointed to be followed, so when he says Allahu Akbar, say Allahu Akbar, when he recites, listen silently. When he says: ‘Not the way of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray’, then say Āmeen. When he bows, you bow. When he says, ‘Allah hears those who praise Him’, say, ‘O Allah, our Lord, to You is the praise’. When he prostrates with the sajdah, prostrate. And if he prays sitting, all of you pray sitting [with him].” (Ibn Mājah 846; See Al-Irwā’ 344, Al-Mishkāt 857. Al-Albānee: hasan-saheeh)

Ibn Ukaimah said: “I heard Abu Hurairah say: ‘The Prophet (ﷺ) led his Companions in a prayer; we think it was Fajr. The Messenger said: “Did anyone among you recite?” A man said: “I did.” So the Messenger said: “I was saying to myself: what is wrong that someone is pulling away the Qur’ān from me?” (Ibn Mājah 848; Saheeh Abee Dawood 781; See Al-Mishkāt 855. Al-Albānee declared it to be saheeh)

And Abu Hurairah mentioned a similar report, and added to it, “And after that they were quiet in the prayers in which the imām recites aloud.” (Ibn Mājah, 849. Al-Albānee declared it to be saheeh).

Jābir narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Whoever has an imām [leading him in prayer] then the recitation of the imām is his recitation [also].” (Narrated from Jābir and reported by Ahmad 14698; Ibn Mājah 850; Al-Bayhaqee in his Sunan 2898 – and Al-Albānee declared it to be hasan (good) in his checking of Ibn Mājah, and Al-Irwā’, 850)[1]

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[1] Translated by Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Waahid, may Allaah reward him with good

The Salaf and Passion for Knowledge

Most of the openhanded people have great passion for generosity. They do not refrain from it as long as there is the need to give generously. They do not accept the censure of the blamer nor bother about the rebuke of the rebuking person. As for those who have passion for knowledge, they are extremely fond of it and have passion for it more than the passion of every lover for his beloved. The most beautiful image of man cannot distract most of them from it. It was said to the wife of Zubayr bin Bakkaar or someone else: “May it do you much good since you do not have a fellow wife.” So she replied: “By Allah, these books are more harmful to me than a number of fellow wives.” 

The brother of our Shaykh, Abdur-Rahmaan bin Taymiyah informed me on the authority of his father thus: “Whenever my grandfather entered the toilet he used to say to me, ‘Read this book and raise your voice so that I can hear you.’”  I know of someone that was afflicted with the ailment of headache and fever and a book was by his head; whenever he recovers, he would read it and whenever the sickness overwhelms him, he would drop it. One day a doctor entered upon him while in that state and said to him: “This is not permissible to you, because you will overburden yourself and it may be the cause of losing what you desire.” 

Our Shaykh narrated to me saying: “When I fell ill the doctor said to me: ‘Your research and lecture increases your illness.’  I said to him: ‘I cannot stop that, and I will debate with you in your knowledge! If a person becomes happy and joyful doesn’t this strengthen his nature or spirit, and as a result wards off illness?’ The doctor responded: ‘Of course!’  So I said to him: ‘Verily my soul is pleased with knowledge and it strengthens my nature and I find relaxation in that.’ The doctor responded: ‘This is something outside our own treatment.’” 

So passion [for knowledge] is an attribute of perfection and it is the most beneficial and highest form of passion and it is based on the relationship existing between the soul and such attribute. For this reason, the highest and noblest souls are the highest and noblest in passion. 

Source: Rawdah al-Muhibbeen wa Nuzhah al-Mushtaaqeen by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah