Shaykh
Saalih bin Fawzaan stated:
Knowledge
is not abundance of information, acquaintance and books. Rather, knowledge is
only through understanding, following and acting; even if the knowledge is little.
Therefore, little knowledge with righteous deed and understanding in Allah’s
religion is abundance while ample knowledge without action and following (the Sunnah)
is of no benefit.
There
were scholars and monks among the Jews, in spite of this, their knowledge were
of no benefit and they became those who earned Allah’s anger because they
purposely disobeyed. So the goal is not abundance of knowledge and researches. The
goal is action. This is the meaning of knowledge, and this is the way of those
on whom Allaah has bestowed His Grace as stated by Allah the Most High:
Guide us to the Straight Way, The Way of those on whom You have
bestowed Your Grace
They are the people of knowledge and
action
Not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews)
They are the people of knowledge without
action.
Nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians). [Qur’aan
1: 6 - 7]
They
are the people of action, without knowledge.
So
knowledge is non-beneficial without action, and action benefits not except with
knowledge. It is essential for knowledge and action to co-exist, and this is
the way of those on whom Allaah has bestowed His Grace.
Source:
A Gift to the Reader in Annotation of
Sharh As-Sunnah, vol. 2, p. 51-51 by Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan
