Last night, after Isha, a respected local scholar (Mufti Abdul Mannan) came over for a visit. We talked about different knowledge matters, and then the conversation drifted towards Ibn Abidin, a 19th Century scholar whose work Radd al-Muhtar is the main reference for fatwa and legal details in the Hanafi school.

Mufti Abdul Mannan made a beautiful point in our conversation: the benefit found in Ibn Abidin’s work–such that no Hanafi faqih or mufti can do without it–is above all due to the depth of piety (taqwa) that Ibn Abidin possessed; and his sincerity in turning to Allah Most High. This taqwa and turning to Allah gave a blessedness to his knowledge, and Allah filled it with light and benefit.

In this, there are a number of lessons for seekers of knowledge:

(1) When we seek knowledge, our goal should be seeking the pleasure of Allah and closeness to Him.

(2) Our seeking of knowledge should be a means to acquire taqwa–the provision of true seekers.

(3) We should seek knowledge with the intention of acting upon it, not merely out of intellectual or religious curiosity.

(4) We should turn to Allah in our acting upon knowledge, through making our actions sincerely for His sake and according to the ways most pleasing to Him–the ways of His Beloved Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace).

If we do this, and remain steadfast therein, our knowledge and actions will be blessed and–by Allah’s permission–will be of benefit to us and to others.

And Allah alone gives success.

Related SunniPath Answers (http://qa.sunnipath.com):
Ghazali on the Excellence of Knowledge
Prophetic Guidance on the Excellence of Knowledge - Nawawi’s Riyad al-Salihin, Chapter 241
The Value of Knowledge and Those Who Possess It - Shaykh Abu’l Hasan Ali Nadwi
Seeking Scared Knowledge…
Worship or Seeking Knowledge?
Is knowledge better or action?
Seeking knowledge and worship

AUDIO: What is the knowledge obligatory upon those morally responsible (Answer by Shaykh Amjad Rasheed, translated by Faraz Rabbani)