Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim
1. Introduction
Friends whom Allah has blessed, have we ever paused to reflect on why humans were created as leaders (khalifah) on earth, even though physically we are weaker than a lion and slower than an eagle? The answer lies in one divine instrument: knowledge.Scientifically and psychologically, a soul devoid of knowledge will always be plagued by anxiety. Knowledge is light (nūr) that maps uncertainty into certainty. Allah ﷻ raises the rank of those who have knowledge for a reason.
In the Qur’an it is stated:
يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ
“Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees.” (QS. Al-Mujadilah: 11)
Even the path to eternal happiness (Paradise) has been made easier by Allah for those willing to walk the path of seeking knowledge.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
مَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا سَهَّلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ
“Whoever takes a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise.” (HR. Muslim)
2. Lessons and Messages
Knowledge is not merely a string of titles behind a name or the number of followers on social media. The morality of knowledge lies in action. Blessed knowledge is knowledge that makes its possessor more humble, more wise, and more beneficial to humanity. Without morality, knowledge only breeds a new form of arrogance.Let us reflect on the story from the past about a great scholar, Imam Al-Ghazali. One day, during a journey, his caravan was robbed. All his wealth was taken, including the notebooks of knowledge he had written over many years. Al-Ghazali pleaded with the robber chief, “Take my wealth, but return my notebooks. I spent years listening to and writing them.” The robber laughed loudly and said, “How can you claim to have knowledge if, once the notebooks are taken, the knowledge vanishes from your heart?” Those words struck Al-Ghazali’s heart. He wept, not for the lost wealth, but because he realized that until then his knowledge had only been on paper, not yet absorbed into his soul. This painful event changed his life, and he went on to memorize all those notes and become a great scholar of the world.Imagine a person without knowledge as someone walking through a pitch-black wilderness in the middle of the night. He may have a strong body, but he doesn’t know the direction. Every step is haunted by fear of cliffs or wild beasts. In contrast, knowledge is like a high-powered flashlight. Even if the person’s physique is ordinary, with that flashlight in hand he can see the path, avoid thorns, and reach his destination safely. Knowledge doesn’t change the terrain, but it changes how we see the path.
There was a young man who acted like he knew everything but was lazy to learn. One day he wanted to appear smart in front of his future father-in-law. At dinner, his father-in-law asked, “Son, do you know why seawater is salty?” Confidently, the young man replied, “Oh, that’s easy, Uncle. The sea is salty because all the fish are sweating from swimming nonstop all day!” The father-in-law could only shake his head and think to himself, “This boy lacks knowledge but has too much imagination.” The lesson: Don’t let our ignorance make us the butt of a joke. Ask questions and learn, because staying silent out of not knowing is fine, but learning so you do know is far nobler.
3. Conclusion and Closing
Friends, knowledge is the compass of life. Without it, we will be lost in the increasingly confusing currents of this world. A life lived with knowledge makes the complex simple, the dark bright, and the fleeting eternal. Never grow weary of learning, because learning is a lifelong process—from the cradle to the grave.May Allah ﷻ always grant us beneficial knowledge, humble hearts, and accepted deeds. Āmīn yā Rabbal ‘Ālamīn
والله أعلم بالصواب
الحمد لله رب العالمين
Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmaullahi Wabarakatuh.
ِAbu Sultan Al-Qadrie
