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The Fabler-Preachers (Storytellers)
It is reported that Abū Qilābah – Allāh Have mercy on him – said:
It is only the storyteller-preachers (al-qusās) who have killed knowledge. A man listens to a storyteller for a year without really learning anything that will last, whereas a man who sits with a scholar for an hour learns what will last and benefit him before he even gets up.
Abō Nu’aym, Hilyatu Al-Awliyā` 2:287.
Asking for less refutation [signs of Ahl Al-Bidah]
It is reported from Al-’Abbâs b. Al-Walîd that ‘Uqbah said:
I was once with Arta’ah b. Al-Mundhir when one of the people in the gathering said, “What do you say about a man who sits with the followers of the Sunnah and mixes with them, but when the followers of Bid’ah are mentioned he says, ‘Spare us from mentioning them, do not talk about them?’” Arta’ah said, “He is one of them, do not let him confuse you about his condition.” I felt this was strange, so I went to Al-Awzâ’î – and he used to clarify these matters when they came to him. He said, “Arta’ah is right, the matter is as he said; this person forbids talking about [Ahl Al-Bid'ah], so how can [people] be on guard against them if they are not exposed?”
Ibn ‘Asâkir, Târîkh Dimishq 8:15.
Teach but do not Pretend
Ibn Al-Muhallab reports that he heard Abȗ Mȗsâ Al-Ash’arî – Allah be pleased with him – standing on his minbar (pulpit) saying:
Whoever Allâh has given some knowledge should teach it. And he must not say anything he has no knowledge of, lest he become one of the pretenders and leave the religion.
Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqât 4:102. Maktabah Al-Khânjî, Cairo.
Don’t ask the Polytheists
Abdullâh b. ‘Abbâs – Allâh be pleased with them – said:
O Muslims, how can you ask the People of the Book [about their scripture] when the Book of Allâh that was revealed to your Prophet – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him – is the most recent news of Allâh; you recite it complete and unaltered? Allâh has informed you that they replaced what Allâh wrote and changed the Book with their hands and said ‘This is from Allâh,’ to purchase with it a measly price (Quran 2:79). Does not the knowledge that has come to you forbid you from asking them? By Allâh, we have not seen a single man among them asking you about what was revealed to you.
Al-Bukhârî, Al-Sahîh hadith 2685, Chapter on not asking the Polytheists for testimonies or anything else. He also records it in other chapters.
Wasted knowledge and rhyming prayers
Ibn ‘Abbâs – Allâh be pleased with him – said, “Address the people once a week, and if you must do so more often, then twice; and if you have to do even more, then three times; and do not make people tired or bored with the Quran. Let me not find you coming to the people to exhort them and tell them stories while they are speaking amongst themselves, thus interrupting their conversation and tiring them. Instead, listen, and when they tell you, address them when they desire to listen to your speech. And beware of making your supplications rhyme, stay away from this, for I found Allâh’s Messenger – peace and praise of Allâh be upon him – and his Companions doing nothing but [staying away from this].”
Al-Bukhârî, Al-Sahîh ‘What is hated about making supplications rhyme.’
Notes
In this narration, the illustrious Companion ‘Abdullâh b. ‘Abbâs gives some guidelines about being wise and aware of people’s condition when teaching them and calling them to Allâh. He advised that a person should not address the people and give talks to them too often, lest they become bored or fed up of hearing the Quran. This consideration is taken from the Sunnah of the Prophet – Allâh’s praise and peace be upon him – as related by Ibn Mas’ûd.
This tradition also expresses the dislike of trying to disseminate knowledge in a way that might be detrimental to its purpose. We are discouraged from spreading knowledge to those who do not desire it or those who are not enthusiastic to receive it and interrupting people while they are speaking. We are encouraged to teach knowledge to those who express their desire for it, because all this means it is more likely that the recipient will benefit from this knowledge.
The narration also warns against the practice of trying to make du’â (supplication) rhyme. This is because occupying oneself with putting together rhyming prayers conflicts with the state of being humble and imploring Allâh, which is how a person should be when supplicating. There is no contradiction between this disliked behavior and the fact that some of the Prophetic supplications and statements rhyme, because the Prophet never used to have to try and make them rhyme, but was effortlessly eloquent and at the same time fully humbled in front of Allâh.
Adapted from Ibn Hajr, Fath Al-Bârî.
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