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Taqwa, Knowledge and Beauty
It is reported that Abû Al-Dardâ – Allâh be pleased with him – said:
You will never be pious (a person of taqwâ) until you become knowledgeable, and you will never be beautiful with your knowledge until you act [by it].
Ibn Ábd Al-Barr, Jâmi’ Bayân Al-’Ilm wa Fadlihî article 1239.
How the Salaf studied the Quran
Abdullâh b. Mas’ûd – Allâh be pleased with him – said:
When a man amongst us learned ten verses [of the Quran], he would not move on [to the next verses] until he had understood their meanings and how to act by them.
Al-Tabarî, Al-Tafsîr 1:80. Shaykh Ahmad Shâkir graded its chain of transmission sahîh.
Abû ‘Abd Al-Rahmân Al-Sulamî said:
Those who used to teach us the Quran (the Companions) told us that they used to learn the Quran from the Prophet – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him; when they had learnt ten verses they would not move on until they put into practice what was in them. So we learnt knowledge and deeds (implementation) together.
Ibid. Shaykh Ahmad Shâkir graded its chain of transmission sahîh also.
Don’t be the Fifth
It is reported that Abû Al-Dardâ` – Allâh be pleased with him – said:
Be a scholar or a learner, or a person who loves [the scholars] or a follower [of the scholars], but do not be the fifth.
Humayd (one of the reporters) asked Al-Hasan (Al-Basri, who reported this from Abû Al-Dardâ`), “And who is the fifth?” He replied, “A heretic (mubtadi’, religious innovator}.”
Ibn ‘Abd Al-Barr, Jâmi’ Bayân Al-‘Ilm 1:142.
The Integrity of a Man and his Prayer
It is reported that Abû Al-‘Âliyah – Allâh have mercy on him – said:
I would travel for days to a man to hear [knowledge/hadîth ] from him, and the first thing I would check about him is his prayer: if he performed it properly I would stay and hear [knowledge] from him, but if he neglected it, I would return without hearing from him, and I would say, ‘He will be even more neglectful of other matters.’
Al-Khatîb Al-Baghdâdî, Al-Rihlah fî Talab Al-Hadîth article 22; Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` 4:209.