In this moving lecture, Dr. Imam Sherif Ahmed explores the legacy of the companions and early scholars who devoted their lives to knowledge and worship.

He opened by framing the principle: “Knowledge is the leader, and action follows.” Without sound knowledge, actions lose their foundation. This was the methodology of the Prophet ﷺ in training his companions, such as Muʿādh ibn Jabal (ra), who embodied a life of elevation through both worship and knowledge.

Reflections on Muʿādh ibn Jabal (ra)

The lecture highlighted the final moments of Muʿādh ibn Jabal (ra), who passed away at the young age of 34 due to a plague. Despite the hardship and agony of his illness, he welcomed the Angel of Death with tranquility, saying: “Welcome, O Angel of Death. Come to me.”

• Muʿādh explained that he never loved this world for its material aspects, but only for three things:

  1. Standing in prayer throughout the night.

  2. Fasting during the day.

  3. Sitting with and learning from scholars — something he considered even more beloved than the first two acts.

• His life reflects how the pursuit of knowledge and companionship with scholars can become the most cherished aspect of a believer’s existence.

Value of Sitting with Scholars

Dr. Imam Sherif stressed that Muʿādh’s words teach us that the pursuit of knowledge requires sacrifice, humility, and persistence — “crowding” oneself among students, squeezing into gatherings, and never missing the opportunity to learn. Knowledge is not passively acquired; it is sought with effort and eagerness.

Imam Mālik’s Wisdom

The lecture also recounted an exchange between Imām Mālik (d. 179H) and his close student, ʿAbdah ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān (d. 197H). When the student tried to leave class to pray a sunnah prayer, Imām Mālik told him:

“What you were engaged in is not less in virtue than what you are going to.”
This illustrates that after fulfilling obligatory duties, the pursuit of knowledge is the highest act of devotion. Seeking knowledge, therefore, is not a distraction from worship but itself a form of worship.

Roadmap of Ibn al-Mubārak (d. 181H)

The lecture concluded with the roadmap to acquiring knowledge outlined by ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Mubārak, one of the great scholars of the early generations. He described six essential steps:

1. Intention – sincerity is the foundation.

2. Listening – giving full attention to teachers and sources.

3. Understanding – grasping meanings, not just words.

4. Memorizing – preserving knowledge for recall and continuity.

5. Acting upon it – practicing what is learned so it transforms character.

6. Teaching others – sharing knowledge ensures its preservation and multiplies its reward.

Core Lessons

• Knowledge leads action: it shapes and directs the way we worship and serve.

• Sitting with scholars is a form of worship greater than voluntary prayers and fasts.

• True students of knowledge must push themselves with humility and sacrifice to be close to their teachers.

• After obligatory worship, nothing is more beloved to Allah than the pursuit of knowledge.

• The roadmap of Ibn al-Mubārak shows that knowledge is not complete until it is lived and passed on.

Takeaway

This Night of ‘Ilm session reminds us that the pursuit of sacred knowledge is both a duty and a blessing. It is a shield that protects one’s faith, a guide for one’s actions, and a means of elevation in both this life and the Hereafter.