I just cannot give it up.

I just cannot give it up.’ The Imam (‘a) looked at him shocked, ‘You mean to say you believe in all this and act accordingly?’ ‘Yes, Ya ibn e Rasool Allah.’ ‘I hereby command you to go home and burn all those books at once.’ The Imam’s (‘a) disgust for his act had a strange effect on him. He immediately felt stronger, went home and torched all the books. After doing that, he sat down, relieved and released. The Greater Duty An Ansar of Medina came to the Holy Prophet (s) looking perturbed.

He voiced his bewilderment thus: ‘Ya Rasool Allah (s) , if there is a funeral ready for burial and a lecture is being delivered on teaching a useful skill simultaneously, and I can attend only one, which of the two has a greater right on my attendance?’ ‘If there are people to bury the dead, you must attend the lecture that increases your knowledge, because the reward of one such lecture is better than attending 1000 funerals, visiting 1000 patients, 1000 nights of prayer, 1000 days of fasting, 1000 dirhams given in charity, 1000 non-obligatory Hajj, and 1000 non-obligatory jihad.

There is a world of difference between all the above and one session spent in a scholar’s company. Do you not know that only knowledge leads you to worship God, and only knowledge teaches you how to worship God? The good of this world and the next is aligned with knowledge, just as the evil in this world and the next is aligned with ignorance.’ Only Allah Knows Usman ibn e Maz’oon was an immigrant, Muhajir, from Mecca. He was living in the house of a Medinite, Ansar .

He was treated hospitably as a member of the family, as that was the basic principle of the fraternal relations created by the Holy Prophet (s) on immigration. He fell ill. Umme ‘Ala Ansari, the woman of the house, was a pious Muslim. She nursed Usman with care, but his condition worsened and he died. When the funeral was ready, the Holy Prophet (s) arrived and Umme ‘Ala pointed towards Usman’s funeral and said, ‘O Usman, may Allah’s blessings descend upon you.

I testify that Allah has granted you entrance into the realm of His blessings.’ When the Holy Prophet (s) heard the statement, he asked her, ‘How did you know that he had entered the realm of Allah’s blessings?’ ‘I just said it. Obviously, I don’t know.’ ‘Usman ibn e Maz’oon has entered that realm where all veils are lifted from ones eyes.