To stress the importance of acquiring knowledge...
To stress the importance of acquiring knowledge, the Qur’an says: يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ “… God will raise up to (suitable) ranks (and degrees), those of you who believe and who have been granted (mystic) knowledge …”[The Holy Qur’an, al-Mujadila 58:11] Now that we have briefly expressed the value of knowledge, we will attend to the worth of the teacher.
The Importance of the Rank of a Teacher God’s Prophet said: زَيارَةُ العُلَماءِ أَحَبُّ إلى اللهِ تَعالَى مِن سَبعِينَ طَوافاً حَولَ البَيتِ وَأَفضَلُ مِن سَبْعينَ حِجَّةً وَعُمْرَةً مَبرورَةً مَقْبولَةً وَرَفَعَ اللهُ تَعالى لَهُ سَبعِينَ دَرَجَةً وَأَنزَلَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ الرَّحْمَةَ وَشَهِدَتْ لهُ المَلائِكَةُ أنَّ الجَنَّةَ وَجَبَتْ لهُ.
“Visiting the knowledgeable people is more loved by God than seventy circumambulations of His Holy House, and more excellent than performing seventy Hajj and ‘Umrah (obligatory or recommended) pilgrimages that are approved and accepted.
God will raise the status of the one who visits knowledgeable people seventy degrees, and send down mercy upon him and the angels will bear witness that Heaven is guaranteed for him.” [^2] The Noble Prophet encouraged the people to attend the meetings held by the knowledgeable people: يَا أبَا ذَرٍّ! الجُلوسُ سَاعَةً عِندَ مُذاكَرَةِ العِلمِ أحَبُّ إلى اللهِ مِن قِيامِ ألْفِ لَيلَةٍ يُصَلّى في كُلِّ لَيلَةٍ ألفَ رَكْعَةٍ.
و الجُلوسُ سَاعَةً عِندَ مُذاكَرَةِ العِلمِ أحَبُّ إلى اللهِ مِن ألْفِ غَزْوَةٍ وَقِراءَةِ القُرآنِ كُلِّهِ. “O Abu-Dharr! Attending a scholarly discussion for an hour is more loved by God the Almighty than a thousand nights of standing in prayer, performing a thousand units of prayer each night.
Attending a scholarly discussion for an hour is more loved by God than attending a thousand battles and reciting the whole Qur’an.” [^3] The Prophet said: ما مِنْ مُؤمِنٍ يَقْعُدُ ساعَةً عِندَ العَالِمِ إلاّ نَاداهُ رَبُّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: جَلَسْتَ إلى حَبيبي، وَعِزَّتِي وَجَلالي لأُسْكِنَنَّكَ الجَنَّةَ مَعَهُ وَلا أُبالي. “No believer sits with a scholar for an hour but that his Lord, the Exalted, the High, calls out to him: You sat with My beloved.
I swear by My Majesty and Honor that I will make Heaven your abode. There are no obstacles for this.” ^4 We can see that the Prophet has stated that one who is busy teaching is loved by God and is considered God’s friend. Both him and the students attending his lectures are given a promise to enter Heaven.
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