Manners to be observed by students
[From Iyha ulUloom Kitab ul Ilm]

Manners to be observed by students are:

1. Know that knowledge is not attained except through humility and harkening. Allah said,

"Verily in this is a Message for any that has a heart and understanding or who gives ear and earnestly witnesses (the truth)." (Qaf: 37)

for any that has a heart is meant the person who is prepared and capable of understanding knowledge and would attentively, humbly, thankfully, gladly, and gratefully receive whatever is told.

The student should be to his teacher like the soft soil, which has received heavy rains and completely absorbed them. Whatever the teacher should recommend to the student the latter should follow putting aside his opinion.

2. The student should keep himself free from impure habit and evil matters. Acquiring knowledge is the worship of mind. It purifies secret faults and takes to Allah. Prayer is observed by outward organs and as outward purity is not gained except by outward organs, so worship by mind, the fountain head of acquisition of knowledge, cannot be attained without the removal of bad habits and evil attributes.

3. The student should curtail his worldly affairs and keep aloof from kith and kin [??] as acquisition of knowledge is not possible in these environments. A sage said, "Allah has not gifted two minds to a man." Another sage said, "Knowledge will not give you its full share till you surrender your entire mind to it."

4. It is the duty of student that he should avoid indulging in the differences among scholars as it will perplex his mind and he may lose enthusiasm. He should adopt first what the teacher says and should not argue about the different Mazhabs or sects.

5. A student should master one area of knowledge and acquire what is needed from other areas.

6. He should not simultaneously address himself to every branch of knowledge but should observer some kind of order beginning with the most important and then acquiring the other areas.

7. He should not address himself to any other area unless he has already mastered what precedes it.

8. A student should know that the science of the knowledge of Allah, of His angels, of His books and of His prophets is the noblest and also the branches of knowledge, which help it. He should endeavour his best to acquire this knowledge.

Student's purpose should be nothing else but to purify mind and action with virtues, to gain proximity to Allah and His angles and to live in the company of those who live near Him.

urdu: http://naqsheawliya.100free.com

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2005-07-30

 

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