RESPECT FOR SCHOLARS

Hadhrat Abu 'Umaamah (Radiyallahu anhu) reported that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) said that there are three categories of people who enjoy the respect of everyone except the hypocrites:

1. An old Muslim,

2. A person endowed with knowledge (I'lm), i.e. a scholar in Islam and

3. A just head of state. (Tabrani)

According to a Hadith of Tirmizi, it is said that the 'Ulama are the heirs of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam). What legacy did the latter bequeath? Are they mountains of gold or large sums of money? Of course not. The fortune of our Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) consisted only of true knowledge, which is obviously worth much more than anything in this world. Certainly, this knowledge can bring happiness both in this world and in the Aakhirah.

Like Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam), the Ulama propagated the knowledge of Deen too. Lack of respect for these Ulama is therefore an insult to Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) himself. This hostile attitude towards the people who follow Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) in the work he has done can only emanate from individuals who are guilty of hypocrisy at the level of conception (Nifaaq I'tiqaadi) if not at the level of practice (Nifaaq 'Amali).

Every Muslim, rich or poor, learned or ignorant, deserves respect. His life, honour, and property, among others, are sacred. So how much more important, even indispensable, is it to respect an Aa'lim, who has made so many sacrifices to acquire the knowledge of Deen, who, after all, is the heir of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) as mentioned in the Hadith above!

Nowadays, there are more and more people who are relentless against the Ulama. When a person knows a little English, French, Urdu or Arabic and has read a few books on Islam, he thinks himself to be learned. Some people even deign to venture into the interpretation of the aayaat of the Qur'an-e-Karim and the Ahaadith when they are not authorized to do so.

Today we really don't respect the Ulama anymore because we don't know their value. We live in a time of moral decadence against which Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) himself, asked for protection:

"O Allah, do not make me live in an era when the Ulama will not be obeyed, when there will be no more hayaa (shame or modesty) and when praise (verbal) will be for the Arabs while the heart will be inclined to the non-Arabs."

Imaam Ibn Asaakir (Rahimahullah) says that the flesh of the scholars is "venomous".

Whoever insults the scholars, Allah Ta'ala will kill his heart even before he is dead.

Many of us Muslims are so quick to copy other cultures. Let's look around us. Have we ever seen a kaafir or a mushrik disrespect his religious leader?

No doubt those who are sincere to Allah and His Rasul (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) will know which path to choose.

May Allah Ta'ala give us the Taufeeq to respect and have esteem for the Ulama. May He keep us from insulting and criticizing them. (Aameen)

[English version of "Le respect des savants" – Al Haadi – Vol. 1 No. 5]