When Ramadaan came to a close, the rightly guided predecessors (As-Salaf As-Saalih) used to frequently seek forgiveness, repent to Allaah – The Mighty and Majestic – and fear that their (deeds) would not be accepted. They used to exert themselves (in worship) in Ramadaan and outside of Ramadaan, afterwards they would be fearful that none of this will be accepted.

2. How the Salaf behaved when Ramadaan was approaching and when it left

They used to seek the forgiveness of Allaah and repent. So much so that it was reported that they would supplicate to Allaah for six months that He would allow them to reach Ramadaan. If He allowed them to reach Ramadaan, they would fast, pray at night and supplicate for the next six months that He accepts the month of Ramadaan from them.

3. Signs that Ramadaan has been accepted

Following good deeds with good is a sign that (an act) has been accepted, whether it is pertaining to Ramadaan or other than it. If the Muslim is in a good state after Ramadaan, performing many good deeds and righteous actions, then this is a proof of acceptance.

4. Signs that Ramadaan hasn’t been accepted

If the opposite is true, and he follows good with evil, and as soon as Ramadaan is over he follows on from this with sins, heedlessness and turning away from the obedience of Allaah, then this is a proof that it hasn’t been accepted.

Every person knows their true situation after Ramadaan. So let them look, if they are in a better state, then let them thank Allaah, as this shows (that it has been) accepted.
If their state is worse, then let them repent to Allaah and seek the forgiveness of Allaah, as this is a proof that it hasn’t been accepted and it is a proof of negligence and carelessness.

5. Do not despair of the Mercy of Allaah

But the slave should not lose hope of the mercy of Allaah. He should not close the door that is between him and Allaah and despair of the mercy of Allaah.

“Say: O my slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins). Do not despair of the Mercy of Allaah: verily Allaah forgives all sins. He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Az-Zumar: 53)

It is upon him to repent, seek the forgiveness of Allaah and return to Allaah – The Mighty and Majestic.
Allaah – The Mighty and Majestic – accepts repentance from those that repent.

“And He it is Who accepts repentance from His slaves, and forgives sins, and He knows what you do.” (Ash-Shura:25)

And the peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad.

By the Shaykh, ‘Allaamah Saalih Al-Fawzaan
Ithaaf Ahlil Eemaan bi Duroos Shahr Ar-Ramadaan pg. 119-120

Translated by Hassan As-Somali

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Unfortunately, many Muslims come in to this month and they are as a companion of the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Let it not be that the day that you fast and the day that you break fast be equal.” Meaning, one’s behaviour, attitude and outlook are the same whether one fasts or not, i.e. fasting has no effect upon that person. This is why we need to reflect on some of these lessons.

LESSON 1: Gaining Taqwaa

Allaah legislated fasting for gaining taqwaa, “O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed upon you as it has been prescribed upon those before you, so that you may attain taqwaa.” (meaning of SoraatulBaqarah (2):183) Taqwaa in this case means to make a shield between oneself and Allaah’s anger and Hellfire. So we should ask ourselves, when we break our fasts, ‘Has this fasting day made us fear Allaah more? Has it resulted that we want to protect ourselves from the hellfire or not?

LESSON 2: Drawing closer to Allaah

This is achieved by reciting and reflecting on Al-Qur’aan during night and day, attending the taraaweeh prayers, remembering Allaah, sitting in circles of knowledge and, for those who can, making `umrah. Also for those who can, making I`tikaaf (seclusion) in the last ten nights of Ramadaan, so as to leave all worldly pursuits and seclude oneself in a masjid just thinking of Allaah, so as to bring oneself closer to Allaah (SWT). When one sins, one feels distant from Allaah. That is why one might find it heard to read the Qur’aan and come to the masjid. However, the obedient worshipper feels closer to Allaah and wants to worship Allaah more, because he is not shy from his sins.

LESSON 3: Acquiring patience and strong will

Allaah has mentioned patience more than seventy times in the Qur’aan and has commanded patience in more than sixteen ways in His Book. So when one fasts, and gives up one’s food and drink, and one’s marital sexual relations for those hours, one learns restraint and patience. This Ummah needs man and women that are strong willed, who can stand upon the Sunnah and the Book of Allah and not waver. We do not need emotional people, who just raise slogans and shout, but when the time comes to stand upon something firm, they cannot do so, they waver.

LESSON 4: Striving for Ihsaan (righteousness and sincerity) and staying away from riyaa’ (showing off)

Ihsaan means to worship Allaah as if one seeks Him, and even though one does not see Him, He sees all. Hasan al-Basree said, “By Allaah, in the last twenty years, I have not said a word or taken something with my hand or refrained to take something with my hand or stepped forth or stepped back, except that I have thought before I have done any action, ‘Does Allaah love this action? Is Allaah pleased with this action?’ So when one is fasting, one should gain this quality of watching oneself and also staying away from riyaa’ (showing off). That is why Allah said in a hadeeth qudsee, “Fasting is for Me and I reward it.” (al-Bukhaaree) Allaah singles out fasting from all other types of worship saying, “Fasting is for Me”, because no one knows whether you are fasting or not, except Allaah. For example, when one is praying or giving charity or making tawaaaf, one can be seen by the people, so one might do the action seeking the praise of the people. Sufyaan ath-Thawree used to spend the nights and the days crying and the people used to ask him, “Why do you cry, is it due to the fear of Allaah? He said, ‘No.’ They said, “Is it due to the fear of the Hellfire?” He said, ‘No. It is not the fear of Hellfire that makes me cry, what makes me cry is that I have been worshipping Allaah all these years and doing scholarly teaching, and I am not certain that my intentions are purely for Allaah.’”

LESSON 5: Refinement of manners, especially those related totruthfulness and discharging trusts.

The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “Whoever does not abandon falsehood in word and action, then Allaah (SWT) has no need that he should heave his food and drink.” (al-Bukhaaree) What we learn from this, is that we must pay attention to the purification of our manners. The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “was sent to perfect good manners.” (Maalik) So we must check ourselves, are we following the behaviour of the Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him)? For example: Do we give salaam to those we don’t know and those we do know? Do we follow the manners of Islaam, by telling the truth and only telling the truth? Are we sincere? Are we merciful to the creation?

LESSON 6: Recognizing that one can change for the better

The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “Every son of Adam sins and the best of the sinners are those whorepent.” (Ibn Maajah) Allaah provides many opportunities to repent to Him and seek His forgiveness. If one was disobedient they can become obedient.

LESSON 7: Being more charitable

Ibn `Abaas said, “The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) was the most charitable amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadaan when Jibreel used to meet him on every night of Ramadaan till the end of the month…” (al-Bukhaaree) The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “He who gives food for a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, without nothing being reduced from the fasting person’s reward.” (at-Tirmidhee)

LESSON 8: Sensing the unity of the Muslims

The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “…Those of you who will live after me will see many differences. Then you must cling to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided khaleefahs. Hold fast to it and stick to it.” (Aboo Daawood) In this month we sense that there is a possibility for unity, because we all fast together, we break fast together, we all worship Allah together, and we pray Salaatul-`Eid together. Therefore we sense that the unity of Muslims is possible. It is possible for Muslims to be a single body, but this will only be achieved when obedience is only to Allaah and His Messenger.

LESSON 9: Learning discipline

The Prophet (ma Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) made us adhere to discipline and strictness, strictness that does not lead to fanaticism or going outside the bounds that Allaah has laid down. One cannot knowingly break the fast before the sunset, as this will not be accepted by Allaah. Muslims should learn to be very strict in their lives, because they are people of an important message, which they mold their lives around.

LESSON 10: Teaching the young to worship Allaah

It was the practice of the people of Madeenah, that during the fast of `Aashooraa (which is now a recommended fast of one day) to get their children to fast with them. When the children would cry of hunger and thirst, their parents would distract their attention by giving them some sort of toy to play with. The children would break their fast with their parents. (as mentioned in al-Bukhaaree).

So the young should be brought to the masjid and they should pray with their parents, so that they are able to get into the habit of becoming worshippers of Allaah. If one does not encourage children to fast when they are young, they will find it very difficult to fast for thirty days at the age of puberty. This is why the Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “Command your children to pray at the age of seven and beat them at the age of ten (if they do not pray.” (Haakim)

LESSON 11: Caring for one’s health

Fasting has many medical benefits and it teaches Muslims to take care of their health and too build strong bodies. The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “A strong believer is better and is more beloved to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone.” (Muslim)

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Abû Hurayrah said,
‘the Messenger of Allâh (sallAllâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) prohibited continuous fasting whereupon one of the Muslims asked him, “but you do it O Messenger of Allâh!” He replied, “who amongst you is like me? I spend the night with my Lord, He giving me food and drink.” But when the people persisted in fasting continuously, he fasted continuously with them for a day, followed by another until they saw the new moon upon which he said, “if the moon had delayed in appearing I would have made you fast more.” This was a punishment for them because they refused to stop continuously fasting.’
[Bukhârî and Muslim]

Continuous fasting was prohibited because it weakens the person and emaciates his body by reason of something other than worship. As for the Messenger of Allâh (sallAllâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) then if it is literally true that his food and drink was with his Lord, he cannot be said to have fasted continuously; but if ‘food and drink’ is a phrase used to denote the strength of his closeness and communion ( uns) with his Lord and the joy he felt at this closeness, then this takes the place of food and drink in revitalizing his strength, indeed this uns is better than food and drink in this respect,

Indeed I fasted from worldly pleasures my entire life
And the Day that I meet you will be its breaking

For surely I find the delight of fasting for You within my soul
And not in the satisfaction of eating or drinking

2. Kissing

‘آ’ishah (radiyAllâhu ‘anhâ) said,
‘The Messenger of Allâh (sallAllâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would kiss and embrace while fasting but he was more able than you in restraining his desires.’
[Bukhârî and Muslim]

Therefore whoever is old, able to control his desires and hence not ruin his fast, there is no harm in his kissing. If one is young and not sure that he can control his desires, it is disliked for him to kiss due to his subjecting his action of worship to the danger of something that could break it.

3. Cupping

It is authentically reported that the Messenger of Allâh (sallAllâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was cupped while fasting. [Bukhârî] Anas was asked,

‘did you consider cupping to be disliked for the one fasting?’ He replied, ‘no, [we only considered it disliked] if it caused weakness.’
[Bukhârî]

Hence whoever is physically weakened by cupping, it is disliked for him to do so, because in his weakened state he is more likely to break fast or find the action of fasting extremely difficult for him and hence become averse to it.

4. Applying Kohl.

Anas would apply Kohl while fasting.
[Abû Dâwûd and ibn Hajr said the isnâd had no fault.]
al-A’mash said,

‘I never saw any of our companions disliking the application of Kohl for the one fasting.’ Ibrâhîm [an-Nakha'î] would allow the one fasting to apply aloes to his eyes.
[Abû Dâwûd]

Having said this, it is safer not to apply it so as to steer clear of the difference that the scholars have concerning this issue.

5. Snuffing the nose during ablution

The Messenger of Allâh (sallAllâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to Laqît bin Sabrah,

“perform the ablution well, wipe between the fingers and exert yourself in snuffing the nose, unless you are fasting.”
[Abû Dâwûd]

So he prohibited from exertion when snuffing the nose while fasting, the reason for this is that through exertion one puts his fast to risk [because the water could reach the back of the throat].

Allâh knows best.

[Actions which nullify the fast are eating and drinking deliberately; making oneself vomit; menstruation and post-natal bleeding and sexual intercourse.]

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And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever spend the nights of Ramadaan in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” Agreed upon. I do not know of any specific way of welcoming Ramadaan, but the Muslim should welcome it with joy and happiness and thanking Allaah for enabling him to reach Ramadaan, for He has caused him to be among the living who compete in doing righteous deeds.

Reaching Ramadaan is a great blessing from Allaah. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to give his companions the glad tidings of the arrival of Ramadaan and explain its virtues, and the great reward that Allaah has prepared for those who fast and who spend the night in prayer. It is prescribed for the Muslim to welcome this blessed month with sincere repentance and preparations to fast and pray qiyaam, with a sound intention and sincere resolve. End quote.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)

Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah (15/9).

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May Allâh curse those women who tattoo or seek to be tattooed, those women who remove facial hair or seek it to be removed and those women who put gaps between their teeth for beautification; those who seek to change Allâh’s creation.

This reached a woman from Banî Asad who was called Umm Ya’qûb and who used to read the Qur`ân. She came to [Ibn Mas’ûd] and said, “What is this I hear from you, that you curse women who tattoo or seek to get tattooed, and those who remove facial hair and those who put gaps between their teeth for beauty, those who change Allâh’s creation?” ‘Abdullâh [Ibn Mas’ûd] replied, “And why should I not curse those whom Allâh’s Messenger has cursed and those who are mentioned in Allâh’s Book?” She said, “I have read [the Qur`ân] from cover to cover and I have not seen it mentioned.” He replied, “If you had really read it [carefully] you would have found it; Allâh the Mighty and Sublime said:

And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, shun it. [Al-Hashr (59):7]

The woman then said, “Well I have just seen some of this on your own wife.” He said, “Go and see her.” So she went to the wife of ‘Abdullâh but didn’t see anything. She returned to him and said, “I don’t see anything.” He said, “Well, if any of those practices had been done I would not be with her any more.”
Al-Bukhârî and Muslim. This translation is from the version in Muslim.

Points to note

The teachings of Allâh’s Messenger have the same legal weight as teachings in the Qur`ân because the Qur`ân commands us to take everything the Messenger teaches us, even if it is not specifically mentioned in the Qur`ân. This refutes the claim of heretics who say we only need to follow the Qur`ân
It can even be said that a ruling given by Allâh’s Messenger is in the Qur`ân based on the verse quoted

Tattooing, removal of facial hair – including the plucking of eyebrows – and making gaps between the teeth for beautification are strictly forbidden in Islâm and are regarded as major sins. In another narration, hair extensions have also been mentioned

Exceptions have been made by scholars in cases where a woman suffers a condition that causes her to grow a full beard, or where filing of teeth and widening spaces are needed for medical reasons

Being cursed (al-la’nah) means to be removed from Allâh’s mercy; this goes to prove that these practices are major sins

People should ask Allâh to curse those whom Allâh’s Messenger has asked to be cursed

Women can ask male scholars about matters of religion and can converse with them for the purpose of understanding knowledge and legal rulings
Wives who remain disobedient to Allâh should be divorced

A person who helps another to sin is regarded as a participant in that sin

These points have been summarized from Ibn Hajr, Fath Al-Bârî and Al-Nawawî, Sharh Sahîh Muslim.

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This a true story that happened with a caller to Islam from Egypt called Amr Khalid, he said three days ago I received an e mail from a young lady from Australia, and the e mail reads as follows: and I quote:

I am a young Lebanese lady that has a Muslim father and a Christian mother, for the first ten years of my life I lived in Lebanon then we migrated to Australia which brought an end to my relationship to my connection with the Middle East.

I am currently 22 years of age and after migrating to Australia, my association with my religion also ended completely. The only thing I know is that I am a muslimah, thats it.

I dont know what the Quran looks like, I dont know how to pray and the religion plays no significance in my life. My mother and father separated each one re-marrying another person. I entered university, my mother and father left Australia living me behind alone with no family, no brothers and sisters, I know nothing about my ancestry in Lebanon, I lived alone and I had to work to spend on myself, I attended university in the morning and worked at the bar in the evening, I have a boyfriend and have not left out any haram except having done it without any shame.

I am fully westernised, I know a little bit of Arabic and because I am extremely beautiful, I joined the beauty competition in New Zealand and won in this competition, I am planning to join a beer competition in New Zealand and I am currently modelling for magazines.

During this time I used to visit a Lebanese family residing in Australia and I saw a Ramadan episode on television talking about modesty, the episode had its web addressed displayed. I went through a nervous breakdown; it was as though this episode was addressing me directly. I am sending you this e mail to ask, is it possible for Allah to accept me, in other words forgive me?

And this is where Sarahs e mail ends. Subhanallah!

No matter how long a persons imaan is, the soul of a person longs for its creator just as the stomach hungers for food so too does the soul long for Allah, this caller to Islam wrote back advising her about the conditions of repentance and that Allah will of course forgive her if she repents.

Two days later she contacts Amr Khalid and she says:

I have repented to Allah and I have left my boyfriend and promised never to see him again, after another two days she contacts him and she says: I want to learn how to pray, then another two days passed and she says: I would like some Quranic audio tapes, so he sends her some tapes via DHL Korea.

A week goes by and he doesnt hear from her until she contacts him and informs him that she has retracted her beauty title of that particular city, then came the surprise, she contacted him saying,

I have put on the hijab, however the story doesnt end here, two days after putting on the hijab she experiences a sharp pain so she goes to the doctor who diagnosis her with brain cancer and that her days are limited, she enters the hospital to be operated on, the success rate of this operation as informed by the doctors in Australia is 20 percent, this is what the doctor said. As for Sarah, listen to what she had to say, she said:

I am pleased to meet Allah, I am happy that I repented prior to finding out about my illness, I dont know whether my mother and father will know about my situation, If I live, I will support your website, for this website is my window to Islam.

To Allah we belong, and to him is our return.

May Allah have mercy on Sarah who died at the age of 22.

They buried her with the Muslims in New Zealand, prior to her death, she sent a short letter to Amr Khalid saying:

I lived far away from my lord for 22 years but I repented and turned back to Allah 3 weeks ago, I dont know many Muslims besides you and this internet forum, I urge you to make dua for me that Allah has mercy on me and to forgive me, make dua to Allah to guide my mother for she does not know anything about me.

- Signed Sara.

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Yes, it is mustahabb for the Muslim to read Qur’aan a great deal during Ramadaan and to strive to complete it, but that is not obligatory, i.e., if he does not complete the Qur’aan he is not sinning, but he has missed out on a great deal of reward.

The evidence for that is the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (4614) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: Jibreel used to review the Qur’aan with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) once every year, and he reviewed it with him twice in the year in which he passed away.

Ibn al-Atheer said in al-Jaami’ fi Ghareeb al-Hadeeth (4/64):
i.e., he used to study with him all that had been revealed of the Qur’aan. End quote.

It was the practice of the salaf (may Allaah be pleased with them) to strive to complete the Qur’aan in Ramadaan, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

It was narrated that Ibraaheem al-Nakha’i said: al-Aswad used to complete the Qur’aan in Ramadaan every two nights. Al-Siyar (4/51).

Qataadah used to complete the Qur’aan in seven days, and when Ramadaan came, he would complete it every three days. When the last ten days came, he would complete it every night. Al-Siyar (5/276).

It was narrated from Mujaahid that he used to complete the Qur’aan every night in Ramadaan. Al-Tibyaan by al-Nawawi (p. 74). He said: Its isnaad is saheeh.

It was narrated that Mujaahid said: ‘Ali al-Azdi used to complete the Qur’aan every night in Ramadaan. Tahdheeb al-Kamaal (2/983).

Al-Rabee’ ibn Sulaymaan said: al-Shaafa’i used to complete the Qur’aan sixty times in Ramadaan. Al-Siyar (10/36).

Al-Qaasim ibn al-Haafiz ibn ‘Asaakir said: My father used to pray in congregation and read Qur’aan regularly. He would complete it every week, and every day in Ramadaan. Al-Siyar (20/562).

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, commenting on how often the Qur’aan should be completed:

The best view is that that varies from one person to another. The one who is seeking to understand it and ponder its meaning should limit himself to as much as he can understand fully when he reads, and the one who is busy spreading knowledge or other religious works, or working for the public interests of the Muslims, should limit himself to what will not cause him to neglect his work.

If he is not among the categories mentioned here, then he should do as much as he can without reaching the point of boredom. End quote.

Al-Tibyaan (p. 76)

However it is mustahabb [recommended] to read Qur’aan and complete it in Ramadaan, and that remains mustahabb but it is not one of the obligatory duties and the Muslim is not sinning if he does not do it.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it obligatory for the fasting person to complete the Qur’aan in Ramadaan?

He replied:

Completing the Qur’aan in Ramadaan is not obligatory for the fasting person, but he should read the Qur’aan a great deal in Ramadaan, as that is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to review it with Jibreel every Ramadaan. End quote.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (20/516)

See also questions no. 66063 and 26327

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Imam ibn al Jawzi narrated with his Isnad to Ahmad bin alMu?addil al Basri who said:

I was sitting in a gathering when a person came and said:

I was heading to the woods where I own a garden. When I got far from the community houses I was approached by a thief.

He said: Give me your clothes.

I said (trying to be defiant): Why should I give you my clothes?

He said: I am more deserving of your clothes than you.

I said: Why?

He said: Because I am your brother. You are clothed and I am not.

I said: Allow me to give you some money.

He said: No. I want to wear your clothes, just as you have worn them.

I said: So you want to make me naked and expose my Awrah?!

He said: There is nothing wrong with this (being naked if alone). Imam Malik narrated that it was OK for a man to perform Ghusul naked.

I said: But people will see me naked.

He said: Had there been people on this road I would not have approached you on it.

I said: You seem to be intelligent. Let me go to my garden and I will take off my clothes and give them to you.

He said: No. You want to have your servants grab me and take me to the Sultan who will imprison me, rip my skin, and put chains around my anckles.

I said: No, I swear to you that I will fulfill my promise, and will do you no harm.

He said: No. Imam Malik narrated that oaths given to thieves do not have to be fulfilled.

I said: I swear that I will not use my swearing to con you.

He said: Same thing, this is a compounded oath given to a thief.

I said: Let us stop debating, allow me to go to my gareden and I promise to give you these clothes out of my good will with no hard feelings.

So the thief thought for a moment and said: Do you know what I am thinking?

I said: No.

He said: I went over the cases of thieves since the time of the Prophet SAW until today. I do not recall a thief who stole something this way (by leaving a time gap between his attack and receiving stolen goods). I hate to innovate something into Islam which was not from it. I will bare the sin of it and every one who goes by it to the day of judgment? Give me your clothes now!

[The Arabic text can be found here]

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The Preoccupation of Some Scholars With The Worldly Life and Their Amazament At Their Own Knowledge

Ibn al-Jawzi said:
“I saw most of the scholars preoccuppied with the outer appearance of knowledge, rather than the understanding of its reality. For example:

a) The recitor of the Qur’an is busy with the different modes of recitation, eager to learn the strange and rare ones. They do this thinking that the purpose of the Qur’an is to simply recite it, forgetting about the Greatness of the One whose Speech it is, and the warnings and threats contained in it. Sometimes, they might even think that mere memorization of the Qur’an will protect them from these warnings, so, you see such people being lax in regards to certain sins! If they truly understood, they would know that the proof against him is greater than it is against the one who has not recited as much as him!

b) The scholar of Hadith gathers the narrations and memorizes the chains without reflecting on the intended message of the narration, and he assumes that he has therefore preserved the Sunnah for the people, so he becomes lax in making mistakes, assuming that his supposed service of the Shari’ah will protect him.

c) The scholar of Fiqh thinks that with what he knows of the arguements that strengthen his position, or the issues that he knows of a particular school of thought, that he has acquired that which will raise his status and erase his sins. So, he might be bold in falling into sin, thinking that he will be protected from punishment. He might even put aside memorization of the Qur’an and knowledge of Hadith, while these forbid him from these sins with admonishment and softness. In addition to this, he acquires love and desire for leadership and being seen in arguement, which increases his heart in hardness.

…and most people are like this, thinking that knowledge is like a production factory! These people do not understand the meaning of knowledge. Knowledge is not simply the outer appearance and speech. Rather, what is desired by it is to understand the intended meanings contained therein. This is what implants submissiveness and fear!”

['Sayd al-Khatir'; p. 384]

Source

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