For some weeks, I’ve been working with a classical book of tafsīr. I’ve been reading and re-reading and then repeating the process over and over again in order to understand and hopefully internalise the scholar’s words.
It wasn’t until I reached a segment where he had listed some aḥādīth of Rasūl Allāh ﷺ that I found my self subconsciously evaluating myself. I found myself thinking, reflecting and then resolving.
I found myself reviewing my thoughts (poisonous thoughts that often seep through undetected), my actions and current state.
It then struck me how it was one, only one, ḥadīth that had this effect on me, while weeks of reading, studying and analysing the words of a servant of knowledge, a scholar, had a mere fraction of that effect.
This reiterated to me the timeless guidance that people of knowledge impart, which is: Knowledge is in the Qurʾān and in the Ḥadīth of Rasūl Allāh ﷺ.
Students of knowledge repeatedly err when they chase books and lectures—words of men, hoping to gain some of what they desperately covet, all the while neglecting the reading and contemplation of the Book of Allāh AND the narrations of His Messenger ﷺ, which contain knowledge in its purest form, but beyond knowledge they contain blessings and guidance for those who approach with a sincere heart.
This is not to devalue the precious words of our scholars, neither is to deter you from reading other books of knowledge and listening to beneficial lessons, but it is to remind—myself and you, that if it is knowledge, rewards, blessings, and ultimately ranks with Allāh that we seek, then our priority needs to lie with the Qurʾān and the Prophetic tradition.
Our efforts in reading and revising the Qurʾān and Aḥādīth need to a multiple of the efforts that we put elsewhere.
May Allāh rectify our course.
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One way to implement the above is to keep a wird (portion) of the Qurʾān that you read daily and another wird dedicated to ḥadīth. If maintaining a daily wird of ḥadīth is difficult, then perhaps consider a weekly one. Do it solitarily, but also do it with family, and friends.
If you want a good place to start then pick Riyāḍ aṣ-Ṣāliḥīn. Read and re-read and then repeat the process.
If you’re a student of knowledge, then consider a long-term approach that my teacher recommended:
Start with ʿUmdat al-Aḥkām, once completed move on to Bulūgh al-Marām and then the Ṣaḥīḥayn.
Note: Your focus should be to read and contemplate the aḥādīth, don’t worry about the explanation here.
رزقنا الله التوفيق والسداد، وحب السنة والكتاب
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