Scholars

Was scrolling up and down my news feed on Facebook today and came across a status update that bothered me. I was going to comment on the status, but I knew that it would probably lead to a debate and end with a bad feeling overall.

The quote said:

Ibn Mas’ud –(radiyallaahu ‘anhu) – would advise his students, “If your intention is one of these three, do not seek knowledge: To shame the ignorant, or to argue with the Fuqahaa’ (scholars), or to cause people to turn their faces in your direction. Intend with your actions and words that which is with Allaah, for indeed that which is with Allaah shall remain and everything else shall perish.”

If I had commented on the status I would have simply and politely pointed out that the advice given by Mr Ibn Mas'ud was very poor, and wasn't very encouraging of a healthy, dynamic and versatile learning platform for students. How someone can post a quote like this as though it is some great piece of wisdom is beyond me, that too in this day and age.

Clearly the speaker believes that children should be seen and not heard, and that they should refrain from questioning their teachers and challenging them to reconsider their views. It asks people to not criticize ignorance, which basically means anybody can propagate false or harmful information and/or ideas and just get away without being condemned for it. This is PRECISELY why humankind fails to make progress, because people latch onto old, obsolete ways of thinking only because they were left behind by some epic scholar who cannot be disrespected.

I'm NOT against being respectful, or acknowledging those who have studied and gained expertise in a particular field. But every person must be prepared to face and ask questions, then only can they take their knowledge and their student's knowledge further.