Basic Knowledge in Islam

SIX ETIQUETTES OF LEARNING  

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah- rahimahullaah - said:  

"There are six stages to knowledge:  
Firstly: Asking questions in a good manner. 
Secondly: Remaining quiet and listening attentively. 
Thirdly: Understanding well. 
Fourthly: Memorising. 
Fifthly: Teaching. 
Sixthly- and it is its fruit: Acting upon the knowledge and keeping to its limits." 

PURIFYING THE HEART 


Ibn al-Qayyim - rahimahullaah- said: 

"There is no doubt that the heart becomes covered with rust, just as metal dishes 
- silver, and their like - become rusty. So the rust of the heart is polished with 
dhikr (remembrance of Allah (SWT)), for dhikr polishes the heart until it 
becomes like a shiny mirror. However, when dhikr is abandoned, the rust 
returns; and when it commences then the heart again begins to be cleansed. Thus 
the heart becoming rusty is due to two matters: sins and ahafah ( neglecting 
remembrance of Allah (SWT) ). Likewise, it is cleansed and polished by two 
things : istighfaar (seeking Allah (SWT)'s forgiveness) and dhikr."

The first revelation that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) received starts remarkably 
with special emphasis on the importance of knowledge: 


“Proclaim! (or read!) In the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created ; 
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood ; Proclaim! And thy Lord is 
Most Bountiful; He Who taught (the use of) the pen; Taught man that which he 
knew not.” (96:1-5)  


The Quran exhorts believers to pray for advancement in knowledge:
  
“Acquire knowledge, because he who acquires it in the way of the Lord performs 
an act of piety ; who speaks of it, praises the Lord ; who seeks it, adores God ; 
who dispenses instruction in it, bestows alms ; and who imparts it to its fitting 
objects, performs an act of devotion to God. Knowledge enables its possessor to 
distinguish what is forbidden from what is not ; it lights the way to Heaven ; it is our friend in the desert, our society in solitude, our companion when bereft of 
friends ; it guides us to happiness ; it sustains us in misery ; it is our ornament in 
the company of friends ; it serves as an amour against our enemies. With 
knowledge, the obedient servant of God rises to the heights of goodness and to a 
noble position, associates with sovereigns in this world, and attains to the 
perfection of happiness in the next.”  


He would often say: 


 “the ink of the scholar is more holy than the blood of the martyr”.  
It was due to injunctions of the Holy Quran and instructions of the Prophet that the 
knowledge has been at the core of the Islamic world-view from the very beginning. 
Among his followers intellect, arts and learning prevailed and flourished on gigantic 
scale and the Muslims made glorious and marvellous achievements in almost every 
field of scientific knowledge including Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, 
Medicine and Social Sciences.  
According to Quranic perspective, knowledge is a prerequisite for the creation of a 
just world in which authentic peace can prevail. The Quran emphasizes the 
importance of the pursuit of learning even at the time, and in the midst, of war:
  
“Nor should the Believers all go forth together: if a contingent from every 
expedition remained behind, they could devote themselves to studies in religion, 
and admonish the people when they return to them - that thus they (may learn) 
to guard themselves (against evil)” [9:122]