Gaining beneficial knowledge

Despite Nabi salallahu alayhi wasallam being the nabi and the greatest of all creation, yet he was given the command of :

وَقُلْ رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا

O My Rabb! Increase me in knowledge. (Quran-20:114)

 

Therefore, Nabi salallahu alayhi wasallam made the du`aa for the increase in knowledge.

 

There are two types of `ilm (knowledge):

1. `ilm-e-naafi`(beneficial knowledge)
2. `ilm-e-ghair naafi`(non-beneficial knowledge)

The following du`aa was made (by the prophet Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) for beneficial knowledge:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا

"O Allah! I beg of You for beneficial knowledge" (Hakim)

 

and the following du`aa was made for protection against non-beneficial knowledge:

اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ

"O Allah! I seek Your protection from non-beneficial knowledge". [Sahih Muslim].

 

The question arises as to when will a person receive beneficial knowledge?

The answer is that the following conditions have to be found:

1. sound clear reasoning
2. firm conviction in the knowledge
3. firm determination to put it into practice
4. irresistible endeavour to remove all obstacles.

Effort is generally made to acquire sound reasoning. Eight to nine years are spent in studying texts, reading up their footnotes and researching their commentaries (For Aalim course). However, no effort is made to build up a firm conviction. Where will it be acquired? One will not acquire it through reading up footnotes etc. One needs to sit in the company of the ahl-e-dil (pious) and then only will yaqeen-e-kaamil (firm conviction) be created.

(Malfuzaat Faqeehul Ummah 1/215)
 

-Adapted from http://www.qafila.org/obstacles-in-gaining-beneficial-knowledge/#more-692