Knowledge Seekers
Hazrat Ali Hajveri (ra) has declared in Kashf-al-Mahjub, “All veils are a result of ignorance”.
As soon as it is annihilated, they vanish, and the life is made equal in rank to the life hereafter (p.274).
Imam Abu Hanifa said, “Practice what you have learned, for theory without practice is like a body without a spirit.” He who is contented with learning alone is not learned, and the truly learned man is not content with learning alone. Similarly, Divine guidance (hidayyat) involves self-mortification (mujahadat), without which contemplation (mushahadat) is unattainable. There is no knowledge without action since knowledge is the product of action and is brought forth, developed, and made profitable by the blessings of action. The two things cannot be divorced in any way, just as the light of the sun cannot be separated from the sun itself (p.95).
- Hazrat Ali Hajveri has quoted Abu ‘L-Sari’ Mansur b. Ammar, who has proclaimed, “All the mankind may be reduced to two types: (p.127)
- The man who knows himself, and whose business is self-mortification and discipline, and The man who knows his Lord, and whose business is to serve Lord and worship and please Him.”
Hazrat Ali Hajveri (ra) has explained that following the worship of the former is discipline (riyadat), while following the latter is sovereignty (riyasat). The former must be occupied with self-development, while the later shall get more involved with the society and would become a genuine leader. The former may practice devotion that he may attain a higher status in eyes of Allah, while the later has already attained it. The tool for the first one is ‘mujahida’, self-mortification, and the second one ‘mushahida’, contemplation.
A student may go through three stages in his way to knowledge: (p.133-134)
- The stage of hope of being associated with some respected teacher
- The stage of jealousy on fear of rejection or disapproval
- The stage of affection on acquiring needed attention and care.
They themselves should avoid it through avoiding passion, and lust. Abdullah b. Khubayq has said
- “A heart full of lust is either burning in an agitated fear or a restless desire”.
If a teacher leader has settled in his/her heart the faith in Allah, praise and contentment shall accompany it, not covetousness and negligence which cause sealing of heart. He/she should do away with flattery and praise of him/herself, instead be self-conscious and humble enough to indulge in the right prayer, knowledge of Allah and His universe.
A knowledge leader must not store knowledge and keep it tightly knotted to oneself, as narrated in The Kashaf-al-Mahjub about Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (ra) that he was ordered by Hazrat Muhammad (SAW), “ O Junaid, speak to the people, for Allah hath made thy words the
means of saving a multitude of mankind.” It reflects the importance of dissemination of knowledge. A leader must be certain of his/her knowledge and deliver it with such aconviction that it may inspire contemplation in students whether it concerns particular information about an object or a process.
Abu Abdullah Muhammad b. Ali Al-Timidhi who is famous for his conversations with Khizr has said, “Anyone who is ignorant of the nature of servantship (ubbudiyat) is yet more ignorant of lordship (rubbubiyat)”. Knowledge of the nature of lordship depends on having right principles of servantship, and is not perfect without it. One must learn to follow before one intends to lead. The ultimate knowledge is the knowledge of Allah and in able to reach that one must free him/herself of the contamination of the worldly attributes.
Classified knowledge leaders in three categories
- Divines – Ulema
- Princes –Umara
- Darveshis – Fuqara
As such the modern ranking could be distributed in teachers, government officials,
and the religious scholars. He had explained, “When the divine are corrupt, piety and
religion are vitiated; when princes are corrupt, livelihood is spoiled; and when the
dervishes are corrupt, morals are depraved.” It creates a vicious cycle of corruption
in the society. The corruption of divines rests in covetousness – longing for status
and money; that of the princes in injustice, and that of dervishes in hypocrisy. When
teachers lack in them piety, they shall also lack in the right knowledge and when
they get associated with rich and influential in society, they fall in pit of lust
ensnaring religious scholars too, who lack in faith and conviction. They all support
cruelty and injustice and the society begin to deteriorate. When the knowledge
leaders realize their responsibility, it is only then, the society flourishes. (p. 172-173)
