Duties of a Teacher

Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Aziz Ibn Baaz (‫)رحمه هللا تعاىل ورحمة واسعة‬

[Majmoo’al-Fataawa Ibn Baaz, Vol. 1; pp. 349 - 351]
All praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. one of the most important
duties of a teacher is to make students keen for knowledge-seeking, so they will learn about the religious matters
that they should not be ignorant of, such as knowledge of the sound ‘Aqidah (creed), the rulings of Salah (Prayer),
Zakah (obligatory Charity), Sawm (Fast), and Hajj, and the rulings on transactions for those who buy and sell
commercially, and other profit-making domains. In this way they will be fully aware and guided regarding such
affairs. Allah (‫ )سبحانه‬created humans and Jinn to worship Him Alone, without Shirk (associating others with
Allah in His Divinity or worship). The ‘Ibadah (worship) of Allah is to dedicate all forms and acts of worship to
Him Alone, to obey His Commands and abstain from His prohibitions. The only way to know these issues in
detail is through seeking knowledge. The more diligence and efforts a student exerts in seeking knowledge, the
nearer they are to success and to achieving the sought-after goal through Allah’s Help.
Amongst the most important means of achieving the goal and attaining the desired knowledge of the Shari‘ah
(Islamic law) is sincerity to Allah in this quest and taking care not to seek it for another purpose, such as Riya’
(showing-off) or such worldly purposes. The Prophet (‫ )صىل هللا عليه وسلم‬is reported to have said, “Anyone who
acquires knowledge by which Allah’s Pleasure should be sought, but acquires it only to gain some worldly
advantage, will not smell the fragrance of Jannah (Paradise) on the Day of Resurrection.” (Related by Abu
Dawud through a Hassan [good] Isnad [chain of narrators]) Also, At-Tirmidhi recorded that the Prophet ( ‫صىل هللا‬
‫ )عليه وسلم‬said, “Anyone who acquires knowledge to compete with the scholars, dispute with the ignorant, or
attract the attention of people to themselves, Allah will cast them into the Fire.” It is, therefore, obligatory on
the student of knowledge and on every Muslim to devote their deeds sincerely to Allah Alone, acting upon the
Saying of Allah: “So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate
none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.” [Surah Al-Kahf, 18: 110] And His Saying (‫)سبحانه وتعاىل‬: “And they
were commanded not, but that they should worship Allâh, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining
from ascribing partners to Him)” [Surah Al-Baiyyinah, 98: 5] And the Hadith Qudsy (Revelation from Allah in
the Prophet’s words) in which Allah (‫ )سبحانه وتعاىل‬says: “I am, of all, the One Who Who stands richly above any
need of partnership.
Anyone who does an act associating other partner with Me, I shall leave them to that which they associated
with Me.” (Related by Muslim in his "Sahih [Book of Authentic Hadith]")
Therefore, it is obligatory on the teacher to devote care to this issue and first be the living example of it by
showing sincerity to Allah in all their deeds and maintaining a good reputation and conduct, as students follow
the example of their teachers in both the good and bad. A teacher should exert utmost efforts in acquiring the
knowledge inherited from the Messenger of Allah (‫ )صىل هللا عليه وسلم‬and pass onto their students that which is
beneficial and helpful to them in acquiring knowledge. A teacher should always remind students of the good end
of the devotees and the bad end awaiting others.
Another of the most important means to acquiring knowledge is Taqwa (fearing Allah as He should be feared)
and being mindful of Allah in all circumstances. Allah (‫ )سبحانه وتعاىل‬says: “And whosoever fears Allâh and keeps
his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from
(sources) he never could imagine.” Surah At-Talaq, 65: 2 - 3] It is well-known that acquiring knowledge is the
best of provisions, as it takes people out of the narrowness and darkness of ignorance to the wideness and light
of knowledge. Allah (‫ )عز وجل‬says: “And whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make his
matter easy for him.” [Surah At-Talaq, 65: 4] Undoubtedly, one of the greatest gifts of ease and facility one can
be blessed with from Allah is in acquiring beneficial knowledge, because through the obtained knowledge a
student of Shari‘ah can understand the ways to good and salvation that are not easy for an ignorant person to
understand. Allah (‫ )سبحانه وتعاىل‬says: “O you who believe! If you obey and fear Allâh, He will grant you Furqân
[(a criterion to judge between right and wrong), or (makhraj, i.e. a way for you to get out from every
difficulty)], and will expiate for you your sins, and forgive you.” [Surah Al-Anfal, 8: 29] The word Furqan is
best interpreted to mean the beneficial knowledge that can differentiate between truth and falsehood, guidance
and misguidance, deviation and rectitude. The more knowledge a student gains, the more fear of Allah they have,
and the more they shall honor the sacred Ordinances of Allah; therefore, it serves them as the criterion to judge
the truth from the falsehood. Allah (‫ )سبحانه وتعاىل‬says: “It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves
that fear Allâh.” [Surah Fatir, 35: 28] He (‫ )سبحانه وتعاىل‬also says: ‘Verily, those who fear their Lord unseen (i.e.
they do not see Him, nor His Punishment in the Hereafter), theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward (i.e.
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Paradise).” [Surah Al-Mulk, 67: 12] And the Prophet (‫ )صىل هللا عليه وسلم‬said: “By Allah, I am the most fearing of
Allah among you and the most devout to Him.” One of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) said, “One who is
more knowledgeable of Allah is more fearing of Him.” One of the greatest signs of happiness and clearest
indications that Allah wants to do good for His Servants is for them to have eagerness to acquire knowledge of
the Shari‘ah and comprehend their Din. The Prophet (‫ )صىل هللا عليه وسلم‬said: “If Allah wants to do good for a
person, He makes them comprehend the Din.” (Agreed upon by both Al-Bukhari and Muslim as being Sahih
[a Hadith that has been transmitted by people known for their uprightness and exactitude; free from eccentricity
and blemish])
This is because comprehending the religion exhorts a Servant to comply with Allah’s Commandments, to fear
Allah, to perform the things He obligated, and to be on their guard against committing anything that may incur
His Wrath. It also encourages good conduct, righteous deeds, and sincerity towards Allah and towards people.
Also, one of the greatest means of retaining and increasing knowledge, and deriving benefit from it is unshakeable
persistence in obedience to Allah and avoidance of sins. The Prophet (‫ )صىل هللا عليه وسلم‬is reported to have said: “A
Servant is deprived of Rizq (sustenance) because of the sin they commit.” More eloquent still is the Saying of
Allah: “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons
much.” [Surah Ash-Shura, 42: 30] Allah (‫ )عز وجل‬also says: “O you who believe! If you obey and fear Allâh, He
will grant you Furqân [(a criterion to judge between right and wrong), or (Makhraj, i.e. a way for you to get
out from every difficulty)]” [Surah Al-Anfal, 8: 29] There is no doubt that a decrease in or forgetfulness of
knowledge is one of the worst calamities.
It is obligatory to be wary, therefore, against the reasons that can lead to this. It is reported that Malik (‫رحمهم تعاىل‬
‫ )هللا‬said to Imam Ash-Shafi‘y, who was sitting in front of him in his learning circle, "I see that Allah (‫ )سبحانه‬has
shed upon you from His Light; so do not extinguish it by sins." It is also reported that Ash-Shafi‘y (‫)رحمهم هللا تعاىل‬
once said,
I complained to Waki‘ about my He advised me to refrain from sins
poor memory
He said: know that knowledge is a And Allah’s Light is not granted to a
light, sinner
There are many other Ayahs (Qur’anic verses), Hadith, and Athar (narrations from the Companions) to the same
effect, and a wise person can benefit from the subtlest evidence. May Allah (‫ )سبحانه وتعاىل‬grant us success!
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