Etiquette of Tolibul Ilm (Seek of Knowledge)

:‫ والصالة والسالم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين وبعد‬،‫الحمد هلل رب العالمين‬
Alhamdulillah because we have ni’mat Islam and Iman. A greatest ni’mat that
most people didn’t realize. We will talk today about a very important topic,
that is “Adab of Tolibul Ilm” that is a must for the one who seeks for
knowledge especially Islamic knowledge. The fist wahyu that is given to us is
surah Al-Alaq that stated the word iqra’ that means read. Therefor, this is
stated in Al-Quran the importance of seeking knowledge.
It is an obligatory for all muslims to learn and study Islam, based on Prophet
Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said:
‫طلب العلم فريضة على كل مسلم‬
“Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.”
Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 224.
But today we will discuss the etiquette of seeking knowledge. We have to
respect the knowledge to get it. Especially that is confirm from Islam. We will
discuss how to respect knowledge deeply so that we cant practice it in ourlife:
Point One: We Must Clean The Container (Our Heart).
1-What we mean by container is our heart. The Ilm (knowledge) will go in our
heart according to how clean is our heart. When the cleanliness of the heart is
at the highest so as the as the ilm or knowledge will be easy to receive to the
heart of the person.
2-So, whoever want to get ilm, so they must clean their heart from the any of
rake. Because ilm is a golden that shines, it must be in a right place to get it.
3-Clean our heart it means clean from rake syubhat and rake syahwat. If you
are shy your clothes have stain on it, so you must shy of what Allah’s know in
our heart. That its already full by sin.
ُ ‫ َولَكن ي ْن‬،‫ص َو ِرك ْم‬
‫ظ ُر‬ ُ ‫ وال ِإلى‬،‫ام ُك ْم‬
ِ ‫س‬ ُ ‫إن هللا ال ي ْن‬
َ ْ‫ظ ُر ِإلى أج‬ َّ ) :ً‫عن أبي هريرة رضي هللا عنه مرفوعا‬
.(‫إلى قُلُوبِك ْم وأعمالكم‬
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may
Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: ''Allah does not look at your
bodies or at your forms, rather He looks at your hearts and deeds."
Sahih/Authentic. - [Muslim]
Second Point: Sincere (ikhlas) Your Intention In Seeking Knowledge.
1-Sincere is the first thing being count for an amalan soleh.
﴾ ‫لزك َٰوةَ َو ٰ َذلِكَ ِدينُ ٱ ۡلقَيِ َم ِة‬
َّ ‫صلَ ٰوةَ َوي ُۡؤتُواْ ٱ‬
َّ ‫صينَ لَهُ ٱلدِينَ ُحنَفَا ٓ َء َويُ ِقي ُمواْ ٱل‬ َ َّ ‫﴿ َو َما ٓ أ ُ ِم ُر ٓواْ إِ َّال ِليَعۡ بُدُواْ ٱ‬
ِ ‫ّلل ُم ۡخ ِل‬
[ 5 :‫]البينة‬
And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and
worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him)
ٍ ‫ َوإِنَّ َما ِل ُك ِل ْام ِر‬،ِ‫إنَّ َما ْاْل َ ْع َما ُل بِالنِيَّات‬
‫ئ َما ن ََوى‬
“Verily actions are only dependant on intentions, and everyone will get what
he intended”. Bukhari and Muslim.
2-The salaf wont be at their highest level except because of their sincere to
Allah. Imam Ahmad said: because of ikhlas the salaf are respected.
There are 4 pillars of Ikhlas in their intention that must be stated by a Muslim.
1- Intention to throw jahil from theirself. It is by learning what is obligatory
for them in Ibadah, what is the meaning and the motive of the things are
being thaught by muslim as the doings and non doings.
2- Intention to avoid jahil from the makhluk. Is to teach them to the right
path in dunia and akhirat.
3- Intention to make the ilm alive and avoid it from disappear.
4- Intention to amal (practice) the ilm.

Third Point: Collect Enthusiasm in Seeking Knowledge.

There is 3 point in this:
1- Very big will towards a benefit things. If Allah give taufiq to the things,
may He guide to it.
2- We doa to Allah to get to there.
3- Don’t feel weak to reach to the end.
‫ واستعن باهلل وال تعجز‬،‫احرص على ما ينفعك‬
Adhere to that which is beneficial for you. Keep asking Allah for help and do
not refrain from it. Muslim.
 - We have to have enthuasiasm in seeking the knowledge of Al-Quran and
Sunnah because every ilmu is based on it.
Forth Point: Seek Knowledge When A Person are young.
Imam Hasan Al-Basri told:
‫العلم في الصغر كالنقش في الحجر‬
Learn young is like engraving to the stone. Or in English says Early Start, Grow
Smart - A little pot is soon hot.
-We have to take this opportunity to learn when small ages,but not to say that
the old ones don’t need to learn because the Sahabat Nabi all learn Islam when
their old age.
Fifth Point: Seek Knowledge Calmly and Don’t Take It In A Hurry.
-We cant get ilmu with hasty because our heart is weak to receive ilmu in one
shot.
‫يال‬ َ ‫سنُ ْل ِقي‬
ً ‫علَيْكَ قَ ْو ًال ثَ ِق‬ َ ‫ِإنَّا‬
We are going to send down to you a weighty discourse. Al-Muzzamil;5.
Sixth Point: Memorise The Ilmu, Murajaah and ask upon it.
We have to memorise to understand the ilm and always repeat in to get it.
Sevent Point: Respect Your Teacher.
We have to always respect them with being around them, ask them, be very
kind to them.
Don’t talk bad about them.
Always thankfull to them and make doa for them.