*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*

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*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*
deenb-4dunya
02/07/02 at 23:47:38
Assalamu Alaikum Brothers and Sisters,

I'm sure that everyone on this board is continually seeking knowledge, a duty on every Muslim, implementing this knowledge and inshallah bettering themselves....

RIGHT?

Now here's my point...

How do you guys gain ilm (knoweldge)? What is your method? I'm sure many of us would have new and interesting things to add and suggest, and inshallah this will help each and every one of us.

Looking forward to hearing from *YOU*

Deen

P.S. Whoever wrote the Anonymous post on the Eeman Boosters thread...please do contribute to this thread as well.
Re: *SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*
MalikShabazz
02/08/02 at 04:09:02
libraries
books
web sites
books
libraries
books
libraries

you could go to a library, and sit there for one whole day
and get a heck lot of ilm, lots of knowledge, mashaAllah

was salams
Re: *SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*
Kathy
02/08/02 at 09:02:38
slm

I read, read, read.

The funny thing tho- the stuff that I truely learn comes from sitting/learning with knowledgeable Muslims.

Re: *SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*
AyeshaZ
02/08/02 at 19:03:25


Asalamu Alykum,

I agree with sister Kathy, the knowledge that really sticks to me is when i learn it from practicing,learned Muslims. Although, I think reading is really, truly important as well but in addition the stuff that one learns for the educated brothers and sisters really is beneficial. Also,having Halaqa's where a bunch of sisters get together, Alhamdullilah we always leave with something :)
jazakumAllahu Khair
Re: *SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*
Arsalan
02/09/02 at 08:10:12
[slm]

If you are *serious* about learning the Deen, then there is a price you must pay for it.  

And it's not always in monetary form!

The most effective, and the only true way in my opinion, of learning the Deen is to study under a shaykh (a REAL shaykh ... an alim).  This means travelling long distances and spending months, if not years, studying under the shaykh and among others who are as ambitious as yourself to learn the Deen.

If you cannot travel too far, or cannot spend too long of a time, then find someone closer who has at least a formidable amount of knowledge (someone who is called "shaykh" by the common people) and study under him for a summer or something.

If you cannot even do that, then attend as many Deen Intensive programs around your area as possible.  

In any case, try to read good books written by trustworthy writers.  Never think, however, that a single book has taught you everything you need to know about a certain subject.  Listening to audio lectures is another good thing nowadays.  Halaqahs are always nice, but their quality depends on the people that are involved in the halaqah.  If the halaqah consists of people advanced in their knowledge, and serious about their Deen, the benefit that comes out from the halaqah is a lot more than otherwise.  Attending conferences and seminars is also a good thing.

And yes.  Remember that ilm is a bounty given by Allah (swt).  So ask Him for it.  Pray to Allah to increase you in knowledge.  Here are two good du'aas:

Rabbee zidnee 3ilmaa.
(O my Lord, increase my knowledge).

Allahuma anfa3nee bimaa 3allamtanee wa 3allimnee maa yanfa3unee, wa zidnee 3ilmaa.
(O Allah, benefit me from what you have taught me, and teach me that which is beneficial, and increase my knowledge).

Wassalamu alaikum
Re: *SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*
sis_malak
02/10/02 at 02:41:21
Asalaam alaikum,
 There is an online university called American Open University.  The link for it is:  http://www.open-university.edu/.  You can get a Bachelors or an Associate's Degree in Islamic Studies and it all takes place through distance learning (online).  I will start my AA there in Summer, inshallah.
 Wasalaam,
  Sis Malak
Re: *SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*
momineqbal
02/10/02 at 14:57:29
[slm],

Sheikh Suhaib Webb teaches in that university and he told us on a visit to our mosque that if there are 25 students in a local mosque they can open up a chapter with the local Imam as incharge and they can send materials/books etc. Also the teachers that are actually working for the university can visit from time to time.
Another thing he stressed that we shouldn't keep dreaming about going to Al-Azhar or to Madina all the time instead start with what we have locally available and seek knowledge from local Imams and Sheikhs and then inshaAllah a time will come when you can fulfill your dreams about going to some great university to study.
And guess what? He mentioned our very own jannah.org as a good site on internet to learn about deen ;-)

Wassalam
Eqbal
Re: *SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*
Arsalan
02/11/02 at 02:52:43
[slm]
[quote]Sheikh Suhaib Webb [/quote]Are you talking about the Sohaib Webb from Oklahoma City?
Re: *SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*
momineqbal
02/11/02 at 10:15:01
[slm],

Yes Sheikh Suhaib Webb from Oklahoma city. I think he has moved to Michigan, but I am not sure on this.

Wassalam
Eqbal
Re: *SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*SEEKING ILM*
Anonymous
02/12/02 at 01:10:08
Salam alaykum,

Jazak'Allah khayr yakhi Arsalan ala'a Ra'si wal 3ayn, you have covered
it all, Mash’Allah wa barak’Allah feek.

I would just like to compliment as a side note to what bro Arsalan
said. Everyone react differently to different ways or approaches, in the
process of acquiring knowledge and to keep the level of iman up on our
daily chores, in between salats, halaqas, is to try to immerse ones self
in Quran recitation, dhikr, duas, to hear khutbas, lectures, or read
and make it an ongoing habit.

Transcript of Sh Hamza in the “Purification of the Heart” series.

Council given by Sidi Ahmed Zaruq(ra)(d 1492), He was a great scholar
from Morocco who died in Libya.

“Know may Allah (SWT) give you and us success and rectify our worldly
and other worldly life and grant us adherence to the way of the truth in
our journeys.  

Repentance is a key, and taqwa is vast and uprightness is the source of
rectification, further more a servant is neither free of blunders or
shortcomings, or lassitude, therefore never be neglectful of tawbah,
repentance, and never turn away from the act of returning to Allah(SWT).

Never neglect acts that bring you closer to Allah(SWT).
Indeed every time one of these three occurs, repent and return, every
time you make a mistake, listen and obey. Any time you display
shortcomings or lack of enthusiasm, don’t desist in your efforts, let you may
concerns be to remove from you outer state anything that is displeasing,
and then maintain its outward state with continuous council, continue
doing this until you find that you are fleeing from anything outwardly
displeasing is a second nature, and that your avoidance of the
boundaries of the prohibited thing acts as a protective net that is place before
you. At this point it is time to turn inward, towards your hearts
presence and to its reality with both reflection and remembrance. Don’t
hasten the end result before you have completed the beginning, but like
wise don’t begin without looking at the end result.

This is so because the one who seeks the outset at the end looses
providential care, and the one who seek the end at the outset loses
providential guidance.
Act in accordance with principals and the appropriate legal ruling. And
not in accordance with stories and fantasies, don’t even consider
stories of how things went with others, excepts as a tonic to strengthen
your resolve. Certainly not as a reference based upon their outward forms
or what they seems to be telling us.
In all of this depend upon a clear path you can refer too and a
foundation you can depend upon in all of your states. The best of these is the
path of Ibn Ata’lah, Given in it is a clear directions to Allah (SWT),
do no take from others words unless it is in accordance with your own
path.
But submit to their implications if you desire realization. Avoid all
form of vain and foul speech to your absolute at most, put aside
anything that you cannot discern its benefits immediately. Beware of being
extremely hard on yourself before you obtained a mastery over it, but also
beware of being to lax with it, in anything that concerns sacred
rulings. This is because it is constantly fleeing from moderation in
everything, it incline towards extremism in both matters of deviance and
guidance. Sh Hamza comments:” This is just as important; so the sheikh is
telling us that the nature of the self is extremism, beware of this in
term of good deeds and false deeds, in both obedience to Allah (SWT) and
disobedience to Allah (SWT).  Beware of being extremely hard on
yourself, before you have obtained a mastery over it”
Seek out a companion to help you out of your affairs and take his
council concerning matters that occur for both your inward matters and
outwards affairs, if you do indeed take his companionship, then treat him in
a manner commensurate with his state, and give him of your council base
upon his inabilities and abilities, because the perfected friend is no
longer to be found.

Indeed in these times even a suitable companion, who is agreeable,
rarely last. And beware of the majority of people in matters that concerns
your religion and worldly states unless you have ascertain, he has a
sound relationship with his Lord (SWT).  Based upon knowledge free of his
caprice or love of leadership, and a sound intellect free of the
pitfalls of hidden agendas. Do not be heedless of the machination of others
or their hidden states.  Consider these 2 from both their origins and
their actions. A person of character and family distinction rarely
affects you with other then good, and yet a person of low origins roots
usually cause him to disregard you when times get tough. Be extremely
vigilant of the dominant qualities of a given people in any given land, and
don’t be heedless of the divine wisdom in their creation and notice
gatherness and separation.

Organize your time in a matter appropriate to the times’ specific
needs, using gentleness and toleration, and be very wary of either harshness
or laxity.
This is so because to much laxity concerning permissible matters pulls
the hearts backwards in its journey. Until even a man of resolve ends
up looking like a foolish boy.
Work for this world as if you will live forever, but work for your
akhera as if you’ll die tomorrow. Thus do not neglect the externals of your
worldly needs; in the meantimes do not be heedless of your end and
final resting place.
Be extremely vigilant about avoiding positions of leadership but should
you be tried with such matters at least know your own limitations. Be
absolutely sincere to Allah (SWT) with the sincerity of one who knows
full well, Who (SWT) is placing demands upon him.

Surrender completely to His(swt) decree with the submission of one who
knows, he can never over come Him(SWT). Have a firm foundation for all
of your affairs and you’ll be saved from their pitfalls, organize your
devotional practices and you’ll find your times to be extended due to
the barakah, in it.

Never be fanatical about anything whether it be the truth, whether it
be false. For your hearts will then remain in a state of soundness
towards others, never claim anything you are entitled to, not to mention
what you are not entitled too and you’ll be safe from the tricks and
treachery. This is so because anyone claim some rank above his own, will
fall in humiliation. Where as those who claim a rank they weren’t given
they’ll have it striped from them, while those who claim a station less
then their true rank they’ll be elevated to even higher levels then they
actually deserve.

Never give your companion other then his own state weren’t, this is so
because if you go down to his level he will show you contempt where as
if you try to raise him up to your level he will abandon you.

Never demand a right from anyone whether an intimate or a stranger, the
reason for this is a stranger in reality owes you nothing. And someone
close to you is too precious to direct your blame to him.

Never assume than anyone is this world can really assume your
circumstances, other then from the prospective of his own circumstances, this is
so for in reality everyone only see things in accordance with their
frame of references and personal path. However when aims purposes and
aspirations are similar, people tend to work together towards a common
goal.

Never belittle any talk that involves absent people even if there is no
harm in it, due to the possibility of harm entering into it. Guard your
secrets even if you feel safe from someone. Because the one you divulge
your secrets too is not a safer place then your own heart for whence it
emanates. Never leave an atom weight of your regular devotional
practice. Never be lenient with you self in either lax times or times of high
resolve. Indeed should you miss some of your practices in a given time
redress it in another time. If you are not able to do your usual
practice at least occupy your self with something else similar. Never obey
your ego even for a moment. Nor believe any of its claims no matter what
it tells you. Be vigilant about your resolve in all of your affairs to
your utmost. In fact should you resolve to do something, then do it
immediately before the resolve wean. Examine your soul constantly in
matters you are obliged to do or are needed to be done. Anything you are in
no need off doing, leave it even if it’s something that is recommended,
that means not involving your self in anything other then absolutely
necessary things, and real discernable needs. Treat others just as you
would want to be treated and fulfill what is due to them. All of this is
really epitomize in the words of a poet when he said:
“ If you desire to live such that your religion is safe
and your portion is full,
and your honor is sound,
guard your tongue,
and never mention another’s faults,
remembering you yourself have faults
and other have tongues,
watch your eyes, should it ever reveal to you the fault of others,
say to it “ Oh my eye, other people have eyes too”
leave treating others well and avoid aggression.
And should others aggress against you,
then leave them, but in the best way”

The source of these words are nothing other then the traditions of the
Prophet (SAW) when He said ”Be vigilant of Allah (SWT), wherever you
are and follow a misdeed with a good deed and it will remove it, and
treat others with the most excellent of character” in another He said (SAW)
“ every child of Adam (AS) makes mistakes, and the best of those who
make mistakes are those who seek to redress them”
Again the wholly spirit inspired my heart’s core” that no soul would
die, until it fulfill it's
Decreed portion of this world and its appointed time here, so be
conscious of Allah (SWT) and make your request with dignity”
In Summation: repentance, awareness of Allah(SWT) and uprightness are
the foundation of all that is beneficial, the truth is clear, and it’s
details are weighty and significant, the affair belongs only to
Allah(SWT) success is in His hands (SWT).


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