Third: Humbling Oneself before Allaah and Asking Him for Success and Prosperity
One should also ask his Lord to increase him in seeking knowledge, since an individual is destitute and in the utmost need of Allaah. This is why Allaah has encouraged His servants to ask of Him and to lower themselves before Him, as He says:
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
“Call unto Me, I will respond to you.” [Surah Ghaafir: 60]
And the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
“Our Lord descends every night to the lowest level of heaven and says: ‘Who is calling Me that I may respond? Who asks of Me that I may give him? Who seeks My forgiveness that I may forgive him?’”
Allaah commanded His Prophet to ask Him for an increase in knowledge, as He said:
وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
“And say: ‘My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.’” [Surah TaHa: 114]
And Allaah said speaking on behalf of Ibraaheem:
رَبِّ هَبْ لِي حُكْمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ
“My Lord! Bestow Hukm (i.e. knowledge) on me, and join me with the righteous.”
[Surah Ash-Shua’raa: 83]
The word Hukm refers to knowledge, as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “If the Haakim (judge), strives hard performing Ijtihaad…”
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم supplicated for Abu Hurairah radiya Allaahu ‘anhu to be granted the ability to memorize. He صلى الله عليه وسلم also supplicated for Ibn ‘Abbaas to be granted knowledge, as he said: “O Allaah, give him understanding of the Religion, and teach him the ta’weel (interpretation of the Qur’aan).”
Allaah answered His Prophet’s supplication, such that afterward Abu Hurairah radiya Allaahu ‘anhu didn’t hear anything except that he memorized it and Ibn ‘Abbaas radiya Allaahu ‘anhu came to be the scholar of the ummah and the interpreter of the Qur’aan.
The scholars have continued to carry on this practice, thus lowering themselves before Allaah and asking Him to grant them knowledge. Look at the example of Shaikh-ul- Islaam Ibn Taimiyyah, may Allaah have mercy on him – He would go to the masaajid, prostrate to Allaah and supplicate to Him, saying: “O teacher of Ibraaheem, teach me! O educator of Sulaymaan, grant me understanding!”
And Allaah answered his supplication, such that Ibn Daqeeq-ul-‘Eid said about him: “Allaah gathered the knowledge for him to the point that it was as if it (i.e. the knowledge) was between his eyes and he would take what he wished from it and leave off what he wished from it.”
Posted from : Ten Guidelines for Obtaining Knowledge – Shaykh Abdullaah Adh-Dhufairee. The treatise has been introduced and praised by Shaikh Ahmad An-Najmee, one of the elder scholars in Saudi Arabia, thus indicating its importance and benefit.
AbdurRahman.Org 