"The basis of all good actions is Ikhlass (sincerity). Any Deeni activity not based on Ikhlaas is unacceptable to Allah Ta'ala. One may be a great Allaamah possessing encyclopedic knowledge of Islam or a great orator or a great writer, but if one's knowledge and learning are not for the sake of Allah's Pleasure, it being devoid of Ikhlass, then all is in vain. In the Sight of Allah Ta'ala it will be futile and rejected.

In Musnad-e-Ahmad, Ibn Maajah and Abu Dawood it is reported that Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) narrates that a man who pursues Deeni Knowledge for worldly gain will not smell even the fragrance of Jannat. Indeed this is a severe warning.


THE ESTATE

The estate which the Ambiya (alayhimus salaam) leave behind is Knowledge of the Deen. These Madaaris wherein you and I sit claim to impart the Knowledge of the Ambiya (alayhimus salaam). It claims to protect that Knowledge. We become the Heirs of the Ambiya by virtue of the acquisition of Deeni Knowledge which is the estate of the Ambiya (alayhimus salaam). This is only reason for which students enter the portals of these Madaaris (or this should be the only reason).

Remember that the very first step in the process of the acquisition of Deeni Uloom is the quest for Allah's pleasure. If your motive underlying your pursuit of Ilm is to become an excellent Aalim in order to earn a high salary, then you should take note that this motive is a diversion and it will deprive your knowledge of barakat. Such a base motive transforms the knowledge into the inheritance of the Dunya. It will then not be part of the estate which is inherited from the Ambiya (alayhimus salaam). If this has become the condition of the Ulama and the Students, then those involved in worldly pursuits and occupations such as commerce, agriculture, etc. whereby they earn a halaal livelihood, are superior to us and more blessed than us. They are dear to Allah Ta'ala because they strive to earn a halaal livelihood by adopting the lawful ways Allah Ta'ala has ordained. These people are fortunate and blessed, not so those who pursue Ilm for the sake of acquiring the Dunya.

Those who barter the Knowledge of the Deen for the Dunya are comparable to a child who has procured a diamond of great value. But the child has no understanding of the value of the diamond. He exchanges it for something worth a few cents. Indeed, it causes great distress when something of great value is exchanged for a worthless item.

By Allah! The person who teaches the Qur'aan Shareef or Bukhaari Shareef or pursue Ilm-e-Deen to earn the Dunya, is the lowest of the low. There can be no one more despicable than such a fool. It is therefore imperative to correct one's intention at the very outset when embarking on the quest for Ilm. The objective should be nothing other than Allah's Pleasure, and one's motive should be sincere.


ALLAH'S PLEASURE

Allah's Pleasure is far superior to Jannat in every respect. One may pursue the Knowledge of the Deen to acquire the Sanad (The Certificate of Qualification), then proceed to a Madrasah for Deeni service. However, the intention should be to be a Mujaahid to guard the fortress of the Deen - to defend the Deen for you are the protector of the Legacy of the Ambiya (alayhimus salaam). You are the protector of this treasure. The defense of the Deen and the protection of this treasure are obligatory on you even if you have to starve to death.

It is specifically for this reason that this naseehat is tendered to you, me and all Ustaadhs. We should correct our intentions and seek only Allah's pleasure through the medium of the Deen. Only then will we be able to claim: "By the Rabb of the Ka'bah I have attained success.

If you attain Allah's Pleasure, you have achieved success. Then if Allah Ta'ala desires He will appoint you as an Ustaadh, Aalim, Muhaddith, Mufti etc. Even if you do not attain these posts, you still have attained success. Correction of intention is imperative.


THE PURPOSE

The purpose of Deeni Madaaris is to make us the Heirs of the Ambiya (alayhimus salaam). About their estate, the Hadith states: "Verily, the Ambiya do not leave behind an estate of gold and silver. Verily, they leave behind the estate of Knowledge."

Become the guardians of this estate. It is indeed an elevated rank. The Angels spread their wings under your feet in your honor. How lofty is this rank! Our objective is not organizations or Madaaris. Our objective is Ridha-e-Ilaahi (Divine Pleasure). May Allah Ta'ala forgive our shortcomings and deficiencies, and may He elevate the status of the Servants of the Deen.


THE GUARDIANS OF ISLAM

The firmament of Islamic Uloom is adorned with great and illustrious Ulama, Fuqaha, Muhadditheen, Mufassireen and experts in every branch of Deeni Knowledge. These illustrious Ulama became great and wonderful writers and were among the most eloquent orators. But neither their Ustaadhs nor the Madaaris where they acquired their Ilm, taught them to be orators, writers, teachers, etc. The Madaaris of Islam had as their one and only aim the Pleasure of Allah Ta'ala and the safe-guarding of the Deen.

The objective of the pursuit of Ilm was always the goal of the Aakhirah. When the Student of Deen embarks on the acquisition of Ilm-e-Deen with an unadulterated intention - his niyyat being only to please Allah Ta'ala - then he is chosen in later life by Allah Ta'ala to represent the Ambiya. He becomes a true inheritor of the noble Estate of the Ambiya. For almost fourteen centuries, true Ilm-e-Deen had followed the Path chalked out by the Salf-e-Saaliheen. It is precisely for this reason that the Madaaris of former times were veritable khaanqahs where the Ustaadhs were Mashaaikh who were affectionately concerned with the Islaah (moral reformation) of their students.

The Madaaris of former days did not cater for public speaking, book-writing, debating and trainer-teaching, since these pursuits were never part of the program of the Madaaris. Service to the Deen cannot be imposed on anyone. Such service is discharged correctly and faithfully by only those whom Allah Ta'ala selects for the defense of His Deen. And, the basis for this Divine Selection is the Ikhlaas in the heart of the one who pursues the Knowledge of the Ambiya (alayhimus Salaam).

We therefore find among our Akaabir Ulama truly great Scholars of Islam in every branch of Deeni Uloom and activity. But none of them was ever trained in any Madrasah for the roles which they played in later life.


TODAY'S INSTITUTIONS ALAS!

Today's Madaaris are not even a shadow of the Madaaris of by gone times. The Deeni institutions of this era are modeled along western and kuffaar lines. Kuffaar norms and influences have taken a drastic toll of Ikhlaas and of the Madrasah syllabus and environment of the present-day Madrasah. More and more western methods are introduced. Liberal influences are sweeping the Deeni institutions. Taqwa has been completely excised from the life and environments of so-called Daarul Ulooms. Kuffaar sports, waste and nafsaaniyat have over taken both the staff and the students. Ilm is pursued for purely monetary, nafsaani and worldly motives. The Aakhirah and Allah's Pleasure are furthest from the minds of Madaaris personnel, be they Ustaadhs or talabah. There exits a glut of tip-top muftis who cannot distinguish between left and right. Youngsters who are not yet properly schooled in the masaail of Tahaarat and Salaat sit on so-called tribunals to annul marriages.These evils and many more have overtaken the Madaaris because Ilm is no longer being pursued for the Pleasure of Allah Ta'ala. Worldly and nafsaani motives have contaminated the hearts. The intentions are therefore corrupt.

When knowledge is pursued for base motives, the hearts are hardened. While transgression in general hardens the heart, Shaikh Tastari (Rahmatullah alayh) said that the worst hardness caused to the heart is the hardness which is the product of Ilm - false ilm - ilm pursued for dunya, not for the Aakhirah.


THE ILM OF THE DEEN

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam ) said: He who acquired Knowledge (of the Deen) to gain the world, will not smell even the fragrance of Jannat. Allah will cast into the Fire a person who acquires Ilm in order to dispute with the Ulama and to create doubts in the ignorant for gaining the world. Neither his Fardh nor his Nafl (acts for ibaadat) will be accepted on the Day of Qiyaamah.

By: Mujlisul Ulema of South Africa