Looking
back upon the history, Islam has created many
great Muslim leaders such as Rasulullah SAW, Sayyidina Umar, and Sultan Muhammad
Al-Fateh. Apart from that, history have it there were many Muslim scholars and
philosophers born back then. To name a few, they were Imam Malik, Ibn Sina, Al-Kindi,
Al-Khawarizmi and Ibn Khaldun.They are just normal human being like the rest of
us who were given 24 hours and seven days in a week but amazingly they were
able to master not only in one field of study but a vast amount of knowledge.We
often heard about their great contribution to western knowledge. Over time their
researches in physics, algebra, astronomy, philosophy and hundreds of other
studies have benefits to the mankind until the recent.
But looking at our generation, how
many of us wish to achieve big like them? Some of us study to pass the exam, to
make our parents proud, aim to get a good job with a high salary so that we can
buy our dream car, dream house and live happily ever after. The end. Of course,
there is nothing wrong to dream such things but there
are much more out there that awaiting to be discovered and to fight for.
Because perhaps the purpose of our creation is more than that, more than just
happiness this world could bring us.
Those Muslim scholars seek knowledge
to please Allah and they had true passion for knowledge. Yes, in whatever
action we took, we should aim for akhirat (hereafter).That could probably be the reason why they can easily acquire knowledge. Narrated
by Abu al-Darda':I heard the messenger of Allah (peace
be upon him) say: If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge, Allah
will cause him to travel on one of the roads of Paradise. The angels will lower
their wings in their great pleasure with one who seeks knowledge, the
inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth and the fish in the deep waters will
ask forgiveness for the learned man. (Book 19, Number 3634). So it is important to have a clear intention and
sincerity by doing it for Allah first.
Knowledge is a light
which Allah places in the heart. Therefore being
servant and try our best to avoid evil and wrongdoings is what we should be
aiming to do. Knowledge should bring us closer to Allah as He is the
sources of knowledge.“And Allâh has
brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while youknow nothing. And He
gave you hearing, sight, and hearts that you might give thanks (to Allâh)
[al-Nahl 16:78]. Also, did not Allah promised that He will give more to
those who obey Him? Taking Sultan Muhammad Al-Fateh for example, based on the
story of how he was chosen to be the imam of solat, we can conclude that he was
a pious man a good servant to Him. At the end Allah helped him to conquer Constantinople
which many people before him attempts to conquer it, but none had
succeeded.
Besides that, other important lesson
we can take is how to manage time. These great Muslims, they were not made to
become great in one or two days but it takes a long time. They acquire
knowledge at a very young age which they seek from many teachers and their
determination in seeking knowledge had made them travelled out of their
hometown. Little did we know that Ibn Sina was only 17 when he cured the
illness of the King of Bukhara.
Apart from what has been written
above, there are more lessons that we can list down be it discipline, respect
the teachers and the knowledge itself and also to be patience. What most
important is to always try to be like them, as the hadis states “seeking knowledge is an obligation of every Muslim.”
Nur Amirah Md Yusoff
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