Study while still Young...

in the name of God...

A famous Arabic couplet,

"al-ilm fil swighari, ka nakshi fil hajari

wal ilm fil kibari kal kitabi fil bahri"

Meaning, (studying) knowledge while still young is like making carvings on a rock, while (studying) knowledge at old age is like writing on the sea (water).

In al-Khatib al-Baghdadi's 'Mukhtasar Nasihah ila Ahl al-Hadith' (which can be found in the collection 'Majmu'at Rasa'il fi 'Ulum al-Hadith'; p. 109-126), two good pieces of advice stick out:

First, he speaks about the importance of studying Islam from an early age:


It has been narrated from ash-Shafi'i that he said:


"Obtain knowledge before you are tasked with high positions in life, because when you are tasked with positions, there is no way to obtaining knowledge."

It is narrated that Abu Muhammad al-Maruzi said: "It was said that the mud will swallow up the ring so long as it is still soft. In other words, knowledge should be sought after when one is still young, fresh age."

And it has been reported that Amir al-Mu'minin 'Umar bin al-Khattab said: "Gain knowledge before you are given positions of leadership."

Regarding this statement of 'Umar, Abu 'Ubayd (al-Qasim bin Sallam) said: "Learn the knowledge while you are young, before you become leaders to whom others look up. If you do not learn at this age, you will become ashamed to learn when you are older, and you will remain ignorant, and will be forced to take your knowledge from those who are younger than you, and you will be belittled for this."

Second, he mentioned the danger of abandoning taking knowledge from elder scholars, and instead taking it from the youth:

"...and it was narrated that 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud said: "The people will remain upon good so long as they take their knowledge from those who are older then them, those they trust, and their scholars. If they take their knowledge from those who are younger and evil, they are destroyed."

'Abdullah bin Muslim bin Qutaybah asked about this statement of Ibn Mas'ud's, to which he was told: "It means that the people will remain upon good so long as their scholars are older, and not newcomers, as the older one has passed by the enjoyment, hastiness, and foolishness of his youth, and has been granted experience and insight. So, no doubts enter upon his knowledge, and he is not overtaken by his desires, and he is not swayed by greed, and Satan will not cause him to slip as he does with the newcomer."

And Ibn Hajar said that it is authentically narrated that 'Umar said: "The people will be corrupted as soon as knowledge comes from the young, and the elder one is rebelled against.

(adapted from Al-Fawaid's facebook page)