Knowledge for the Sake of Allah

there is a great manner that many teachers and instructors are unaware of, which is establishing the principle of working and learning only for the sake of allah. this principle is disregarded because some people are away of their religion. i may swear that the doers of many useful knowledge and great deeds haven’t gain any benefit out of their inventions and they’ve gone with the wind, because they neither work nor learn for the sake of allah. they did not care to work or learn for the welfare of other muslim brothers, they rather intended to gain position, glory, therefore their deeds deserve to become nonsense. the only benefit they might have is the others’ praise and compliment in the present life which is a temporary thing.

this we can understand better from a hadith narrated by abu hurairah, in which the prophet (pbuh) said:

“allah the almighty asks a man in the day of judgement about his deeds. he answered that he learned and taught and read the holy quran all for allah’s sake. allah says: you are a liar; you learned in order to make others praise you, and read the quran in order to let others say how great he is reciting, and they did. then he is pull on his face and thrown in the hell”. reported by muslim (1905)

thus, teachers and instructors must teach their students how to learn and work for the sake of allah only, and seek the reward and the recompense from him. then, if people praise and compliment him, this is one of allah’s favor and blessing and all praises be to allah.

ibn rajab said: if one works for the sake of allah only, then allah makes people praise him, and he becomes happy and pleased of allah’s favor and mercy, there is no wrong in that. as abu thar narrated that he asked the prophet (pbuh) about a man who works for the sake of allah then people praise him, the prophet answered him: “this is a kind of an immediate reward for the believer in the present life”. reported by muslim (2642). and this depends on one’s intention which is placed in the believer’s heart which no one knows what he hides except allah. allah says: (say (o muhammad pbuh): “whether you hide what is in your breasts or reveal it, allah knows it, and he knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. and allah is able to do all things”. [al-imran:29]. so, anyone with pure intention for allah only, his deeds will be accepted and will be rewarded.

omar bin alkhattab said: “i heard the prophet (pbuh) saying: “"deeds (their correctness and rewards) depend upon intentions, and every person gets but what he has intended. so whoever emigrated for worldly benefits, or for a woman to marry, his emigration is for what he emigrated for." reported by al bukhari(1) and muslim (1919).

conclusion: