Achieving knowledge at a mature age
Peace be upon the Companions who accepted Islam. Not all were small; Rather, many of them were older. Age did not stand in the way of their pursuit of knowledge and education. However, they were the reliable teachers of Islamic knowledge and Shari’i Ahkam; Quran and Hadith are also the main source of understanding. Hazrat Siddique Akbar was the greatest scholar of the Ummah after Rasool Arabi. His wanderings in the fields of Eelam began at the age of about 40 years. Hazrat Umar Farooq Razi. He entered the field of Eelam at the age of 30. Apart from this, Abu Zar Razi, Abu Darda Razi, etc., the most knowledgeable people of the ummah, learned knowledge after becoming old. Many others are engaged in the pursuit of knowledge at a young or adult age. Sahaba Keram can be our source of inspiration in attaining religious knowledge at a mature age.
Imam Bukhari. In the Ilam chapter, Hazrat Umar Farooq has mentioned this statement and structured the section as follows:
باب الاغتباط في العلم والحكمة وقال عمر : تفقهوا قبل أن تُسوَّدوا
Section: Regarding the desire to be equal in knowledge and wisdom. And Umar agreed. He said, learn knowledge before you grow old.
In Sahih Bukhari, referring to the statement of Umar Razi, Imam Bukhari rah. In his explanation, he says,
وبعد أن تسوَّدوا ، وقد تعلم أصحاب النبي ﷺ في كبر سنِّهم
In other words, learn science even after getting older. Because the Sahaba (majority) learned religious knowledge only after they were older. (Sahih Bukhari p. 39)
Accomplished thinkers across age barriers
Due to which there are not less number of personalities among the predecessor elite Ulama Haqqani who after passing the age of formal education took initiative in the light of knowledge. For example,
1. Ali Ibn Hamzah. Imam Kisai is the most famous person. Every student of Ilme Nahu is familiar with the great man of this name. He has made great contributions to Arabic grammar. About whom Imam Shafi’i commented,
من أراد أن يتبحر في النحو فهو عيال على الكسائي
If you want to acquire knowledge in the field of ilm Nahu, you must become a pet of Kisayi. (Siaru A’lamin Nubala 07/54)
He is also one of the Imams of Ilm Qiraat. Of the seven kerats that we all know, one kerat of the seven kerats is related to Him. He started learning Ilm Nahu only after he was old enough. Allama Kifti Rah. said
انما تعلم الكسائي النحو بعد الكبر فلم يمنعه ذلك من ان برع فيه
Kisai started learning Nahu when he was old enough. Age did not prevent him from acquiring knowledge in this Shastra. (Ruyat of Ambaur 2/271)
2. Allama Ibn Hazm. He is one of the immortals in the history of Islam. Allama Zahabi. said about him,
ومن أشهر من ذكر عنهم الطلب بعد كبر السن ابن حزم الأندلسي
Ibn Hazm Andalusi is famous among those who started learning knowledge after reaching age.
His exploration of Ilma Fiqh began in the context of a particular incident. Ibn Hazm. He himself told the incident. One day he attended a funeral. Then he entered a mosque and sat down. A person then said to him, “Get up, first pray at Tahiyyatul Masjid.” He was then twenty-six. He then stood in prayer. Go to the mosque even when returning after the funeral. He started praying as soon as he entered. Then he was told, Hey Boss Boss; Now is not the time to pray Nafal. It was after the event. This incident is deeply scarred in his mind. Since then he started acquiring knowledge. His ignorance became the means of attaining knowledge. (Mu’zamul Udaba, Biography of Ibn Hazm)
3. Abu Bakr al-Kaffal. He is one of the Imams of the Shafi’i school. Allama Subuki Rah. said
فلما كان ابن ثلاثين سنة أحس من نفسه ذكاء : فأقبل على الفقه
Sheikh Imam Abu Bakr al-Kaffal. After crossing the age of thirty, Ilam felt a strong need to explore. At one point the etymology of Fiqh was acquired. (Tabaqatush-Shafiyyah 5/54)
4. Abu Abdullah Asbag Ibnul Farz. A distinguished jurist of the Maliki Madhhab. Allama Zahabi. said about him,
وطلب العلم وهو شاب كبير
He devoted himself to the acquisition of knowledge at an early age. (Siaru A’lamin Nubala 10/656)
5. Isa ibn Musa Gunjar. Alias was Abu Ahmad Albukhari. He was a well-known Muhaddith of Ma-Warunnah, i.e. Transoxiana region. Hakim Rah. said
هو إمام عصره ، طلب العلم على كبر السنِّ ، وطوَّف
He was the Imam of his time. Learned science at a mature age. Traveled a lot in search of Eelam. (Sharatuz Zahab 1/330)
6. Harith Ibn Miskin. He was the Chief Justice of Egypt. He died in 250 Hijri. Allama Zahabi. said about him,
وإنما طلب العلم على كبَر
He learned science at an early age. (Siyaru A’lamin Nubala 12/54)
7. Izzuddin Ibnus Salam Ilmi is the brightest star in the sky. A personality famous for speaking the truth and bold utterances. Allama Ibn Daqiqul Eid who was given the title of Sultanul Ulama (Ulama-Emperor). In real sense he was a man equal to an emperor. He was more respected than the emperor in the hearts of people. Even mighty rulers bowed before him. When people were passing under the Shahi Palace with the funeral cot of Izzuddin, the then ruler Almalikuz Zahir said,
Today my kingdom has gained stability. If this Shaykh had asked the people to rebel against me, he could have taken the kingdom away from me. – Tabakatush Shafiyyatil Kubra 8/215
This ulama-emperor also started learning ilm at an advanced age. His biography reads:
كان الشيخ عز الدين في أول أمره فقيرا جدا ولم يشتغل إلا على كبر
Izzuddin Rah. He was very poor in the beginning. He has been engaged in acquiring knowledge at a very young age. (Tabaqatush-Shafiyyatil Qubra 8/215)
Also Fuzail Ibn Yaz, Ibnul Arabi Rah. Bright stars like etc have crossed the age barrier and ruled the scientific arena.
Ibn Ukail Rah. He said, the taste I got for Ilm at the age of eighty years was stronger than the taste of Ilm at forty years.
A motivational event
Many people bring forward a problem in learning Ilm at an age. That is, when you get a little older, you don’t want to remember anything. It takes a lot of time to memorize something. In some cases, the reality of this problem is also found. However, accepting this fact, I say that when a person dares to do something and spends 100% effort on it, then Allah makes it easy for him. Let me give an example.
Abu Bakr al-Kaffal, one of the Imams of the Shafi’i Madhhab. I said earlier, after crossing the age of thirty, he became a devotee in the pursuit of knowledge. Allama Subuki Rah. He said of him,
الإمام الجليل أبو بكر القفال الصغير ، شيخ طريقة خراسان
Great Imam Abu Bakr al-Kaffal. Imam of the Tariqat of Khurasan…. (Tabaqatush-Shafiyyah 5/54)
The above mentioned problem also came in the life of this great thinker. Still, he overcame the hurdles and established himself among the elite.
After becoming interested in learning Ilm, he first went to a Shaykh from the ‘Rmao’ region of Turkmenistan. He taught him these three words of Kitabul Mu’ani on the first day,
هذا كتاب اختصرته
Accepting this lesson, he went to the roof. He kept memorizing these three words from Isha to Fajr. Due to staying up all night, the last night got a little eye strain. He fell asleep. But when he woke up, the sky fell on his head. I can’t remember what I read all night. He was feeling shy thinking what should I say to Shaykh. Habudubu was eating in the middle of this worry. At that time a neighbor woman said,
يا أبا بكر لقد أسهرتنا البارحة في قولك هذا كتاب اختصرته
Abu Bakr! Last night he did not let us sleep the whole night saying هذا كتاب اختصرته.
It was as if he had found a lost treasure in the midst of the woman’s plaintive words. He went to the Sheikh and told everything. Shaykh then comfortingly said,
لا يصدَّنَّك هذا عن الاشتغال، فإنك إذا لازمت الحفظ والاشتغال صار لك عادة
For this reason, don’t let your interest in learning science wane. Because when you are immersed in the practice of knowledge and always memorize it, it will become your habit. (Mu’zamul Buldan 5/116)
Shaykh’s words came true. Through hard work and effort, the man with such a weak memorization became the elite imam of his era. He died in 417 Hijri at the age of 80. For this reason it is famous about him,
عاش ثمانين سنة، أربعين جاهلا، وأربعين عالما
That is, lived eighty years. Being ignorant or stupid for 40 years. And 40 years as a scholar. (Mu’zamul Buldan 5/116)
In fact, if you have the right intention and determination, then Allah will make all difficult things easy. And even if we do not memorize it or do not understand it even after a hundred attempts, Allah Ta’ala will give us reward and reward because of this effort.
May Allah Ta’ala increase their effort and remove all the obstacles with His grace and power for those who, after attaining age, strive to follow the light of the Prophet of Knowledge. Amen.
