Shaykh Rabee Bin
Haadi Al-Madkhalee [hafidhahullaah] said:
One of the obstacles
that prevents people from [acquiring] knowledge is [when they] turn to the
knowledge of the Asaaghir [the small ones] – and Allaah’s refuge is sought. And
from the [minor] signs of the hour [i.e the day of judgement] is that knowledge
will be acquired from the young in age, who learn very little and thus
considers himself as an Aalim!
This person is young
and a Miskeen [i.e. lacking strength in the field of knowledge], but considers
himself as one who has reached the highest level; so the ignoramuses come to
him, gather around him and cut off from the scholars – and Allaah’s refuge is
sought. This is one of the [minor] signs and portents of the hour, when the
people abandon the senior scholars and embark upon acquiring knowledge from the
ignorant young ones – those who pretend to be scholars. This is a calamity. Ibn
Mas’ood [radiyallaahu- anhu] said: “The people will not cease to be upon good
as long as they acquire knowledge from their elder, trustworthy ones and
scholars.”
Contemplate on this
statement, “And if they acquire knowledge from their young ones, they will be
destroyed” – This is one of the obstacles and barriers to acquiring knowledge.
It may be that some people desire knowledge, but he [i.e. an individual]
becomes deceived by that young person and considers him to be the most
knowledgeable of people. And had he gone to other than that young person, he
would find that it is obligated on that young person to seek knowledge together
with him, and sit down in the presence of the scholars.
The students of
knowledge must think carefully and should direct their attention towards the
senior scholars – the possessors of vast knowledge, those whose lives have been
spent in seeking knowledge and its dessimination, and are possessors of
experience [in many affairs]. They will give you – in one sitting- that which
you cannot attain in a year.
They will give you
the [required and precise] summary of knowledge, which if you and your young Shaikh
were to look for, you will not reach it. This [i.e. abandoning the scholars and
their knowledge and clinging to the young ones] is also an obstacle faced by
the students of knowledge, so one should beware of it.
[Source: An Excerpt
from ‘Marhaban Yaa Taalibal Ilm’ page 227-229. Slightly paraphrased]
Read more here:
Obstacles In The Path of Knowledge
http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/sp.cfm?secID=SCL&subsecID=SCLo6&loadpage=displaysubsection.cfm
