Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Sep 2002
|
This sincere advice is for myself first and foremost, then to my brothers and sisters. It is regarding a habit, which I have observed in classes, during tele-links, and on discussion forums.
1. Formulating Questions
Sometimes, a questioner will post a question for the sake of asking a question. Allahu Alam.
A good reminder comes from the book ?The Manners of the Scholar & Student of Knowledge? © 1988 SalafiPublications, page 52:
 | quote: |
| Maalik ibn Anaz said, ?Ibn ?Ajlaan came to Zayd ibn Aslam to ask him about something but he became confused in it, so Zayd said to him, ?Go away and learn how to ask questions and then come and ask.?? [Reported by al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee in Al-Jaami? li-Akhlaaqir-Raawee wa Aadaabaais-Saami?, (1/213)] |
|
In this book, there are eight (8) points of benefit when learning how to articulate questions to the people of knowledge. Refer to pages 52-58 in the aforementioned text, barakAllahu feekum.
| quote: |
i) The question should be a question to find something out, it should not be asked to cause trouble, nor should it be to show someone?s ignorance, and it should not be made as a test for someone.
ii) It is not allowed to ask questions about something which there is no need of, things whose answers will trouble the one who is asking the question.
iii) Likewise, it is not allowed to ask questions about things which may cause difficulty and cause hardship to the questioner or for other Muslims.
iv) Therefore the Companions (Radhi-yallaahu 'anhum) and the Taabi?een used to hate asking questions about things before they happened and they would not answer those questions.
v) Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee (Rahima-hullaah) in his book, Jaami? li-Akhlaaqir-Raawee wa Adaabis-Saami?, (1/211-214) brings a number of chapters in this regard and we will mention the most important of these headings due to their importance:
a. ??have patience until the narrator has finished narrating his hadeeth and then he can ask about whatever he wants to ask about.?
b. ??avoid asking the narrator of hadeeth when his heart is preoccupied.?
c. ??mention to the scholar of hadeeth those chains of the hadeeth which he wants to hear narrated from him??
vi) It is permissible to ask a scholar about his proof.
vii) It is hated to keep repeating a question to the scholar in a troublesome manner.
viii) It is allowed for him to ask about speech that is unclear to him.
|
|
2. ?Search-Friendly? Questions
Occasionally, an individual will post a thread with a heading such as ?????, ?Question?, ?Important? or ?Help?. This makes searching for a particular topic both impractical and inconvenient. It would be more beneficial to use the main subject of your post as the header, thus maximizing one?s search experience.
3. Repetitive Questions
One should show a little resourcefulness, and research to see if the question was already asked in the past (which I often find is the case). For instance, this can be accomplished by way of purchasing or borrowing books (such as Fataawa Islamiyyah, Majmoo Fataawa, or even searching reputable Salafee websites).
We should strive to be comprehensive yet concise, unless explicitly asked for more information. This is in no way a deterrent to ask questions, since we are commanded to ask the people of knowledge when we don?t know. Rather, this is simply a reminder on the methodology of going about it.
______________________________
ام الحارث شهيدة
Ummul-Haarith Shahidah
This message was edited by Jilbaab on 1-23-05 @ 6:01 PM
|
|
Jilbaab
05-12-2004 @ 12:59 AM
