Islamic Degrees and Certificates Vs. Grounded Knowledge and Understanding

In the Name of Allaah, the Ever Merciful…

Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan (may Allaah preserve him) was asked the following question about academic qualifications:

Question: Am I qualified to call to the Salafee ‘aqeedah if I have attained an excellent mark in a course offered by a da’wah office?

Answer: This (being truly qualified) does not happen except by way of knowledge.  If you know the correct ‘aqeedah and have a complete understanding of it, then you have attained knowledge of it.  But it is not sufficient for you to have an excellent (academic) mark without understanding ‘aqeedah.  

How many times has someone got mumtaaz (excellent grades) with the highest honors but he has no understanding!?

And how many times has someone with only passing grades attained true knowledge and understanding!?

It is not about certificates of achievement.  It is about having knowledge and a true understanding of it.

Source:Mathaahir Dha’f al-‘Aqeedah” (p.39), translated by Moosaa Richardson.

ST Archives: 04-20-2008

7 thoughts on “Islamic Degrees and Certificates Vs. Grounded Knowledge and Understanding

  1. MashaaAllaah wal hamdullilah..I am happy to read the shaykh’s reply to this question and wish that more of our brothers would take heed to this naseehah. any new muslims that we give the dawah to could only benefit from knowledge based dawah/information to prevent having to re-learn the deen later, Allaahu Musta’aan

  2. As salamu alaikum I hope all is well with you, is this an authentic Hadith? I keep seeing it.

    I love children. They are content with the least of things and gold and mud are the same in their eyes. They’re saying this is statements of our Beloved Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi wa Saalam

    • Wa ‘alaykas-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. Seems like a fake narration to me. Whoever narrates this must provide a source or fear Allaah and repent from passing on things which they have no knowledge of. “It is sufficient to call a man a liar that he passes on everything he hears.” And Allaah knows best.

  3. Assalamu alaykum akhi You probably have heard of the Hadith about the Unseen an it having five keys, one of which is what is in the womb… Basically, you probably know about ultrasound scans how you can produce a 3-d image of the foetus in the womb. They can also insert small cameras to see some things. So what should we believe regarding that technology? It is similar to seeing so how do we understand the Hadith that ONLY Allah knows what is in the womb?
    So in conclusion, do we know what shape the baby is, whether their is a baby, its gender and its formation etc or not? [question abridged by admin for clarity]

    • Wa ‘alaykas-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. The five keys of the Unseen that none know except Allaah are: [1] what is in the wombs, [2] what tomorrow will bring, [3] when it will rain, [4] where a person will die, and [5] when the Day of Judgment will be established. The meaning is not total and complete ignorance of those matters, but rather a negation of any considerable certain knowledge. For example, we do know there is a baby in the womb and not a tree. We know about some of the signs of the Day of Judgment, but we do not know exactly when it will be. We even have indications about weather, yet they are speculative and not certain. So to help put the matter in its place: You may be able to speculate about some basic things about the baby in the womb, in a very limited way, like: its blood type, whether it is alive or not, and perhaps even the sex. Yet, in reality, these matters are only thannee (speculative). What the best doctors speculate may turn out to be wrong. Many cases document doctors speaking decisively about the sex, and the reality disproves them.

      In weather, many times the forecaster may say there is 0% chance of rain, and then it rains. Other times they are certain there will be rainfall, yet nothing comes. These continual reminders should humble and discipline scientists and put them in their places, yet they rarely benefit.

      Think about the Knowledge of Allaah regarding the baby in the womb: He knows the length of the lifespan, the kind of personality, every deed that he/she will perform, whether he/she will be Muslim or kaafir in Paradise or Hell, etc. Does the limited speculative tidbits of likelihoods some scientists claim compare to the masterful and complete, all-encompassing Knowledge of Allaah that He has kept from us as keys of the Unseen?! And Allaah knows best.

    • Assalam Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu; Of Allah SWT Knows The Best;; My youngest son was born in 1998 ; The ultra sonographer missed a diagnosis – – – .my son was born without left hand ; it could not be detected in the ultra sound/ which they repeat many times ;even the doctor himself was surprised ( I do not believe in these ultra sounds but they are required by most hospitals / un necessary exposure of women to male staff Subhan Allah) May Allah SWT Forgive the Muslim Ummah Aameen

    • Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuh. Aameen, and may Allah bless your son’s right hand and give him success. Its just his specific test, and Allah decrees whatever test He wants for each one of us. Others are paralyzed completely, so he can compare himself to them, and appreciate his right hand and use it only to obey Allah. Our belief in Qadr means that we affirm, without wavering, that he was never going to have a left hand. This was Allah’s overwhelming Decree, sonogram or no sonogram, medical intervention or no medical intervention. What has befallen you could never have passed you by! Your 22/23 year old son has grown up and is fully aware of how to cope with life using his right hand, wal-hamdu lillaah. May Allah make him from As-haab al-Yameen on the Day of Judgment!

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