Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim
1. Introduction
Friends beloved by Allah, have you ever felt a strong desire to attend a study circle or read a beneficial book, only to have this thought suddenly pop up: “Ugh, my work isn’t finished yet,” or “Just a minute, I’m in the middle of scrolling”? The biggest barrier to seeking knowledge is often not distance or cost, but an internal barrier within ourselves: being too busy with worldly affairs. Psychologically and spiritually, when a person’s heart is too full of worldly ambitions, the space to receive the light of knowledge becomes narrow. Knowledge is subtle (laṭīf); it will not settle in a heart that is noisy with the affairs of this fleeting world.
Allah SWT has reminded us beautifully in the Qur’an:
أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ
“O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children distract you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that—then those are the losers.” (QS. Al-Munāfiqūn: 9)
According to the scholars, “remembrance of Allah” here includes attending gatherings of knowledge. When we sacrifice time for seeking knowledge in order to chase material gain excessively, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gives a stern warning: مَنِ ابْتَغَى الْعِلْمَ لِيُبَاهِيَ بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ، أَوْ لِيُمَارِيَ بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ، أَوْ لِيَصْرِفَ بِهِ وُجُوهَ النَّاسِ إِلَيْهِ، أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ النَّارَ“Whoever seeks knowledge to boast before the scholars, to argue with the foolish, or to turn people’s faces toward himself seeking worldly popularity, Allah will enter him into the Fire.” (HR. Tirmidhī)
2. Lessons and Message
This world is the field, the Hereafter is the harvest, and knowledge is the compass. Chasing the world without knowledge is like walking in the darkness of night without a torch; you may walk fast, but you have no idea when you’ll fall into a ravine. Imagine the story of a young man in modern times. He worked hard from before dawn until late at night, collecting rupiah after rupiah until his savings overflowed. Every time he was invited to a study circle, his answer was always the same: “Later, when I’m successful and retired.” Tragically, a week before his retirement age arrived, Allah called him back in an accident. He died carrying piles of wealth that could not help him in the grave, yet poor in religious knowledge and ongoing charity. What a real loss. Seeking knowledge and earning a livelihood are like driving a car on the highway. Earning a livelihood is like looking in the rearview mirror—necessary and important so you stay safe. But seeking knowledge is like looking through the windshield—that’s what determines where you’re going!
Now imagine someone driving a car, but staring wide-eyed at the rearview mirror because they’re amazed by the view behind them, while the windshield is covered with a newspaper. What happens? A crash, right? That’s the logic of someone busy counting worldly wealth but forgetting to learn the sharī‘ah. The crash happens straight into the Hereafter!
3. Conclusion and Closing
Brothers and sisters, worldly busyness will never end. If we wait for “free time” to seek knowledge, we will never find it. The secret is not to wait for free time, but to make time. Knowledge is the primary capital that makes the world we hold blessed and turned into worship. Let us reorder our priorities. Don’t let the busyness of earning a living make us forget Al-Khāliq, the One who gives life
والله أعلم بالصواب
الحمد لله رب العالمين
Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmaullahi Wabarakatuh.
ِAbu Sultan Al-Qadrie
