Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim
1. Introduction
Friends whom Allah has blessed, in today’s social media era, the line between “sharing inspiration” and “showing off” has become very thin. Sometimes we post stacks of books, online course certificates, or academic degrees just for the sake of likes and comments like “Wow, you’re amazing!” Let’s pause for a moment, set our hearts right, and take our souls to reflect on the true essence of seeking knowledge. In Islam, knowledge is _nūr_—light. The role of light is to illuminate a dark path, not to blind others with our arrogance. If knowledge is pursued only for worldly gain or human praise—_riyā’_—that light turns into a fire that burns our own good deeds.
Allah Subḥānahu wa Ta‘ālā reminds us in the Qur’an :
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فِيهَا وَهُمْ فِيهَا لَا يُبْخَسُونَ _ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا النَّارُ ۖ وَحَبِطَ مَا صَنَعُوا فِيهَا وَبَاطِلٌ مَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
“Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments—We fully repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be deprived. Those are the ones for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but the Fire. And lost is what they did therein, and worthless is what they used to do.” (QS. Hūd: 15-16)
This misplaced intention is emphasized by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with a stern warning :
مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ عِلْمًا مِمَّا يُبْتَغَى بِهِ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَا يَتَعَلَّمُهُ إِلَّا لِيُصِيبَ بِهِ عَرَضًا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا لَمْ يَجِدْ عَرْفَ الْجَنَّةِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
Whoever seeks knowledge that should be sought for the sake of Allah ‘Azza wa Jalla, but learns it only to attain a worldly gain, will not smell the fragrance of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection.” (HR. Abū Dāwūd)
2. Lessons and Message
Imagine knowledge as rainwater. Pure, clean rain falls on fertile soil, growing beautiful flowers and sweet fruits for everyone to enjoy. But if that rain falls into a dirty, toxic container—that is, a heart filled with riyā’ and hunger for praise—it turns into stagnant, foul-smelling water and a breeding ground for disease. Blessed knowledge makes its possessor humble like a ripening stalk of rice, not arrogant like dry weeds standing defiantly toward the sky. Have you read the story of one of the three types of people who will be dragged into the Fire first? One of them is a scholar. Before Allah, he says, “O Allah, I sought knowledge and taught it for Your sake.” But Allah knows the secrets of hearts, and He says: “You lie! You studied only so people would call you knowledgeable, and you have already received that praise in the world.” How crushed our hearts would be if the exhaustion of staying up to study, and the wealth spent on college and courses, ended in His wrath—all because we failed to set our intention right. These days, there’s a unique phenomenon. Someone learns one or two proofs from the internet, and suddenly their posts sound like the fatwa of a grand scholar. Their social media bio reads: “Seeker of Shar‘ī Knowledge | A Humble Servant.” But the moment someone disagrees in the comments, they lash out, typing angrily: “You’re ignorant, haven’t you studied?!”That’s showing off piety while forgetting to show good character. Are we seeking Allah’s pleasure, or just trying to win online arguments? If the intention is for the world, we get the exhaustion, get zero reward, and lose twice over!
3. Conclusion and Closing
Brothers and sisters, seeking knowledge is a tremendously noble act of worship. Do not trade eternal reward in the Hereafter for temporary human praise. Human praise is like a mirage: chasing it makes you thirstier, and even when you get it, it never satisfies. Starting today, let’s straighten our intentions again. Every time we read a book, attend a gathering of knowledge, or listen to a lecture, whisper to your heart: “O Allah, I am learning to remove my own ignorance so I can worship You correctly—not to show off to people.” May Allah purify our hearts from _riyā’* and grant us knowledge that benefits us in both this world and the Hereafter.
والله أعلم بالصواب
الحمد لله رب العالمين
Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmaullahi Wabarakatuh.
ِAbu Sultan Al-Qadrie
