Quenching A Future Imam's Learning Aspiration
Which is the Beneficial Knowledge?
Arabic is a very important language which ought to be learnt. It is not possible to understand Sharīah in its entirety without knowing Arabic; but in case one is unable to learn this Shar’ī knowledge in entirety then this should not be a reason to abandon some form of lower category of Islamic learning (e.g. basic understanding of Islam in Urdu language) as well.
In a discourse Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi rehmatullahi alayh said:
“Who so ever enters this path (Tasawwuf) and has not attained humility then he is absolutely devoid (of that which is acquired in this path). It is like marrying a woman of worldly honor, and wealth, but she is barren (unable to bear children) because the aim of the marriage was lost. She will lose face in the sight of the husband (despite her worldly wealth and respect). Similarly, to tread this path without perfecting humility in oneself is useless.1
Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi rehmatullah alayh says,
“Some people increase their bad deeds in this month (Ramadhaan). This is perhaps due to unawareness, or due to deficient understanding, or perhaps they know it yet do not practice caution. This is indeed a very strange matter that in this month, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has even prohibited those things which were permissible in normal months. Isn’t this an indication that those actions which were already impermissible are now prohibited to a greater degree?