The Foundation of Knowledge

Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy upon him, used to say about Ma’rif, ‘He possesses the foundation of knowledge: the fear of Allah.' Therefore the foundation of knowledge is that knowledge which leads to fearing Him, loving Him, drawing close to Him, taking comfort with Him, and ardently desiring Him.

Then this is followed by knowledge of the rulings of Allah, all that He loves and is pleased with from the servant of statement, action, spiritual condition, and belief.

Whoever realises these two types of knowledge has found beneficial knowledge; he has attained beneficial knowledge, a fearful heart, a content soul, and a supplication that is responded to.

Whoever does not attain this knowledge will fall into the four matters that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, sought refuge from and his knowledge will actually become a source of misery for him and a proof against him.

He will not benefit by it because it did not make his heart  fearful of his Lord, it did not satisfy  the  desires  of  the  soul  for  this  world,  rather  it only strengthened  it, his supplication  went  unheard  because he did not obey the commands  of his Lord and avoid all that He detests and angers Him.

This provided that his knowledge is that knowledge from which benefit can be hoped, i.e. that knowledge derived from the Book and Sunnah.

Whatever knowledge may be derived from other than these two sources is not beneficial and there is no hope of deriving benefit through it, indeed its harm is greater than its benefit!