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The_Savior_from_Spiritual_Error, page : 136
future life, imagining that it will deliver him and make intercession for him,
so that consequently he is somewhat remiss in his conduct in view of the
excellence of his knowledge. Now although that might be an additional point
against him, yet it may also be an additional degree of honor for him, and it
is certainly possible that, even if he leaves duties undone, he will be
brought to safety by his knowledge. But if you, who are an ordinary man,
observing him, leave duty undone, then, Since you are destitute of
knowledge, you will perish through your evil conduct and will have no
intercessor!‟
(c) The third point is the fact that the genuine `alim does not commit a sin
except by a slip, and the sins are not part of his intention at all. Genuine
knowledge is that which informs us that sin is a deadly poison and that the
world to come is better than this; and the man who knows that does not
give up the good for what is Lower than it.
This knowledge is not attained by means of the various special branches
of knowledge to which most people devote their attention. As a result, most
people‟s knowledge only makes them bolder in disobeying Allah most high.
Genuine knowledge, however, increases a man‟s reverence and fear and
hope; and these come between him and sins (in the strict sense) as distinct
from the unintentional faults which are inseparable from man in his times of
weakness. This proneness to lesser sins does not argue any weakness of
faith, however. The believer, when he goes astray, repents. He is far from
sinning intentionally and deliberately.
In conclusion: These are the points I wanted to discuss in criticism of the
faults of the philosophers and the party of ta`lim and the faults of those who
oppose them without using their methods.
We pray Allah Almighty that He will number us among those whom He
has chosen and elected, whom He has led to the truth and guided, whom
He has inspired to recollect Him and not to forget Him, whom He has
preserved from the evil in themselves so that they do not prefer ought to
Him, and whom He has made His own so that they serve only Him.
so that consequently he is somewhat remiss in his conduct in view of the
excellence of his knowledge. Now although that might be an additional point
against him, yet it may also be an additional degree of honor for him, and it
is certainly possible that, even if he leaves duties undone, he will be
brought to safety by his knowledge. But if you, who are an ordinary man,
observing him, leave duty undone, then, Since you are destitute of
knowledge, you will perish through your evil conduct and will have no
intercessor!‟
(c) The third point is the fact that the genuine `alim does not commit a sin
except by a slip, and the sins are not part of his intention at all. Genuine
knowledge is that which informs us that sin is a deadly poison and that the
world to come is better than this; and the man who knows that does not
give up the good for what is Lower than it.
This knowledge is not attained by means of the various special branches
of knowledge to which most people devote their attention. As a result, most
people‟s knowledge only makes them bolder in disobeying Allah most high.
Genuine knowledge, however, increases a man‟s reverence and fear and
hope; and these come between him and sins (in the strict sense) as distinct
from the unintentional faults which are inseparable from man in his times of
weakness. This proneness to lesser sins does not argue any weakness of
faith, however. The believer, when he goes astray, repents. He is far from
sinning intentionally and deliberately.
In conclusion: These are the points I wanted to discuss in criticism of the
faults of the philosophers and the party of ta`lim and the faults of those who
oppose them without using their methods.
We pray Allah Almighty that He will number us among those whom He
has chosen and elected, whom He has led to the truth and guided, whom
He has inspired to recollect Him and not to forget Him, whom He has
preserved from the evil in themselves so that they do not prefer ought to
Him, and whom He has made His own so that they serve only Him.