On Seeking Knowledge
Brotha, a conference is comin’ up,
Let’s go, so to make our hearts and minds sharp,
Tickets are this priced, for learning so sweet.
What? Have you been bought into this also?
The Sahaba never charged, don’t you know-
Of their knowledge they gave to others free!
Do you say their students sacrificed naught-
Of their wealth, physicality, and love,
To be in company of a shaykh’s lot?
Surely across lands did they for this strove!
And what of the Prophet’s advice to us-
Voyage to Earth’s ends for Wisdom’s rare gems,
From whatever righteous vessel it stems;
As its acquirement on one is a must.
Forget you the words of his companions?
Abu Darda did once advise a youth:
My son, be knowledgeable: seek knowledge,
Be not ignorant: you will be ruined.
Would that we were like the early Muslims!
Who held the ulema in high esteem,
Light with which to nourish and make minds gleam,
Purifying actions in heart and limb.
Question you the pursue of a Degree-
Formal education too has its price,
But Spiritual science must cheap be?
What illusions we permit to entice!
Knowledge, brother mine, seeks not the people,
But to it, instead, we must ourselves pull.
See you now, to this circle we need go!
Let’s go, so to make our hearts and minds sharp,
Tickets are this priced, for learning so sweet.
What? Have you been bought into this also?
The Sahaba never charged, don’t you know-
Of their knowledge they gave to others free!
Do you say their students sacrificed naught-
Of their wealth, physicality, and love,
To be in company of a shaykh’s lot?
Surely across lands did they for this strove!
And what of the Prophet’s advice to us-
Voyage to Earth’s ends for Wisdom’s rare gems,
From whatever righteous vessel it stems;
As its acquirement on one is a must.
Forget you the words of his companions?
Abu Darda did once advise a youth:
My son, be knowledgeable: seek knowledge,
Be not ignorant: you will be ruined.
Would that we were like the early Muslims!
Who held the ulema in high esteem,
Light with which to nourish and make minds gleam,
Purifying actions in heart and limb.
Question you the pursue of a Degree-
Formal education too has its price,
But Spiritual science must cheap be?
What illusions we permit to entice!
Knowledge, brother mine, seeks not the people,
But to it, instead, we must ourselves pull.
See you now, to this circle we need go!