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Why learn from a teacher?

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Nausheen View Drop Down
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    Posted: 14 March 2005 at 8:25pm

Why learn from a teacher?   
Answered by Sidi Faraz Rabbani

What's the significance of studying fiqh with scholars rather than just reading the text yourself, if it's a reliable text. The texts have commentaries and are written by scholars, so you would still be getting your knowledge from scholars in a way. So what would you get from a sheikh that you wouldn't find in texts.

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

1. Sound understanding: the chance of erring without a teacher to guide one in one's understanding and learning is far greater. Given how serious religious knowledge is, one cannot rely on someone whose knowledge is taken only from books. A teacher �tests� one�s understanding, and picks up on one�s errors; a student is able to ask questions and to verify where they have understood.

2. Correct understanding: books, even the best books, sometimes contain weak positions, errors, false arguments, missing details, unmentioned conditions or implications, special terminological usages... without a teacher explaining how texts are unpacked and interpreted, one can and almost certain will fall into gross errors.

3. Correct progress: if you don't know, you are likely to have little knowledge or practical ability of how to gain knowledge. A teacher directs one's path of learning, and focuses one's endeavors.

4. Understanding context, wisdom, and how to apply the theoretical knowledge. Not everything can be applied literally...

5. Learning adab and humility, by submitting one's presumed understanding to the established understanding of an inheritor of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).

6. Following the sunna of the Prophets, who didn't just print a 'book of guidance' and distribute it: they taught, and their companions learned.

7. The baraka of this teacher-student relationship. There are great secrets in it. The Prophets themselves were 'students' of Jibril (peace and blessings be upon him).

8. Benefiting from the manners, character, and habits of one's teacher.

Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani

Source: Sunnipath.com

<font color=purple>Wanu nazzilu minal Qurani ma huwa

Shafaa un wa rahmatun lil mo'mineena

wa la yaziduzzalimeena illa khasara.
[/COLOR]
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Israfil View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Israfil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 March 2005 at 5:11pm

Salaam Alaikum,

 

Great point Sister Nausheen as you have mentioned. But even teachers whom have developed a concrete understanding of Fiqh at some point were weak in their knowledge and have received guidance from another and thus the cycle. I agree to a certain extent of what was mentioned here in this article but at the same time when you mention thepoint about erring when an individual begins to teach oneself I have to disagree. The point of learning is to make errors. This is how theorist in science develope concrete formulations of how things work i.e discovery of gravity etc.

I believe individuals who engage in the knowledge of the Quran should try to understand Quran themselves and if need be with further inquiries consult a learned scholar or teacher, Alim, whatever. But keep in mind even those who have mastered the understanding of Fiqh and religious principle differ with other scholars who adhere to a different fiqh hence the various schools of thought and sects! There will always be trial and error in every effort of understanding but if we take that individual right to make those acts then we are only teaching other what "we think" is the correct interpretation of an act.

I believe teaching is good only for those with the thirst for understanding of a material in which they believe they will not comprehend. But its much different if we have individuals who engage in Quranic knowledge but are still prompt to consult a scholar for the "correct" interpretation. I'm just against following Sheikhs and Scholars because I myself am learned in at least the basic fundamentals of Islam. But to those of you who follow Fiqhs I say: Whatever works.

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AhmadJoyia View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AhmadJoyia Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 March 2005 at 12:15pm
I agree with Israfil that ordinarily, learing Quran is an unending endeavor. Scholars and Sheiks are only the means, when required, to be consulted with. However, of course, when a formal education is required in this field, that is the time when one is required to go through the rigours of such an educational system available to impart that knowledge. 
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ameensn View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ameensn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 June 2005 at 2:32am

ASSALAM-ALAIKUM

THE TOPIC WHICH U RAISED IS GOOD ONE OFTEN ASKED.

WHY WE NEED SOME ONE TO GUIDE WHEN WE HAVE BOOKS?

My first question is are the books u are talking about ar written then how he has written if from other books he got material then how they got so at the end you have to reach some one who has listened guided by other in gaining knowledge.

ok fine a book will tell u to do surgery,to drive car,to maintain an elctronic device inspite of all when u get a problem u cant sort then u will call a technician who is specialist in his work,why?

can u do the surgery by reading book,still after finishing ur medicine u will work as assistant to learn?why

after u finishing your studies still u r taken as trainie why?

so my dera sister my saying what you have said is nothing but just fooling oneself.the bottom line is that we definetly need teachers but the should be good one with sound knowledge which at present lacking with our scholars.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nausheen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 July 2005 at 9:32pm

Auzubillahi minash shaitan ir rajeem,

Bismillah ir rahman ir rahim,

Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullah,

Originally posted by ameensn ameensn wrote:

so my dera sister my saying what you have said is nothing but just fooling oneself.the bottom line is that we definetly need teachers but the should be good one with sound knowledge which at present lacking with our scholars.

If one says that the number of true and sincere scholars is decreasing terribly in today's times, it would be acceptable. Even then, we are thankfully not in the times where there may be absolutely no scholars who can qualify to transmit knowledge with its true essence.

One needs a true desire to search for knowledge, and allah makes it easy for him to arrive at, with means which are best suited.

Maa salaama,

Nausheen 

<font color=purple>Wanu nazzilu minal Qurani ma huwa

Shafaa un wa rahmatun lil mo'mineena

wa la yaziduzzalimeena illa khasara.
[/COLOR]
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