Seeking Knowledge

Three Steps of Knowledge

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Two Hundred Word Tidbits: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V

The great scholar Sufyan ath-Thawri (may God be pleased with him) is reported to have said, 

“Knowledge is three hand-spans: the first breeds arrogance, the second breeds humility, and in the third, you realize you know nothing.”

When one first embarks on religious studies, one may feel a heady sense of confidence at gaining proficiency in the Islamic sciences that may lead one to arrogance. With further study and time, however, one may begin to realize that issues that once seemed so clear-cut are actually more complex than one initially believed, and that there is great depth in matters one first perceived as shallow. This is the second “hand-span” that Sufyan ath-Thawri refers to which engenders a sense of humility in a person and reverence for others of more knowledge.

As one continues one their path of study, one may realize that no matter how deeply one delves into knowledge and how much expertise one attains, one is limited in one’s abilities, and it is only Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) who has full and all-encompassing knowledge.  Any number divided by the infinite is zero; in the same way, any knowledge we have attained, in comparison to Allah’s perfect and complete knowledge, is in reality nothing. Realizing one’s own deficiencies in light of Allah’s perfection and His infinite knowledge brings one’s heart to a beautiful state of intense humbleness and devotion. This is the third “hand-span” and the state in which one has truly internalized what Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an in Surah Yusuf:

(نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مِّن نَّشَاء وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ) 

“We raise in degrees (of knowledge) whom We will, but over every possessor of knowledge is One [more] Knowing.” (12:76)

About the author

Shazia Ahmad

Shazia Ahmad was born and raised in upstate New York. She graduated from the State University of New York (SUNY) Albany with a Bachelors in Psychology and History. During her time in university, Shazia was involved in the Muslim Students’ Association, community and interfaith work, and a local radio show entitled ‘Window on Islam.’ She has studied with Dr. Mokhtar Maghraoui and is a long time contributor to jannah.org and themadina.com. After graduating, Shazia spent two years in Syria, studying briefly at the University of Damascus and then at Abu Nour University where she completed an Arabic Studies program for foreigners (Ad-Dawraat) and a program in Islamic Studies (Ma’had at-Taheeli). She also studied in a number of private classes and attained her ijazah in Qur’anic recitation from the late Sh. Muhiyudin al-Kurdi (rahimahullah). While in Syria, Shazia composed a blog of her experiences entitled Damascus Dreams. She currently resides in Cairo, Egypt with her husband and one-year old son, and is seeking to further her education through private lessons and study. She currently blogs at Cairo Caprices.

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