Shaikh ‘Uthaimeen’s Summary of the Method of Seeking Knowledge

 

الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، أما بعد

 

Shaikh Muhammad bin Saalih al-‘Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) said:

 

In summary, the method of seeking knowledge is in the following points:

 

• Be ardent upon memorization of the Book of Allaah, The Most High, and set aside something stipulated for yourself each day which you preserve for its recitation, and your recitation should be one of reflection and understanding, and if during the recitation there is denoted for you a point of benefit – then note it down.

 

• Be ardent upon memorizing that which is facilitated from the authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), and from that is memorizing: ‘Umdatul Ahkaam.

 

• Endeavour upon focalization and constant steadiness – in such a manner that you do not take knowledge by merely plucking; something from this and something from this, because this squanders your time and scatters your mind.

 

• Begin with the smaller of the books – and pay attention to them in a fine manner, then move on to that which is beyond that until you attain knowledge – step by step in such a manner that it becomes firmly rooted in your heart and so your soul becomes at ease with it.

 

• Adhere to understanding the fundamentals of the issues and their principles, and make a note of everything which passes you by in this respect, for it has been said: ‘Whoever is deprived of the fundamentals is deprived of attaining arrival.’

 

• Discuss the issues with your Shaikh, or with the one who you trust in knowledge and religion from your fellow associates, and if you are able in your mind then you visualize that someone discusses that with you – that being if the discussion cannot be done with those that we have mentioned.

 

 

(Taken from: Kitaab al-‘Ilm p.116)