Children in the Qur’an and Sunnah

Chapter 3: The Child’s Duties Towards His Teacher

3.1: Obedience

450. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “He whom you learn one word from, has made you become his servant.”[^1]

451. ‘Awali al-La’ali: It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said: “He who teaches something to someone owns him.”

It was said: “O Messenger of Allah! Can he sell him?”

He (s.a.w.) answered: “No. But he can command him and forbid him.”[^2]

الإطاعَةُ

.450رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: مَن تَعَلَّمتَ مِنهُ حَرفاً، صِرتَ

لَهُ عَبداً.

.451عوالي اللالي: رُوِيَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وآله أنَّهُ

قالَ: مَن عَلَّمَ شَخصاً مَسأَلَةً، فَقَد مَلَكَ رَقَبَتَهُ. فَقيلَ لَهُ يا رَسولَ اللهِ: أيَبيعُهُ؟ فَقالَ صلى الله عليه وآله: لا، ولكِن يَأمُرُهُ ويَنهاهُ.

3.2: Honouring

452. Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “Honour your guest even if he is menial, and stand up for your father and your teacher even if you are a commander.”[^3]

453. Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “There are three things of which you should not be ashamed of: A man serving his guest, standing up for his father and his teacher, and demanding his right even if it is little.”[^4]

454. Imam al-Sajjad (a.s.) said: “The right of your teacher is to honour him, revere his presence, listen to him carefully and heed him. You must not raise your voice over him, not answer a person who has asked him until he himself answers, not speak with anyone in his meeting, and you should not backbite anyone in his presence. You should defend him when someone speaks against him, you should conceal his defects and reveal his virtues, and you should not associate with his enemy and not be hostile with his friend. If you were to do this, the angels of Allah will bear witness for you that you have gone to him and you have learnt his knowledge for the sake of Allah the Exalted, and not for the sake of people.”[^5]

التَّعظيمُ‏

.452الإمام عليّ عليه السلام: أكرِم ضَيفَكَ وإن كانَ حَقيرا، وقُم عَن

مَجلِسِكَ لِأبيكَ ومُعَلِّمِكَ وإن كُنتَ أميرا.

.453عنه عليه السلام: ثَلاثٌ لا يُستَحيى مِنهُنَّ: خِدمَةُ الرَّجُلِ

ضَيفَهُ، وقِيامُهُ عَن مَجلِسِهِ لِأَبيهِ ومُعَلِّمِهِ، وطَلَبُ الحَقِّ وإن قَلَّ.

.454الإمام زين العابدين عليه السلام: حَقُّ سائِسِكَ بِالعِلمِ

التَّعظيمُ لَهُ، وَالتَّوقيرُ لِمَجلِسِهِ، وحُسنُ الاستِماعِ إلَيهِ، وَالإِقبالُ عَلَيهِ، وألّا تَرفَعَ عَلَيهِ صَوتَكَ، ولا تُجيبَ أحَداً يَسأَلُهُ عَن‏ شَي‏ءٍ حَتّى يَكونَ هُوَ الَّذي يُجيبُ، ولا تُحَدِّثَ في مَجلِسِهِ أحَداً، ولا تَغتابَ عِندَهُ أحَداً، وأن تَدفَعَ عَنهُ إذا ذُكِرَ عِندَكَ بِسوءٍ، وأن تَستُرَ عُيوبَهُ وتُظهِرَ مَناقِبَهُ، ولا تُجالِسَ لَهُ عَدُوّاً ولا تُعادِيَ لَهُ وَلِيّا، فَإِذا فَعَلتَ ذلِكَ شَهِدَت لَكَ مَلائِكَةُ اللهِ عزّ وجل بِأَنَّكَ قَصَدتَهُ، وتَعَلَّمتَ عِلمَهُ للهِ جَلَّ وعَزَّ اسمُهُ لا لِلنّاسِ.

3.3: Lowering the Voice

“Surely those who lower their voice before Allah’s Apostle are they whose hearts Allah has proved for guarding (against evil); they shall have forgiveness and a great reward.”[^6]

455. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “He who lowers his voice in the presence of the scholars will come forth on Judgment Day with my companions whose hearts have been tested with piety by Allah, and there is no goodness in flattery and humility except for that which is done for Allah for the sake of seeking knowledge.”[^7]

غَضُّ الصَّوتِ‏

)إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَغُضُّونَ أَصْواتَهُمْ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ امْتَحَنَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ لِلتَّقْوى‏ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَ أَجْرٌ عَظِيم.(

  1. رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: مَن غَضَّ صَوتَهُ عِندَ العُلَماءِ

جاءَ يَومَ القِيامَةِ مَعَ الَّذينَ امتَحَنَ اللهُ قُلوبَهُم لِلتَّقوى مِن أصحابي، ولا خَيرَ فِي التَّمَلُّقِ وَالتَّواضُعِ إلّا ما كانَ فِي اللهِ في طَلَبِ العِلمِ.

3.4: Avoidance of Belittling

456. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “There are three groups who are not belittled by any one except a hypocrite whose hypocrisy is manifest: the owner of grey hair in Islam [an elder], a teacher of goodness and a just leader.”[^8]

457. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “He who humiliates a person of knowledge has indeed humiliated me and he who humiliates me is a disbeliever.”[^9]

458. Imam ‘Ali (a.s.): “No one belittles knowledge and knowledgeable people except one who is foolish and ignorant.”[^10]

459. Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “Be careful not to belittle scholars, for this action will make yourself belittled, and it will bring suspicion to you and negative views about you.”[^11]

460. Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “Do not use the sharpness of your tongue against he who has taught you to speak, or use the eloquence of your speech against he who has disciplined you.”[^12]

التَّجَنُّبُ عَنِ الاستِخفافِ‏

.456رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: ثَلاثَةٌ لا يَستَخِفُّ بِهِم إلّا

مُنافِقٌ بَيِّنٌ نِفاقُهُ: ذو شَيبَةٍ فِي الإِسلامِ، ومُعَلِّمُ الخَيرِ، وإمامٌ عادِلٌ.

.457عنه صلى الله عليه وآله: مَنِ احتَقَرَ صاحِبَ العِلمِ فَقَدِ

احتَقَرَني، ومَنِ احتَقَرَني فَهُوَ كافِرٌ.

.458الإمام عليّ عليه السلام: لا يَستَخِفُّ بِالعِلمِ وأهلِهِ إلّا

أحمَقُ جاهِلٌ.

.459عنه عليه السلام: إيّاكَ أن تَستَخِفَّ بِالعُلَماءِ؛ فَإِنَّ ذلِكَ

يُزري بِكَ، ويُسي‏ءُ الظَّنَّ بِكَ وَالمَخيلَةَ فيكَ.

.460عنه عليه السلام: لا تَجعَلَنَّ ذَرَبَ‏ لِسانِكَ عَلى مَن أنطَقَكَ،

وبَلاغَةَ قَولِكَ عَلى مَن سَدَّدَكَ.

[^1]: . ‘Awali al-La’ali, vol. 1, p. 292, h. 163. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 77, p. 165, h. 2.

[^2]: . ‘Awali al-La’ali, vol. 4, p. 71, h. 43. Munyah al-Murid, p. 243.

[^3]: . Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 2341.

[^4]: . Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 4666. ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawa’iz, p. 212, h. 4230.

[^5]: . Kitab Man la Yahdarhu al-Faqih, vol. 2, p. 620, h. 3214. al-Khisal, p. 567, h. 1. Both narrating from Abu Hamzah al-Thumali (Thabit ibn Dinar). Tuhaf al-’Uqul, p. 260.

[^6]: . Qur’an, 49:3.

[^7]: . Firdaws al-Akhbar, vol. 4, p. 181, h. 6076, narrating from Sa’id al-Shami.

[^8]: . Tarikh Baghdad, vol. 8, p. 27, h. 4074. Usd al-Ghabah, vol. 6, p. 354, h. 6439. Both narrating from ‘Amarah al-Qurashi from his father from his grandfather.

[^9]: . Irshad al-Qulub, p. 165.

[^10]: . Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 10807, ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawa’iz, p. 541, h. 10030.

[^11]: . Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 2732. ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawa’iz, p. 100, h. 2298.

[^12]: . Nahj al-Balaghah, Wise Saying 411. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 10385.