Page:Selections from Muhammadan Traditions - tr. William Goldsack (1923).djvu/39

Rh concerning their religion, God will raise him up as a learned man, and I will be for him, on the day of resurrection, both intercessor and witness."'

It is related from Al Aʾmasha that, 'The Apostle of God said, "The danger of knowledge is forgetfulness, and the loss of knowledge is that thou speak of it to one who does not appreciate it."'—Al Dárimi.

It is related from Sufyán that ʿOmar binuʾl-Khaṭṭáb said to Kaʿb, "Who are the possessors of learning?" He replied, "They who practise what they know." He said, "And what removes learning from the hearts of the learned?" He replied, "Avarice."'—Al Dárimi.

It is related from Abú Hurairah that, 'The Apostle of God said, "Take refuge with God from the pit of sorrow." They replied, "O Apostle of God, what is the pit of sorrow?" He replied, "A valley in hell from which hell itself seeks refuge four hundred times a day." It was said, "O Apostle of God, and who will enter it?" He replied, "Those readers of the Quʾrán who are hypocrites in their behaviour."'—At Tirmidhí.

It is related from ʿAlí that, 'The Apostle of God said, "The time is near which will come to man, when nothing of Islám will remain but its name, and nothing will remain of the Qurʾán but a trace of it. At that time mosques will be (used as) dwelling-places, and men will be devoid of guidance. Their learned men will be the most wicked under the surface of the heavens, for from them will go forth contention, and to them it will return."'—Al Baihaqi.

It is related from Ziyád bin Labíd that, 'The Prophet mentioned something and said, "That will take place at the time when knowledge will disappear." I said, "O Apostle of God, how will knowledge disappear when we are reading the Qurʾán and teaching the reading of it to our children, and our children are teaching the reading of it to their children till the day of resurrection?" He replied, "May thy mother weep for thee, Ziyád! Verily I thought thou wast one of the wisest men in Madína. Are not these Jews and Christians reading the Taurát and Injíl, but they observe nothing of what is in them."'—Aḥmad, Ibn Májah.