Documents of the Right Word

necessary. Necessity in this respect varies, depending on each
person’s art, profession and specialization. The following story will
help you grasp this better.
Story: Hadrat Shiblî ‘rahmatullâhi aleyh’ [247-334, in
Baghdâd] states: I studied with four hundred teachers and learned
four thousand hadîth-i-sherîfs from them. Of all these hadîths, I
chose one and adapted myself to it, leaving the others aside. For I
saw that it would suffice for me to attain salvation and eternal
happiness and that it embraced all sorts of advice. The hadîth-isherîf
I chose is this: Our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa sallam’
says to a Sahâbî: “Work for the world as much as (you will need
for) the length of time you will spend here! Work for the
Hereafter as much as (it will be necessary for) your endless stay
there! Obey Allâhu ta’âlâ as well as you need to! Commit sins as
much as you will endure (the punishment you will be given for
them in) Hell!”
23- This hadîth-i-sherîf shows that you do not need knowledge
more than necessary. For it is farz-i-kifâya to learn knowledge. It
is not farz-i-ayn. Others have done this job, thus relieving you of
your burden. You will understand this better if you read the
following story:
Story: Hâtim-i-Esam [He was born in Belh and passed away
in Tirmuz in 237 (A.D. 852)] was one of the disciples of Shaqîq-i-
Belhî [passed away in 174]. One day Shaqîq-i-Belhî asked him,
“How long have you been coming here and listening to me?”
“Thirty-three years.” “What have you learned, benefited from
me during this long time?” “I have benefited (learned) eight
things.” Upon hearing this, Shaqîq was appalled and said,
“Shame on you, o Hâtim! I have spent all my time for you, and
you have not benefited more than eight things from me.” Hâtim
said, “O my teacher! It is the truth, and I do not want more. They
will be enough for me. For I know very well that escaping
disasters in the world and in the Hereafter and attaining eternal
happiness will be possible with these eight pieces of knowledge.”
His teacher said, “Tell me what they are. I want to know them,
too.”
Hâtim said, “First, I observed other people and saw that
everybody has chosen an object to turn his affections towards and
that most of these objects, like faithless lovers, abandon their
friends to their fate after accompanying them for some time, until
they are on their deathbed, dead or buried. No one would
accompany a person as far as into his grave or share the troubles
– 452 –