BENEFIT: Recognising & Valuing People of Knowledge

Ibn Al-Qayyim rahimahullah mentioned: "فإذا ظفرت برجل واحد من أولي العلم طالب للدليل محكم له متبع للحق حيث كان وأين كان ومع من كان زالت الوحشة وحصلت الألفة، ولو خالفك فإنه يخالفك ويعذرك، ‌والجاهل ‌الظالم ‌يخالفك ‌بلا ‌حجة ويكفرك أو يبدعك بلا حجة، وذنبك رغبتك عن طريقته الوخيمة، وسيرته الذميمة، فلا تفتر بكثرة هذا الضرب، فإن الآلاف المؤلفة منهم لا يعدلون بشخص واحد من أهل العلم، والواحد من أهل العلم بعدل بملء الأرض منهم". “If you find even one person of true knowledge—someone who seeks evidence, understands things properly, and follows the truth wherever it is, no matter where or with whom—you will no longer feel alone, and harmony will replace that feeling. Even if he disagrees with you, he will do so fairly and still excuse you. But the ignorant and unjust person disagrees without proof and may accuse you of disbelief or innovation without any evidence. Your only ‘fault’ to him is that you do not follow his bad way and blameworthy path. So do not be deceived by the large number of such people. Even tens of thousands of them are not equal to one person of true knowledge. In fact, one person of knowledge outweighs a whole earth full of them.” [Iʿlām Al-Muwaqqiʿīn ʿan Rabb Al-ʿĀlamīn, 1/63 Mashhūr's print]