Advice of acquiring knowledge by Hadhrat Moulana Qari Siddeeq Ahmad Baandwi Sahib Rahmatullahi Allayh[1]
One cannot acquire knowledge without a significant effort. Those who acquired knowledge did it with striving. In this world nothing is achieved without effort. One cannot acquire gold and silver easily. Whether it is gold or whether it is salt, one will have to strive. Do you think that ‘Ilm is valueless and can be attained without struggle? Even if someone has to acquire it without an effort it will be of no use to him. ‘Ilm is not ordinary knowledge. ‘Ilm is that commodity which will take a person to Jannah. The life in the Madrasah is a life of significant value and barakah. The fact that Allah Ta‘ala has brought us to the Madrasah is a great bounty. The Madrasah is a fortress against all kinds of sins and vices. One can refrain from all types of sins whilst living in the Madrasah. We have, however, been ungrateful for this ni’mat. Even while living in the Madrasah there is no sin that we are safe from. Allah Ta‘ala has sent us to the Madrasah to appreciate it but we have shown gross ingratitude towards it. It is the law of Allah Ta‘ala that if we appreciate the favours of Allah Ta‘ala it will be increased, and if we are ungrateful then Allah Ta‘ala says, “My punishment is very severe.” Have we appreciated living in the Madrasah? Which sin have we saved ourselves from? We are not even saved from the cinemas. We are the ones who are not particular about our salaah. We are the ones who miss out lessons. Can such people obtain true knowledge