We started talking about how the best of students, the sahaba (RA), used to learn from the best of teachers, the prophet (SAW). One of the characteristics of the sahaba, when it came to learning, was that they would be patient when it came to the needs of the teacher; whether that teacher was the prophet (SAW), or he was a senior person from amongst the sahaba. When the prophet (SAW) had welcomed the tribe of Thaqif, from the people of Ta’if, , they disrespected the prophet (SAW), but the prophet (SAW) took out time to teach them and they accepted Islam. That time that he had fixed, the only time available for them, was after Isha. So, one night, they sat there waiting after Isha, and you know Isha is late. The prophet (SAW) did not come out, and finally, when he did come out, he said, “The reason I was delayed was because I did not finish my tilawa for today, and to me, that is more important than anything else.” They sat patiently, and they did not say, “He is not here. Let’s go.” They said, “We know he will come. We will do as he expects.” One of the important things is to be very considerate about the teacher’s circumstance and what they are expecting from us in this process of learning. Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA), after the prophet (SAW) passed away, came to the realization that the prophet (SAW) was no longer with him, but he had left behind oceans of knowledge with his senior companions. He was just a young boy when the prophet (SAW) left the world.
When Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA) wanted to learn something from the seniors, he would not shout to their doors, “I am outside. Let me come in and learn something from you.” His policy was, “I will learn at the convenience of my teacher. Because I am going to these people for knowledge, I do not have the right to place conditions of being taught knowledge. Whenever they are available, I will ask.” Sometimes, he would have to sit outside their houses for hours, and the wind would be blowing, and he would be covered with dust. When that companion would come out, he would say, “O cousin of the prophet (SAW), you should have sent for us, and we would have come to you. You are so significant in our eyes.” He said, “I have come to you to learn. It is on me to learn from you when it is convenient for you.” They held this regard for the convenience of the teacher. The exact opposite of all of this would be to do something to cause inconvenience for the teacher. We are not just learning knowledge; we are also learning the way knowledge is acquired. This is a part of learning. If we have knowledge in front of us but we do not acquire it by the right means, we do not benefit from it, and if we have even a little bit of knowledge but we acquire it the right way, that little bit of knowledge will take us so much further than what anything else possibly could. Let us start bringing this into our learning process; regard for the teacher, consideration for the teacher, and what the expectations are for the teacher and student. This goes for all our subjects – we want to act in such a way that the teacher does not just feel like they have taught, but they feel like they are honored. If we can do this, we will benefit so much from our teachers, and this will take us a lot further. May Allah (SWT) give us tawfiq.
