One of the outstanding features of the sahaba (RA) was that, while they were learning, they were applying whatever they had learned. Sahaba (RA) tell us that the prophet (SAW) used to teach them ten verses at a time, and until they understood those ten verses and how to apply them in their lives then he would teach them more. Similarly, the sahaba (RA)would continuously implement in their own lives things they heard from the prophet (SAW) Once, it was time for Jumuah, people were coming into the masjid, and the prophet (SAW) was telling those who were coming into the masjid to have a seat. Abdullah ibn Mas’ood had not yet quite entered the masjid yet and was just at the door, but he heard this instruction from the prophet (SAW) and sat down right then and there, right at the doorstep of the masjid. Why was this? Because he heard the prophet (SAW) saying “sit.” He did not want to delay that command at his own discretion, and he wanted to implement it right away. Later, the prophet (SAW) saw him sitting at the door and asked him to come inside and have a seat. The application would never be delayed. The prophet (SAW) tells us, “A person who implements whatever it is that they know, Allah (SWT) will give them the knowledge of that which they do not know.” In other words, when we apply what we do know, Allah (SWT) starts opening up the doors for more knowledge, as opposed to someone who knows and says, “I already know that one,” without implementing it. What needs to be considered is how much you have practiced something. Even the knowledge that you have starts leaving.
Some of you may have the opportunity to sit in talks or lectures, but if you do not apply what you are listening to, a time will come when you and the person who never heard any of that knowledge will be the exact same, because your practice and the practice of the other person is the exact same. How much you know is not important compared to how much you are applying what you do know. If you were to sit down and reflect upon what you know, you would find that you know quite a bit. There are, quite a few things that you have, and it is about applying them . If you were to apply what you already know, you would be practicing more than most of the Ummah. However, if we do not apply it, we will go on hearing without actually learning and practicing . It is a vicious and terrible cycle, you are learning and forgetting . Every day, you will be learning and forgetting , and the next day the same thing happens, and it goes on until the time you finish the course of studies. Then, you walk away saying, “I wonder how much I really know.” One day, at some point, a discussion will arise, and you will say, “I heard about that but do not know much about that.” Even though you have been taught. Whatever you do know, if it applies to you, implement it right away. If it does not apply to you, share it with other people; share it with your friends and those who are close to you. This is something that the sahaba (RA) used to do. When they heard a hadith from the prophet (SAW), they would sit down and revise that hadith over and over again. There are two things that are crucial for knowledge to grow. One, to practice it, and two, remember it. InshaAllah, when you do these things, your knowledge will continue to grow and it will be a part of the legacy. We are talking about knowledge and the way the knowledge was acquired. Both of these things have been given to us hand-in-hand. May Allah (SWT) make our learning and teaching like the learning and teaching of the companions of the prophet (SAW).
