What kind of Student of Knowledge are you?
Among the requirements that must be met by a student of knowledge in order to achieve his goal – aside from giving consideration to tawfiq (divine success) and whatever other support he is offered – are nine requirements:
The first: Intelligence by which he perceives the reality of things.
The second: Discernment by which he conceptualizes incomprehensible disciplines.
The third: Brilliance which allows him to retain by memory what he has conceptualized and understand what he has learnt.
The fourth: Desire which allows seeking knowledge to last and wards off boredom from arriving too soon.
The fifth: Having sufficient material sustenance that is adequate for the expenditure of studying.
The sixth: Free-time which gives him availability and by which a lot of knowledge is acquired.
The seventh: Not having any abrupt disturbances, of concerns and illnesses.
The eighth: Long life and a lengthy period of time to acquire a lot and finish with it at the ranks of perfection.
The ninth: Acquiring a scholar who is generous with his knowledge and thoughtful in his teaching.
If he meets these nine requirements, he will be the most delighted student and most successful learner.
Al-Iskandar said, “A student of knowledge requires four: time, aggressiveness, talent and desire; and its perfection with the fifth: a sincere teacher.”
[Adab al-Dunya wal-Din, al-Mawardi (pp. 67-68)]
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