What’s your Excuse? - Shaykh Waleed Basyouni

What's Your Excuse?

There is no one who can bring anything better than what al-Kasa'i brought. I'm talking about somebody who started his journey into this very late in his life. رحمه الله تعالى — he used to say:

Every day I collect five points, five issues I learn. And I start increasing my knowledge one day after another. Until he became an ocean of knowledge.

Today I would like to talk about: what is your excuse? Not to be someone who is learned. Not someone who is committed to learn his deen. Why is it that only when we talk about madrasa and learning, we talk about kids and think of kids? What about us? What about parents? What about elders among our community who want to stay, you know, not learned?

I'm not saying that everyone listening to my khutbah today will become a scholar, a mufti, and an al-Kasa'i. If it happens, I'm happy — great. But at least everybody should seek knowledge and learn. And be inspired to acquire knowledge.

Today the access to knowledge is so easy. Knowledge is so widespread. Unfortunately, knowledgeable people are very few. People who are serious about learning — not many.

The Five Common Excuses

Excuse #1: "It Doesn't Interest Me"

What's your excuse? "I don't know if this is something that interests me anymore." Doesn't it interest you to be among Ahl al-Ilm? To be among those who are not ignorant? That Allah saves you from ignorance? And makes you a learned person?

Allah says, they will never be equal — those who know and those who don't.

Qays ibn Kathir said: A man came to al-Madinah — and that city was Damascus at that time, where Abu Darda used to live. A man came all the way from Madinah, all the way to Damascus. And he said, "I only came here to ask you about that hadith. I heard that you narrate one hadith from the Prophet."

فَقَالَ: أَمَا جِئْتَ لِحَاجَةٍ؟ — "You have nothing else to do in Damascus? You only came all the way to our city just for knowledge, just to seek knowledge?" He said, "Yes."

قَالَ: فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ — "Before I tell you whatever you came here for, let me tell you what the Prophet said:"

(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 3641; also related in Sahih Muslim, Book 35, Hadith 6518)

And in another narration: مَنِ الْتَمَسَ طَرِيقًا — Anybody who is seeking a path of learning, a way to learn, is seeking knowledge. Allah will make an easy path for this person to Jannah.

Any knowledge — any beneficial knowledge, any knowledge in the Sharia. It is a verse in the Qur'an. You come to the masjid for the shaykh to teach you how to read Qur'an properly, to teach you how to pray, to teach you how the Prophet ﷺ prayed, to teach you the sunnah of how to fast, to teach you a du'a. Whatever knowledge that is available for you to access and you learn — you listen to a lecture that will benefit you, you read a book that will benefit you, you put in your phone a recorded series of lectures on YouTube that are beneficial — any way, any steps that you take to learn, it will provide you an easy access to Jannah. Because it will increase your knowledge, increase your connection, your conviction, your trust in Allah and His deen.

And the hadith is long and you can look it up because there is a continuation of the hadith. But also, seeking any type of knowledge, even if it's a very small amount — the hadith is so general — that will get you an easy way to go to Jannah.

Don't be among those about whom Allah says:

The true ones who fear Allah, the ones who truly fear Allah, are the people of knowledge.

My brothers and sisters, Al-Bukhari رحمه الله in Sahih Al-Bukhari, in his chapter of Al-'Ilm, said:

You should envy — in a rightful way — those who have knowledge and wisdom. Then he mentioned the statement of Umar رضي الله عنه:

Be a learned person in your deen before you become in a position of leadership. In our community, I always see people who become in a leadership position in masajid, schools, charities — activists — but they never learned. They were never really learned people in their deen. So he said: make sure that you learn before the time comes and you become in charge. At least you are in charge of your family — تَسَوَّدَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ — at least.

What is interesting is what Al-Bukhari رحمه الله says after that: وَبَعْدَ أَنْ تُسَوَّدَ — You should continue learning even after you become in charge or you become in a leadership position. You don't stop.

That is why Imam Ahmad رحمه الله said:

I will continue learning until I die.

Al-Imam Ibn al-Mubarak رحمه الله — by Allah, he collected more hadith than anyone in his time. In his lifetime, no one had collected hadith like Ibn al-Mubarak. And he was still seeking knowledge. He was asked:

"Until when will you continue looking for hadith and documenting it?" He said:

"Who knows which one I am going to write — which statement I am going to hear — that will be the reason for me to go to Jannah. I will continue seeking knowledge basically until the end."

Excuse #2: "I'm Too Old"

Another excuse that a lot of people cite: "I'm too old for this, Shaykh. You can talk to your Maghrib students, young people, but us — we are old for this. We're not that young to seek knowledge. And I can't concentrate, I can't even focus anymore. It only takes me two minutes to get distracted."

I have good news for you, older members of this community. If you think young people have the ability to concentrate, you are completely wrong — they are a much worse case. But in any case, a lot of people have this excuse: "I'm too old for this. I'm too slow for this."

You know, one of the greatest scholars among the Shafi'i school, Al-Rabi' ibn Sulayman — كَانَ بَطِيءَ الْفَهْمِ. When scholars wrote his biography, they said this man was slow. He's not the smartest person. لَكِنَّهُ كَانَ يُكَرِّرُ الْعِلْمَ — but he used to repeat what he reads. Al-Rabi' ibn Sulayman is one of the most important names in Shafi'i fiqh — hands down. He used to read Al-Umm of Al-Shafi'i 500 times and repeat it until he said, "I have mastered it." Not being the smartest or the sharpest doesn't need to be that way.

You know, Abu Hanifa رحمه الله — when you think of Abu Hanifa, مَنْ هُمْ تِلْمِيذَاهُ؟ — who are his two students? Immediately everybody knows: Abu Yusuf and Muhammad al-Hasan al-Shaybani. Abu Hanifa once said to Abu Yusuf — and Abu Yusuf was the chief judge, the supreme court of the whole entire Muslim world, not an ordinary individual — إِنَّكَ بَطِيءُ الْفَهْمِ — "You are slow. You are not very fast." لَكِنْ أَخْرَجَتْكَ الْمُوَاظَبَةُ — "But your consistency is what made you smart, what made you able to succeed."

Excuse #3: "I Don't Want to Be a Shaykh"

Another excuse people say: "I don't want to be a Shaykh." They think — or she thinks — that seeking knowledge is only about becoming a Shaykh. No, that is a wrong intention. You seek knowledge because you want to remove ignorance from yourself.

So you come closer to Allah. So you love Allah more. So you understand Allah more. So you become more loved by Allah. You seek knowledge so you worship Allah in the best way. It's not about being a Shaykh or Mufti or anything of that nature.

Excuse #4: "I Don't Know Where to Start"

Some people say: "I don't know where to start from. Okay, I got excited about learning, but I don't know where to start. Who do I listen to?" What I can tell you is simple: look for beneficial knowledge. Look for people with the correct aqeedah, with the correct belief.

Knowledge is not for arguing. Not for boasting. Not for the dunya. The Prophet ﷺ said:

(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 253)

Anyone who learns knowledge just for arguing, for showing off, for being famous, for gaining more popularity on social media, or basically to argue with the scholars — that person should expect no place on the Day of Judgment except Hellfire.

Excuse #5: "I Have No Time"

People say: "I have no time. I'm married. I have a family. I'm old. I have work." يَا أَخِي, what do you think of the Sahaba when they became Muslim? What was their age? You think they were like 15, 17, 18 years old? No. Abu Bakr was in his 40s. Umar was in his 40s — or late 30s — when he became Muslim. That's when he started his journey of seeking knowledge and learning the deen.

Al-Suyuti رحمه الله said — and the scholars said — يُسْتَحَبُّ — it is recommended for a person to start learning the hadith بَعْدَ الثَّلَاثِينَ — after the 30s. In your 30s you start learning the hadith.

One of the most amazing things I have seen is what Ibn al-Jawzi رحمه الله did. Ibn al-Jawzi رحمه الله started looking to learn the sciences of Qira'at. How old was Ibn al-Jawzi? He was 70 years old at that time. And do you know who he used to go to the halqa to study with? With his son Yusuf, who was a teenager at that time. The father and the son — they went together to learn.

Asbagh, one of the greatest scholars in Maliki fiqh رحمه الله تعالى, became interested in learning knowledge late in his age. That is why he missed Malik رحمه الله and many great scholars — because he became interested in knowledge later on as he grew older.

Ibn Asakir, one of the great scholars in hadith, started learning in his 40s. Salih ibn Kaysan, the great scholar among the Tabi'in, who was the mentor of Umar ibn Abdulaziz and his children — رحمه الله تعالى — Al-Hakim said he started learning knowledge and narrating hadith in his 70s. In his 70s!

Ibn Aqil said: "I am in my 80s, and I still feel the same excitement about knowledge that I had when I was young in my 20s, 30s, and 40s." رحمه الله تعالى.

Ibn Hazm, one of the great scholars in hadith, started in his late 20s — 26 or 27 — when he started learning the deen. And he had an interesting story himself رحمه الله تعالى. He entered the masjid. Someone said to him, "How do you pray two rak'ahs?" Okay. Next time he came, it was after Asr. So he did not pray two rak'ahs. Somebody said, "You shouldn't skip them." And the Prophet ﷺ said, when you pray Asr, don't pray again until Maghrib comes. He said, "What do I do? I prayed, you guys criticized me. I didn't pray, you guys criticized me. What's the deal?" Then he said, "I went to my shaykh — a shaykh that I know — and I said, 'Can you teach me?'" Then the shaykh told him the answer. He said, "How can I learn?" قَالَ فَأَعْطَانِي نُسْخَةً مِنَ الْمُوَطَّأِ — "He gave me a copy of the Muwatta." And that is where he started his journey, so he would not be told by people, "Do this, don't do that," without at least understanding the reasoning himself.

And there is the story of Al-Shanqiti, the famous mufassir and modern scholar. He also started late in his life. He did not start seeking knowledge in early age. What inspired him to learn is interesting. He married a woman, and he said, "When I married her, she knew more than me. She knew so much ilm. And I felt ashamed." He said he left his hometown and disappeared. People looked for him for years — until he came back with the Imamah of Ahl al-Ilm.

So I don't think you have an excuse. Being old, or being too busy, or having a family — give your excuse a black eye, and make that an inspiration. A day that you remember: "You know what, I am not going to accept this anymore. I am going to take this more seriously as we go."

May Allah give us al-fiqh fi al-deen, and give us the love for ilm — for authentic ilm, for beneficial ilm.

Five Practical Tips to Get Started

So those are five common excuses I found that people always mention. And these are followed by five tips that I recommend for you if you want to start and say, "You know what — I want to change this."

Tip #1: Set a Dedicated Time

Number one: make a time — on a daily basis or a weekly basis — for learning. It is not going to work if you say, "Okay, I'm going to learn. Shaykh told us today to learn, I'm going to be inspired." It is not going to work. This mediocre type of lifestyle is not going to work. But put a specific time. Say, "This is the time where I will dedicate myself." Either you read a book with a shaykh that you trust and that has been recommended for you. Or you listen to someone online that you trust and that can benefit you. Or you read a book that is recommended for you. Whatever methodology or means you use — make sure that you have a time, on a weekly or daily basis.

Tip #2: Follow a Comprehensive Series

Another thing: listen to a series. It is one thing to listen to a general talk here, a general talk there — that is not going to build you. What is going to build you is something that is comprehensive. For example, you might take a book like Riyadh al-Salihin and read the whole book. A book like The Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi — take an explanation for it by a trusted shaykh. Or there is a class here that you attend. A whole surah, a whole juz. Read the entire Tafsir al-Quran — not just random lectures here about the Quran, random lectures about tadabbur. I am talking about someone who will build a good foundation and knowledge. You want to learn a whole chapter in Fiqh — take it, listen to it, attend it, or read a book that explains it.

Tip #3: Start a New Book Every Month

One of the things I would recommend is that you make sure that every month, a new book that you start. And it would be a good idea to have a book club — in the masjid, in a community, with friends, or with family. Something that becomes important. Every month, I introduce myself to a new book. You can do an audio book. In the UK, a lot of people are either stuck in traffic or on public transportation. Get some earpieces, put them in your ears, listen to something — a new book, an audio book. Reading is an incredibly important thing to increase your knowledge.

Tip #4: Attend a Local Class

Number four: I would highly recommend that you attend a class. Pick at least one class in your local masjid. Alhamdulillah, this masjid is filled with weekly classes, daily classes, and monthly programs. Make sure that it's part of your program, part of who you are, part of your schedule.

Tip #5: Surround Yourself with People Who Love Knowledge

The final tip I can give you: make sure that you look for friends who will help you to increase your knowledge. A group of people. When I was young, one of the things that benefited me personally the most was that I grew up with people who loved knowledge. None of my family members were a shaykh or a scholar or a hafidh or anything like that. But I surrounded myself with young men at that time who were very committed to learn. We would sit — a book like Riyadh al-Salihin — we would read it hundreds of times and repeat it. Books in fiqh — we used to sit like ten of us, and everybody would read a hundred pages, and somebody else a hundred pages. And in one sitting we would be finishing three, four hundred pages. And that was the level of commitment and the level of inspiration that we inspired in each other.

And we would read a book and say, "Hey, I listened to the whole entire explanation of this book — I'm going to teach it to you guys." That was in high school. Then another person: "I read this, I listened to this book, I attended this lecture with a shaykh and I'm going to teach it to you guys." And when he taught me that, I knew he was not a mufti, but I knew he had practiced what he learned. Oh, maybe he didn't understand that this issue needs to be reviewed. And we grew together.

Not everybody can do that, but if you can find friends like this, it will be great. For your family — whatever class you take here, whatever you listen to online — come and tell people in your family. Sit your kids, your wife, your husband, and share with them the information that you learned. Or with friends — make a questionnaire about the book that you read and teach people. Anything that you can do to absorb this knowledge and to share it is something that you should try to do.

Closing Reminder

With these tips, I can guarantee — if you do it slowly, step by step — next time, inshallah, maybe next year when I visit this masjid, I will see a lot of people come and say, "Shaykh, جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا. You know what — I was able to finish the whole Tafsir al-Quran. I never read Tafsir al-Quran in my life." Or "Shaykh, I never read a chapter of Sahih al-Bukhari. Now I did, and I listened to the explanation of it by such and such shaykh."

Just take your time and start. It doesn't matter how old you are or how busy you are. There is always a time for knowledge, and there is no time for excuses. So when you die and you meet Allah, you will be resurrected and gathered with the best of people — the people of knowledge.

May Allah make us among those whose knowledge is for His sake. We seek the knowledge that will benefit us in this dunya and the akhira. And we ask Allah to provide us with fiqh in our religion, to forgive us our sins, to have mercy on us, and to elevate our status in this world and the next.

O Allah, forgive us our sins and what we have fallen short of in Your rights, O Lord of Glory and Honor. And forgive us and bear with us what we have fallen short of in the rights of Your servants, O Lord of Glory and Honor.

O Allah, we ask You to accept our fasting and our Qiyam in Ramadan, and our charities and our good deeds, and to bless us in them, O Most Merciful. O Allah, we ask You with Your beautiful names and Your lofty attributes to send Your mercy and Your blessings upon this mosque and its people, O Lord of Glory and Honor. O Allah, send Your mercy upon our community in this country, O Lord of Glory and Honor — guide them and make them guided.

O Allah, we ask You to bless this country and its people. O Allah, we ask You, O Most Merciful, to put an end to the fire of fitna and war between Muslims, and to gather their words upon truth and guidance, and to choose for them righteous leaders and amend those whom You have chosen for them.

We ask You, O Lord of Glory and Honor, O Ever-Living, to heal our sick and the sick of Muslims, to have mercy upon our dead and their dead, to bless our neighborhoods, to forgive our parents and our families, to amend our offspring, to protect us from the evil of every fitna, and to keep us firm upon Islam and the Sunnah until we meet You — and be pleased with us — O Most Merciful.

O Allah, send Your blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and upon his family, as he himself commanded us to send salawat upon him.