بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

الْحَمْدُ للهِ حَقَّ حَمْدِهِ، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى خَيْرِ خَلْقِهِ، مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِهِ وَعَبْدِهِ، وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ أَمَّا بَعْدُ:

Praise be to Allah as He truly deserves to be praised, and blessings and peace be upon the best of His creation, Muhammad, His Messenger and servant, and upon his family and companions thereafter. Now then:

فَاعْلَمْ أَيُّهَا الْحَرِيصُ الْمُقْبِلُ عَلَى اقْتِبَاسِ الْعِلْمِ، الْمُظْهِرُ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ صِدْقَ الرَّغْبَةِ، وَفَرْطَ التَّعَطُّشِ إِلَيْهِ..

Know, O you who are keen and eager to acquire knowledge, who manifest true desire and extreme thirst for it...

أَنَّكَ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَقْصِدُ بِالْعِلْمِ الْمُنَافَسَةَ، وَالْمُبَاهَاةَ، وَالتَّقَدُّمَ عَلَى الْأَقْرَانِ، وَاسْتِمَالَةَ وُجُوهِ النَّاسِ إِلَيْكَ، وَجَمْعَ حُطَامِ الدُّنْيَا؛

That if you intend through knowledge to compete, boast, surpass your peers, attract people’s attention toward you, and amass the wreckage of the world;

فَأَنْتَ سَاعٍ فِي هَدْمِ دِينِكَ، وَإِهْلَاكِ نَفْسِكَ، وَبَيْعِ آخِرَتِكَ بِدُنْيَاكَ؛ فَصَفْقَتُكَ خَاسِرَةٌ، وَتِجَارَتُكَ بَائِرَةٌ،

Then you are striving to destroy your religion, ruin your soul, and sell your hereafter for your worldly life; so your deal is a losing one, and your trade is bankrupt,

وَمُعَلِّمُكَ مُعِينٌ لَكَ عَلَى عِصْيَانِكَ، وَشَرِيكٌ لَكَ فِي خُسْرَانِكَ، وَهُوَ كَبَائِعِ سَيْفٍ لِقَاطِعِ طَرِيقٍ،

And your teacher is helping you in your disobedience and is a partner in your loss; he is like one selling a sword to a highwayman,

كَمَا قَالَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: (مَنْ أَعَانَ عَلَى مَعْصِيَةٍ وَلَوْ بِشَطْرِ كَلِمَةٍ كَانَ شَرِيكًا فِيهَا).

As the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: (Whoever helps in a sin, even with half a word, is a partner in it).

وَإِنْ كَانَتْ نِيَّتُكَ وَقَصْدُكَ، بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ اللهِ تَعَالَى، مِنْ طَلَبِ الْعِلْمِ: الْهِدَايَةَ دُونَ مُجَرَّدِ الرِّوَايَةِ؛ فَأَبْشِرْ؛

But if your intention and your goal, between you and Allah Almighty, in seeking knowledge is guidance rather than mere narration; then rejoice,

فَإِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تَبْسُطُ لَكَ أَجْنِحَتَهَا إِذَا مَشَيْتَ، وَحِيتَانَ الْبَحْرِ تَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكَ إِذَا سَعَيْتَ.

For the angels spread their wings for you when you walk, and the whales of the sea seek forgiveness for you when you strive.

وَلَكِنْ يَنْبَغِي لَكَ أَنْ تَعْلَمَ، قَبْلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، أَنَّ الْهِدَايَةَ الَّتِي هِيَ ثَمَرَةُ الْعِلْمِ لَهَا بِدَايَةٌ وَنِهَايَةٌ،

However, you ought to know, before everything, that guidance, which is the fruit of knowledge, has a beginning and an end,