HUMILITY UPON KNOWLEDGE: MY EXPERIENCE WITH SHEIKH AJIA

By

Ibn Abdillah As-sudaisiy Al-Iloori

Humility is a great virtue. But the best way to learn it is to move closely with humble people. We were with Sheikh Ajia حفظه الله about two weeks ago to end a rift between two of our respected shuyuukh. The matter didn't end that day, we had to take a week adjournment. On those two occasions, we learnt a lot from him. Indeed, sitting with scholars has a lot of benefits. He entertained us with refreshments from his won pocket and he took into his house. And Allaah made it possible for him to bring the dispute to an end. Everyone was satisfied with his judgment. We had no doubt he was going to be just in his decision in the first place.

After the first meeting, on our way home one of our teachers told me that the reason why Sheikh was selected to be the judge was that everyone is pleased with his personality and his decision would have a binding force. Even the people of bid'ah know his status in knowledge and understanding. They don't want to cross his path. He is one of the highly envied. When he was pointing out errors of the two parties to the dispute, he was truthful, he didn't mind if anyone could get angry. He spoke his mind on all issues raised without any form of discrimination. By Allaah, it got to a point, I was thinking we were in a shari'ah court. This is the kind of people we need in our courts. He us even qualified to be our Mufti. Perhaps, Allaah can use him to change many things in our community.

Sheikh talked extensively about teacher-student relationship in Islaam and how the salaf practised it. We were all picking our benefits from what he was saying. He said students should respect their teachers and scholars should respect their students. He said their own teachers even hardly call them by their names. He spoke mostly based on his experience with his own teachers and other students of knowledge when he was in Saudi Arabia. 

We also learnt from him that we should not put ourselves in situations where people would be suspecting us. If we notice people are suspecting us on something, we should come out clean to explain things to them clearly, rather than leaving them upon suspicion and backbiting that could cost them their good deeds on the Day of Judgment. He gave us the example of two men who saw the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم with one of his wives in the dark. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم didn't allow them to go without clarifying their probable suspicion. If they had been left with that kind of suspicion, it could have led them to kufr.

By the time we were preparing to end the discussion, Sheikh sought for the number of all us, especially those of whom he didn't have before. And to my greatest surprise, he call me few minutes ago this morning, thanking me for the role played in the matter. I asked myself, "who am I", that Sheikh had to give me this honor? I am sure that is how he would have called other persons involved. 

This kind of exemplary personality is scarce in our society, let us not lie. Sheikh is an embodiment of humility upon knowledge and understanding. During the last proceeding, he humble himself saying: "emi ni o daaju laarin wa" (I am the worst among us). He doesn't want anyone to see him as anything. This was someone who attained the status of teaching people Islaam in the masjid of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in Madeenah. Yet, he is this humble. There are many people who have just started learning, they are arrogant and lousy. We need to learn adab as much as we need knowledge. 

If you meet Sheikh in the midst of people, you will not be able to identify him. This is from the Sunnah. He wouldn't like what I am writing about him. But I know he is not on Facebook, so he wouldn't be reading this. The purpose of writing this is not to praise him because he hate it. It is for us to learn from his virtues. No one is perfect, but Sheikh is trying his best to preach the Sunnah with the best of adab and akhlaq without compromising the truth. No one is above mistake. But I have always known him to be consistent upon the truth.

May Allaah preserve him for us and reward him in this world and the hereafter.