Virtues of Knowledge Anecdote 1

Verily Allah elevates people through Knowledge, like He said in the Holy Qur'an 

"Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allah is Aware of what you do."

[Mujadila:11]

Umar ibn al-Khattab reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, Allah raises the status of people by this book, and by it he humbles others.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 817

A moving story ....

Andurrahman Ibn Abi Layla was invited by Isa ibn Musa, one of the royalties from Banu Abbas and was known for as an Arab supremacist, he Isa asked ibn Abi Layla, who is the Faqih (Jurist)of Basra, and he replied:

Al Hasan Basri and Ibn Sirrin.

 And who are they? Demanded Isa.

He replied: From the Mawaliy (non -Arabs)

He then asked, who is the Faqih (Jurist) of Makkah?

Ibn Abi Layla replied 

Ata ibn yasar

Mujahid ibn Jabr

Sa'eed ibn Jubayr and

Sulaiman ibn Yasar

So he then asked who is the Faqih of 

Madinah?

Ibn Abi Layla replied :

Muhammad Ibn Munkadir and Zaid ibn Aslam.

So he asked and who are these ?

Ibn Abi Layla replied :" They are non Arabs"

So he frowned and then asked who is the Faqih of Quba 

Ibn Abi Layla replied: " Rabiah Ra'y

And who is he?

Ibn Abi Layla replied:" from the non Arabs"

So he asked,who is the Faqih of Yemen and ibn Abi Layla replied:

Tawoos ibn Khaisan and Hamman ibn Munabbih .

And who are these

Ibn Abi Layla replied: "From the non Arabs"

And then he asked who is the Faqih of Sham and Ibn Abi Layla replied

 "Makhool " and who is he?

"From the non Arabs" replied ibn Abi Layla. 

So he turned red with fury and then asked further who is the Faqih of Kufa and Ibn Abi Layla replied:

"Ibrahim Nakha'i and Amir Sha'biy" and who are these enquired Isa ?

Ibn Abi Layla replied:  "They are from the Arabs" so Isa heaved a sigh of relief.

Ibn Abi Layla said if not because I was afraid of the evil that might come from him due to the anger I saw I would have said Ammar ibn Abi Sulaiman and Al Hakam ibn Uyainah